The Times and Democrat

The Times and Democrat Become a digital subscriber today starting at just $1 for your first 26 weeks of unlimited access.

The Orangeburg Times and Democrat (1881-present) serves as a portal into Orangeburg and surrounding counties.

Here are the basics of how bitcoin mining works and some key risks to be aware of.
07/05/2025

Here are the basics of how bitcoin mining works and some key risks to be aware of.

Zombies, aliens and werewolves may have distinct personality traits. But what about daywalkers and vampires? In the worl...
07/05/2025

Zombies, aliens and werewolves may have distinct personality traits. But what about daywalkers and vampires? In the world of “Zombies,” they’re given specific quirks, too.

Scores of rescuers searched Saturday for children from a girls' camp and many others who were still missing after a powe...
07/05/2025

Scores of rescuers searched Saturday for children from a girls' camp and many others who were still missing after a powerful storm that killed at least 27 people, officials said.

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Chantal has formed off the southeast U.S. coast. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says trop...
07/05/2025

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Chantal has formed off the southeast U.S. coast. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says tropical storm warnings have been issued for portions of the Carolinas. Tropical storm conditions are expected in the affected areas later Saturday.

Europe's record numbers of visitors has made it ground zero for concerns about overtourism.
07/05/2025

Europe's record numbers of visitors has made it ground zero for concerns about overtourism.

The man charged with killing four University of Idaho students in 2022 pleaded guilty this week. Here's what we learned ...
07/05/2025

The man charged with killing four University of Idaho students in 2022 pleaded guilty this week. Here's what we learned from the hearing.

Read through the obituaries published in The Times and Democrat
07/05/2025

Read through the obituaries published in The Times and Democrat

BLACKVILLE — Clemson University’s Annual Watermelon Field Day at the Edisto Research and Education Center (REC) on Thurs...
07/05/2025

BLACKVILLE — Clemson University’s Annual Watermelon Field Day at the Edisto Research and Education Center (REC) on Thursday, July 10.

After Georgetown’s International Paper mill shut down at the end of last year, the pressure is on for South Carolina’s m...
07/05/2025

After Georgetown’s International Paper mill shut down at the end of last year, the pressure is on for South Carolina’s massive forestry industry to find new local markets.

Shelia Antley Counts, an Orangeburg native, attained her Juris Doctor degree from Indiana University. She is an Assistan...
07/05/2025

Shelia Antley Counts, an Orangeburg native, attained her Juris Doctor degree from Indiana University. She is an Assistant Appellate Defender in Illinois, with an impressive academic background.

During the first two weeks of the MUSC Orangeburg Candy Striper program, the 15 participants donated 610 hours of volunt...
07/05/2025

During the first two weeks of the MUSC Orangeburg Candy Striper program, the 15 participants donated 610 hours of volunteer service benefiting patients, families and care team members.

A 48-year-old Orangeburg man pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and battery and second-degree burglary. He was origi...
07/05/2025

A 48-year-old Orangeburg man pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and battery and second-degree burglary. He was originally charged with first-degree burglary.

Address

1010 Broughton Street
Orangeburg, SC
29115

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Times and Democrat posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Times and Democrat:

Share

Category

Our Story

The Orangeburg Times and Democrat (1881-present) serves as a portal into Orangeburg and surrounding counties.

The Times and Democrat traces its history to the October 1881 merger of The Orangeburg Democrat and The Orangeburg Times. It also has ties to four other newspapers born in the aftermath of the American Civil War: The Southron, The Tax-Payer, The Edisto Clarion and The Orangeburg News and Times. Like most newspapers of the South during Reconstruction, the Orangeburg publications were embroiled in political doctrines. The Orangeburg News, for instance, was organized as a newspaper of the Democrats but later made the bold move of becoming a newspaper of the Republicans.

Into this milieu came James L. Sims. The Charleston, South Carolina, native learned the printing trade at The Charleston Courier and subsequently purchased an interest in The Spartanburg Herald. When his wife died, Sims sold his interest and moved to Orangeburg. In 1878, he purchased The Edisto Clarion, successor to The Tax-Payer, and changed its name again, to The Orangeburg Democrat. Sims' editor at the Democrat was Stiles R. Mellichamp, who after a short period left to start his own newspaper, The Orangeburg Times. In 1881, Sims and Mellichamp came together again to merge their newspapers into The Times and Democrat.

A close Orangeburg newspaper colleague of Sims in those early days was Hugo S. Sheridan. Some years later, Sims married Sheridan's daughter. From this marriage came four sons, three of whom were involved in the paper. James Izlar Sims, the oldest, dropped out of school at age 14 to work at The Times and Democrat.