Maryland Bullard Huggins (1870-1951)

From the South Carolina state legislative manual, 1943.

   A three-term member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, Maryland Bullard Huggins was a lifelong resident of the Palmetto State and prior to his legislative service served on the Timmonsville city council. Born in Florence County on June 23, 1870, Maryland B. Huggins was the son of James Henry Montgomery Huggins (1835-1900) and the former Louisa E.M Jones (1843-1879). Little is known of Huggins's formative years; by 1900, he had established roots in the ton of Timmonsville. Huggins married in South Carolina in December 1895 to Luella Lee Cox. The couple were married for over fifty years and had 11 children.

  In the years following his resettlement, Huggins became a civic leader in Timmonsville, serving terms on the city council, being a Florence County commissioner, and was a longstanding member of the Southern Methodist Church. He is also recorded as a farmer and livestock dealer in his region. In 1930 he announced his candidacy for the South Carolina House of Representatives and in September of that year detailed the tenets of his campaign in the Florence Morning News, noting:

"My principle platform, as I stated on the stump, is economy. I believe in good roads, good schools, but think that these should be put on an economical and business basis."

    In September 1930 Huggins was one of four Florence County legislative candidates to win in the Democratic primary, polling 4,365 votes. He went on to win the general election that November and would resign his seat on the Timmonsville Board of Aldermen. Taking his seat in January 1931, Huggins served until 1933 and was defeated for reelection in the Republican primary in September 1932. In May 1936 he announced his candidacy for a second term, and in a campaign notice promoting his previous service was remarked as having "fought during his legislative career for strict economy in state government."

From the Florence Morning News, May 24, 1936.

  Elected to a second term in November 1936, Huggins was named as a Lieutenant Colonel on the staff of Governor Olin Johnson early in 1938 and later proved "instrumental in passing the law furnishing free textbooks for students in the public schools of the state." In 1942 he won a third term in the legislature and during the 1943-44 session sat on the committees on Accounts, Agriculture, the Legislative Library, Police Regulations, and Social Security. He announced his candidacy for a fourth term in June 1944 but was defeated in that year's primary.

  Maryland Bullard Huggins continued residence in Timmonsville until his death at age 80 on March 17, 1951. His wife Louisa had died the year previously, and both were interred at the Byrd Cemetery in Timmonsville.

From the Columbia, South Carolina "State", March 18, 1951.