Sunday, April 12, 2020

The students of the Radical University: Benjamin Nance

Benjamin William Nance (b. Abt. 1858)
South Carolina.  Black.
Occupation: railroad mail agent, teacher.

Benjamin Nance was born in South Carolina to Ham and Susan Nance.  His father was a farm laborer who was living in Newberry, South Carolina by 1870.

Benjamin first appears in university records in the 1876 University of South Carolina catalogue.  There he is listed as a freshman following the modern studies track.  The university closed before he finished his degree.

By 1880, Benjamin had moved back to Newberry and was workings a teacher. He later moved to Spartanburg and worked as a railroad mail agent.  He last appears in the historical record in the 1900 U.S. Census.

Sources

1). 1870; Census Place: Newberry, Newberry, South Carolina; Roll: M593_1504; Page: 654B

2). 1880; Census Place: Newberry, Newberry, South Carolina; Roll: 1235; Page: 18D; Enumeration District: 108

3). 1900; Census Place: Spartanburg Ward 6, Spartanburg, South Carolina; Page: 22; Enumeration District: 0110

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