History of Camden, (Kershaw County) South Carolina United States of America

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Biographies:

Thomas Frederick Davis, fifth bishop of South Carolina, and 57th in succession in the American episcopate, was born at Wilmington, N.C., Feb. 8, 1804. He was graduated at the University of North Carolina in 1822, and practised law for several years. He was ordained a deacon in the Protestant Episcopal church, Nov. 27, 1831, and was admitted to the priesthood, Dec. 16, 1832. During his diaconate he served at Pittsboro and Wadesboro, and was afterward rector of St. James's, Wilmington, and St. Luke's, Salisbury. In 1846 he became rector of Grace church, Camden, S.C., and on Oct. 17, 1853, was consecrated bishop of South Carolina as successor to the Rt. Rev. Christopher Edwards Gadsden, deceased. He received the honorary degree of D.D. from Columbia in 1853, and that of S.T.D. from the University of South Carolina the same year. He published addresses, pastorals and occasional sermons. He died at Camden, S.C., Dec. 2, 1871.

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

David Camden De leon, surgeon, was born at Camden, S.C., in 1813; the eldest son of Dr. M. Hendricks and Rebecca (Lopez) De Leon, and grandson of John Jacob and Hanna (Hendricks) De Leon. He was descended on beth sides from old Spanish families, who removed to the West Indies and thence to South Carolina about the middle of the eighteenth century. The De Leon family furnished officers to the army or navy in the Revolution, the war of 1812, and the Florida, Mexican and civil wars. David Camden was graduated from the South Carolina college, in 1833. Following the example of his father and uncle, who were both distinguished physicians, he was graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1836, and at once passed examination for assistant surgeon in the army. He was attached to the command of Gen. William S. Harney, U.S.A., then in the field in Florida, and with it served throughout the Seminole war. Thence he was transferred to frontier service until the declaration of the war with Mexico, when he was attached to General Taylor's army at Matamoras, and was in every battle on the Rio Grande line up to the siege of Vera Cruz. There he was transferred to General Scott's army as surgeon of Worth's division and was in every fight up to the city of Mexico. Gallant and impulsive, he gained the army nickname of "the Fighting Doctor," from leading charges at Chapultepec and Molino del Rey, when line officers were shot down. For this he was mentioned in orders and thanked by resolution of congress. Dr. De Leon again served on the southwestern frontier until 1860, when he asked a year's leave to travel in the Orient. On the secession of South Carolina he resigned and was made acting surgeon-general of the Confederacy by President Davis, organizing the medical department and serving in the field in the Peninsula and Richmond campaigns. Then he went to the Trans-Mississippi department, and on the surrender of most of that army, crossed into Mexico with Magruder and others, remaining a year. In 1866 he returned to Albuquerque, N.M., where he practised his profession until his death there, Sept. 3, 1872.

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

James Ormsbee Murray, educator, was born in Camden, S.C., Nov. 27, 1897; son of James Syng and Aurelia Powell (Pearce) Murray; grandson of John and Elizabeth (Syng) Murray, and great grandson of Philip Syng, a friend of Benjamin Franklin. His father removed to Springfield, Ohio, in 1836, where he was prepared for college, and he matriculated at Brown university in 1844. He was absent two years on account of ill health, and was graduated valedictorian in 1850. He was an instructor in Greek at Brown university, 1851-52; was graduated from Andover theological seminary in 1854, and was pastor of the Congregational church at South Danvers, Mass., 1854-61. He was married, Sept. 22, 1856, to Julia Richards Houghton of Boston. He was pastor at Cambridgeport, Mass., 1861-65; associate pastor of the Presbyterian "Brick church", New York city, 1865-73, and pastor, 1873-75. He was Holmes professor of belles lettres and English language at Princeten university, 1875-99, and was dean of the faculty, 1886-99. He was a trustee of Princeton theological seminary, 1867-99; a director of the seminary, 1874-99; vice-president of the board of trustees, 1889-99. He was also a trustee of Union theological seminary, 1869-82. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on him by the College of New Jersey in 1867, that of A.M. in 1896, and that of LL.D. by Brown university in 1886. The Murray chair of English at Princeton was named in his honor. He compiled and edited The Sacrifice of Praise (1869); and edited J. Lewis Diman's Orations and Essays (1881). He is the author of: George Ide Chace, a Memorial (1886); William Gammell, LL.D., a Biographical Sketch with Selections from his writings (1890); Francis Wayland (1891); Selections from the Poetical Works of William Cowper (1898). His lectures and addresses include: The Debt of Civilization to Literature (1883); The Study of English Literature (1886); Skepticism in Literature (1893), and Religious Belief in Literature (1895); the last two, Stone lectures delivered at Princeton theological seminary. He died at Princeton, N.J., March 27, 1899.

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

Zachariah Cantey Deas, soldier, was born in Camden, S.C., Oct. 25, 1819; son of Col. James Sutherland and Morgood (Chesnut) Deas. His father was a state senator of South Carolina. His mother was a sister of James Chesnut, Jr., U.S. senator. In 1836 he removed to Mobile, Ala., and engaged in business. In 1847 he served in the Mexican war, and in 1861 joined the Confederate army as aide-de-camp to Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, and was on his staff during the battle of Manassas, July 21, 1861. He recruited and was elected colonel of the 22d Alabama volunteers. The government having no means of equipping the regiment for service, he purchased 800 Enfield rifles, paying $28,000 in gold therefor. He was reimbursed in 1862, the government paying him the amount in Confederate bonds. He led the regiment at Shiloh and succeeded during the fight to the command of the brigade. He had two horses shot under him and was severely wounded the second day of the fight. With his regiment he participated in the battles of Munfordville and Salt River, Ky. At Murfreesboro, Tenn., his regiment was engaged the second day of the battle of Stone's River. Dec. 31, 1862-Jan. 3, 1863, and he superseded General Gardner as brigade commander, Dec. 31, 1862. His promotion to the rank of brigadier-general was signed Dec. 13, 1862, before this battle was fought. He led the brigade at Chickamauga, routed Sheridan's division and captured seventeen pieces of artillery. In this engagement the Federal general, W. H. Lytle, was killed, and General Deas lost forty per cent of his brigade. He also led the brigade at Missionary Ridge, Resaca, New Hope Church, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta and Jonesboro. In the engagements in Tennessee in 1865 he was wounded at Franklin and before Nashville, when he succeeded Gen. Edward Johnston in the command of a division. On the last day of this battle he had in his brigade only 244 men, although he left Dalton 2075 strong and had received 200 recruits. When the retreat was ordered his division numbered only 750 men. With these men he opposed Sherman's march through South Carolina, and when he reached Raleigh, N.C., he fell sick and was obliged to resign. After the war he lived in New York city, where he died, March 6, 1882.

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