Lawrence Cain (c. 1844–1884) was a lawyer, state representative, state senator, and public official in various offices during the Reconstruction era.

Lawrence Cain
South Carolina House of Representatives
In office
1868–1872
South Carolina Senate
In office
1872–1876
Succeeded byMartin Witherspoon Gary
Personal details
Bornc. 1844
Died1884(1884-00-00) (aged 39–40)
Political partyRepublican
EducationUniversity of South Carolina
Military service
Allegiance Confederate States of America
Branch/service Confederate States Army
Battles/warsCivil War

Owned as a slave by Zachariah W. Carwile during his youth,[1] he served as a body servant of Confederate Army officer Thomas W. Carwile during the American Civil War.[2] He was emancipated after the American Civil War.[3]

He was elected to the South Carolina House in 1868 and the state senate in 1872. In 1876, he lost his re-election campaign to Martin Witherspoon Gary, who served as a general in the Confederate Army[2] and became a leader among the Red Shirts, which reduced African American voter participation through intimidation and assaults.

Cain was in the first graduating class of African American lawyers from the University of South Carolina. It was resegregated along with other educational institutions as the Reconstruction era in South Carolina ended and it was closed off for African Americans.

One of Cain's descendants wrote a biography about him: Virtue of Cain: From Slave to Senator.[3][4]

References

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  1. ^ Cherry, Sr., Kevin M. (July 20, 2019). Virtue of Cain: From Slave to Senator - Biography of Lawrence Cain. Rocky Pond Press. ISBN 978-0-9992406-5-6.
  2. ^ a b "Edgefield County Historical Society spring meeting scheduled for Sunday". Aiken Standard.
  3. ^ a b "A Biography of Senator Lawrence Cain – The Edgefield Advertiser".
  4. ^ Cherry (Sr.), Kevin M. (July 9, 2019). Virtue of Cain: Biography of Lawrence Cain. Rocky Pond Press. ISBN 9780999240632 – via Google Books.


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