Singleton and Related Genealogy Pages
A history of many families.
| Name | Sumter RAIL ROAD [1] | |
| Gender | Male | |
| HIST | Sumter, the railway center of South Carolina Posted: Sunday, August 8, 2010 6:00 am | Updated: 1:12 pm, Sun Aug 8, 2010. By SAMMY WAY The early settlers of what became Sumter County depended on a system of water routes for travel and transport of products to market. Frequent flooding and obstructions made travel difficult. There were few usable land routes, the most common a former Indian path that later became known as the King's Highway. There were no existing railroads in the Sumter area at the outbreak of the Mexican War. However, many of the citizens of Sumter had expressed an interest in building a railway to Charleston. This venture was abandoned due to the potential staggering cost. A compromise was offered in 1836 when the South Carolina Legislature decided on an alternate route to be called the Darlington and Sumter (ville) Railroad Company. This line would originate at the Darlington Courthouse, pass through Bishopville, Mechanicsville and Sumterville and continue to the north bank of the Santee River at a point between the fork of the Wateree and Congaree rivers some 60 miles south of Camden. This failed due to the financial panic of 1837, followed by a severe depression that lasted from 1839 to 1843. By 1842 the rail line connecting Charleston to Columbia was complete, allowing the transport of both passengers and freight. It was decided in 1848 to extend the northern to within one mile of Manchester then turn north toward Stateburg, Boykin and then to Camden. By 1846 charters were secured from North and South Carolina for the creation of the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad Company. According to an article published in The Sumter Daily Item, construction of this railroad began near "Eagles Island, on the south bank of the Cape Fear River across from Wilmington, to Kingsville, South Carolina, a point beyond Sumter, S.C. " The engineers constructing the section of track built near the High Hills encountered several problems, including elevation changes and the lack of explosives (dynamite had not been invented at this time), which would have expedited the grading process. Thesefore some sections of track had steep grades, and large large trestles had to be built over several streams and deep recessions in the geography. The specific purpose of this railroad was to provide central South Carolina with the ability to move people and freight to and from Wilmington, N.C. Wilmington then provided access to additional rail lines, allowing these trains further access to markets located in the north and east. The board of directors of the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad and the South Carolina Railroad announced that the junction of these two systems would be at Rocky Mount where the Camden Branch descended into the Wateree Swamp. The cost of this 162-mile rail system was $1,550,000, the least expensive railroad of its kind ever built. It was announced on March 8, 1852, that a passenger train would begin daily runs (except on Sunday) from Sumterville to the Rocky Mount Junction leaving at 6:30 a.m. and service would be expanded to include the Mayesville community by April of that year. The Wilmington and Manchester and Camden Branch were considered by most patrons as among the best of their day. Sparks generated from the wood-burning engines and cows wandering onto the rails proved to be serious hazards for those traveling on these early trains. The rail lines caused remarkable growth to occur in many of the local communities especially Manchester which was located in Sumter County near present day Wedgefield. This once sleepy hamlet had grown into a city before the rail construction reached Wilmington. Sumterville would change its name to Sumter in 1855 and by 1857 the city had drained streets, brick buildings, a new jail, a bank and a post office. The period of railroad building inside the Sumter County limits would span a period of 67 years. Eleven separate lines of track would be constructed. The first period of growth took place from 1848 to 1851-2 and was followed by about 18 years of relatively little activity. Those years saw the Civil War and an economic depression taking place, causing investors and investment capital to be in short supply. The second period began in 1871 and concluded in 1900; it was during this phase that a massive expansion of the nation's rail system would occur. The third phase lasted from 1901 to 1915, and there was a moderate amount of growth experienced and little relevant to the expansion of the nation's rail system. SUMTER — A RAILROAD CENTER During the 1920s Sumter was considered to have excellent railway facilities in almost every part of the county. It was reported that Sumter had more miles of railways than any of the other counties in the state. Records indicate that Sumter connected Columbia with the largest number of rail lines (a total of nine lines) than any other county whose rail lines connected with the capital city. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company saw the Sumter community as a sound investment and ran six important rail lines into the Sumter system with these lines running in every direction, to the east, west, north and south. The Northwestern Railroad line along with the Southern Railway and the Seaboard Air Line each had one line entering Sumter community. These lines provided passenger and freight services to the local residents, thus giving Sumter beneficial, quick and convenient schedules and making the city a key commercial center. The Sumter community was also important because of its strategic location midway between Key West, Fla. and New York City. Sumter has been called "The Railway Center of South Carolina," because the nine rail lines servicing the city had developed into an excellent business, moving large amounts of freight and passengers on a daily basis. The Atlantic Coastline and Northwestern Lines operated 28 regular freight trains out of the Sumter area on a daily basis. These rail services also provided 22 regular passenger trains to the residents of Sumter each day. The Southern Railway system, according to The Sumter Daily Item, ran "four combination freight and passenger trains each day and the Seaboard Air Line operated two combination freight and passenger trains daily," bringing the total number of daily service operations provided to the Sumter community to 28 freight operations and 34 combined passenger and freight operations. It was widely believed that Sumter was the second largest freight-car loading point in the state of South Carolina, exceeded only by Charleston. Originally the Sumter passenger station was located on Dingle Street and freight was handled at a freight station located between South Main and Manning Avenue. In 1901 the Atlantic Coastline Company purchased the Brand property adjoining Harvin Street and constructed a large modern passenger station that was also capable of receiving freight and mail in addition to meeting the needs of hundreds of passengers each week. This depot served the Sumter community for more than 70 years and was torn down in 1972 to make room for a beverage storage facility. The Sumter train depot was also the site where presidents William Howard Taft and Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered speeches from the rear platforms of their private cars. During the 1920s the Atlantic Coast Line railroad company decided to enlarge its car repair shops in Sumter and increased its transfer business by building several additional miles of side tracks for freight handling. The number of car repairers was increased from 30 to 91 skilled workers. Also, an additional 50 mechanics were employed in the Sumter box car repair shops. The Sumter Atlantic Coast Line car shop payroll amounted to $13,000. While the 135 shop yard, depot workers and 240 train service men amounted to $31,000 a month. It was not uncommon for the A.C.L. freight yards in the Sumter area to handle between 25,000 and 30,000 box cars each month. That number did not include the thousands of "through cars" on "through freight trains."´ The Sumter rail yard of the A.C.L. Company covered a large amount of space running from one end of Sumter on the east extending completely through the city to the west and projected nearly a mile beyond the city limits to the south. The headquarters and shops of the Northwestern Railroad were also located within the Sumter city limits. The Southern and Seaboard Air Line railway companies conducted a substantial business specializing in the fields of incoming and outgoing freight; however, their passenger business did not compare to the volume of customers dealt with by the Atlantic Coastline passenger business. Many railroad workers chose to make Sumter their permanent residences. With the end of WWII and the rise of the automobile as the principal means of transportation, fewer and fewer Sumter residents chose the train as their primary means of transportation. With the completion of the Interstate Highway system millions of Americans abandoned the railroads and passenger service declined rapidly, leading ultimately to the closing of the depot. Today many Sumter residents have fond memories of riding the train to and from Charleston for high school football games or to different cities to shop and spend their vacations. The trains allowed local citizens the opportunity to share in the prosperity produced by American industry and served as an avenue to adventure, making it possible for average citizens to see the wonders of this great nation. The railroads played an integral role in the growth and development of Sumter, the state and the nation. Today the railroad industry is experiencing a slow but steady resurgence due to the high cost of energy and the congestion found at most air terminals. Perhaps the once bustling railroad industry will return to our city that grew because of its presence and greatly benefited from the services it provided. Information from Anne King Gregorie and The Item archives. Reach Item archivist Sammy Way at (803) 774-1294. Share Posted in Reflections, Looking back on Sunday, August 8, 2010 [1] | |
| HIST | Sumter, the railway center of South Carolina Posted: Sunday, August 8, 2010 6:00 am | Updated: 1:12 pm, Sun Aug 8, 2010. By SAMMY WAY The early settlers of what became Sumter County depended on a system of water routes for travel and transport of products to market. Frequent flooding and obstructions made travel difficult. There were few usable land routes, the most common a former Indian path that later became known as the King's Highway. There were no existing railroads in the Sumter area at the outbreak of the Mexican War. However, many of the citizens of Sumter had expressed an interest in building a railway to Charleston. This venture was abandoned due to the potential staggering cost. A compromise was offered in 1836 when the South Carolina Legislature decided on an alternate route to be called the Darlington and Sumter (ville) Railroad Company. This line would originate at the Darlington Courthouse, pass through Bishopville, Mechanicsville and Sumterville and continue to the north bank of the Santee River at a point between the fork of the Wateree and Congaree rivers some 60 miles south of Camden. This failed due to the financial panic of 1837, followed by a severe depression that lasted from 1839 to 1843. By 1842 the rail line connecting Charleston to Columbia was complete, allowing the transport of both passengers and freight. It was decided in 1848 to extend the northern to within one mile of Manchester then turn north toward Stateburg, Boykin and then to Camden. By 1846 charters were secured from North and South Carolina for the creation of the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad Company. According to an article published in The Sumter Daily Item, construction of this railroad began near "Eagles Island, on the south bank of the Cape Fear River across from Wilmington, to Kingsville, South Carolina, a point beyond Sumter, S.C. " The engineers constructing the section of track built near the High Hills encountered several problems, including elevation changes and the lack of explosives (dynamite had not been invented at this time), which would have expedited the grading process. Thesefore some sections of track had steep grades, and large large trestles had to be built over several streams and deep recessions in the geography. The specific purpose of this railroad was to provide central South Carolina with the ability to move people and freight to and from Wilmington, N.C. Wilmington then provided access to additional rail lines, allowing these trains further access to markets located in the north and east. The board of directors of the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad and the South Carolina Railroad announced that the junction of these two systems would be at Rocky Mount where the Camden Branch descended into the Wateree Swamp. The cost of this 162-mile rail system was $1,550,000, the least expensive railroad of its kind ever built. It was announced on March 8, 1852, that a passenger train would begin daily runs (except on Sunday) from Sumterville to the Rocky Mount Junction leaving at 6:30 a.m. and service would be expanded to include the Mayesville community by April of that year. The Wilmington and Manchester and Camden Branch were considered by most patrons as among the best of their day. Sparks generated from the wood-burning engines and cows wandering onto the rails proved to be serious hazards for those traveling on these early trains. The rail lines caused remarkable growth to occur in many of the local communities especially Manchester which was located in Sumter County near present day Wedgefield. This once sleepy hamlet had grown into a city before the rail construction reached Wilmington. Sumterville would change its name to Sumter in 1855 and by 1857 the city had drained streets, brick buildings, a new jail, a bank and a post office. The period of railroad building inside the Sumter County limits would span a period of 67 years. Eleven separate lines of track would be constructed. The first period of growth took place from 1848 to 1851-2 and was followed by about 18 years of relatively little activity. Those years saw the Civil War and an economic depression taking place, causing investors and investment capital to be in short supply. The second period began in 1871 and concluded in 1900; it was during this phase that a massive expansion of the nation's rail system would occur. The third phase lasted from 1901 to 1915, and there was a moderate amount of growth experienced and little relevant to the expansion of the nation's rail system. SUMTER — A RAILROAD CENTER During the 1920s Sumter was considered to have excellent railway facilities in almost every part of the county. It was reported that Sumter had more miles of railways than any of the other counties in the state. Records indicate that Sumter connected Columbia with the largest number of rail lines (a total of nine lines) than any other county whose rail lines connected with the capital city. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company saw the Sumter community as a sound investment and ran six important rail lines into the Sumter system with these lines running in every direction, to the east, west, north and south. The Northwestern Railroad line along with the Southern Railway and the Seaboard Air Line each had one line entering Sumter community. These lines provided passenger and freight services to the local residents, thus giving Sumter beneficial, quick and convenient schedules and making the city a key commercial center. The Sumter community was also important because of its strategic location midway between Key West, Fla. and New York City. Sumter has been called "The Railway Center of South Carolina," because the nine rail lines servicing the city had developed into an excellent business, moving large amounts of freight and passengers on a daily basis. The Atlantic Coastline and Northwestern Lines operated 28 regular freight trains out of the Sumter area on a daily basis. These rail services also provided 22 regular passenger trains to the residents of Sumter each day. The Southern Railway system, according to The Sumter Daily Item, ran "four combination freight and passenger trains each day and the Seaboard Air Line operated two combination freight and passenger trains daily," bringing the total number of daily service operations provided to the Sumter community to 28 freight operations and 34 combined passenger and freight operations. It was widely believed that Sumter was the second largest freight-car loading point in the state of South Carolina, exceeded only by Charleston. Originally the Sumter passenger station was located on Dingle Street and freight was handled at a freight station located between South Main and Manning Avenue. In 1901 the Atlantic Coastline Company purchased the Brand property adjoining Harvin Street and constructed a large modern passenger station that was also capable of receiving freight and mail in addition to meeting the needs of hundreds of passengers each week. This depot served the Sumter community for more than 70 years and was torn down in 1972 to make room for a beverage storage facility. The Sumter train depot was also the site where presidents William Howard Taft and Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered speeches from the rear platforms of their private cars. During the 1920s the Atlantic Coast Line railroad company decided to enlarge its car repair shops in Sumter and increased its transfer business by building several additional miles of side tracks for freight handling. The number of car repairers was increased from 30 to 91 skilled workers. Also, an additional 50 mechanics were employed in the Sumter box car repair shops. The Sumter Atlantic Coast Line car shop payroll amounted to $13,000. While the 135 shop yard, depot workers and 240 train service men amounted to $31,000 a month. It was not uncommon for the A.C.L. freight yards in the Sumter area to handle between 25,000 and 30,000 box cars each month. That number did not include the thousands of "through cars" on "through freight trains."´ The Sumter rail yard of the A.C.L. Company covered a large amount of space running from one end of Sumter on the east extending completely through the city to the west and projected nearly a mile beyond the city limits to the south. The headquarters and shops of the Northwestern Railroad were also located within the Sumter city limits. The Southern and Seaboard Air Line railway companies conducted a substantial business specializing in the fields of incoming and outgoing freight; however, their passenger business did not compare to the volume of customers dealt with by the Atlantic Coastline passenger business. Many railroad workers chose to make Sumter their permanent residences. With the end of WWII and the rise of the automobile as the principal means of transportation, fewer and fewer Sumter residents chose the train as their primary means of transportation. With the completion of the Interstate Highway system millions of Americans abandoned the railroads and passenger service declined rapidly, leading ultimately to the closing of the depot. Today many Sumter residents have fond memories of riding the train to and from Charleston for high school football games or to different cities to shop and spend their vacations. The trains allowed local citizens the opportunity to share in the prosperity produced by American industry and served as an avenue to adventure, making it possible for average citizens to see the wonders of this great nation. The railroads played an integral role in the growth and development of Sumter, the state and the nation. Today the railroad industry is experiencing a slow but steady resurgence due to the high cost of energy and the congestion found at most air terminals. Perhaps the once bustling railroad industry will return to our city that grew because of its presence and greatly benefited from the services it provided. Information from Anne King Gregorie and The Item archives. Reach Item archivist Sammy Way at (803) 774-1294. Share Posted in Reflections, Looking back on Sunday, August 8, 2010 | |
| _UID | 2D6823198EC74E4EAE8518F96F814D6EB1DD | |
| _UID | 2D6823198EC74E4EAE8518F96F814D6EB1DD | |
| Person ID | I257361 | Singleton and Related Families |
| Last Modified | 8 Aug 2010 | |
| Father | RAIL ROAD | |
| _UID | 03EBDBB56E0746EB9F639414B998E51317A6 | |
| _UID | 03EBDBB56E0746EB9F639414B998E51317A6 | |
| Family ID | F173537 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family | Sumter RAILWAY | |
| _UID | B30C24322F994FA196B985302DF3468CC35E | |
| _UID | B30C24322F994FA196B985302DF3468CC35E | |
| Family ID | F173536 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified | 23 Mar 2026 | |
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