BLACK HISTORY MONTH: The ‘born leader’ Jacob Moorer of Orangeburg

Recently, I decided to continue my research on the life and times of Jacob Moorer. So far, Moorer has proven very highly why his name and life should be written about and shared with the people living in our county today. He was truly a remarkable person who loved this great county, his works and its people.

Being a lawyer and a civil rights activist, Moorer fought many court cases in Orangeburg and throughout the state. Also, throughout his career, he played a vital role in championing the electoral and civil rights of Blacks in South Carolina.

Jacob Moorer enjoyed a very active role in his life and in the lives of many others in our state. He is what we call “a born leader.”

One of his most notable cases was that of a black sharecropper of this county named Pink Franklin. This case made its way from the Orangeburg County Court, to the South Carolina State Supreme Court and then on to the United States Supreme Court for a decision.

In my view, as I continue to research the history of Black Orangeburg, Moorer ranks as the best Black lawyer the county has ever produced at this point.

Moorer was born in Orangeburg County in April 1863 as the Civil War was ending, a son of Wilson and Hazel Moorer. By the age of 8, he had learned to read and write while working on his father’s farm.

In 1887, Moorer had worked his way up to becoming a teacher in the Orangeburg School District. On July 6, 1887, The T&D wrote an article “Shaking Up The Teachers.” In that article, he received his certificate to teach in the Sterling School for the Blacks.

Moorer worked very hard on his school work at Claflin. The T&D reported on May 30, 1888, that, “he was one of the class Salutatorians giving a speech on “Some Elements of Success.”

In The T&D on March 26, 1890, they wrote the County Treasurer Report of School and County claims for 1888 and 1889. It reported that Jacob Moorer received $20.70 for the work that he had conducted as a teacher for Orangeburg County.

Moorer attended the Normal School at Claflin University, and in 1892, he completed his requirements and graduated. Soon thereafter, he obtained a position as the principal of LaGrange Academy in Georgia.

In the Dec. 2, 1896 issue of The T&D, the paper printed, “The Colored Fair — It is announced that the fourth annual colored Fair for Orangeburg County will be held in this city, commencing December 8 and continuing until the 11th, inclusive. The address to the colored race is signed by H.B. Thomas, as president, and Jacob Moorer, as secretary.

“We are to be more thankful for this year’s success, in that our fields have brought forth an abundance of corn, cotton, peas and potatoes, all of which can find a ready market in this our growing city.”

Moorer played a vital role in the Black community of Orangeburg as he nudged his career forward in the legal world that he encountered.

In The T&D on Jan. 6, 1897, they printed, “Items Of Local Interest — In the last law class that was examined by the Supreme Court, there were three colored men, but only one of whom, Jacob Moorer, of this county, passed and was admitted to practice law.”

Also in 1898, Moorer started his role as championing electoral and civil rights for Blacks in the state. That year, he argued on behalf of James H. Weston against J. William Stokes in the election for a seat in the U. S. Congress. He objected to the election and said registration laws were unconstitutional.

Moorer argued and represented the Republican candidate for this district at the end of the national election in 1898. It must be noted that all of the election battles taken by Attorney Moorer would end up in the U.S. Congress being contested, which resulted in a loss and a payment of $2,000 to the looser. Back then, that was the policy of federal elections.

Then in 1899, Moorer decided to marry his lover Lizelia Augusta Jenkins. She was born in September 1868 to Warren D. Jenkins and Mattie Miller from Pickens, South Carolina. Lizelia also taught at the Normal and Grammar Schools at Claflin University from 1895 to 1899.

By the time that they got married, Lizelia had become a renowned Black poet in America. She became a very strong activist. Also, beyond her poetry, she was very active with the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union in 1910.

In the year of 1899, Attorney Moorer became a member and joined the first board of trustees for the Denmark Industrial School For Colored Youth in Denmark. It consisted of seven whites and four Blacks. This school was very unique in that it was founded by Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, a Black woman of great vision and insight.

Moorer honorably served in that position for a number of years in developing what is now Voorhees College. And for him to be selected by Miss Wright, he must have impressed her mighty much to become a member of the first school board.

In 1900, Moorer was a member of the County Convention of the Union Republican Party in the state. He was elected as the secretary and J.H. Fordham was re-elected the chairman.

He was appointed census enumerator for Orangeburg County on May 16, 1900.

With the race issue being a part of Black life in our nation, The T&D printed an article that Jacob Moorer signed on Sept. 2, 1903. “Issues An Address — What the Negroes Have to Say to the White People — Want Lynching Stopped — But Has Very Little to Say About the Crime that Causes It and Condemns it Mildly — We the colored citizens of South Carolina in convention assembled, desire to direct the attention of the law-abiding white citizens of the State to the alarming amount of lawlessness that is being practiced in the State which is disturbing the peace and good order of society, generally, creating much bad feeling and antagonism between the races and endangering the lives of many citizens by mob violence.”

At the time in March 1904, the Republican Party of our state was composed primarily of Black men. Back then, the lynching of Black men and women had become a vital matter for those who were charged with criminal conduct.

The T&D printed on March 2, 1904, “Capers On Deck — He Is Sustained by the Republicans of South Carolina — The Principal Feature of the Republican State Convention Was the Attack by Brayton on Jno. G. Capers — The Republican State Convention met in Columbia on Wednesday, transacted its business and adjourned.

“The complexion was mostly dark, with a faint sprinkling of whites, those who hold office or hope to hold office. Representing Orangeburg were: John H. Fordham, Jacob Moorer, A. D. Webster, Christian W. Caldwell, and Alexander D. Dantzler.”

SPECIAL NOTE: The history of Black involvement in political parties began in Orangeburg County with the Republican Party in 1868. This trend continued until the 1940s when the majority of the blacks began to align with the Democratic Party.

By 1905, he was one of only a few Black lawyers in this area. Also at that time, Moorer was the only Black lawyer at the Orangeburg Bar.

In 1906, Moorer went to Washington, D.C., and spoke before the House Committee on Elections in support of Isaac Meyers’ contest of the election of J. O. Patterson. The New York Times reported that the house committee noted that if they had granted Moorer’s claim, they would have to unseat every member in the House from a Southern state.

In 1907, The T&D posted a notice on July 18, “Notice — The Trustees of Trinity M.E. Church hereby offer for sale to the highest bidder for cash, one wooden building situated in rear of said church in this city, fronting on Sunny Side Street, numbers 12 and 14. Persons desiring to purchase said building will file sealed bids with the undersigned secretary or chairman. The lot is not for sale. The building is for sale. R.W. Jewett, Chairman Board of Trustees. Jacob Moorer, Secretary.”

Then, in The T&D on Aug. 1, 1907, the situation that hurled Moorer to the highest case of his career that carried his name from the local court to the state court and then on to the United States Supreme Court. That case involved the name of Pink Franklin.

The headline read, “Dastardly Affair — Constable Valentine Shot and Killed by a Negro — Who He Had Gone to Arrest on the Charge of Larceny — The Murderer Made His Escape — About five o’clock Monday morning Magistrate I. Valentine of Cope sent his constable, H.E. Valentine to arrest Pink Franklin, alias Pink Porter, colored, on a charge of larceny. Franklin lives on Mr. E.S. Spires’ place about four miles from Norway.

“Constable Valentine pressed into service to assist him. Mr. W.N. Carter and both went to Franklin’s house to arrest him. On arriving at the house Valentine went to the front door and was admitted. Just as he got in the house the negro drew his pistol and fired at him. The ball entered his left side and penetrated the stomach.

“Mr. Valentine is about 27 years of age and single. He is a graduate of the Osborne Business college of Augusta, Ga. Mr. Valentine died at 7 o’clock Monday night.

“The negro Franklin is at large and is being chased by a posse of men who think they have him located in a swamp near the place of the shooting.

“His wife was arrested and carried to Norway Monday afternoon. It is stated that she started toward the wounded man with an axe to kill him while he was on the ground.

“Two negroes who accompanied Franklin to the swamp have been caught and both are in the Norway guard house. One was severely whipped to get information, but this failed.”

Then on Aug. 8, 1907, The T&D reported that Pink Franklin was caught. “Got Him Safe — Murderer of Constable Valentine Caught Near Denmark — Carried to the Penitentiary for Safe Keeping — Claims He Shot in Self Defense — The State says Pink Franklin, alias ‘Porter’ Franklin, the negro who shot and killed Constable H.E. Valentine, near Norway, Orangeburg county, Monday morning while the officer was attempting to serve a warrant, was brought to Columbia Thursday on the morning train from Denmark and lodged in the State penitentiary for safe keeping, in accordance with the instructions of Gov. Ansel.

“The Negro’s side of the affair

“A reporter of The State saw Franklin at the penitentiary soon after his arrival there Thursday and his statement about the killing, the things that led up to the affair and subsequent events follows:

“Just before day Monday morning somebody knocked at my house. I asked who was there and the man replied, ‘A friend.’ I asked him what he wanted, but he threw his weight against the door and came on in. I was sleeping with my wife on a pallet on the floor and when the man came in I was putting on my pants to go to the door to see what he wanted.

“I had one leg in my pants when he rushed in and yelled to me to throw up my hands. Before I could get my hands up he shot and the ball struck me in the shoulder.

“I didn’t know who the man was or what he wanted and I thought he was going to kill me right there and I grabbed up my pistol, which was under my pillow, and began firing.

“I shot three times, right quick. In my excitement, I think I shot my wife, though I don’t know. Another man rushed in and I got out the door and ran off in the dark. I didn’t know whether I killed the man or not. I was frightened and ran away just as fast as I could go.”

After the death of Constable Valentine, a resolution on his death was posted in The T&D on Aug. 15, 1907.

On Sept. 12, 1907, The T&D reported on the trial of Pink Franklin. “He Will Hang-Pink Franklin, Who Murdered Mr. Henry Valentine, convicted — Of Murder and Sentenced to be Hanged on Friday, the Twenty-fifth Day of October — The court was occupied Monday with the trial of Pink Franklin, the negro who shot and killed Mr. Henry Valentine, who went to arrest him as the special constable of his brother, who is a magistrate at Cope. Franklin was given a fair trial and defended, by two colored lawyers Jacob Moorer of this city, and Jno. Adams of Columbia, but he was convicted of murder and was sentenced to be hanged on Friday, October 25. Sad Franklin, who was placed on trial with him as an accessory to the killing was acquitted.”

Apparently, lawyer Moorer and Adams had collected a great amount of valuable information in the Franklin case. With their legal knowledge, the two of them were able to find some faults by the prosecution that they could use to defend the case. Generally, in such a case, a Black man would have gone to the gallows by this time.

Then, The T&D printed on Sept. 19, 1907, “The Franklin Case — Has Been Appealed to the State Supreme Court — Adams and Moorer raised three constitutional objections — two based on the federal constitution and one on the state constitution — and also moved to quash the indictment, on the ground of irregularity in keeping the coroner’s records.”

It was discovered during the trial that the testimony given at the inquest had not been kept in a public office at the courthouse, although the law requires, specifically, the original record must be filed with the clerk of court within 10 days and must be copied into a book, called the book of inquests, which is required to be kept in the coroner’s office at the courthouse.”

At that time, Moorer and Adams had figured out that they had collected enough information to properly defend the Franklin case. The question the attorneys for the defense are by implication asking is, will the Supreme Court decide the matter upon the constitution, or will they be guided wholly by expediency?

Attorney Moorer and Adams continued their work with other cases. The T&D wrote on March 24, 1908, “After the Money — A.D. Dantzler, the negro who is contesting Congressman Lever’s seat went to Washington on Saturday for the hearing in the case. He was accompanied by Jacob Moorer, colored. Neither of them have any idea of ousting Mr. Lever, but they are contesting only for the money there is in the case.”

Several days later on March 27, 1908, The T & D reported, “Trying To Save Franklin — But Sooner or Later He Will Pay the Penalty — Efforts are being made to stave off the hanging of Pink Franklin, the murderer of Constable Valentine.

The Newberry Observer says: “Jacob Moorer, a colored lawyer of Orangeburg, was in Newberry on Friday and appeared before Chief Justice Pope asking for an order to stay the remittitur in the case of Pink Franklin.

“The case went to the supreme court and the lower court was sustained. The chief justice granted his motion and gave him further time for a hearing.”

Moorer continued the other legal matters that he was involved with. As to elections, he would represent the Republican Party loser in Orangeburg County. By 1908, some in the U. S. Congress became fed up over the $2,000 that was granted to the loser of the elections.

Then on May 19, 1908, The T&D printed, “Pink Franklin Case — An Appeal Taken to the United States Court — The State says the case of Pink Franklin, the negro tried and convicted of murder, will be taken to the United States Court. Tuesday Moorer and Adams, the negro attorneys representing the defendant, obtained from Col. U.R. Brooks, the clerk of the supreme court, the certified copies in the case and the hearing means the suffrage laws of South Carolina will be tested.

“It is claimed by the attorneys for the defendant that Franklin was not granted a fair trial and that the selection of jurors was in violation of the constitution of the United States.

“The papers in the case were Thursday transmitted to the court in Washington.”

In The T&D on Nov. 27, 1908, it was reported, “Jacob Moorer appeared before the Board of State Canvassers on Monday and claimed that his client, Richardson, should be given the seat now occupied by Lever in Congress. Had the board agreed with Jacob, he would have fainted on the spot, as he was after the $2,000 allowance for his client and not a seat in Congress.”

On May 11, 1909, The T&D reported that, “Mr. Harry Valentine had been shot by a negro named Middleton while at work in his field near Cope.

“Mr. Valentine is a brother of Mr. Henry Valentine, who was shot by a negro named Pink Franklin about two years ago.”

While the situation on the election was going on, the case against Pink Franklin continued all the way to the United States Supreme Court. The T&D reported on March 3, 1910, “The Franklin Case — Will Be Decided By Supreme Court in March — It is More Than Likely the Lower Courts Will Be Sustained and that Franklin will Hang — It is expected that the case of Pink Franklin against the state of South Carolina will be reached in the United States supreme court during the latter part of March. Attorney General Lyons received a letter Tuesday from the clerk of the supreme court saying that the case would in all probability be called at the above-mentioned time.”

Then on April 9, 1910, The T&D said, “Not In The Case — Negro Lawyers Object To Bonaparte’s-Interference in the Matter of Pink Franklin’s Appeal to the Supreme Court — In a statement issued Wednesday from Manning by John Adams, one of the negro attorneys in the Pink Franklin case, it is denied the Ex-Attorney General Bonaparte of the United States has aided in the preparation of the case. The statement has not been signed or approved by Jacob Moorer of Orangeburg, Adams’ associate counsel.

“The only lawyers of authority in this case are John Adams and Jacob Moorer and absolutely all the work done in the case up to this time has been accomplished by them.

“The premature announcement and employment of Mr. Bonaparte is the work of a few over hot-headed negroes of Philadelphia who have absolutely no authority to take any step in the work.”

On June 2, 1910, The T&D reported, “Last Hope Gone — Pink Franklin Loses His Case and Will Hang — Former Attorney General Bonaparte became interested in the case and after the negro lawyers for the condemned man had appealed the case to the supreme court of the United States, Mr. Bonaparte filed a brief in Franklin’s behalf. He contended that Franklin had a right to resist arrest, which was sought to be made on a warrant issued under an unconstitutional law.

“Jacob Moorer, one of Franklin’s lawyers, said that Mr. Bonaparte had been employed by rich negroes in Philadelphia, without any knowledge of the two who had taken the case up to the supreme court of the United States.”

At the time of the Pink Franklin trial, the NAACP undertook this venture and it became the first major legal case by this organization in 1910. The NAACP appealed to South Carolina Governor Martin F. Ansel and Pink Franklin’s sentence was commuted to life in prison.

The T&D reported on Jan. 17, 1911, Pink Franklin Case — What The Augusta Chronicle Has To Say About It — Speaks of Some of the Influences That Were Brought to Bear on Gov. Ansel — There has been a great deal said in the newspapers about Pink Franklin, the brutal murderer of Constable Valentine, who was shot down in cold blood while in the discharge of his duty as an officer of the law.

“Through the National Association and ex-Attorney General Bonaparte, President Taft was interested in this case, and personally wrote to the governor asking him to commute the sentence if possible. The case has attracted great attention in the South, where white and colored lawyers employed by the Association have argued the facts before Governor Ansel.”

“The results of Pink Franklin’s death penalty case was commuted in 1910. His prison sentence was paroled after serving nine years. He was set free on parole in January 1919.

When Franklin was released, he changed his name to Mack Rockingham and moved to Blackville. He and his wife had two sons living with them. Mack Rockingham died in January of 1949.

The name of Attorney Jacob Moorer had become well known in the legal world for Blacks in South Carolina by this time. On Oct. 21, 1911, The T&D reported that, “he was hired to represent Clinton Glover for attempt to commit an assault on a highly respected white lady at St. George. Moorer asked that the court direct a verdict of not guilty.”

In November 1920, Jacob Moorer’s name was mentioned as a Republican of Orangeburg to take on a federal position in the government. He was a precinct chairman in the local organization.

Then in 1924, Moorer’s wife delivered a dynamic speech to the Methodist Episcopal Church General Conference. She argued that, “women should be allowed to be ordained within the Methodist Church.”

On February 27, 1926, The T&D printed in its “News Of Colored Folks by W. W. Wilkins-Jacob Moorer Esq., who has been very ill at his home on Treadwell Street for several weeks is reported to improving.”

From that point, Jacob Moorer’s time as an attorney was gradually spiraling down due to health problems.

On Feb. 28, 1935, The T&D reported on the death of Jacob Moorer. “Jacob Moorer Died Yesterday — Jacob Moorer, local Negro attorney, died at his home here yesterday morning. Funeral services will be conducted Friday afternoon at 3 o’clock from Trinity M.E. church. He practiced law here for a number of years, but for some years past had been confined to his home.”

Moorer was noted for his formal way of dressing, especially during the summer months.

The T&D reported on March 5, 1935. “Card Of Thanks — I take this method of thanking my many friends for their deeds of kindness, for their expressions of sympathy during the illness and death of my beloved husband, Jacob Moorer, Esq., and for the floral offerings. Wife.”

On May 24, 1936, just a little over a year later, Jacob Moorer’s wife Lizelia passed not long after the death of her husband.

Throughout the lifetime of Attorney Moorer, he was always affiliated with and looked upon as a staunch member of the Republican Party of South Carolina. He served in a number of roles representing the citizens of Orangeburg County and the Republican Party. During his time, the party in our state was mostly Black.

Moorer made his mark as a servant mostly for the Black people of Orangeburg County and that was the way that he modeled his life.