“W” is for Williams, David Rogerson (1776-1830). Congressman, governor. Born in Cheraw (later Darlington District), Williams was educated at the College of Rhode Island. In 1801 he formed partnerships to publish two Charleston newspapers, the City Gazette and the Weekly Carolina Gazette. In 1812 he built one of the first cotton mills in the state and operated its machinery with enslaved labor. Williams entered public service in 1805 when elected to the U.S House of Representatives. In Congress, Williams was a “War Hawk” and supported war with Great Britain. He was elected governor in 1814. His administration saw the settlement of the boundary with North Carolina and the acquisition of the Cherokee Strip in northwestern South Carolina. Although he opposed the tariff of 1818, David Rogerson Williams rejected Nullification as a danger to the Union.
“W” is for Williams, David Rogerson (1776-1830)
