History of Craytonville, (Anderson County) South Carolina United States of America

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James Lawrence Orr, governor of South Carolina, was born in Craytonville, Anderson county, S.C., May 12, 1822; son of Christopher and Martha (McCann) Orr; grandson of John and Jane B. (Chicksoale) Orr, and a descendant of Humphrey Orr, a native of Ireland, who settled in Plumstead, Bucks county, Pa., in 1730. James Lawrence Orr served as a clerk in his father's store; was graduated at the University of Virginia in 1842, studied law under Judge Whitner, and was admitted to the bar in 1843. He settled in practice in Anderson, S.C., was married to Mary J. Marshall, and became editor of the Anderson Gazette. He was a Democratic representative in the state legislature, 1844-46, and a representative in the 31st, 32d, 33d, 34th and 35th congresses, 1849-59. He served as chairman of the committee of the whole on the state of the Union, and of the committee on Indian affairs, and was speaker of the house during the 35th congress. He opposed secession and the compromise measures of Henry Clay, and in 1851, as a member of the Southern Rights convention in Charleston, S.C., succeeded in defeating the secession ordinance framed by that body, although he maintained the right of a state to secede. He was a delegate to the state secession convention of 1860, and finally cast his lot with his native state. He was one of the three commissioners sent to Washington in December, 1860, to treat for the surrender of the U.S. forts in Charleston harbor and of other property to the state. On his return he raised a rifle regiment, and commanded it in battle until 1862, when he was elected to the Confederate States senate, serving until the close of the Confederate government. He was elected governor of South Carolina by the Republican party, under President Johnson's plan of reconstruction in 1865, and served until 1868. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Union convention at Philadelphia, Pa., in 1866; judge of the 8th circuit of South Carolina, 1870-73, and a delegate to the Republican national convention in 1872. He was appointed U.S. minister to Russia by President Grant, as successor to Andrew G. Curtin, who resigned in August, 1872, and he served from March, 1873, until his death in St. Petersburg, Russia, May 5, 1873.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Craytonville, (Anderson County) South Carolina

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