Watergate Committee Chairman Had Deep Williamsburg County Roots

Fifty years ago last week, a break-in occurred at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate in Washington, DC. The scandal it created eventually led to the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon two years later. But between the break-in and the President's resignation, the Senate Select Committee on Watergate held publicly televised hearings during the summer of 1973 from mid-May until late September. Presiding over those hearings was Senator Samuel James Ervin, Jr. (D-NC). Although he was born in North Carolina, Sam Ervin's roots ran deep in the soil of rural Williamsburg and Clarendon counties, South Carolina.

The Honorable Samuel J. Ervin (D-NC)

Sam Ervin was the son of the Samuel J. Ervin, Sr., a prominent attorney in Morganton, NC. His grandfather was John Witherspoon Ervin, known as Witherspoon, who married Laura Catherine Nelson, the daughter of John Jared Nelson. Witherspoon and Laura Ervin raised their nine children in Clarendon and Sumter counties, where he taught school in the Brewington community, edited the Black River Watchman in Sumter and was headmaster of the Manning Academy. His roots, however, were in Williamsburg County, and Senator Sam Ervin could boast that he was the fourth great-grandson of not only early settlers John and Janet Witherspoon, but also of Major John and Jean James.

Three of Senator Sam Ervin's uncles lived for much of their lives in Williamsburg County.

Lawrence Nelson Ervin, a farmer at Indiantown, was a Confederate veteran who was wounded in battle. Not much other information is readily available about Nelson Ervin. He died on May 7, 1893, and is buried in the graveyard at Indiantown Presbyterian Church. His wife, Gotea Wilson Ervin, died in 1920, and her obituary states that she was one of the best known women of Indiantown. His son Lawrence Nelson "Laurie" Ervin, Jr., may have been the surveyor who was hired by Williamsburg County in 1903 to survey the Williamsburg/Florence county line after a dispute arose between the two counties. Laurie Ervin was admitted to the Florida bar in 1905.

Lawrence Nelson Ervin, Sr., tombstone at Indiantown.

Source: Findagrave, Nancy Lee Huggins

Another of Senator Ervin's uncles, Erasmus Ellerbe Ervin, became a Presbyterian minister, eventually serving churches in Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina, including a number of years as pastor of Williamsburg Presbyterian Church in Kingstree. E.E. Ervin was a graduate of Davidson College, where he married Lily McPhail, the daughter of Davidson's president. She, however, died very young, and E.E. Ervin later married Mary Guthrie. Mary Guthrie Ervin died shortly after her husband accepted the call to preach at Williamsburg Presbyterian, so that during his tenure here, his daughters, Lily and Belle, became involved in many community activities.

In 1905, E.E. Ervin was called as a supply minister for both Williamsburg and Central Presbyterian churches. He was described as "not a brilliant orator, but a lovable teacher." Two-and-a-half years later he was installed as the regular pastor at Williamsburg Presbyterian. Participating in the installation service were Dr. Wilson J. McKay and Elder D. James Winn, who had been E.E. Ervin's classmates at Davidson. All three claimed ancestors who had been among the founders of Williamsburg Presbyterian in the 1730s. During his tenure in Kingstree, Ervin was deeply involved in the community. He also was instrumental in raising the money to build a new manse. In 1909, he gave a lecture to Kingstree's school children on the local history of Williamsburg County.

In November 1911, Ervin was called to pastor the church in McClellanville, where he remained until his death on May 13, 1918. He, too, is buried at Indiantown Presbyterian Church.

Tombstone for the Rev. E.E. Ervin and his wife, Mary Guthrie Ervin.

Source: Findagrave, Nancy Lee Huggins

The third of Sam Ervin's uncles who lived in Williamsburg County was Donald McQueen "Mack" Ervin. He moved to Kingstree from Clarendon County in 1879 where he worked as a clerk in John M. Nexsen's mercantile business. He then moved to Indiantown where he opened a mercantile business of his own and married Susanna Theodosia Barr. 

In 1907, his health began to falter, and the Ervins moved to Kingstree, building a house on what is now Third Avenue in what was then known as New Town. The Ervins threw themselves into the community, Mack Ervin served on the local school board and was one of the incorporators of the Williamsburg Livestock Company. In 1909, during the auction of 63 of P.B. Thorn's lots east of the railroad, a handful of coins was thrown out into the crowd. According to The County Record, Mack Ervin picked up a $5 gold piece. He was also active in Democratic politics. He and Sue regularly visited family in Indiantown, Darlington and Morganton, NC,  during the years they lived in Kingstree.

The house on Third Avenue built by Mack and Sue Ervin.

This house was known as the Sue Ervin House when I was young.

In 1911, Mack became seriously ill, undergoing an operation in Richmond, VA. He survived, but over the next few years, his health failed. He died on April 7, 1915, and like his brothers is buried at Indiantown. After his death, Sue Barr Ervin rented the house on Third Avenue to H.A. Fennell, a shoe salesman, who had not been able to find suitable housing to move his family to Kingstree. She, however reserved one room in the house for her own use and often sat on the front porch, engaging anyone walking down the sidewalk in conversation. 

Sue Ervin, for whom the Ervin Bible Class at Williamsburg Presbyterian was named, gave Presbyterian College $1250 in 1916 to endow a ministerial scholarship in Mack Ervin's name. He had been an elder both at Indiantown and Williamsburg Presbyterian churches. Candidates from Kingstree and Indiantown were to have first claim on the scholarships.

Sen. Sam Ervin (second from left) presides over the Watergate hearings.

Ranking Member Howard Baker (R-TN) is at far left of photo. Counsel Sam Dash is

to Senator Ervin's left and Sen. Herman Talmadge (D-GA) is to Dash's left.

In ten short years, Kingstree will celebrate its tricentennial. In the 300 years since its founding, there have been many descendants of the early settlers, such as Senator Sam Ervin, who have made names for themselves all across the United States. It would be a huge undertaking, but collecting as many of their stories as possible would make an interesting tricentennial project.