Robert Simmons (South Carolina politician)

Robert Simmons (born c. 1850) was a farmer and state legislator who served in the South Carolina State Senate from 1882 until 1886.[1]

Robert Simmons
South Carolina State Senate
In office
1882–1886
Personal details
Bornc. 1850
Colleton County, South Carolina
Political partyRepublican

Biography

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Simmons was born about 1850 in the Colleton District of South Carolina and he attended school after the American Civil War on Saint Helens's Island.[1] He then started working as a farmer on Wadmalaw Island south of Charleston.[1]

In 1870 he served on the Republican executive committee representing Charlestons third ward and was also a Berkeley County school trustee.[1] Simmons also served in the state militia obtaining the rank of captain and serving from 1872 until 1877.[1] He represented Wadmalaw Island as a delegate to the Republican Convention in 1872.[2]

Then in 1876 he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives to represent Berkeley County but never took his seat in the house.[1]

Simmons was then elected to the South Carolina State Senate where he served in the 55th General Assembly from 1882 until 1883[3] and then in the 56th General Assembly from 1884 until 1886 with the last session on December 24, 1885, both times representing Berkeley County.[4]

He made a run for the United States Congress in 1888 as an independent but was not successful only receiving 74 votes compared to the winner Democrat William Elliott who got 8358 votes.[5][1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Foner, Eric (1 August 1996). Freedom's Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders During Reconstruction. LSU Press. p. 195. ISBN 978-0-8071-2082-8. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  2. ^ "23 Mar 1872 charleston daily courier". The Charleston Daily Courier. 23 September 1872. p. 1. Retrieved 10 December 2022. 
  3. ^ "South Carolina During the Late 1800s - The 55th General Assembly (1882-1883)". www.carolana.com. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  4. ^ "South Carolina During the Late 1800s - The 56th General Assembly (1884-1885)". www.carolana.com. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  5. ^ Senate documents. 1890. p. 105. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
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