Columbia Chess Club History

The first officers of the Columbia Chess Club were elected shortly after its formation:

President: Washington Muller, (b. 1808 d. 1873, resided at 145 N. Bull Street) operator of the Columbia Female Academy, a school for girls located then at the corner of Washington and Marion Streets (became Columbia High School in 1915 until demolition in 1975).  Mr. Muller first became Principal of the Female Academy in 1840 and served for at least two decades. Mr. Muller was "known to be a man highly-educated, and of life-time devotion to his profession." (The Daily Phoenix, Jan. 9, 1872 p. 2).

Vice-President: Edwin J. Scott, Esq., (b. 1803 d. 1884, resided at the East end of Washington Street at the corner of Pickens Street) banker and a former state legislator representing Richland County.  (The Daily Phoenix, July 4, 1866, p.1. Id. at Jun. 17, 1869 at 2).  Mr. Scott was "an old and esteemed citizen, a native Carolinian . . . distinguished for his courtesy, honesty, integrity and Christian bearing.  Commanding the entire respect and unfading confidence of the community, he is numbered amongst the few who fill the poet's measure, 'An honest man, the noblest work of God.'  It has always been considered a very high compliment in this community in speaking of another, to say he is as honest a man as E. J. Scott." (Id.). The Daily Phoenix noted, in turn of phrase, that Mr. Scott "has sufficed to checkmate to a considerable extent the usurious and exorbitant operations of others." (Id.). His memoirs, "Random Recollections of a Long Life" is available from the Library of Congress, including his first-hand impressions of General Sherman after the taking of Columbia, noting that "No peacock ever manifested more vanity and delight than he did when addressing us."

Secretary and Treasurer: Isaac Edward "Eddie" Orchard (b. 1853 d. 1908, resided at 144 E. Laurel Street). Arguably South Carolina's first state chess champion, having defeated the best other SC clubs had to offer in notable matches. At his peak, Mr. Orchard was one of the top 160 players in the world, with notable victories against Henry Bird (of 1.f4 fame), Harry Nelson Pillsbury, and James Mason who was considered to be the best player in the United States after the retirement of Paul Morphy. (See EDO Historical Chess Ratings: Orchard, I. Edward). Several newspapers around the country summarized Mr. Orchard as follows: "I. E. Orchard . . . is said to be the ablest chess player in the south.  One critic even asserts that he is the legitimate successor from that section of the great Paul Morphy. He is at present chess champion of the south having defeated Professor A. F. Wurm, a well known player who had defended the championship for five years. Young Orchard was born . . . at Columbia S. C. He showed a wonderful aptitude for chess early in life and when only fifteen years of age could blindfold himself and play a number of games simultaneously. He entered a great tournament conducted by McKenzie in 1876 and creditably acquitted himself, although very young, by defeating a number of experts including Bird, Easor, Delmar and others." (News Journal (Mansfield, Ohio), Apr. 16, 1891 at 3). Due to his notoriety, the Columbia Chess Club has a separate page dedicated to Mr. Orchard, providing further detail about his life and chess.

Executive Committee: 

Captain Addison Gorgas Brenizer (b. 1839 d. 1918, C.S.A., Company C, First Louisiana Artillery later promoted to Major), lived in Columbia from 1870 until moving to back to Charlotte in 1874.  During his time in Columbia, he was a cashier at the Citizens' Savings Bank where the Columbia Chess Club first organized. (The Daily Phoenix, Sept. 1, 1874 at 2), and later became President of the Commercial National Bank in North Carolina (what would become Bank of America). The Daily Phoenix noted that "he has displayed qualities which have won for him the highest esteem, and the general respect of this community . . ." (The Daily Phoenix, Sept. 2, 1874 at 2).

S. S. Palmer (b. 1846 d. 18??), a store clerk and son of Col. (C.S.A.) John Boynton Palmer, who was the Vice-President of the Citizens' Savings Bank where the Columbia Chess Club first organized.

Nathaniel Berners Barnwell, Esq. (b. 1845, d. 1883, C.S.A., Private, Company B, 7th SC Cavalry Regiment), an attorney (The Daily Phoenix, May 30, 1872 at 2) and Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina. Son of Senator Robert W. Barnwell, after whom the University of South Carolina's Barnwell College is named.

Captain William Kunhardt Bachman, Esq. (b. 1830, d. 1901, C.S.A Captain Charleston German Battery, SC Light Artillery, residing at 128 E. Plain Street - name occasionally misspelled Backman including among his military records)  Born in Charleston, SC and educated at the University of Gottingen, Germany whereafter he returned to Charleston and began his practice of law.  Bachman moved to Columbia in 1856 and continued his practice of law with various partners. Bachman volunteered for the Civil War and led what became well known as the "Bachman Battery" composed of German volunteers, with engagements throughout Virginia and Maryland, including the battle of Gettysburg. After returning to Columbia, he resumed the practice of law, was a State Legislator from 1865-1866, and was with the partnership of Bachman & Youmans at 1 Law Range, E. Washington Street at the time the Columbia Chess Club was founded.  After General Wade Hampton was elected SC governor in 1876, Captain Bachman served for 11 years as the Assistant to the Attorney General of SC.

Washington Muller (also President, supra).

The first published chess tournament held anywhere in the state of South Carolina was in Columbia beginning on June 3, 1872, arranged by the Columbia Chess Club. (Charleston Daily News May 29, 1872 at 4; The Daily Phoenix, May 28, 1872 at 2). On the evening of Monday, June 3, 1872, players gathered at Columbia's Hibernian Hall where "rules and regulations to govern the tournament [were] agreed upon, and the contestants were paired off." (The Daily Phoenix, June 4, 1872 at 2). Hibernian Hall was located above a grocery and hardware store known as "Agnew's Store" (The Daily Phoenix, Jun. 10, 1875 at 2), which was located at the northwest corner of Richardson Street (now Main Street) and Plain Street (now Hampton Street). (Columbia South Carolina City directory, 1875-1876 at 26 (noting the location of the store of John Agnew & Son)). Today this is the site of the Columbia Museum of Art's Boyd Plaza. Unfortunately, the results of this first tournament appear to be lost to time.