Henry Drane Tindal
1863 - 1956

As a child, Drane lived for a time in the Town of Manchester; however, most of his childhood years were spent on the 3,000 acre plantation of his father.  Upon the death of his father, Drane inherited 1,500 acres of land.

Beginning in 1887, Drane served his community as a notary public.  And in 1888, he was the delegate from Providence Baptist Church to the Santee Association. For 25 years, he served as a trustee for School District 24 in Sumter County.  The district included Providence School.  He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Earle Democratic Club for 46 years and was a member of Claremont Lodge No. 64 of Sumter, Ancient Free Masons, and Sumter Lodge No. 17, Knights of Pithias.

For many years, Drane operated a sawmill and cotton gin, which he discontinued in 1924.  Drane was postmaster of Tindal Station from 1889 to 1927 when the small post office was merged with the larger office in the City of Sumter.  In 1928, with the support of friends, Drane made an unsuccessful attempt at obtaining a Republican appointment as postmaster of the Sumter office.

In 1891, Drane took up the mercantile interests of his father, and in 1900, he and his second cousin, Henry (Harry) Wells Cuttino were partners in a general mercantile business. On April 9, 1902, Harry married Drane's sister, Lydia Beulah Tindal. On January 7, 1905, Drane and Harry incorporated under the name of Tindal and Cuttino, Inc.  The principal place of business was given as Tindal, South Carolina.

On April 24, 1907, in Grace Chapel in the village of Rockville on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina, Drane married Mary Olivia (Eva) Bailey, daughter of Susan Mary LaRoche and Thomas Constantine Bailey.  Eva was born in Rockville on February 19, 1876.

In 1907, Drane served with T. E. Hodge and B. R. Hodge on a committee to obtain bank financing for improvements in the Providence Baptist Church building.  Eva was an Episcopalian and she and Drane sometimes put on Barbecues at Pocalla Springs for members of The Church of the Holy Comforter (Episcopal).

 Drane died February 17, 1954, and Eva died in Sumter County on July 24, 1956.

Eva and Henry are buried in the churchyard of Providence Baptist Church.

 Issue:

1.  Mary Susan (Sue) Tindal was born in Sumter County on April 4, 1908. In 1925, Sue was Valedictorian of her graduating class at St. Joseph's Academy of Sumter.  In 1929 she was Valedictorian of her graduating class at Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina.  On August 23, 1934, she married LeRoy Evans (Mac) McLaurin, who was born on September 5, 1904.  Sue and Mac moved to Barnwell, South Carolina, where they taught in the public school system.  Sue taught high school science for more that 30 years. Sue died on February 10, 1991.  Mac and Sue are buried in the Churchyard of Providence Baptist Church.

2.  Olivia Bailey Tindal was born at Tindal, South Carolina, on January 6, 1911, and was baptized in Grace Chapel in Rockville, South Carolina, on July 30, 1911.  Olivia graduated from Sumter High School in 1927.  She studied for two years at Columbia College and is a graduate nurse from Roper Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina.  She married Dr. Everett Cornish Crouch of Columbia on June 30, 1933, and later moved to Colorado Springs.  Olivia died January 23, 1989, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

3.  John Bailey Tindal was born on September 26, 1912. He graduated from Sumter High School in 1929 and took up the management of his father's farm.  He also worked for the Sumter County Farmer's Exchange, which he later acquired.  John married Sarah Letitia Usry on January 29, 1939, in Manning, South Carolina.  John died at Tuomey Regional Medical Center on September 11, 1992, and Sarah died at her home in Sumter County.  They were buried in Sumter Cemetery.

4.  Leanora Bailey Tindal was born on October 28, 1915. She graduated from Sumter High School in 1932 and studied nursing at Roper Hospital. On April 24, 1936, she married Willie Ray Lewis and moved to Jasper, Florida.  Leanora died on February 14, 1998, and was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Jasper, Florida.

5.  Henry Drane (H. D.) Tindal, Jr. was born at Tindal, South Carolina, on January 19, 1918, and was baptized in Grace Chapel in Rockville, South Carolina on August 25, 1918.  H.D. graduated from Sumter High School in 1934.  For several years, he worked at Burns Hardware store.  On January 21, 1941, he answered the draft and reported to Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, where he was inducted into the Army.  During World War II, he served in the Army Medical Corps.

On September 26, 1942, he married Mildred Wessinger.  Mildred was born on August 7, 1914.  After the war, Mildred and H.D. moved in with his parents and took care of them in their old age.  H.D farmed and served as a Sumter County magistrate for many years.  Mildred operated a beauty parlor at the rear of their home.  H.D. and Mildred were members of St. James Lutheran Church and H.D. was a member of the American Legion.  H. D. died at home in Sumter County, South Carolina, on October 15, 1996.  He was buried in the Churchyard at Providence Baptist Church in Sumter County, South Carolina.

Published sources:

Wallace History of South Carolina, Vol. 4, Pages 789-790, 1934.