Laurence M. Keitt

Laurence Massillon Keitt ( born October 4, 1824 Orangeburg District, South Carolina, † June 4, 1864 in Richmond, Virginia) was an American politician who represented the state of South Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Career

Laurence Keitt studied law at the South Carolina College in Columbia and graduated in 1843. His admission to the bar he was in 1845, after which he began practicing in Orangeburg. He decided in 1848 to pursue a political career by being elected to the House of Representatives from South Carolina, where he remained until 1853. He was elected for the Democrats in the 33 and later in the 34th Congress then, where he served from March 4, 1853 until his resignation on 16 July 1856. The background of his resignation was the rebuke of the 34th Congress on July 15, 1856 due to Keitts role in the assault of Preston Brooks on May 22, 1856 against U.S. Senator Charles Sumner. Nevertheless, he was re- elected to the 34th Congress to fill the vacant by his own resignation mandate. Then he was elected to 35th and in the 36th Congress, where he served until his resignation in December 1860 of 6 August 1856. During his tenure, he was chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds (35th Congress ).

Prior to the Civil War, he took part in the Secession Convention of South Carolina. In addition, Keitt was also a deputy to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States of America in February 1861 in Montgomery ( Alabama), and in July 1861 in Richmond. During the war he served in the 20th Volunteer Regiment from South Carolina, where he received the rank of Colonel on 11 January 1862. Shortly thereafter, he was promoted to brigadier general. At the battle of Cold Harbor, near Richmond, he was wounded and died a day later, on 4 June 1864 from the effects of his injury. He was buried in the family cemetery near St. Matthews.