James Bostwick Gaston (October 25, 1893 – June 29, 1958) was an American businessman and politician from South Carolina. He was a president of the Greenville Spinners, and was known for being a Republican in South Carolina during the period of the Solid South.
James B. Gaston | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 25, 1893 Gainesville, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | June 29, 1958 (aged 64) Wilson, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Elizabeth Sligh Greneker
(m. 1923) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | University of Georgia |
Early life edit
Gaston was born on October 25, 1893, in Gainesville, Georgia.[1] He attended college at the University of Georgia, where he played baseball.[1] He moved to Greenville, South Carolina, in 1942 and became manager of the Greenville Spinners.[1]
Political career edit
Gaston ran for office as a Republican in 1944 for the U.S. Senate, losing to Olin B. Johnston.[2] He served as Greenville County Republican chairman.[3] He would unsuccessfully run for the House in 1948, losing to Joseph R. Bryson.[4]
Personal life edit
He married his wife, Elizabeth Sligh Greneker,[1] on December 24, 1923. He died on June 19, 1958, in Wilson, North Carolina, aged 64.[1]
Electoral history edit
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Olin D. Johnston | 94,556 | 92.94% | -5.95% | |
| Republican | James B. Gaston | 3,807 | 3.74% | +2.63% | |
| Progressive Democratic | Osceola E. McKaine | 3,214 | 3.16% | N/A | |
| Republican (Tolbert) | B.L. Hendrix | 141 | 0.14% | N/A | |
| No party | Write-Ins | 18 | 0.02% | N/A | |
| Majority | 90,749 | 89.20% | -8.58% | ||
| Turnout | 101,736 | ||||
| Democratic hold | |||||
| Year | Republican | Votes | % | Democratic | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | James B. Gaston | 894 | 5.1% | √ Joseph R. Bryson | 20,439 | 94.9% |
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "Jimmy Gaston Dies Suddenly; Ex-Spinn Head". The Greenville News. 1958-07-01. p. 3. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
- ^ "South Carolina Republican Ticket, 1944". The Press and Standard. 1944-11-02. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
- ^ "James B. Gaston, U.S. Senate candidate in1948". The Greenville News. 1948-04-07. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
- ^ "Gaston Candidate on GOP Ticket". The State. 1948-08-05. p. 10. Retrieved 2024-02-17.