Representative Robert Bethea Scarborough

Robert Bethea Scarborough (October 29, 1861 – November 23, 1927) was a U.S. Representative from South Carolina and a member of the Democratic Party who served two terms in Congress from 1901 to 1905. He was born in Chesterfield, South Carolina, on October 29, 1861, about a year after South Carolina had declared its secession to join the Confederate States. Raised in the post–Civil War South, he attended the common schools of the area and later continued his education at Mullins Academy in Mullins, South Carolina, receiving the foundational training that would prepare him for a career in law and public service.

After completing his studies, Scarborough taught school while simultaneously studying law, a common path for aspiring attorneys of his era. He was admitted to the bar in 1884 and commenced the practice of law in Conway, South Carolina. Establishing himself as a capable lawyer, he quickly became involved in local public affairs. From 1885 to 1893 he served as county attorney of Horry County, providing legal counsel to the county government. During much of this same period, from 1885 to 1890, he also served as clerk of the county board, gaining practical experience in county administration and governance.

Scarborough’s growing prominence in local legal and political circles led to higher office at the state level. He was elected to the South Carolina State Senate, serving as a senator in 1897 and 1898. In recognition of his leadership, he was chosen president pro tempore of the State Senate in 1898. The following year he advanced to statewide executive office, serving as the 63rd Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina in 1899. In these roles he participated in shaping state legislation and policy during a period of significant political and social change in the South.

Building on his state-level service, Scarborough was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives. He represented South Carolina in the Fifty-seventh and Fifty-eighth Congresses, serving from March 4, 1901, to March 3, 1905. As a member of the House of Representatives, Robert Bethea Scarborough participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his constituents in South Carolina during a significant period in American history marked by the nation’s transition into the Progressive Era and its expanding role on the world stage. A member of the Democratic Party, he contributed to the legislative process over his two terms in office. In 1904 he declined to be a candidate for renomination to the Fifty-ninth Congress, thereby concluding his congressional career after four years of national service.

Following his departure from Congress, Scarborough returned to Conway, South Carolina, where he resumed the practice of law. In addition to his legal work, he became involved in banking, reflecting his continued engagement with the economic development of his community and region. He also remained active in public service as chairman of the board of regents of the South Carolina State Hospital, contributing to the oversight and governance of the state’s principal mental health institution.

Robert Bethea Scarborough died in Conway, South Carolina, on November 23, 1927. He was buried in Lake Side Cemetery, leaving behind a record of service that spanned local, state, and national office during a transformative era in South Carolina and United States history.