Home | Research | Visitor's Center | Cemeteries | Surnames | Towns | Queries  | Album
Bamberg County SCGenWeb
 
 

BIOGRAPHY OF SENATOR THOMAS RAYSOR
Senator Thomas Raysor

"SENATOR THOMAS RAYSOR, "born 23 December 1797, was the son of Michael Raysor, Jr. and  Eleanor Risher.  A planter, he initially resided in St. Bartholomew Parish.  Tax returns for 1824 recorded 1,121 acres and 12 slaves as his property.  The 1830 federal census noted 33 slaves as part of his St. Bartholomew household.  Sometime before 1841, he moved to Barnwell District. 

According to the 1850 census, his real estate in Barnwell was worth $6,000; slave schedules for that year recorded 147 slaves as belonging to him.  Writing his will 23 September 1856, he mentioned a plantation (2,730 acres) and other property;  an inventory taken 2 February 1858 included 48 slaves and valued his estate at over $20,000. 

Public office for Raysor began with his service as clerk of the Court of General Sessions and Common Pleas for Colleton District (1822-1833).  While in the Senate, he was a member of the committees on engrossed bills (1833), internal improvements (1833), and finance (1833).  Locally, he served as
inspector of timber for the western division of the Charleston and Hamburg Railroad (1832-1833) and militia captain (c. 1841). 

Married twice, Raysor first wed Hannah Stokes, daughter of Peter Stokes and Elizabeth Lawford.  Six children were born to them:  Elizabeth Eleanor (m. John May), Thomas , Jr. (1827-1896), Rebecca Caroline (M. William C. Moss), Peter Andrew, Laura Anne (m. James Daniel Erwin), and James William.  His first wife died 21 February 1841.  In May 1844 he married Mary Ayer, daughter of Lewis
Malone Ayer and Sarah Nunnars and widow of William Dicks.  No issue was born to the second union.  Survived by his wife and four children, Thomas Raysor died 11 January 1858 in Barnwell District."

Source:  Biographical Directory of the South Carolina Senate, 1776-1985, Volume II, by N. Louis Bailey, Mary L. Morgan and Carolyn R. Taylor. 

The Thomas Raysor land was located in the Hunter's Chapel community.  Thomas Raysor and his first wife, Hannah Stokes Raysor, are buried in the May- Peter Stokes-Raysor  family cemetery in upper Colleton County. 

Scanned copies of Will of Senator Thomas Raysor and Slave Inventory can be found on this site:
http://patsabin.com/lowcountry/raysor.html


This file was contributed for use by the Bamberg County SCGenWeb Project  by:

Pat Sabin
psabin@bellsouth.net

USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file.

These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent.

TOP OF PAGE