The Tolbert family is an American family which figured most prominently in politics in

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

and, by extension,

Liberia Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...

. Originating from Presbyterian Scots-Irish migrants from

County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, located within the historic Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the c ...

in Ireland, the family is historically rooted in

Abbeville Abbeville (; ; ) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is the of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of Ponthieu. Geography Location A ...

Newberry Newberry is a surname, a variant of Newbury. Notable people with the surname include: * Booker Newberry III (1956–2023), American singer and keyboardist * Brennan Newberry (born, 1990), American professional stock car racing driver * Brian Ne ...

and Greenwood counties in South Carolina. The family opposed secession, despite John Robert and his sons being drafted into the Confederate Army, and John Robert's family became heavily involved in leading the

South Carolina Republican Party The South Carolina Republican Party (SCGOP) is the state affiliate of the national Republican Party in South Carolina. It is one of two major political parties in the state, along with the South Carolina Democratic Party, and is the dominant par ...

Black-and-tan faction The black-and-tan faction was an American biracial faction in the Republican Party in the Southern United States from the 1870s to the 1960s. It replaced the Negro Republican Party faction's name after the 1890s. Southern Republicans were divi ...

from the 1870s to the 1930s.

Notable members

* Robert Tolbert (1765–1843). Married Nancy Ann (Red) Tolbert (1764–1856), who had migrated from

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

in 1773. ** Robert Red Tolbert Sr. (1808–1866) married Elizabeth (Henderson) Tolbert (1813–1884). Had ten children including John Robert, George Whitfield, Joseph Warren (died young), Thomas Nathaniel, twins Elias Lake and Nancy Ann (died in infancy), Walter Red, Elias Lake, Nancy Ann, and Dan Paden. *** John Robert Tolbert (1834–1918), drafted into the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fi ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, reaching the rank of Captain. Customs collector in the port of Charleston. Elected to the

South Carolina House of Representatives The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly. It consists of 124 representatives elected to two-year terms at the same time as U.S. congressional elections. Unlike many legislatures, seatin ...

as a Republican in 1872. Appointed state superintendent in 1876 but not allowed to take office when Democrats took control of state government. Republican candidate for South Carolina's 3rd congressional district in 1890 and 1892. Married Elizabeth Pope (Payne) Tolbert (1839–1872). Father of Robert "R.R.", Joseph Warren and Thomas Payne Tolbert. **** Robert Red "R.R." Tolbert Jr. (1863–1938), Postmaster at Greenwood, S.C., 1884–1885, 1889–1894; candidate for U.S. Representative from South Carolina 3rd District, 1898; delegate to Republican National Convention from South Carolina, 1900, 1908 (alternate), 1912, 1920 (member, Resolutions Committee), 1924 (member, Committee on Permanent Organization), 1928 (Convention Vice-President). Married Lucy (Collins) Tolbert. Father of Joseph Augustus Tolbert, Thomas Payne, George C., Mark P., Jesse, John R., Lucia Jerucia Gillette, Betty and an unknown daughter. ***** Joseph Augustus Tolbert (1891–1940), Lawyer; U.S. Attorney for the Western District of South Carolina, 1923–1933; delegate to Republican National Convention from South Carolina, 1924, 1928 (member, Credentials Committee), 1936; candidate for U.S. Senator from South Carolina, 1936; candidate for Governor of South Carolina,

1938 Events January * January 1 – state-owned enterprise, State-owned railway networks are created by merger, in France (SNCF) and the Netherlands (Nederlandse Spoorwegen – NS). * January 20 – King Farouk of Egypt marries Saf ...

. Briefly organized the South Carolina chapter of the American Fascisti, known as the Black Shirts. Died from a self-inflicted gunshot at his home in Greenville. **** Joseph Warren "Tieless Joe" Tolbert (1865–1946). Delegate to Republican National Convention from South Carolina, 1900 (alternate), 1908, 1912, 1916, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1936 (member, Committee to Notify Presidential Nominee); member of Republican National Committee from South Carolina, 1912–1924; South Carolina Republican state chair, 1925–1931. Used his influence under Republican presidential administrations to appoint almost federal job in the state, including postmasters, federal district attorneys and bailiffs, the collector of customs duties for the port of Charleston, and U.S. marshals. Married to Julia Elizabeth DeLoach (1877–1963). Fatally injured by a car in his front yard in a controversial accident in Ninety Six. **** Thomas Payne "Tom" Tolbert (1859–1940), protested the disenfranchisement of African American voters by collecting affidavits from African American voters who were not allowed. The violent reaction against him by white Democrats led to the

Phoenix election riot The Phoenix election riot occurred on November 8, 1898, near Greenwood County, South Carolina, when a group of local white Democrats attempted to stop a Republican election official from taking the affidavits of African Americans who had been ...

. One of several members of the Tolbert family who temporarily fled Greenwood County in the aftermath of the riot and intense persecution. Later built the fireproof Rock House in rural Greenwood County.

Link to Liberia

In addition, numerous African Americans were held on the White Hall plantation in prior to the white Tolbert family buying the property in the 1870s. Many ex-slaves assumed the Tolbert surname. Notable descendants include: * Daniel Frank Tolbert (1849–1889), a farm laborer who resided in Ninety Six prior to migrating to Liberia in April 1878 as part of the Liberian exodus aboard the ship ''Azor'' with his son William and wife Sarah. Allegedly adopted plural marriage after arrival and had nearly 50 children. Died of dengue fever. * William Tolbert, Sr., businessman, owner of coffee and cocoa farms in Liberia. Baptist deacon. Chairman of the

True Whig Party The True Whig Party (TWP), also known as the Liberian Whig Party (LWP), is the oldest political party in Liberia and Africa as a whole. Founded in 1869 by primarily darker-skinned Americo-Liberians in rural areas, its historic rival was the Re ...

. Father of 20 children including William Jr., Frank and Stephen. *

William R. Tolbert Jr. William Richard Tolbert Jr. (13 May 1913 – 12 April 1980) was a Liberian politician who served as the 20th president of Liberia from 1971 until his 1980 Liberian coup d'état, assassination in 1980. Tolbert was an Americo-Liberian and trained ...

(1913–1980), civil servant and Baptist minister, elected to the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

(1943–1952), Vice-President (1952–1971), President of Liberia (1971–1980). Assassinated by firing squad in the

1980 Liberian coup d'état The 1980 Liberian coup d'état happened on April 12, 1980, when President William Tolbert of Liberia was overthrown and murdered in a violent coup. The coup was staged by an indigenous Liberian faction of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) u ...

. * Stephen Allen Tolbert (1922–1975), businessman, Liberian civil servant, co-founded of the Mesurado Group, the largest business firm in Liberia. Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce (1950–1956, 1960–1964), Agriculture (1964–1965), Minister of Finance (1972–1975). Killed in a plane crash near

Sinoe County Sinoe is one of Liberia's 15 counties and it has 17 districts. Greenville is the county's capital. As of the 2022 Census, it had a population of 150,358, making it one of the least populous counties in Liberia. Sinoe has the third-largest area o ...

. * Frank E. Tolbert (1910–1980), politician, president pro tempore of the

Senate of Liberia The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislative branch of Liberia, and together with the House of Representatives comprises the Legislature of Liberia. Each of the fifteen counties are equally represented by two senators, elected to s ...

. Assassinated by firing squad in the

References

{{Reflist Political families of the United States Southern Unionists in the American Civil War South Carolina Republicans Liberian families American families of Scotch-Irish ancestry