John L. McLaurin
Encyclopedia
John Lowndes McLaurin was a United States Representative and Senator
from South Carolina; born in Red Bluff, South Carolina, he attended schools at Bennettsville, South Carolina
and Englewood, New Jersey
as well as Bethel Military Academy (near Warrenton, Virginia
) and Swarthmore College
(in Pennsylvania.) He graduated from the Carolina Military Institute, studied law in the University of Virginia
at Charlottesville, was admitted to the bar
in 1883 and practiced in Bennettsville. He was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
in 1890-1891 and was attorney general
of the State from 1891 to 1897.
McLaurin was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-second Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Eli T. Stackhouse
; he was reelected to the Fifty-third, Fifty-fourth, and Fifty-fifth Congresses and served from December 5, 1892, until May 31, 1897, when he resigned. He was appointed and subsequently elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Joseph H. Earle
and served from June 1, 1897, to March 4, 1903; he was not a candidate for reelection. He was censure
d along with Senator Benjamin Tillman
for an altercation between the two on the Senate floor on February 22, 1902.
McLaurin moved to New York City
and resumed the practice of law; he returned to Bennettsville and engaged in agricultural pursuits, and was a member of the South Carolina Senate
, 1914-1915. He was author of the State warehouse system for storing and financing cotton, and served as State warehouse commissioner from 1915 until his resignation in 1917. He died at his estate near Bennettsville in 1934; interment was in McCall Cemetery.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from South Carolina; born in Red Bluff, South Carolina, he attended schools at Bennettsville, South Carolina
Bennettsville, South Carolina
Bennettsville is a city in and the county seat of Marlboro County, South Carolina, United States. and home to the Bennettsville Historic District...
and Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
as well as Bethel Military Academy (near Warrenton, Virginia
Warrenton, Virginia
Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census, and 14,634 at the 2010 estimate. It is the county seat of Fauquier County. Public schools in the town include Fauquier High School, Warrenton Middle School, Taylor Middle School and two...
) and Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
(in Pennsylvania.) He graduated from the Carolina Military Institute, studied law in the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
at Charlottesville, was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1883 and practiced in Bennettsville. He was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
South Carolina House of Representatives
The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the upper house being the South Carolina Senate. It consists of 124 Representatives elected to two year terms at the same time as US Congressional elections...
in 1890-1891 and was attorney general
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
of the State from 1891 to 1897.
McLaurin was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-second Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Eli T. Stackhouse
Eli T. Stackhouse
Eli Thomas Stackhouse was a U.S. Representative from South Carolina and an officer in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
; he was reelected to the Fifty-third, Fifty-fourth, and Fifty-fifth Congresses and served from December 5, 1892, until May 31, 1897, when he resigned. He was appointed and subsequently elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Joseph H. Earle
Joseph H. Earle
Joseph Haynsworth Earle was a United States Senator from South Carolina. Born in Greenville, he attended private schools in Sumter. He was a first year cadet at the South Carolina Military Academy at the outbreak of the Civil War enlisted in the Confederate Army...
and served from June 1, 1897, to March 4, 1903; he was not a candidate for reelection. He was censure
Censure
A censure is an expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism. Among the forms that it can take are a stern rebuke by a legislature, a spiritual penalty imposed by a church, and a negative judgment pronounced on a theological proposition.-Politics:...
d along with Senator Benjamin Tillman
Benjamin Tillman
Benjamin Ryan Tillman was an American politician who served as the 84th Governor of South Carolina, from 1890 to 1894, and as a United States Senator, from 1895 until his death in office. Tillman's views were a matter of national controversy.Tillman was a member of the Democratic Party...
for an altercation between the two on the Senate floor on February 22, 1902.
McLaurin moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and resumed the practice of law; he returned to Bennettsville and engaged in agricultural pursuits, and was a member of the South Carolina Senate
South Carolina Senate
The South Carolina Senate is the upper house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the lower house being the South Carolina House of Representatives...
, 1914-1915. He was author of the State warehouse system for storing and financing cotton, and served as State warehouse commissioner from 1915 until his resignation in 1917. He died at his estate near Bennettsville in 1934; interment was in McCall Cemetery.