The students of the Radical University: Anthony B. Summersill

Anthony Benjamin Summersill (b. 1858; October 10, 1935)

South Carolina.  Black.  
Occupation: farmer, teacher.
Father's occupation: farmer laborer.

Mother's occupation: farm laborer.

Anthony was born in South Carolina to Anthony (or Toney) and Patience Summersill. It is unknown whether the parents were enslaved or free persons of color. During Reconstruction, they lived in Christ Church parish in Charleston county and worked as farmer laborers. 

Anthony attended the Avery Normal School in Charleston. He was in the same class as William D. Crum and Robert L. Smith. He graduated from the Avery in 1875 and then enrolled at the University of South Carolina. The 1876 university catalogue describes him as a freshman student from Charleston following the modern studies track. The university closed before he completed his degree.

After the closure of the university, Anthony returned to his family in Christ Church parish and worked as a school teacher. He was involved in the 1878 election, the first election held after the end of Reconstruction. On election day, he went to the polling station for Mt. Pleasant and distributed Republican ballots to voters. (Typically, voters would vote by submitting ballots provided by the political parties.) 

The election resulted in an overwhelming victory for the Democratic party. In Mt. Pleasant, the Democatic candidate for U.S. Congress, Michael P. O'Connor, received 473 votes against the 147 votes received by the Republican candidate, Edmund W. M. Mackey. However, Mackey contested the outcome, alleging that Democrats had engaged in voter fraud. For example, at Mt. Pleasant, when the election managers counted ballots after the election, they found 1,163 ballots even through only 620 men had voted. The election mangers, who were both Democrats, proceeded to select and destroy ballots until the ballot count matched the number of voters. Under federal law, election managers were suppose to select the ballots at random, but Republicans alleged that they intentionally tried to select Republican ballots. Ultimately, Congress upheld the reported election outcome.

Anthony remained in Christ Church parish, although there are few records of his activities. In 1884, he served as Mt. Pleasant's postmaster, and by 1910, he was working as a farmer. He continued to farm until his death in 1935. He is buried in Ocean Grove Cemetery in Mount Pleasant, SC.

Sources Cited
1). Year: 1880; Census Place: Christ Church, Charleston, South Carolina; Roll: 1223; Page: 4D; Enumeration District: 078

2) 1930; Census Place: Christ Church, Charleston, South Carolina; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 0046; FHL microfilm: 2341924

3) South Carolina Department of Archives and History; Columbia, South Carolina; South Carolina Death Records; Year Range: 1925-1949; Death County or Certificate Range: Charleston. Certificate Number: 014735. Volume Number: 28

4) 1910; Census Place: Christ Church, Charleston, South Carolina; Roll: T624_1453; Page: 28A; Enumeration District: 0066; FHL microfilm: 1375466

5) 2). United States, Congress, House. E. W. M. Mackey vs. M. P. O'Connor: Papers in the Case of Mackey vs. O'Connor, Second Congressional District of South Carolina. Government Printing Office, 1880. 46th Congress, 2nd session, Mis. Doc. No. 40., Part 1. pp. 681-684. 

6)  McIver, Petrona Royall. History of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Ashley Print. & Publishing Company (196). p. 86.

The students of the Radical University: Earl Craig

Earl Barton Craig (b. Abt. 1853)
South Carolina.  Black/Mulatto.  
Occupation: farm laborer
Father's occupation: farmer

Earl was born in South Carolina to Thomas (or Tom) and Anna (or Annie) Craig.  Earl grew up in Pickens County, in the upstate. The father owned a farm, an unusual achievement for African-American at the time. In 1870, the family owned 70 acres of land on which they raised livestock (swine and a milch cow) and grew corn and a small amount of sweet potatoes.

Earl first appears in university records in the 1876 University of South Carolina catalogue.  He described as a freshman from Keowee following the modern studies track.  This university closed before he completed his degree. After the university closure, he returned to farm with his parents.

Sources Cited
1). 1880; Census Place: Hurricane, Pickens, South Carolina; Roll: 1238; Page: 82B

2). 1870; Census Place: Easley, Pickens, South Carolina; Roll: M593_1506; Page: 394A

3)  Census Year: 1880; Census Place: Dacusville, Pickens, South Carolina; Archive Collection Number: AD275; Roll: 14; Page: 20; Line: 5; Schedule Type: Agriculture

4)  Census Year: 1870; Census Place: Easley, Pickens, South Carolina; Archive Collection Number: AD266; Roll: 6; Page: 3; Line: 23; Schedule Type: Agriculture

The students of the Radical University: Benjamin Simmons

Benjamin Simmons Jr. (b. Abt. 1853)
South Carolina.  Black.
Occupation: legislator.

Benjamin Simmons was born in Beaufort, South Carolina to unknown parents. He first appears in the historical record as a student at Howard University during the 1869-1870 academic year (when Simmons was about 17 years old). He was student in the Model School. The Model School offer coursework that prepared students for the college preparatory classes. Simmons left Howard after his first year.

By 1874, Simmons had returned to South Carolina. On November 28, he registered as a student at the University of South Carolina. He was a scholarship student and entered into the sub freshman (or college preparatory) class. He had left the university by January 1876.

Simmons was active in politics. He represented Beaufort County in the state House of Representatives from 1875-76, 1878-80.  After his first term in the House (in January 1877), he was appointed trial justice for Bluffton in Beaufort County, South Carolina.  However, he was appointed by Daniel H. Chamberlain, and while Chamberlain claimed to have been elected as governor in December 1876, this was disputed by his Democratic opponent.  Consequently some questioned Simmons's authority.  For example, in February 1877, Simmons issued a warrant for a man's arrest.  The man refused to acknowledge Simmons' authority, and the arresting constable had to form a ten-man posse to take him into custody.

Simmons was assaulted in Blufton in 1877. In August, newspapers reported that Simmons had been madly cut in a "melee" with boy (Manning Fields). Simmons was cut three times, and his wounds were considered "dangerous" but not fatal. His attacker was arrested but within a week had escaped to Savannah, Georgia. 

There is no record of Simmons's activities after his term of office ended in 1880.

Sources
1). 1870; Census Place: East of Seventh Street, Washington, District of Columbia; Roll: M593_127; Page: 664B.

2). 1880; Census Place: Bluffton, Beaufort, South Carolina; Roll: 1221; Page: 115C

3). Foner, Eric.  Freedom's Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders during Reconstruction.  Oxford University Press, New York.  1993.

4). "Local Items". The Beaufort Tribune and Port Royal Commercial.  August 2, 1877.  p. 3.

5). "Local Items". The Beaufort Tribune and Port Royal Commercial.  February 15, 1877.  p. 3.

5). "Local Items". The Beaufort Tribune and Port Royal Commercial.  January 18, 1877.  p. 3.

6). "County Convention." Port Royal standard and commercial, April 6, 1876, p. 2