Ellison D. Smith

Ellison DuRant Smith ( born August 1, 1864 in Lynchburg, Lee County, South Carolina, † November 17, 1944 ) was an American politician who represented the U.S. state of South Carolina in the United States Senate.

Life

Career

Ellison D. Smith grew up as the son of William Smith, a Methodist preacher, and his wife Isabella McLeod on his parents' farm near the town of Lynchburg on. Smith's cousin was Thomas Gordon McLeod, 1923-1927 Governor of South Carolina.

Due to the wealth of his parents Smith was able to visit some prestigious schools, including the University of South Carolina in Columbia or the Wofford College in Spartanburg, in which he gained his degree in 1889. He then returned temporarily to his parents' farm to help his brothers and sisters at work on the estate.

Private

1892 married Cornelia Smith Martha Moorer. But the marriage was permitted only a short duration. At the birth of her child, a son, Cornelia Smith died on 5 June 1893 at the age of only 28 years. Martius Smith, their son, was only 19 years old. In 1913, he acquiesced unintentionally, with his rifle at a wound, of which he died five days after the incident.

1906 Smith joined with Annie Brunson Farley down the aisle. From his second marriage four children, two daughters and two sons were born. His son, Ellison DuRant Smith, Jr. was later married to the daughter of Governor Richard Irvine Manning. His second son with Annie Farley, Charles sat as an MP in the House of Representatives from South Carolina.

Political career

Ellison Smith's political career began in 1896 when he was himself elected to the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives from South Carolina. After four years as a deputy in 1901, he ran for a seat in the House of Representatives of the United States, finished second in the primary of his party but only fourth place. The winner was Francis Asbury Lever.

Early on, Smith was committed to the interests of farmers, founded in 1901, the Farmer's Protective Association and was a delegate to the Boll Weavil Convention, which met in 1905 in Shreveport ( Louisiana). Since most cotton was grown on the farm of his parents, he was soon given the nickname Cotton Ed.

1908 Smith was elected to the Senate of the United States. It was the beginning of a 36 -year term in Congress. Five times he stood for re-election, just as often, he was confirmed in his office. In 1940 he became the Dean, the oldest member of the second chamber of parliament US- appointed. In 1933 he was elected chairman of the Agriculture Committee. Politically, Smith to the conservative wing of his party, who spoke out against the equal treatment of African Americans and the New Deal of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the early 1930s sharply criticized. The experiment was then Roosevelt, to prevent the re-election of Smith in 1938, but failed. In 1944 he was, however, no longer nominated by his party as a candidate for the office of U.S. Senator.

Death

Ellison D. Smith died on 17 November 1944 at the age of 80 years, on his parents' farm. He died in the same bed in which he was born.