PoliticalGraveyard.com

Florence County
South Carolina

Cemeteries and Memorial Sites of Politicians in Florence County

Index to Locations Effingham Elim Baptist Church Cemetery Florence Florence National Cemetery Florence Mt. Hope Cemetery Johnsonville Old Johnsonville Cemetery Timmonsville Byrd Cemetery Elim Baptist Church Cemetery Effingham, Florence County, South Carolina Politicians buried here:   John Morgan Timmons (1800-1869) — of Timmonsville, Darlington District (now Florence County), S.C. Born in Darlington District (now Darlington County), S.C., December 14, 1800. Delegate to South Carolina secession convention from Darlington, 1860-62. Died in Timmonsville, Darlington County (now Florence County), S.C., October 30, 1869 (age 68 years, 320 days). Interment at Elim Baptist Church Cemetery.   See also Find-A-Grave memorial Florence National Cemetery Florence, Florence County, South Carolina Politicians buried here: William Frederick Ives (1897-1972) — also known as William F. Ives — of Tampa, Hillsborough County, Fla.; Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Fla.; St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Fla. Born in North Tonawanda, Niagara County, N.Y., February 17, 1897. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War I; export manager for a cement manufacturer; Honorary Consul for Venezuela in Tampa, Fla., 1932-37; Honorary Consul for Guatemala in Tampa, Fla., 1935; Honorary Consul for Haiti in Palm Beach & West Palm Beach, Fla., 1944. Died August 14, 1972 (age 75 years, 179 days). Interment at Florence National Cemetery.   See also Find-A-Grave memorial   Image source: Tampa Bay Times, August 15, 1972 Mt. Hope Cemetery Florence, Florence County, South Carolina See also Findagrave page for this location. Politicians buried here:   Allard Henry Gasque (1873-1938) — also known as Allard H. Gasque — of Florence, Florence County, S.C. Born in Marion County (part now in Florence County), S.C., March 8, 1873. Democrat. School teacher and principal; superintendent of schools; member of South Carolina Democratic State Executive Committee, 1912-20; chair of Florence County Democratic Party, 1919-23; U.S. Representative from South Carolina 6th District, 1923-38; died in office 1938. Baptist. Member, Freemasons; Junior Order; Knights of Pythias; Elks; Odd Fellows. Died June 17, 1938 (age 65 years, 101 days). Interment at Mt. Hope Cemetery.   Relatives: Son of Wesley Gasque and Martha Washington (Kirton) Gasque; married, March 5, 1908, to Elizabeth Mills Hawley.   See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Find-A-Grave memorial   John Lanneau McMillan (1898-1979) — also known as John L. McMillan — of Florence, Florence County, S.C. Born near Mullins, Marion County, S.C., April 12, 1898. Democrat. U.S. Representative from South Carolina 6th District, 1939-73. Baptist. Member, Freemasons; Forty and Eight; American Legion. Died in Florence, Florence County, S.C., September 3, 1979 (age 81 years, 144 days). Interment at Mt. Hope Cemetery.   Relatives: Son of Malcolm Leonard McMillan and Mary Alice (Keith) McMillan; married, October 31, 1936, to Margaret Alexander English.   The J. L. McMillan Federal Building (opened 1975), in Florence, South Carolina, is named for him.   Epitaph: "No one has been more worthy of real honor than one who serves and loves his fellow man."   See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier — Find-A-Grave memorial   James Willard Ragsdale (1872-1919) — also known as J. Willard Ragsdale — of Florence, Florence County, S.C. Born in Timmonsville, Florence County, S.C., December 14, 1872. Democrat. Lawyer; banker; member of South Carolina state house of representatives from Florence County, 1898-1900; member of South Carolina state senate, 1902-04; U.S. Representative from South Carolina 6th District, 1913-19; died in office 1919. Methodist. Died in Washington, D.C., July 23, 1919 (age 46 years, 221 days). Interment at Mt. Hope Cemetery.   Relatives: Son of Littleton Russell Ragsdale and Ellen Adelaide (Byrd) Ragsdale; married, November 15, 1900, to Marie Louise Joynes.   See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article — Find-A-Grave memorial   Melvin Horace Purvis Jr. (1903-1960) — also known as Melvin H. Purvis; "Little Mel" — of Florence, Florence County, S.C. Born in Timmonsville, Florence County, S.C., October 24, 1903. Democrat. Lawyer; FBI agent; involved in the capture or killing of outlaws in the 1930s, including John Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd; delegate to Democratic National Convention from South Carolina, 1940. Member, Kappa Alpha Order. Died, from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, in Florence, Florence County, S.C., February 29, 1960 (age 56 years, 128 days). Interment at Mt. Hope Cemetery.   Relatives: Son of Melvin Horace Purvis and Janie Elizabeth (Mims) Purvis; married to Marie Rosanne Willcox; father of Melvin Horace Purvis III.   See also Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier — Find-A-Grave memorial   Elizabeth Hawley Gasque (1886-1989) — also known as Bessie Gasque; Elizabeth Mills Hawley; Bessie M. Hawley; Mrs. A. J. Van Exem — of South Carolina. Born in Richland County, S.C., February 26, 1886. Democrat. U.S. Representative from South Carolina 6th District, 1937-39. Female. Died in Ridgeway, Fairfield County, S.C., November 2, 1989 (age 103 years, 249 days). Interment at Mt. Hope Cemetery.   Relatives: Married, March 5, 1908, to Allard Henry Gasque.   See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Find-A-Grave memorial Old Johnsonville Cemetery Johnsonville, Florence County, South Carolina Politicians buried here:   Emerson Lancoe Ard (1895-1952) — also known as Emerson L. Ard — of Hemingway, Williamsburg County, S.C. Born in Hemingway, Williamsburg County, S.C., December 24, 1895. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; lawyer; bank director; mayor of Hemingway, S.C., 1926; member of South Carolina state senate from Williamsburg County, 1927-34. Methodist. Died June 15, 1952 (age 56 years, 174 days). Interment at Old Johnsonville Cemetery.   Relatives: Son of Lewington L. Ard and Addie (Maye) Ard; married, June 22, 1921, to Louise Fore.   See also Find-A-Grave memorial Byrd Cemetery Timmonsville, Florence County, South Carolina Politicians buried here:   Charles Aurelius Smith (1861-1916) — of Florence County, S.C. Born in Hertford County, N.C., January 21, 1861. Democrat. Member of South Carolina state house of representatives from Florence County, 1908-10; Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, 1911-15; Governor of South Carolina, 1915. Baptist. Died in Baltimore, Md., April 1, 1916 (age 55 years, 71 days). Interment at Byrd Cemetery.   Relatives: Married to Fannie L. Byrd.   See also National Governors Association biography

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