George Lamb Buist Rivers (May 26, 1896 - September 12, 1963) was an American lawyer, politician, businessman, and civic leader. He served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives and the South Carolina Senate, and as the president of the Central Railroad of South Carolina.
George Lamb Buist Rivers | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 26, 1896 |
| Died | September 12, 1963 Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Cause of death | |
| Resting place | Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Education | College of Charleston Harvard Law School |
| Occupation(s) | lawyer, politician, businessman, civic leader |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Ethel Pinckney Rutledge |
| Children | 2 sons |
| Parent(s) | Multrie Rutledge Rivers Eliza Ingraham Buist |
| Relatives | George Lamb Buist (grandfather) Martha Rivers Ingram (niece) |
Early life
editRivers was born on May 26, 1896, in Charleston, South Carolina.[1] He had two brothers, John M. Rivers and Arthur L. Rivers, and a sister, who married Charles Webb.[1]
Rivers graduated from the College of Charleston, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1916.[1] He attended the Harvard Law School in 1916–1917, served in World War I in 1918, and returned to the HLS in 1919.[1] He was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross,[1] and he passed the South Carolina Bar exam in 1919.[2]
Career
editRivers started his career by working for his father's law firm, Hagood, Rivers & Young, in 1919.[2] He became the assistant U.S. attorney for Eastern South Carolina in 1922.[1]
Rivers was a member of the Democratic Party. He served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1924 to 1928, and the South Carolina Senate in 1930.[1] In 1956, he believed South Carolina should be able to decide whether to integrate public schools independently of the federal government.[3]
Rivers served on the board of directors of the Franklin Insurance Company in 1936.[4] He became the president of the Central Railroad of South Carolina in 1947.[1] He was an officer of the Standard Insurance Company of Charleston in 1960.[5] In 1959, with Hans F. Paul, Rivers represented Theodore Reed, a driver who ran over three African Americans (Dorothy Matheny, Hurtel Cabell, and Frank Hodges).[6]
Rivers served on the South Carolina Research, Planning and Development Board from 1951 to 1958.[1] He was the president of the board of trustees of his alma mater, the College of Charleston, from 1961 to 1963.[1][7]
Personal life, death and legacy
editRivers married Ethel Pinckney Rutledge.[1] They had two sons, George Lamb Buist Rivers Jr. and Thomas Pinckney Rutledge Rivers.[1] Rivers died on September 12, 1963, in Charleston, South Carolina.[1] He was buried in the Magnolia Cemetery. Rivers and his father are the namesakes of the Rivers Residence Hall at the College of Charleston.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "G. L. B. Rivers". The Index-Journal. Greenwood, South Carolina. September 12, 1963. p. 5. Retrieved September 15, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "South Carolina Historical Society Recently Processed Manuscripts". The South Carolina Historical Magazine. 107 (1): 68–71. January 2006. Retrieved 17 September 2018 – via JSTOR.
- ^ "Recess Is Desired By Some So Party Can Make Decision". The Greenville News. March 6, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved September 17, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Franklin Insurance Company Has Quarter Million Capital. Over $3,000,000 Insurance In Force--Annual Meet Directors Held". The Greenville News. Greenville, South Carolina. January 17, 1936. p. 2. Retrieved September 17, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "State's System of Electing An Insurance Commissioner Argued". The Times and Democrat. Orangeburg, South Carolina. January 5, 1960. p. 10. Retrieved September 15, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "State Expected To Rest Case Against Reed". The Index-Journal. Greenwood, South Carolina. February 4, 1959. p. 5. Retrieved September 17, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Retires". The Index-Journal. Greenwood, South Carolina. October 17, 1961. p. 2. Retrieved September 15, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Charleston: Residence for Students Dedicated". The Greenville News. Greenville, South Carolina. September 10, 1973. p. 30. Retrieved September 17, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.