South Carolina Governors – Martin Frederick Ansel, 1907-1911

Biographical Overview

• Born: December 12, 1850 in Charleston, South Carolina
  
• Died: August 23, 1945 in Greenville, South Carolina
  
• Religion: Presbyterian
  
• Political Party: Democrat
  

Education

• Walhalla, South Carolina common schools
  

Occupation

• Lawyer

Major Events and Accomplishments - First Term, 1907–1909

• February 16, 1907 – The General Assembly abolished the liquor dispensary system, leaving each county in the state to either adopt prohibition or set up their own system of liquor regulation.
  
• February 19, 1907 – The General Assembly passed legislation to place high schools under the supervision of the state government.
  
• 1908 – Electrocution replaced hanging as the state's method of execution.
  
• 1908 – Ellison D. Smith was elected to the first of his six terms in the US Senate.
  

Major Events and Accomplishments - 2nd Term, 1909–1911

• By 1909 – Twenty of the state's forty-one counties had adopted prohibition.
  
• By 1910 – Train schedules allowed morning delivery of The State to most of South Carolina.
  
• November 8, 1910 – Woodrow Wilson, who spent his teenage years with family in Columbia, was elected governor of New Jersey.
  

Other Government Positions

• South Carolina House of Representatives, 1882-1888
  
• Solicitor, Eighth Judicial District of South Carolina, 1888-1901
  

Other Accomplishments, Honors, Distinctions

Election Results

• On November 6, 1906, Ansel was elected to his first term without opposition, receiving 30,251 votes.
  
• On November 3, 1908, Ansel was reelected for a second term without opposition, receiving 61,060 votes.
  

Web Resources

• Biographical sketch - University of South Carolina
• Listing of records available at SC Archives and History Center