Singleton and Related Genealogy Pages
A history of many families.
1891 - 1937 (46 years)| Name | William Muldrow STRANGE [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] | |
| Suffix | Sr. | |
| Birth | 22 Jan 1891 | |
| Gender | Male | |
| HIST | He was killed in the line of duty as a Sumter County, South Carolina, rural police officer. Officer Strange shot to death; Sumter gets 1st shopping center BY HUBERT OSTEEN hubert@theitem.com 75 YEARS AGO - 1937 Week of April 6-12 A manhunt was in full swing as federal, state and county law enforcement sought the killer of Rural Officer Muldrow Strange, who was gunned down shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 6 near Paxville while accompanying federal officer L.E. Eastman and state constable Dave Wilson on a search for a suspect who had escaped from a still raid that morning. The three officers traced Leroy Durant, the suspect to the home of his brother, Mack, near Paxville. According to The Item's account of the fatal shooting: "The three officers (Strange, Eastman and Wilson) were talking to Mack Durant at the rear of the house and Strange started around the house towards his car. A shot rang out and Eastman and Wilson raced around to the front of the house to find Strange stretched on the ground. The two officers were able to distinguish a man running across the field, and Eastman fired one shot in his direction. They then turned their attention to Strange. The Sumter officer was shot in the chest with bird shot from a shotgun. He was apparently shot from close range, practically the full load taking effect in his upper chest. The two officers put the wounded man in their car and raced for Sumter. Strange was breathing when they started for Sumter, but was unconscious. He never regained consciousness and died a short distance south of Pocalla Springs." During the raid on the still near Paxville that morning by the three officers along with Rural Officer Charlie Emanuel, two men escaped, one of them recognized as being Leroy Durant. Within an hour of the shooting bloodhounds were brought in from Columbia to search for the killer along with some 75 officers from Columbia plus all of the Sumter County rural policemen. The dogs got on the trail near the house of Mack Durant and 50 yards along the trail a single-barrel shotgun that had been recently fired was found. It was turned over to a fingerprint expert at the state Highway Department. The trail followed in the search turned cold when the officers reached a paved road, where it was believed the suspect got in a car and escaped. As the search continued, many of the investigating officers surmise that Durant fled out of Sumter County and possibly the state, while others believe he is hidden in the thick woods and swamps near Paxville. Strange, who lived in Pinewood, had served as a rural officer for less than a year, and was described as "particularly active in fighting the illicit liquor-making business" and was a well-liked and efficient officer." He is survived by his wife, Leona McKnight Strange; two daughters, Corina and Annie Laurie; a son, Russell; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Strange; four brothers, Wilson, Keith, Henry and Frank; and four sisters, Mrs. R.N. Cain, Mrs. D.I. Reardon and Mrs. Alva Burkett, all of Sumter, and Mrs. S.W. Folsom of Darlington. Local citizens began a fundraising effort to assist the Strange family. Roddey, Holton reign at carnival - Annette Roddey and Charles Holton were crowned king and queen of the Hi-Ways Carnival held at the Boys' High School. The queen's attendants were maid of honor Vera Watt along with Hallie Chandler, Tinie Hill, Kathryn Bagnal, Pretto Brunson, Dorothy Pratt, Nancy Deas, Virginia McKiever, Lalla Green and Sara Lee Middleton. The king's attendants were George Owens, first attendant, and Walter Dew, Quentin Gatling, John Allen Watt, Buster Heckle, Reynolds Amick, John Blackman, George Jennings, Bill Seale and Benjamin Hudnal. Sumter School District Superintendent W.F. Loggia crowned King Charles Holton, who in turn placed a crown on the head of his queen, Annette Roddey. Election of the king and queen was by ballot at the high schools. Rev. Haynsworth dies - The Rev. William Haynsworth, pastor of the Bethel and Wedgfield Baptist churches for 30 years, died at the age of 71 after a brief illness. He was a graduate of South Carolina College and completed theological training at Southern Baptist Seminary. After serving churches in Kentucky and Illinois and Kentucky, he returned to South Carolina serving Pacolet, Denmark and Darlington Mills before returning to Sumter, his birthplace. The son of W.F.B. and Mary Charles Haynsworth, he is survived by his wife, a daughter, a granddaughter and a brother, Hugh C. Haynsworth of Sumter. WPA projects completed - Nine projects of the federal Works Progress Administration were completed in Sumter County, it was announced by State Administrator Lawrence M. Pinckney. They are: A teachers' dormitory at Hillcrest High School in Dalzell; a civic gymnasium in Sumter at the YMCA; improvements to city streets and parks in Sumter; the construction of a dam to check the flow of the Wateree River into Beech Creek at Wedgefield; construction of a school in the Turk community near Dalzell; construction of a frame cottage on the County Poor Farm near Sumter; construction of a 12-room brick veneer school and auditorium near Shiloh; general repairs and improvements to schools and grounds at Pinewood; and the beautification of the school grounds throughout the county. Other projects in the works include a brick armory in Sumter, a plant nursery in the county, construction of a 20-room brick school in Sumter and repairs to the buildings at the Camp Alice tuberculosis camp in Sumter among the 21 additional projects. Advertisement: Now open for business is Carolina Hardware Co. located at 7 S. Main St. whose proprietors are W.D. Raffield, J.D. Dinkins and R.T. Holland. A full line of Benjamin Moore paints, varnishes and stains will be offered in the store along with other hardware. Playing at the theaters: "The Last of Mrs. Cheney" starring Joan Crawford, William Powell and Robert Montgomery was featured at the Sumter during the week, followed by "Women of Glamor," starring Virginia Bruce, Melvyn Douglas and Reginald Denny, "Love is News," starring Tyrone Power, Loretta Young and Don Ameche, "Borderland," starring William Boyd and Gabby Hayes. Coming Monday: "Three Smart Girls," starring Deanna Durbin and Ray Milland. At the Rex on Thursday and Friday were "Criminal Lawyer" starring Lee Tracy and Margot Graham, and a shoot 'em up, "Last of the Warrens," starring Bob Steele. 50 YEARS AGO - 1962 Week of Feb. 4-10 Plans for Sumter's first shopping center were announced by the Henry P. Moses Co., which is developing the property. It will be known as Palmetto Plaza and located at the intersection of Guignard Drive and Miller Road, occupying 10 acres. Plans call for the center to have about 80,000 square feet of businesses that will include supermarkets, drug store, variety store, shoe apparel, hardware, dry cleaning, barber shop, beauty shop and others. The announcement stated that Palmetto Plaza would have a minimum of 450 parking spaces "and be of the most modern design and layout. A spacious covered walk will connect all of the stores and the grounds will be landscaped and planted in keeping with a desire to enhance the beauty and add to the attractiveness of the area," it said. The name for the shopping center is taken from one of Sumter's largest and fastest-growing residential areas, Palmetto Park, the real estate and development firm stated. Associated with the Moses company will be the Columbia firm of Walter A. Keenan & Co., Realtors, which has wide experience in the field of shopping center development. DesChamps to seek Lee Senate seat - Bishopville Mayor William Green DesChamps announced he would be a candidate for the State Senate from Lee County in the June Democratic primary. He has been involved in town politics since 1947 when he was elected to Bishopville Town Council. Current Sen. Ed B. Baskin has served since 1959 when he defeated former Sen. William P. Baskin by 49 votes. DesChamps won the mayor's seat in April 1959 in a close race with Hughey Tindal. DesChamps, who was serving as mayor pro tem, had succeeded Mayor Dr. G.H. McElveen in March 1959 after McElveen died in office. DesChamps is a graduate of Bishopville High School and ClemsonCollege, is co-owner of Bishopville Petroleum Co. and co-owner of DesChamps and Webb, a Bishopville cotton ginning de-linting plant. He is married with three children. Lt. Griffin resigns from police - Sumter Police Chief E.E. McIntosh announced the resignation of Lt. Leslie Griffin from the police department, effective Feb. 28, in order to enter private business. Griffin, a graduate of the FBI Academy, first joined the department in 1950, serving as a detective before being promoted to lieutenant last year in charge of one of the two working shifts. Birds pounded by Florence - Arch-rival Florence brought the Sumter Gamecocks' five-game winning streak to an abrupt halt as the Yellow Jackets manhandled Coach Charlie Hodgin's hoopsters 70-46 to pick up its 12th win of the season against only one loss on the Florence court. Forward Tommy Martin was the only Gamecock in double figures, tossing in 14 points, followed by big Bob Douthit, who was held to only nine points, well below his average of 20 points a game. Hodgin said he expects his squad to perform better in next week's rematch on the home court: "I know we can give them a better game than we did this time," he said, although he wouldn't predict an upset against the fast and aggressive Florence team. Playing at the theaters: Rita Hayworth and Rex Harrison starred in "The Happy Thieves" at the Carolina, followed by "Sail A Crooked Ship" starring Robert Wagner, Dolores Hart, Carolyn Jones, Frankie Avalon and Ernie Kovacs. The Sumter showed "Too Late Blues" starring Bobby Darin and Stella Stevens, followed by a double feature, "Desert Warrior" starring Ricardo Montalban and "Rommel's Treasure" starring Bruce Cabot, "Blood and Roses" starring Mel Ferrer and Elsa Martinelli, and beginning Sunday, "Juliet," starring Sandra Dee and John Gavin. Contact Editor Hubert Osteen at Hubert@theitem.com or (803)774-1298. Posted in Yesteryear on Sunday, December 11, 2011 [3, 6] | |
| _UID | 8CCB77BE5CF24C5CB42BD24C2C2D9A75E7CC | |
| Death | 6 Apr 1937 | killed in line of duty, near Paxville, Sumter County, South Carolina  [3, 6, 7] |
| Burial | Wedgefield Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Wedgefield, Sumter County, South Carolina [8] |
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| Person ID | I133707 | Singleton and Related Families |
| Last Modified | 16 Dec 2011 | |
| Father | Hartwell Cuttino STRANGE, b. 20 Dec 1860 d. 28 Mar 1938 (Age 77 years) | |
| Mother | Virginia Victoria “Jennie” TROUBLEFIELD, b. 25 Aug 1870, Mayesville, South Carolina d. 21 Jul 1967, Hopewell Nursing Home (Age 96 years) | |
| Marriage | 17 Nov 1886 [9] | |
| _UID | C2B471189EEA43D0B15EB727FEFE2CB5649C | |
| _UID | C2B471189EEA43D0B15EB727FEFE2CB5649C | |
| Family ID | F75241 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family | Leona McKNIGHT d. Bef 25 Dec 2010 | |||||||||
| _UID | 68EA6427AC2841DBB34E1A3C7A1B8CE22763 | |||||||||
| _UID | 68EA6427AC2841DBB34E1A3C7A1B8CE22763 | |||||||||
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| Family ID | F91920 | Group Sheet | Family Chart | ||||||||
| Last Modified | 23 Mar 2026 | |||||||||
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