Ellison D. Smith - Early Life

Early Life

Smith was born near Lynchburg, South Carolina at his ancestral home, Tanglewood Plantation (formerly Smith's Grove). Throughout his life, he would reside in Tanglewood. Smith attended the University of South Carolina, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, and graduated from Wofford College in 1889. He first married at the age of 28 to Martha Moorer of St. George, SC. She died giving birth to their son Martius Ellison. At 19 Martius was accidentally shot by his own gun while drinking water at the barnyard well. He died five days later.

In 1906 Ellison married Annie Brunson Farley. Her uncle Henry Farley fired the first shot in the Confederate Army, serving under J.E.B. Stewart, and gave his life for the Southern cause. Ellison and Annie had four children of their own, two boys and two girls. Their oldest daughter, Anna, was married to L.L. Smith, vice president of Kohler Plumbing Co. of Wisconsin. Isobel Smith Lawton moved to Florence, SC, when she married. Ellison DuRant, Jr. married Vivian Manning, daughter of Governor Manning. Charles Saxon Farley, a past member of the SC Legislature from Lee County, married Laura Douglas. Laura was the daughter of Oscar Douglas (co-founder of the F.W. Woolworth empire.) All five of Ellison DuRant Smith's children are now deceased.

Smith served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1896 to 1900. Smith was unsuccessful in his bid to become a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1900. In 1901, Smith helped organize the Farmer's Protective Association and eventually became one of the principal figures in the formation of the Southern Cotton Association in 1905. Between the years 1905 and 1908, Smith served as a field agent and general organizer in the cotton protective movement. Smith received the nickname "Cotton Ed" after he declared "Cotton is king and white is supreme."