Martin Frederick Ansel

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Martin Frederick Ansel
89th Governor of South Carolina
In office
January 15, 1907 – January 17, 1911
LieutenantThomas Gordon McLeod
Preceded byDuncan Clinch Heyward
Succeeded byColeman Livingston Blease
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from Greenville County
In office
November 28, 1882 – November 27, 1888
Personal details
Born
Martin Frederick Ansel

(1850-12-12)December 12, 1850
Charleston, South Carolina
DiedAugust 23, 1945(1945-08-23) (aged 94)
Greenville, South Carolina
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Ophelia Anne Speights
Addie Hollingsworth Harris
Children3
ProfessionLawyer, politician

Martin Frederick Ansel (December 12, 1850 – August 23, 1945) was the 89th governor of South Carolina from 1907 to 1911.

Early life[edit]

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, to John Ansel who was an immigrant from Württemberg in Germany and Fredrika Bowers, also a German immigrant, Martin grew up in the German "colony" of Walhalla, South Carolina. He was admitted to the bar in 1870, first practicing law in Franklin, North Carolina, for four years, then in Greenville, South Carolina, where he became involved in politics. He served in the state legislature between 1882 and 1888, then was elected solicitor in the eighth Judicial Circuit, where he stayed until 1901.[1]

Term as governor[edit]

He explored a run for governor in 1902, but did not actually run until 1906. He was re-elected in 1908. During his term, statewide prohibition was established.[2][3]

Marriages and children[edit]

He was first married to Ophelia Anne Speights, daughter of A.M. Speights, founder of The Greenville News, with whom he had two daughters and a son, but who died in 1894, then to Addie Hollingsworth Harris, who died in 1937.[4] One of his daughters, Frederica, christened the battleship USS South Carolina (BB-26) in 1908.

Death[edit]

He served as an elder at First Presbyterian church of Greenville.[2] He was interred in Springwood Cemetery in Greenville.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Edgar, Walter, ed. (2006). The South Carolina Encyclopedia. University of South Carolina Press. ISBN 9781570035982.
  2. ^ a b "Martin Frederick Ansel". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  3. ^ "South Carolina - Martin Frederick Ansel - 1907-1911". www.sciway.net. Archived from the original on May 28, 2018. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  4. ^ James Calvin Hemphill (1907). Men of Mark in South Carolina: Ideals of American Life: a Collection of Biographies of Leading Men of the State. Men of Mark Publishing Company. pp. 3–5. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Governor of South Carolina
1906, 1908
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of South Carolina
1907–1911
Succeeded by

External links[edit]