Randolph Murdaugh Sr. Explained

Randolph Murdaugh Sr.
Office:2nd Circuit solicitor for the 14th judicial district of South Carolina
Term Start:1920
Term End:1940
Predecessor:George Warren
Successor:Randolph "Buster" Murdaugh Jr.
Birth Date:February 28, 1887
Birth Place:Varnville, South Carolina
Death Place:Hampton County, South Carolina
Death Cause:Train vs. automobile collision
Party:Democratic
Spouse:Etta Causey Harvey
Children:2, including Randolph "Buster" Murdaugh Jr.
Relatives:Randolph Murdaugh III (grandson)
Education:U.S. Naval Academy
University of South Carolina (B.A., J.D.)
Known For:Founding patriarch of the Murdaugh family

Randolph Murdaugh Sr. (February 28, 1887July 19, 1940) was an American attorney and politician from South Carolina who served as the circuit solicitor for the 14th judicial district from 1920 until his death in 1940. Randolph was the founding patriarch of the South Carolina Murdaugh family. He died when his car was struck by a train.

Early life, education, and family

Randolph Murdaugh Sr. was born in Varnville on February 28, 1887, the youngest son of Josiah Putnam Murdaugh II (1830August 17, 1912),[1] a wealthy Lowcountry businessman and Confederate States Army veteran, and Annie Marvin Davis (August 4, 1847August 6, 1919),[2] a distant cousin of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.[3] [4]

Murdaugh received a public school education until high school, when he switched to a private school. He attended the US Naval Academy and graduated from the University of South Carolina (USC) with a bachelor's of arts in 1908 and from its law school in 1910.[5] He married Etta Causey Harvey in 1914 and they had two sons together, Randolph "Buster" Murdaugh Jr. and John Glen "Johnny" Murdaugh.[6]

In 1910, he founded a one-man law firm in Hampton, South Carolina, 78miles west of Charleston and worked as the town attorney.[7] In 1911 and 1915, he was appointed to the school board for Hampton County for two-year terms.[8] [9] In 1912, 1916, and 1918 he was a delegate for Hampton County to the Democratic Party state convention.[10] [11] [12] He founded The Hampton County Herald in 1916.[13] [14]

Circuit solicitor

In 1920, incumbent solicitor for the 14th judicial circuit George Warren resigned in March 1920 to run for U.S. Senate;[15] Murdaugh quickly announced his campaign for the open circuit solicitor seat the same month.[16] He faced Heber Padgett and R.M. Jefferies in the Democratic primary and was endorsed by the Hampton County Democratic Party.[17] [18] He advanced to a runoff with Jefferies after the August 31st primary.[19] He won the runoff and the seat in the September runoff.[20] In 1920 he became the solicitor in the 14th judicial circuit.The same year he was elected, T. Hagood Gooding was re-elected as Hampton County auditor despite Gooding being known as particularly corrupt and having been prosecuted by the state tax commission under Governor Robert Archer Cooper in 1919.[21] Murdaugh prosecuted both Gooding and W.A. Mason, another county auditor, for the state eventually leading to their removal from office.[22] [23] In 1922, he prosecuted Colleton County sheriff W.B. Ackerman for embezzlement.[24] While solicitor, he represented a governor, prosecuted another, and was known to fill the courthouse gallery during murder trials.He held the position until 1940 when he was killed in a collision between his car and a freight train.

Personal life and death

Murdaugh was an Episcopalian, member of the Freemasons, Knights of Pythias, member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Woodman of the World, and member of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternities.

His car "crashed into a Charleston and Western Carolina freight train at a grade crossing about five miles south of Varnville."[25] In the months before his death, Randolph was sick and his son, Randolph "Buster" Murdaugh Jr., would frequently fill in for him at court. The death was officially ruled an accident by the coroner. After his death, Buster sued Charleston and Western Carolina Railway and the parties settled for an undisclosed sum.[26]

Notes and References

  1. News: Josiah Putnam Murdaugh . March 11, 2023 . The State . October 6, 1912 . limited . . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311104416/https://www.newspapers.com/image/747257082/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  2. News: Mrs. J. P. Burdaugh, of Varnville, formerly of Charleston, dies . March 11, 2023 . The Columbia Record . August 6, 1919 . limited . . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311104419/https://www.newspapers.com/image/744308040/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  3. News: Mehrotra . Kriti . Murdaugh Family Tree, Fully Explained . March 11, 2023 . TheCinemaholic . February 23, 2023 . March 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230303014557/https://thecinemaholic.com/murdaugh-family-tree-fully-explained/ . live .
  4. News: A Murdaugh family death in 1940 was also suspicious — and eerily similar . Gillian . Brockell . March 3, 2023 . March 6, 2023 . . subscription . March 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230303124455/https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/03/03/randolph-murdaugh-death-1940/ . live .
  5. News: R. Murdaugh, Sr. Killed In Wreck . 12 March 2023 . The Beaufort Gazette . July 25, 1940 . March 13, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230313005822/https://www.newspapers.com/image/843932606/?terms=Murdaugh%20&match=1 . live .
  6. News: Etta Harvey & Randolph Muidaugh . March 11, 2023 . . April 1, 1914 . limited . . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311104421/https://www.newspapers.com/image/744412583/?article=02ffcdb5-6b0e-4f59-a709-b90eb30e2f7c . live .
  7. News: DeWitt Jr. . Michael M. . Trouble with Trains: The crash – and lawsuit – that helped launch the Murdaugh dynasty . March 11, 2023 . Greenville News . February 18, 2023 . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311104419/https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/south-carolina/2022/02/16/train-crash-lawsuit-helped-launch-murdaugh-family-dynasty-south-carolina/6719697001/ . live .
  8. News: County Boards Are Selected . March 11, 2023 . The State . April 9, 1911 . limited . . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311104920/https://www.newspapers.com/image/746952078/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  9. News: STATE BOARD HAS APPOINTED BOARDS TO SERVE COUNTIES . March 11, 2023 . . April 9, 1915 . limited . . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311104920/https://www.newspapers.com/image/188083274/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=2 . live .
  10. News: Democrats Plan for Convention . March 11, 2023 . The State . May 13, 1912 . limited . . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311104921/https://www.newspapers.com/image/747046797/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  11. News: Blease Faction Will Name Candidates For Conventions Offices . March 11, 2023 . . May 14, 1916 . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311104921/https://www.newspapers.com/image/744409811/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  12. News: State Democrats Will Meet Here Wednesday . March 11, 2023 . The Sunday Record . May 12, 1918 . limited . . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311104921/https://www.newspapers.com/image/744297239/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  13. News: Hampton Herald is Established . March 11, 2023 . The State . March 3, 1916 . limited . . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311104921/https://www.newspapers.com/image/747359889/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  14. Web site: DeWitt . Michael M. . June 24, 2021 . Throwback Thursday: The Randolph Murdaughs of Hampton County . June 25, 2021 . Augusta Chronicle . https://web.archive.org/web/20210727034210/https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/news/local/hampton-county-guardian/2021/06/24/throwback-thursday-randolph-murdaughs-hampton-county/7778931002/ . July 27, 2021 . dead .
  15. News: Solicitor's Race Will Be Lively . March 11, 2023 . The Press and Standard . March 24, 1920 . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311104921/https://www.newspapers.com/image/843401982/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  16. News: Randolph Murdaugh Out For Solicitor . March 11, 2023 . The Press and Standard . March 31, 1920 . limited . . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311104922/https://www.newspapers.com/image/843402011/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  17. News: For Solicitor . 11 March 2023 . The Beaufort Gazette . August 27, 1920 . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311180812/https://www.newspapers.com/image/843558087/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  18. News: Randolph Murdaugh . 11 March 2023 . The Beaufort Gazette . June 11, 1920 . Advertisement . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311180814/https://www.newspapers.com/image/843557666/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  19. News: R. M. Jefferies in Race With Randolph Murdaugh of Hampton . 11 March 2023 . The Press and Standard . September 8, 1920 . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311180811/https://www.newspapers.com/image/843402754/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  20. News: Solicitor Races Show No Changes . 11 March 2023 . The State . September 19, 1920 . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311180810/https://www.newspapers.com/image/748203917/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  21. Book: Hudson . Janet G. . Entangled by White Supremacy:Reform in World War I- Era South Carolina . March 20, 2009 . . 9780813173030 . 235–237 . 1st.
  22. News: Hampton Muddle Not Yet Settled . 11 March 2023 . The State . May 12, 1921 . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311203819/https://www.newspapers.com/image/748203433/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  23. News: Mason Must Serve Sentence Imposed . 11 March 2023 . The Press and Standard . December 21, 1921 . March 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230311203818/https://www.newspapers.com/image/843399545/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  24. News: Prosecution of Sheriff Ordered . 11 March 2023 . The Columbia Record . September 27, 1922 . March 13, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230313005651/https://www.newspapers.com/image/744419967/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1 . live .
  25. News: July 20, 1940 . Vet Solicitor Dies in Crash . 9 . . Charlotte, North Carolina . February 28, 2023 . March 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230305090917/https://www.newspapers.com/image/615633681/?terms=Randolph%20Murdaugh&match=1&clipping_id=119911252 . live . limited . .
  26. News: Campano . Leah . This Suspicious Murdaugh Family Death Dates Back to 1940 . March 11, 2023 . . March 6, 2023 . March 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230308065854/https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/movies-tv/a43216624/randolph-murdaugh-sr-death-1940/ . live .

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