underthekudzu

Manse Jolly: Fact and Fiction

2010-07-25T21:00:00.000-04:00

He stands out in South Carolina history as a true rebel. He was a reactionary leader who waged a war of terror against the occupying Northern troops in the years following the end of the Civil War. His motive was revenge for the loss of five brothers to Yankee fire. His name was Manse Jolly. His story is the stuff of legend and most of it happened in and around Anderson County.

Manse Jolly

(d. 1869)

Like most local figures of note, the facts about Manse Jolly fade when the fiction begins. He was larger than life before he reached the age of 25. By this time, he was considered the Robin Hood of South Carolina. And while his commanders may have surrendered at Appomattox, Jolly kept on fighting. But before we get to the myths, lets see some facts:

He was born in the Lebanon area of Anderson County some years before the war, the exact date is unknown. He was 6' 4", had red hair and could read and write.
Jolly served as a Confederate Cavalry scout in the 1st S.C. Calvary, Company F. He was an expert horseman and well skilled in fighting with knife, pistol, and rifle.
He was one of seven sons, all of which served in the war. Jolly and a younger brother were the only ones who survived. Of the five dead, four died on the battlefield and one in a field hospital.
Upon returning to Anderson, he vowed that he would kill five Yankees for each brother who died. As of 1932, his birthplace was still standing, near the Anderson-Liberty Highway. Locals tell of a well on the property that was filled with bones and tattered uniforms bearing buttons engraved with "U.S."

His targets were the 1st Maine, 33rd Regiment, United States Colored Troops, garrisoned in Anderson and the white Volunteer troops supporting them. The sight of the garrison so angered him that he soon killed his first victim, a member of the Union garrison. A few days later, a second member of the garrison was found dead. Jolly claimed the murder. The garrison commander sent out squads to capture the renegade. While they often found him, the willy Jolly would escape, usually taking one or two more victims.

Manse Jolly's last ride was made during late 1866 to early 1867, when he dashed on his horse, Dixie, down Fant Street through the Yankee camp. He yelled and screamed at the top of his lungs, firing pistols in each hand. So startled by the rebel yell, the Union troops thought they were under attack. Jolly escaped from his Union pursuers and left Anderson County for good. He made his way to Texas, where he established a new life.

It is estimated that Jolly killed 23 white soldiers before fleeing his home (some reports take the number to 100). The number of black soldiers he killed is unknown. His legend grew in the telling and it was reported that he killed more Union soldiers on his way to Texas. Manse Jolly died on July 8, 1869 near his home in Texas. He drowned in a river as he was trying to cross it. He had been married for one year and left a wife behind. His daughter was born a few months later, and his descendants live on today.

His remains were laid to rest in a forgotten cemetery in eastern Milam County, Texas (the Little River Cemetery). His tombstone simply says: "Sacred to the Memory of Manse Jolly, age 29 years." He is remembered as a murderer, a terrorist, a rebel, a hero, or a bushwacker, depending on who you talk to.

The Declaration of Independence

2010-07-03T22:37:00.000-04:00

This year will mark the 234th anniversary of the thirteen colonies declaring their independence from the British. July 4, Independence Day, is often celebrated with the firing of fireworks, colorful parades, and family and neighborhood cookouts.

The timeline for the Declaration of Independence can be confusing. The actual declaration was made on July 2, 1776. It was approved by the Second Continental Congress on July 4 and circulated for printing. On July 9, the New York Delegation voted in favor of the Declaration, making support unanimous among the colonies. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson claimed that the document was signed on July 4. However, some evidence suggests that the delegates did not complete the signing until August 2. An interesting footnote to the document's history is that Adams and Jefferson, the only two signers who were elected president, died on the same day: July 4, 1826.

Declaration of Independence

(John Trumbull)

Many confuse the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Each serves a useful purpose on the country's founding but they are also distinct and different documents. The Declaration of Independence does just what its title says: it lists the justifications, reasons, and causes of the thirteen American colonies breaking free from British rule. The Constitution is responsible for the legal framework in the United States. While the Constitution has its foundation in the Declaration, the Declaration is not a legal document. The Declaration lays out no law or statute. In fact, after the Constitution was written, the Declaration was largely forgotten. It had served its purpose and was discarded.

Today, the document is preserved, along with original copies of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, in a glass case in the Capital Rotunda. During the evening hours, the case is stored in an underground vault. Faded and hard to ready, the document has retaken its place of importance among the documents relating to the country's founding.

1823 Facsimile of the Original Declaration

In terms is current events, the first two paragraphs are worth repeating:

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

Hallowed words written by men at a time when such uttering such words meant death. Do we have the same courage in our hearts today? Are we worthy of their legacy?

Heyward, Lynch, Middleton and Rutlidge: South Carolina's Signers of the Declaration of Independence

2010-07-01T22:03:00.000-04:00

During the fall of 1776, 56 men signed a document that would be known to history as the Declaration of Independence. In this document lay the justification of the American Revolution. In the decades that have followed, countries around the world have used the Declaration as the basis for their own declarations of independence from the old colonial powers. But its influence was not just on colonies. The American Revolution was the inspiration for the French Revolution, although the Founding Fathers would have had little tolerance for the violence of the French during the Reign of Terror.

Here are some facts about the signers:

The first, largest, and most famous signature is that of John Hancock, president of the Second Continental Congress.
The average age of the signers was 45.
The youngest signer was Edward Rutledge (age 26). Benjamin Franklin (age 70) was the oldest.
By occupation, 22 were lawyers, 14 farmers, and 4 were doctors.
9 of the signers were immigrants, 1 was an orphan and 1 was a Catholic.
Two future presidents signed: John Adams (second President) and Thomas Jefferson (third President).
The first signer to die was Philip Livingston, June 12, 1778 at the age of 62. Charles Carroll was the last, November 14, 1832, at the age of 95.

Each colony sent delegates to the Second Continental Congress. Four were from South Carolina. These are men you probably have not heard of. Their names are not among those we consider well-known. But their actions led to the greatest out cry of freedom the world had ever seen. They were all attorneys, three captives of the British, one became Governor of South Carolina, and one is connected with disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle. Their names were Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton, and Edward Rutlidge.

Thomas Heyward, Jr. (1746-1809)

Born in St. Luke's Parish, South Carolina on July 28, 1746, Heyward received a private classical education and studied law. He served in the Continental Congress 1775-1778. In addition to the Declaration, he was also a signer of the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States. He resigned from the Congress in 1778 and returned to South Carolina where he served as a judge (1778-1798).

Thomas Heyward, Jr.

Ole Erekson, c 1876

During the Revolutionary war, Heyward he was taken prisoner while in command of a Militia force during the siege of Charleston. He was held at St. Augustine, Florida. His plantation, White Hall, was burned and his slaves (totaling 130) were taken and to Jamaica where they were sold to sugar plantation owners. He died March 6, 1809 and was interred in the Heyward Family Cemetery, Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County, SC.

Abbeville - A Southern Gem

2010-06-24T20:57:00.000-04:00

To tell the history of Abbeville is beyond the scope of this blog (and the town is lacking in a complete written history). However, the small town is worth discussing and contains enough history to satisfy any seeker. Allow me to point out some of the highlights of this southern village.

Early History

Located atop a small bluff, the site was selected by General Andrew Pickens in 1764 as his first home in the Upcountry. It was here that he married Rebbecca Calhoun, aunt of the future John C. Calhoun. By the mid-1760s, Pickens had built a blockhouse near the intersection of Cambridge Street and Washington Street. During the Revolutionary War, the blockhouse was burned by the Tories. For weeks, the Pickens family lived in the woods near the burned settlement.

Pickens at the Blockhouse

(Wilber George Kurtz)

In 1769, a delegation of Huguenots from the nearby settlement of New Bordeaux, led by Dr. John de la Howe, participated in the selection of a site for the county seat in 1769. De la Howe is reported to have persuaded the selection committee to name the town “Abbeville” after his native city in France.

During the decade following the Revolutionary War, Abbeville took prominence as the courthouse for Abbeville District. Abbeville District included the present counties of Abbeville, Greenwood, and the northern half of McCormick. Abbeville was partitioned in 1897 (Greenwood) and 1916 (McCormick).

Famous Abbevillians
Arguable, Abbeville's most famous son is John C. Calhoun, born near the present Abbeville-McCormick County line and himself the subject of a detailed blog entry, so I won't repeat the information here. However, two others merit reviewing.

Bishop Henry McNeal Turner, born February 1, 1834 in nearby Newberry. Turner was an author, civil rights activists, and one of the founders of the African Methodist Church. He was born a free-man during a time of slavery. He was raised by his mother and her grandmother. Turner’s life was guided by the principle of faith in the capabilities of himself and his people. It was this drive that helped him to succeed. At the age of 19, he worked as a janitor for an Abbeville law firm and learned to read and write.

In 1853, Turner entered the ministry and was ordained as a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church of the South. In 1856, he married Eliza Ann Preacher of Columbia and in 1858 he joined the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. He was attracted to their belief in black pride. Worship should be Afro-centric, as opposed to Euro-centric. He studied under Bishop Daniel Payne. Turner was instrumental in the desegregation of the U.S. Army during the Civil War (1863). He became the first African-American to hold the position of Chaplain in the U.S. Army.

The post-war years were a time for change for Turner. He walked back to Georgia and began to found AME churches in the state (some say over one hundred churches). He was active in politics, playing a part in the founding of the state's Republican party. He was elected as a state representative in 1868 but only held office briefly. He was expelled when a group of white legislators voted him out. After this rejection, Turner found that he could use the pulpit as a political tool.

Bishop Henry McNeal Turner

In 1880, Turner became the first southern preacher to be elected to lead the AME church. His views sparked controversy among his followers and others. His disillusionment of the state of race relations caused him to be an early advocate of African colonization, believing that this was the best hope for black equality. He conducted the controversial ordination of a female deacon (Sarah Ann Hughes). And at a speech during the first Black Baptist Convention, Turner announced that, “We have every right to believe that God is a negro.” In the end, his stances drove many away. He died along on May 8, 1915 after suffering a stroke.

Thomas D. Howie was a twentieth century national hero who was known as "the Major of St. Lo" in World War II. Howie was born on April 12, 1908 in Abbeville. He graduated from the Citadel in 1929 where he was president of his class and a star football player. After teaching at Staunton Military Academy, Howie joined the Virginia National Guard. He entered active duty with the 116th Infantry Regiment in 1941 and landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day.

Maj. Thomas D. Howie

On July 13, 1944, Major Howie was assigned to command the 3rd Battalion. On July 16, the 3rd Battalion used hand grenades and bayonets to break through the German lines and join the 2nd Battalion, which was isolated and nearly out of food and ammunition. Howie left the 2nd Battalion to defend the position, reporting that they were "too cut up", and planned to use the 3rd Battalion alone to capture Saint-Lô.

On July 17, Howie phoned Major General Charles Gerhardt, said "See you in St. Lo", and issued orders for the attack. Shortly afterward, he was killed by shrapnel during a mortar attack. The next day, the 3rd Battalion entered Saint-Lô, with Howie's body on the hood of the lead jeep, at Gerhard's request, so that Howie would be the first American to enter the town. Howie is buried at the World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.

Thomas Howie House

(Brian Scott)

The town of Saint-Lô erected a monument to Howie. In 1956, Collier’s magazine printed a story, "The Major of St. Lo" by Cornelius Ryan. It was televised on Cavalcade of America on June 5, 1956, with the late Peter Graves playing the part of Howie. Howie was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the French Legion of Honor.

Historical Locations
Presently, the city of Abbeville has over 300 properties and buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places as either part of the Abbeville Historic District or as their own entry (Armistead Burt House,
Abbeville County Courthouse, Abbeville Opera House, and Trinity Episcopal Church and Cemetery.) Many of the sites are accessible via a walking tour, divided into North and South sections. Brochures of the two trails (including maps) are available at the Visitor's Center on the south side of the square. The Burt-Stark Mansion is open for tours on Friday and Saturday. Trinity Episcopal is usually open during day-light hours for self-guided tours.

Trinity Episcopal Church

(Brian Scott)

Key sites on the square include the Opera House, Courthouse, Belmont Inn, and the Confederate Monument. The Opera House and Courthouse were built in 1908. They represent fine examples of the Beaux Arts Style.

Abbeville Opera House

(Brian Scott)

The Opera House was dedicated on October 1, 1908. The Great Divide opened on the stage on October 10, making it the first theatrical production in the house. The stage played host to performances of Ben-Hur (complete with horses), The Clansman, and the Ziegfeld Follies among other acts. By the mid-1920s, the theater had stopped live performances and was dedicated to motion pictures. It remained so until it was closed in the early 1960s. The theater was restored and reopened in 1968. It continues to provide a full season of theater each year.

The courthouse located adjacent to the Opera House is the 5th courthouse in Abbeville. The first courthouse was a wood-frame building that was torn down in 1825. The second courthouse was a two-story brick building demolished after discovery of workmen's fraud (kaolin used instead of lime in mortar). Robert Mills designed the third courthouse (c. 1829) during his residency in Abbeville. In 1853, one corner of the courthouse was found to be sinking and the building was deemed unsafe because of cracks in wall, resulting in the fourth courthouse in 1853. This building was destroyed by fire in 1872. The sixth courthouse was built and lasted until the present (and sixth) courthouse was built in 1908.

Abbeville County Courthouse (1908)

(Brian Scott)

The Belmont Inn (1903) was originally called the Eureka. It served a diverse customer base: theater companies playing the the nearby opera house and drummers in the textile trade. The Belmont Inn has undergone several restorations and is currently the only full service hotel in the city limits.

The Belmont Inn

(Brian Scott)

Standing in the center of the county square is the Confederate Monument. Standing forty feet high, the monument was originally erected on August 23, 1906. It stood, unchanged, until December 28, 1991 when it was destroyed by fire. An odd practice of using the monument as the base for the square Christmas tree was the cause. Interestingly enough, some citizens had protested the use for years, predicting exactly the type of accident that happened. Italian artists Franco Rossi was commissioned to recreate the monument, which was dedicated on December 14, 1996.

Abbeville Confederate Monument

(Brian Scott)

The Cradle and Grave of the Confederacy
Two events have given Abbeville the nickname "Cradle and Grave of the Confederacy." On November 22, 1860, the first organized secession meeting was held on a hill located at the junction of Secession Avenue and Branch Street. Charleston Judge A.G. Magrath called for "immediate action on the part of South Carolina at any and every hazard."

Secession Meeting

(Wilbur George Kurtz)

Local dignitaries Gen. Milledge Luke Bonham, Samuel McGowan, and Major Armistead Burt also spoke in favor of secession. Those in attendance unanimously adopted a resolution favoring secession of the State. A "committee of twenty" appointed Edward Noble, John A. Calhoun, Thomas Thompson, John H. Wilson, and D.L. Wardlaw to attend the state convention, held on December 17, 1860 Convention. Within one month, South Carolina became the first state to secede.

The question of secession was ultimately answered by the events of the Civil War. After the fall of Richmond and the apparent loss of the cause, Confederate President Jefferson Davis fled south. He arrived in Abbeville on May 2, 1865. (See this list for details on the locations key to Davis' flight.) He stayed with his long-time friend, Col. Armistead Burt. It was in the Burt house that Davis held his final Confederate Council of War.

Burt-Stark House

(Brian Scott)

The decision was made for Davis to continue south into Georgia and then escape to the West. Davis left the house the following morning and crossed the Savannah River into Georgia on May 3 near the location of Fort Charlotte. He was captured on May 10 near Irwinsville, Georgia. The table where Davis held his last council and the bed in which he slept are in display in the Burt-Stark House.

Last Cabinet Meeting

(Wilbur George Kurtz)

There is more than can be said about Abbeville. The town had its dark side. Several lynchings took place along with a "whiskey war" in the downtown. Ghosts haunt the third balcony in the Opera House and spirits of former guests walk the halls of the Belmont Inn. A 14-hour standoff between a family and local police resulted in the death of two officers in 2003. But these are other stories for other days. I hope that these little nuggets of history are enough to cause you to not forget this southern gem of a town.

Roger C. Peace Plaza and the History of the American Flag

2010-06-14T22:31:00.000-04:00

Americans love their holidays. We find reasons to celebrate almost everything in our culture, both the obscure (Bean Day: January 6) to the important (Christmas: December 25). Located in the middle of the list (both between obscure and important and January and December), is Flag Day (June 14). Located in downtown Greenville are a series of plaques that communicate the history of the flags that flew over South Carolina. But first, a little history on Flag Day.

Flag Day was created to commemorate the adoption of the flag of the United States Flag by the Second Continental Congress in 1777. Woodrow Wilson proclaimed a "Flag Day" in 1916; Congress made it official in 1949. Flag Day is considered a minor holiday. It is not a Federal Holiday and only one state (Pennsylvania) considers it a state holiday.

Roger Craft Peace Plaza - Looking West

To experience a visual history of the American Flag, one simple needs to visit the Roger Craft Peace Plaza at the corner of Broad and Main in downtown Greenville. While serving as the main entryway to the Greenville News, the plaza is also home to a life-size statue of Nathanael Greene, the namesake of Greenville, and plaques dedicated to Francis Marion, Thomas Sumter, and Andrew Pickens. Lining the north corner of the News building are several flags along with dedication plaques.

"Greenville's General" by T.J. Dixon and James Nelson

Betsy Ross Flag: Remembered as the first official flag of the United States. This is the familiar flag with a circle of white stars on a blue field. Many historians and experts doubt that Betsy Ross actually made the flag. The legend of her sewing the flag for Washington was published in 1870, over 30 years after her death. The source was a grandson of Ross named William J. Canby.

Guilford Court House Flag: Prior to the adoption of an official flag, designs such as the Guilford Court House Flag were common. This flag included thirteen eight-pointed blue stars on a white field. It is believed to be the oldest example of a national flag. The original flag (from 1781) is now located the North Carolina Museum of History.

Roger Craft Peace Plaza - North Corner

Moultrie Flag: This flag flew in Charleston during the Revolutionary War. It was blue with a white crescent in the left corner. The Moultrie Flag has been described as the first American flag to fly in the South. The crescent also appears in the state flag of South Carolina.

Old Glory: Old Glory is unique among national flags in that it is designed to change. The flag started with 13 starts. With the addition of each state, a new star is added. The most recent star was added on August 21, 1959 when Hawaii became the 50th state.

South Carolina Flag: The familiar palmetto and star design is one of the oldest flag design in existence, dating back to 1765.

These flags are just a small example of the history of flags that have flown in the United States. For more information on the history of flags in the United States, check out these links:

Early US Flags
Flag Timeline
History of the American Flag

Duke's Mayonnaise - Born in the Heart of Greenville

2010-06-08T22:41:00.000-04:00

Located along the banks of the Reedy River, between the Peace Center for the Performing Arts and the Main Street Bridge, sits an industrial and culinary landmark. Now known as the Wyche Pavilion, this open-air brick building, has served as a home two different industries during the 20th century.

Built in 1904 by J.E. Sirrine, the building was originally the home of the Greenville Coach Factory, a company that had existed in the downtown area for over 60 years. The factory was part of a group of buildings along the river now included in the Reedy River Industrial Historic District. These buildings are the only surviving structures from the period and represent the industries that existed in Greenville at the time. In addition to the stunning architecture, the Coach Factory was the only factory to be build on the Reedy that was not connected to the textile industry.

But times were not good for the Coach Factory. The introduction of the automobile brought the coach industry to an end. In 1911, the factory closed its doors. The building remained unused for nearly 15 years when it was bought in 1925 to produce a new item: Duke's Mayonnaise.

Eugenia Thomas Duke began producing her home brand of the creamy white condiment in 1917 in her small Greenville kitchen. Duke (not related to the North Carolina Dukes, the namesakes of Duke University) used her mayonnaise to make sandwiches which she sold to the trainees at Camp Sevier, a World War I training camp located near Taylors. Duke's recipe was her own creation. She used all natural ingredients, no sugars, and more egg yolks than any other mayonnaise on the market. To this day, the recipe has been unchanged.

Eugenia T. Duke

Eugenia Duke sold the recipe to the C.F. Sauer Company in 1929. Sauer continued the tradition of making Duke's Mayonnaise in downtown Greenville until the facility was simply not big enough to keep up with production. The Sauer Company moved its facility to Mauldin, SC, where it produces 240 jars of mayonnaise per minute.

Eugenia Duke moved to California, but her love for sandwiches did not end. She started the Duchess Sandwich Company, and sold her sandwiches by the thousands to shipyards during World War II. Eugenia Thomas Duke died in 1968 at the age of 90.

Over the years, the building was gutted, the floors torn out, and the windows removed. What remains is an arched building, a favorite for photographers, that commands a view of the Reedy River. The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and is used by the Peace Center for events.

Duke's Mayonnaise was a staple in my home. As a child, I remember the familiar black and yellow label in the fridge. It was used in almost everything...from sandwiches to salads. So, the next time you sit down to eat a BLT made with Duke's, remember that it all began nearly a century ago in a small kitchen in Greenville.

Memorial Day - Veterans Monuments and Memorial, Part 2

2010-05-30T23:40:00.000-04:00

Part 2 of my collection of veterans monuments and memorials...

Laurens County

Laurens County Vietnam Monument

Laurens County Veterans Monument

Laurens County Korean Monument

Laurens County World War I and II Monument

Clinton Veterans Monument

Lexington County

Lexington County Veterans Memorial

Lexington County World War I Monument

Cayce High School Veterans Memorial

McCormick County

McCormick County Veterans Monument

Newberry County

Newberry County World War II Monument

Newberry County World War I Monument

Newberry County Vietnam Monument

Oconee County

Oconee County Veterans Memorial

Memorial Day - Veterans Monuments and Memorial, Part 1

2010-05-30T10:55:00.000-04:00

With this being Memorial Day Weekend, I thought it might be appropriate to show some of the many veterans monuments and memorials peppered across the Upstate. Nearly every city has at least one. They can be found on county and city squares, near court houses and churches, and in cemeteries. They are reminders of the sacrifices made the tens of thousands of veterans in the fight for freedom.

But before we get to the photos, a little history behind this holiday. What we call Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day. It was a federal holiday in remembrance of those who gave their lives during the Civil War and was celebrated on May 30. In 1882, the name "Memorial Day" began to be used in some celebrations. After World War I, the holiday was expanded to include all veterans who had fallen during America's wars and the Memorial Day moniker was more common. In 1967, the U.S. Congress officially changed the name to Memorial Day. In 1967, the date was changed from May 30 to the last Monday in May, creating a three-day weekend. Today, sadly, the true meaning behind the holiday has been lost. Many consider it the beginning of the summer travel season, not realizing that the day represents so much more.

Incidentally, Memorial Day is not the only day set aside to remember veterans. Two others, Armed Forces Day and Veterans Day, also exist. Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May, was created to celebrate those who serve in the five branches of the Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Each branch had their own "day" until the combined holiday was created in 1949.

Veterans Day, celebrated on November 11, was originally known as Armistice Day. It celebrated the armistice that ended World War I. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first such holiday on November 11, 1919. The holiday was added to the list of legally recognized holidays in 1938. It wasn't until 1953 when the holiday began to take on veterans of other wars. Alfred King, a store owner in Emporia, Kansas, had the idea to expand the holiday. He was successful, with the help of his local congressman, to having Congress change the holiday in 1954 to Veterans Day.

And now, the first set of photos:

Abbeville County

Abbeville County Veterans Memorial

Calhoun Falls Veterans Monument

Anderson County

Anderson County Veterans Memorial

Belton Veterans Memorial

Honea Path Veterans Monument

Cherokee County

Cherokee County Veterans Monument

Edgefield County

Edgefield County Veterans Monument

Edgefield County World War I Monument

Greenville County

Fountain Inn Veterans Monument

Graceland East Memorial Park Veterans Memorial

Greenville County Veterans Memorial

Greenville County Vietnam Memorial

Simpsonville Veterans Memorial

Greenwood County

Matthews Mill Veterans Monument

Textile Veterans Monument

World War Monument

The Funeral of Macayla Grace Smoak

2010-05-27T23:00:00.006-04:00

Today, I attended a funeral. It was the first one I ever attended that was for a child. She was nine. Her name was Macayla Grace Smoak. And this is what I learned.

Those that follow this blog know that I normally write about my travels and the things that I see. But for once, I am going to change my focus. To my, being under the kudzu is a metaphor for the things we often overlook, things hidden from us, things that we might find value in. Macayla’s life will probably never warrant a historical monument or a statue on a town square. But in her short life, she displayed a joy that few are able to match. Her story should be shared.

She was born on May 22, 2001 at 7:49 a.m. Her parents are Jeff and Jennifer Smoak. My relation? Jennifer is my step-sister, my father having married Jennifer’s mother after my mother’s death in 2001. Jeff and Jennifer also have a son, Jacob. In 2005, Macayla was diagnosed with Batten’s disease, a rare but fatal illness.

Batten’s disease was first described in 1903 and is named for Frederick Batten, a British pediatrician who first described the disease. Symptoms begin to appear between the ages of 4 and 10 and include vision problems (usually ending in blindness), slow learning, and seizures. In the U.S., Batten’s strikes 4 out of every 100,000 births. It is much more prevalent in northern European countries like Finland and Sweden. At this time, there are no conclusive tests to see if parents are carries of the defective gene that causes Batten’s and the disease is 100% fatal.

The details of the next five years of the Smoak household are told in the 240 postings of Jeff’s amazing and highly personal blog, SmoakSignal. From the beginning Jeff described how his life and the life of his family had changed. He talked about the medications, the van with a lift, and the treasures of faith that he encountered along the way. He even fills the blog with humor, such as the “special needs” dog they somehow managed to adopt.

But to read all 240 postings would not be enough to tell her story. As the minister of Edwards Road Baptist Church, Gene Ownbey, pointed out during the service, the faith and example that the Smoaks set should not be forgotten. The illness of a child is a burden that many couples cannot face. Some turn to alcohol to deal with the pain. Some marriages end and single parents often care for the child. This was not the case with Jeff and Jennifer. Through it all, they held together, strong in their faith in themselves, but more importantly, strong in their faith in God.

The funeral was unlike any that I have ever seen. I arrived about an hour earlier, expecting a more traditional funeral. I was shown the room where it would take place and I glanced in. To my surprise, I saw tables, photos, and televisions. I wasn't sure I was in the right place, but I didn't say anything. When the family arrived, I understood what had happened. I've often heard people say that they wanted their funeral to be a party, a true celebration of life. Until today, I had never seen one.

The dress for the funeral was casual. Children were allowed to be children. Tables were set up around the room showing photos, toys, and remembrances of Macayla. Paper, markers, and crayons were available for people (both young and old) to write their thoughts and memories. Three televisions showed videos of the Smoak family on vacation, at the park, during holidays, and on a special trip to Disney World (courtesy of the Make a Wish Foundation). The tan coffin was draped with quilts given to Macayla during her life.

In a way, I was able to empathize with Jeff and Jennifer. I too had children in my family with special needs. Both of my brothers died from muscular dystrophy. I also watch my mother pass in 2001 from scleroderma. I am no stranger to sorrow. But to those of us that live with, and care for special needs children (and adults), these kinds of experiences are cherished. We don't look back with regrets. Yes, the times are difficult. But like the physical hidden treasures I try and point out, these intangible treasures hold greater value.

Macayla Grace Smoak died on May 22, 2010 at 11:25 p.m. Incidentally, the handicap tag that hung in the Smoak’s van expired on May 22, 2010.

A Return to Slater, SC

2010-05-16T16:42:00.016-04:00

Right around this time last year, I took a trip into northern Greenville County to experience the history of the Slater to the Moon Festival in Slater, SC. Some of you may recall my blog about that event and the display of Apollo artifacts and space suit. This year, the focus was not on the long-forgotten space race but on something much relevant. This year's focus is sweet and tart, bright red with a hint of green on top. It heralds the coming of summer, and, for many of us, picking it was a Saturday morning tradition. I'm speaking of course about that heart-shaped bundle of red juicy joy...the Strawberry.

Most local festivals have some food associated with it. Ware Shoals has a Catfish Feastival, Westminster has an Apple Festival. Slater needed something. Since strawberries are plentiful this time of the year (you can't miss the "Strawberries for Sale" signs along U.S. 25) it made since to hold the 8th Annual Slater Strawberry Festival. (Actually, its the 8th Annual Slater Festival...this was the first year for a strawberry theme.) By tradition, the festival kicks off with an all-you-can eat pancake breakfast. For some reason, I missed that this year. It won't happen again.

Nearly everyone has a favorite strawberry dish. Mine is Strawberry Shortcake; it includes three of may favorite things: cake, strawberries, and whipped cream. I once had it with strawberries that had soaked in vanilla vodka for several days. Something about that golden cup filled with berries, covered in cream. Its such a simply desert and yet that's what makes it special. It can be made by anyone, young or old.

The contestants entered a variety of dishes, most playing with a familiar strawberry recipe or changing a traditional recipe with the addition of strawberries. For example, one entry was strawberry ice cream, with a twist: the addition of chocolate and chipotle peppers. Another stuffed a pork loin with goat cheese and spinach; over the loin was a strawberry sauce.

Food was presented at 10:00 a.m., judging was underway by 11:00 and at Noon the winners were announced.

Chris Dover, fellow student at the Culinary Institute of the Carolinas took home first place in the "Savory" with his Strawberry-Pineapple Salsa.

If a salsa could be classified as sweet, this is what it should taste like.

Local festivals provide a good portion of the financial lifeblood of many small communities. I would encourage you to check out those in your local area. They can be fun and are usually free. Plus, you get to sample some great local cuisine. Early in this visit, I had a barbecue place that was excellent. Later I returned to the same vendor for one of their fried sweet potato pies.

Check out these links for calendars of festival dates, locations, and themes in South Carolina:

Craft Shows, Art & Craft Fairs, Street Fairs, Festivals and More - SC

Events in South Carolina - Festivals

SCIWay's SC Calendar of Events - Festivals

South Carolina Craft Shows, Fairs, and Festivals

South Carolina Festival & Event Association

South Carolina Festivals and Events

Three Parks in Three Days - Part 3

2010-05-14T15:34:00.013-04:00

3:20 a.m., April 21, 1861, Charleston, S.C. Cannon are fired at Fort Sumter. The fires of secession, states rights, and slavery tendered an explosion that was the American Civil War. For the soldiers in Charleston fighting for their homeland and way of life, it must have seemed like nothing ever seen before. And yet, Fort Sumter was not South Carolina's first taste with Civil War. The revolution that was sweeping over the other twelve colonies had a different impact in South Carolina. For in many ways, it was a civil war. No where is this more seen than at the Battle of King's Mountain.

South Carolina Split
South Carolina's division between Loyalists and Tories (not to mention the large population that was unsure of their allegiance) was geographic in nature. The coast remained loyal while the Upcountry was a hotbed of Patriotism. From Georgetown to Beaufort, the coast was peppered with plantations, their owners having seemed to have forgot that they were not in England. They lived in rich, aristocratic ways and believed that the strength of the colony rested with the gentry along the coast. And despite how many settlers move into the Upcountry, the capital would remain in Charleston.

The Upcountry, on the other hand, was as backwoods as backwoods can get. In addition to being undeveloped, the land was inhabited by different tribes of Native Americans from the Creek to the Cherokee. Wild animals also lived in the forests. Great amounts of physical labor was required to live in the Upcountry, and great sacrifices. But the rewards could be great.

Early settlements in the Upcountry centered around trading posts such as Richard Pearis along the banks of the Reedy River and Robert Gouedy at Ninety Six or along waterways like Patrick Calhoun at Long Canes. From these early men came a line of tough backwoodsmen, independent in their mindset and fierce in their loyalty to family and home.

These two sides, in constant unease, met on October 7, 1780 at King's Mountain.

Major Patrick Ferguson
A native of Scotland, Major Patrick Ferguson started serving in the Revolutionary War in 1777. He led an experimental rifle corps which saw success early on. Ferguson was injured in the right arm at the Battle of Brandywine, September 11, 1777. Although amputation was not needed, his arm never fully healed and it was crippled the rest of his life.

In 1780, Lord Cornwallis appointed Ferguson Inspector of Militia in South Carolina. Cornwallis had been ordered to defeat all American forces in the Carolinas and Ferguson was responsible for recruiting Loyalists troops from the two colonies. This resulted in his army at King's Mountain being made up almost entirely of South Carolinians (140 were from New England).

After Cornwallis occupied Charlotte, North Carolina during the summer of 1780, he split his army into sections, with Ferguson given command of Loyalists recruited from the Carolinas, numbering 1,300. In a show of his authority, Ferguson publicly boasted that he would invade the mountains beyond the western settlements unless the colony ended its support of the revolution. The colonists responded with an organized army under the command of several Patriot leaders.

The Patriot Troops
When Ferguson made his boast, the response was quick. Colonels Isaac Shelby and John Sevier, both commanding militias, announced they would meet Ferguson. They were joined by Colonel William Campbell from Virginia, Colonel Benjamin Cleveland from North Carolina and Colonel Joseph McDowell, also from Virginia. Campbell was named commander of the forces, which numbered 1,400 strong, and the army began marching toward Ferguson.

Prelude to the Battle
Ferguson was initially unaware of the large army being formed to stop him. He learned of it from two deserters. For reasons unknown, he delayed returning to Cornwallis for three days after learning of the army. He then began a retreat, hoping to enlist more Loyalists along the way, portraying the militia as mongrels. He made camp atop King's Mountain, just a few miles from Charlotte and Cornwallis. Since he was only staying for the night, no fortifications were built. He was unaware that as his troops slept atop a mountain, an army led buy five colonels was massing at the base.

King's Mountain is a steep rocky hill, located near the border of present-day Cherokee and Union counties. From the air, the hilltop is in the shape of a giant footprint with the heel being the highest, a narrow instep narrow, and a broad toe. In order to catch Ferguson quickly (he was only a day's march from Charlotte), Campbell sent 900 picked men to surround the mountain. They arrived late in the afternoon of October 7.

The Battle
It had been raining. The hill was muddy and the Patriot forces had marched all night. By the morning of the 7th, the Patriot troops had crossed the Broad River, fifteen miles from King's Mountain. They arrived by early afternoon and battle had begun by 3:00 p.m. Ferguson was caught completely by surprise. He had no idea that the Patriots had caught up with him.

The attack was swift. The Patriot forces had divided themselves into nine groups, each under a different commander and acting independently but all with the same goal: destroy the Loyalists forces atop the mountain. Imagine the British surprise when 900 screaming Patriot troops rushed the mountain side. There was no where to retreat. The Loyalists had no choice but to stand and fight. They did however, have one advantage. The Loyalists were outfitted with bayonets. The Patriots were not.

Ferguson ordered waves of bayonet charges down the hillside. This produced quick for short lived positive results. As the Loyalists would charge, the Patriots would retreat. Loyalists would return to the hill top and the Patriots would resume their charge, this time at the higher point than before. The charges repeated themselves until the Patriots took the hilltop.

Ferguson was shot from his horse and died. According to reports, his body contained seven bullet holes.

King's Mountain lasted just over an hour, 65 minutes. Ferguson's force was complete destroyed: 244 killed, 163 wounded, and 668 taken prisoner. The Patriot army lost only 29 and had 58 wounded. But forgotten among the dead and wounded is the fact that the Battle of King's Mountain was two armies of Americans, fighting against each other. This was South Carolina's first taste of civil war.

The Park
King's Mountain is easily accessible from I-85. From Greenville, take I-85 North to Charlotte. About two miles after crossing the North Carolina state line, take Exit 2 and following the signs to the park's entrance. King's Mountain is one mountain with two parks. in addition to the King's Mountain National Military Park, there is the King's Mountain State Park. Take the time to visit both.

The National Park features one of the best battlefield museums I have seen. The exhibits and displays are in the trunks of hollowed-out trees. The entire museum is lit in a soft green light and decorated with the feel of being in the woods. The battlefield trail is about 1.5 miles long and paved. But be warned...the hills are steep and, despite the paving, the incline to reach the heel may be difficult for some. There are also two longer trails for hiking. Admission is free.

King's Mountain State Park shares a boundary with the National Park but that's about all. Its focus is more on recreation, with miles of trails, dozens of campsites and two large lakes. Located inside the state park is a Living Farm, which is built on what is believed to have been an early 19th century farm. The park was one of several developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in South Carolina during the 1930s and 40s.

Influence
King's Mountain has been recognized as a pivotal point in the Revolutionary War. Thomas Jefferson, just a few years after the battle, said it "turned the tide of success" in favor of the Patriots. Theodore Roosevelt said that the "brilliant victory" was the turning point of the entire war. Perhaps the best description was made by Herbert Hoover who delivered an address at King's Mountain on October 7, 1930:

"This is a place of inspiring memories. Here less than a thousand men, inspired by the urge of freedom, defeated a superior force entrenched in this strategic position. This small band of patriots turned back a dangerous invasion well designed to separate and dismember the united Colonies. It was a little army and a little battle, but it was of mighty portent. History has done scant justice to its significance, which rightly should place it beside Lexington, Bunker Hill, Trenton and Yorktown."

In recognition of the heroics of the men, two obelisks and numerous tributes to the leaders of the armies lay along the trail.

And so ends my Three Parks in Three Day's adventure. Each of these parks tells a story of the American Revolution. From defeat at Ninety Six to victory at King's Mountain these monuments in stone should serve to remind us that the liberty these men fought for is still the liberty that makes this the greatest country in the world.

Three Parks in Three Days - Part 2

2010-05-13T20:26:00.009-04:00

Ninety Six. Of all the place names in South Carolina, none are more shrouded in legend and adventure more than Ninety Six. It is a number, a measurement of distance, and the location of several battles between the English, the Cherokee, and the Patriots. It was also an early courthouse for the vast Ninety Six District (the precursor to Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Saluda, and Union counties) and the site of the first permanent white settlement in the Upcountry. All this, Ninety Six was.

The Mystery Behind the Name
Few towns in South Carolina have a more varied nomenclature. The simplified legend is that Ninety Six was so named because it was mistakenly believed that the settlement was ninety six miles from the Cherokee capital of Keowee.

The more romantic version of the legend involves a Cherokee princess and her British lover. Cateechee, daughter of a Cherokee chief, learned of a pending attack on the British settlement. Knowing that her lover, Allen Francis, traded goods there, Cateechee secretly mounted a horse and fled south to warn the settlers. As she crossed rivers and creeks, the named them via number (for example, Six and Twenty Creek, Five Mile Creek). When she arrived at Ninety Six, it was so named. The British were alerted to the attack and were able to repel the Cherokee with reinforcements from the Long Canes settlement.

Cateechee and Watson were married at Ninety Six and built a house there. Her betrayal to the Cherokee was not forgotten. On a subsequent raid, Cateechee and Watson were captured and taken to Keowee where they were held as slaves. Biding their time to escape, the Indian princess and her English husband made their escape and traveled north, hiding out at Stumphouse Mountain. When southern travel was safe, the pair headed back to Ninety Six, where they lived out their lives at their home, Popular Hill.

While the legend of Cateechee makes for a great story, the history does not contain so many details. What is known is that a Cherokee maiden provided intelligence to James Francis at Ninety Six on January 31, 1760.

Greene's Challenge
When Nathanael Greene replaced Horatio Gates as commander of the Southern Continental Army, the army was in serious trouble. British forces were gaining ground in South Carolina and had captured the capital, Charleston. Greene knew that he needed a victory and he achieved one (through Daniel Morgan) at Cowpens on January 17, 1781. Although defeated by Cornwallis at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse (N.C.) in March, Greene inflicted more casualties on the British troops. Cornwallis was forced to retreat, allowing Greene time to return to South Carolina and begin a multi-prong attack.

Through the efforts of his lieutenants and aids, Andrew Pickens, Francis Marion, and Thomas Sumter, most of the British holdings, with the exception of Charleston, were retaken by spring. The remaining British stronghold in the Upcountry was Ninety Six and its famed Star Fort. Greene knew that he had to take the fort and began to lay plans for what would become the longest siege of the war, and a loss to the Patriot forces.

But Greene was not without assistance. With him was the Polish engineer, Colonel Thaddeus Kosciuszko. Arriving in the colonies in 1776, he presented himself for service, being made a Colonel of Engineers. He worked throughout the war, designing attacks and fortifications. After the war, he led the failed Kosciuszko Uprising in 1794, an attempt to free his homeland of Poland from the kings of Prussia and the imperial throne of Russia.

After studying the layout of the village and fortifications, Kosciuszko determined that an attack on the Star Fort would be the best plan. On May 22, he ordered siege operations to begin.

British Defenders
The siege of Ninety Six was not the first military conflict the settlement had seen during the Revolution. When the war started, the settlement was controlled by Patriot forces. In November 1775, during the first land battle south of New England, British troops seized control. Killed in the battle was Patriot James Birmingham, remembered as the first South Carolinian to give his life for freedom.

The village was protected to the west by a stockade fort. The Star Fort was built to protect the northern side of the village. Star Fort was essentially an earthen structure. Mounds of dirt were formed into an eight-sided star. The entrance was located facing the village. The fort contained a well for water and commanded the plain. The star design allowed for continued crossfire.

At the time of the battle, the garrison was manned by 550 British troops under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Harris Cruger, the son and grandson of former mayors of New York. Despite its strategic importance, Cruger only had three small field pieces. On the morning of May 22, 1781, Cruger looked over the wall and saw over 1,000 Patriot forces beginning to lay siege to the settlement.

The Siege
Kosciuszko's siege plan was simple: dig a network of trenches which ran zig-zag across the field, affording different angles form which ti fire (and making the crossfire from the fort ineffective) and the construction of a 30-foot wooden tower from which shots could be fired into the fort. Surprisingly, despite Kosciuszko's experience and talent, this strategy was not effective. Cruger was able to harass the Patriot troops and even managed to steel some of their digging tools.

By June 3, Greene's troops were within 30 yards of the fort. It was here that the tower was built. At first, attacks from the tower were successful. Patriot riflemen were able to hit some of the British. Cruger responded by using sandbags to raise the level of the walls. These bags allowed for protection while providing slits through which the British could return fire on the tower. After flaming arrows were shot into the fort, Cruger ordered all the roofs removed so they could not be set fire.

Unknown to Greene, 2,000 British troops under the command of Lord Rawdon had left Charleston on June 7 with orders to assist Cruger. On June 8, Greene's troops were reinforced by the arrival of Pickens and Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, fresh from their victory at Augusta. On June 11, Greene learned of Rawdon's troops and made the decision to end the siege and attack the fort. Cruger himself did not even know of Rowden's reinforcement until June 12.

The assault began on June 18. Patriot troops stormed the wall and were met with fierce British resistance. Using their bayonets to slash and their rifle butts as clubs, the British drove the American troops out of the fort. With Rawdon's 2,000 troops now 30 miles away, Greene called off the assault and ordered a full retreat, ending what became the longest ground siege of the war. Cruger had lost less than 100 men; Green, 150.

Why the Loss
The loss at Ninety Six was a black mark on Greene's career. He controlled the field. He controlled the water supply. His had more artillery and his troops outnumbered Cruger's two to one. So why did he fail? Blame was spread for years. Greene blamed Sumter and Marion for not stopping Rawdon's troops. Greene and Lee also held blame because they allowed the water supply to the fort to continue. Kosciuszko was blamed by Greene as well for failing to estimate the lengthy time the siege works would take to build.

In truth, they all share blame for the loss. However, despite his retreat, Greene did have a victory of sorts. After Cruger and Rawdon's forces joined, the British abandoned Star Fort and burned the village of Ninety Six. The reason was simple: Ninety Six was simply too far Upcountry and too deep into enemy territory to do the British in Charleston (now their remaining stronghold in the colony) and real good.

Aftermath
In the years following the war, a "college town" named Cambridge was established near the burned village. Cambridge was home to a college (of the same name) but failed to thrive. When a railroad depot was established in the present town of Ninety Six, Cambridge came to an end.

Present-day Ninety Six is proud of its heritage. Located about 2 miles north of the original location, the town remembers the fort by incorporating an eight-pointed star in its town seal.

The battlefield and surrounding acreage has been made part of the National Register of Historic Places (1969), was named a National Historic Landmark (1973), and a National Historic Site (1976).

Visiting the Park
The park is divided into two main sections: the battlefield tour and the hiking paths. The battlefield tour starts at the visitor's center and takes you on a mile loop through the battle site, Star Fort, the site of Ninety Six and its jail, and the stockade fort. In all, the walk takes about an hour.

The hiking trails, which I recommend taking, will show you a different side of Ninety Six. Prior to the Revolutionary War, the region was settled by the first white man to make a permanent settlement in the Upcountry, Robert Gouedy. To see this, take the Gouedy Trail, a one mile loop through the neighboring woods.

Along the trail you will see the original site of Gouedy's house and trading station (also the site of the first fort at Ninety Six), the grave site of Major James Gouedy, and a cemetery of about fifty unmarked graves, possible dating back to the settlement's founding. But be warned...the Gouedy trail takes you well into the surrounding woods. Where there are woods, there are snakes...as I found out today.

Coming up...Three Parks in Three Days - Part 3

Three Parks in Three Days - Part 1

2010-05-12T21:51:00.017-04:00

It has been a while since I last blogged. With culinary school, two jobs, and lots going on in my personal life, there just wasn't time. But things have begun to settle down so I'm back to pointing out things under the kudzu. It starts with my Three Parks in Three Days adventure.

My home town of Greenville, SC is located within 90 minutes of three National Parks, each the site of a major Revolutionary War battle. South Carolina, in fact, was host to more military conflicts during the Revolution than any other state. The first of the three parks I visited was the Cowpens National Battlefield was the location of a decisive victory between Colonial troops led by Danial Morgan and British troops under the command of Banastre Tarleton.

The Battle of Cowpens was a battle in the truest sense of the word. There was no fort to be taken, no city to capture...just two armies facing each other across an open field. And the victory led to a turning point in the war. The date was January 17, 1781.

Daniel Morgan
General George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, needed to select a new commander to lead his efforts in the South. On October 14, 1780, his selection was made: Major General Nathanael Greene. Greene, who entered the war as a private, became one of Washington's trusted lieutenants. His assignment to take command in the South could not have come at a better time. Charleston had been taken by the British in May and the Patriots has lost a major battle at Camden in August.

Just seven days prior to Washington announcing Greene's command, Patriot forces defeated the British at the Battle of King's Mountain. While this win helped to turn the tide, Greene needed a decisive victory to continue and turn the momentum. He also needed a tried leader who could command the troops in battle. On December 3, Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, the hero of Saratoga, became that man.

Morgan was well known among the Patriot leadership. He was poorly educated, a hard drinker and gambler, and generally unsavory in his behavior. However, he was a brilliant tactician and the veteran of numerous conflicts. Cowpens, however, would be the first time he was in sole command of an army. His assignment was clear: to harass and the enemy but avoid full contact at all costs.

Banastre Tarleton
Morgan's opponent was the feared and hated Lieutenant Colonel Sir Banastre Tarleton. Tarleton's reputation during the war was that of a cruel leader. In a fit of rage, he fired upon a group of surrendering Patriots at the Battle of Waxhaws. Those that survived the musket fire were hacked to death with sabers. The massacre at Waxhaws became a rallying cry to those in South Carolina who were undecided in the war.

The British saw things differently. To them, Tarleton was a loyal and able soldier. He was largely responsible for the English capture of Charleston and the aforementioned victory at Waxhaws. In the years after the war, Tarleton returned to England where he received additional military promotions, culminating in being named General in 1812. He spent over 20 years in Parliament where he was a strong supporter of the slave trade (he was from Liverpool, a major slave port).

When Cornwallis received intelligence that Morgan's forces were heading to the British controlled town of Ninety Six, he dispatched Tarleton to stop him. The two young leaders met where cows grazed.

Cowpens
We think little these days of how places receive their names. But during out early history, place names could come from the location, description, or activity that take place there. In the example of Cowpens, it is the latter.

Cowpens was what it sounded like...the location where cows were kept. "Cowpens" were located across the state. They were usually located near a main road, in this case the Green River Road and were flat in appearance. These two characteristics made Cowpens an ideal place to make battle.

The modern day town of Cowpens is located about two miles south of the battlefield. The town is rightly proud of there military heritage. On street corners throughout town are cutouts of Patriot soldiers standing a silent vigil.

The Battle
When Morgan learned of Tarleton's pursuit, he turned to his men for advice. Many of them had fought against Tarleton previously so they were able to provide insight into his leadership in battle. Morgan had to make a decision: to continue harassing the British to Ninety Six and deal with both armies then, or to stop Tarleton. In direct disobedience to Greene's orders, Morgan made ready to do battle at Cowpens.

The early morning hours were quiet on the field. Morgan arranged his men with his marksman in front, militia in the middle section, and trained regulars in the rear. Morgan's plan was simple: the first two units were to withdraw immediately after inflicting damage. This would result in the British charging the Patriot line prematurely. As the British charged, Patriot forces with their backs to the British would turn and fire at point blank range. The military move is known as a double envelopment and it devastated Tarleton's men.

The cost of the battle was heavy. Of Tarleton's 1,076 men army, 110 were killed and 830 were captured. While Tarleton escaped, his slaves and personal belongings did not. In less than one hour, as a chill hung in the early morning air of January 17, 1781, Daniel Morgan handed Greene the victory he desperately needed.

The National Battlefield
The park is located at the intersection of S.C. Highways 11 and 110. The monument to the battle that greets you at the visitors center was erected in 1932. Take your time and walk through the center. The exhibits are quite impressive and display some of the artifacts found at the site. Since the battle took place in a large field, there are no military structures or fortifications to view.

The walking trail around the site takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete. Along the way are historical markers providing insight and details on the battle and forces. There is one structure on the site: the Robert Scruggs House. While not directly related to the battle, the one-room cabin is located near the site. The present cabin is actually a re-construction of how the cabin looked when it was first built.

Both Morgan and Tarleton were drawn upon to create characters in The Patriot, the 2000 film staring Mel Gibson. Gibson's character, Benjamin Martin, was based on a combination of Revolutionary War figures, including Morgan. Colonel William Tavington, portrayed by Jason Isaacs, is patterned after Tarleton, right down to the saber massacre.

Coming soon...Three Parks in Three Days - Part II.

The Moon...Brought to You by Slater, SC

2009-07-20T20:52:00.004-04:00

What does it take for a community to put itself on the map? Normally, a significant event happens there; or a historically important person is born there. For the small mill village of Slater, South Carolina it was fabric and its connection to an event almost 240,000 miles away.

The weekend of July 17-20, 2009 marks the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moonwalk. An integral part of the walk was the fabric used to create the lunar suits. The fabric was created in Slater, S.C. The village remembered its place in history with a festival called From Slater to the Moon.

This obscure fact was almost lost to history were it not for the discovery of a complete prototype of the space suit found in an attic closet in the Slater Mill. There is had sat for nearly 40 years, collecting dust, as the space program progressed. According to the Greenville News, the suit was taken to school during the Apollo 11 launch and used as an item in school-and-tell. Since the time the suit was used, six additional Apollo launches were made (including the famed Apollo 13). Five made it to the moon and ended with successful moon walks.

But the history of the space suit is not all that makes Slater unique. As the cotton industry dominated the South’s economy during the 19th century, the textile industry was the life blood of the south for much of the later half of the 20th century. The mill at Slater was no exception. In 1951, the mill adapted its production from fabric-only to fiberglass. As the industry began to collapse in the coming years, this move probably saved the mill from closure. Today, the mill continues its partnership with NASA, producing quartz fabrics used in the nose cone of the shuttle program.

The community is centered around a building known as the Slater Hall. Often, mill villages would have such halls which served as early community centers. Nearly a century old, the Slater Hall has served as a gymnasium, Sunday school, classroom facility, and meeting house for the mill employees.

Today, sitting atop a hill overlooking the village, the Hall is structurally sound but is in need of repair. The bottom floor includes a basketball court, bathrooms, and stage where performances have been held. The second floor contains meeting rooms as well as a large dining style room in the rear of the building. A local community organization was formed with the singular goal of preserving the history of Slater and redeveloping the historic hall.

The community has taken pride in their Hall, laying a ¼ mile asphalt walk-way around the building, planting cherry trees, and constructing a playground for neighborhood kids. There are plenty of shaded picnic tables for afternoon lunches. The Slater Hall is located on 3 Whitney Street, Slater, S.C. For more information ad historical photos of the Hall, check out http://www.slaterhallsc.org/.

Five Confederate Colonels

2009-04-22T20:58:00.005-04:00

On Abbeville’s Main Street, just north of the town square, is a marker dedicated to Five Confederate Colonels. Each of these men lived in Abbeville at the start of the Civil War and had families in the town during the conflict. Three were killed in the war, one wounded, and one survived, returning to Abbeville. Three served in Orr’s Rifles, one in the 19th SC Infantry, and one in Moore’s Rifles. All have a unique story to tell.

Augustus Lythgoe (1830-1862)
Augustus J. Lythgoe was the son of a British immigrant. He was born in the Aiken area and educated at the South Carolina Military Academy. He worked on the Blue Ridge Railroad until it was suspended. (The remains of this failed railroad are still visible in the Stumphouse Tunnel, north of Walhalla.) Lythgoe then moved to Abbeville and married Margaret Isabella Wier. With his brother-in-law, John A. Wier, Lythgoe went into the mercantile business under the name of Lythgoe & Wier. During the Civil War, Lythgoe joined the 19th SC Regiment, attaining the rank of colonel by December 1861. He was killed at the Battle of First Murfreesboro and buried at the battle site. He also has a marker in Upper Long Cane Cemetery and was survived by a wife, one son, and two daughters.

Jehu Foster Marshall (1817-1862)
Col. Marshall was a figure of some prominence in Abbeville. He donated the steeple that crowns the city's Trinity Episcopal Church. He was a lawyer who represented Abbeville as a state senator in Columbia. He served as a captain in the Mexican-American War, serving in the famed Palmetto Regiment. He is one of only two people buried in the church's gardens (the other being his wife). Battery Marshall, on the west end of Sullivan's Island in Charleston, was named for him.

In addition to his South Carolina connections, Marshall was owner of a large sugar plantation in Florida. Located in Marion County, near the city of Ocala, this plantation was established in 1855. After Marshal's death, the plantation was run by his widow, Elizabeth Anne DeBrull Marshall, until Union troops under the command of Sergeant Major Henry James burned it on March 10, 1865. The plantation was the last in Florida to provide sugar to the Confederacy. The plantation is now home to the 2.5 mile Marshall Swamp Trail. He was killed at the Battle of Second Manassas.

George Miller
Very little is known about Col. Miller beyond the facts that he served on Orr's Rifles and was wounded at Spotsylvania (the same battle where "Stonewall" Jackson received his fatal wound.) Based on the prominence of the other four colonels in Abbeville society, Miller may have moved in their circles. He was wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse.

James Monroe Perrin (1822-1863)
Perrin was born in 1822 in the Abbeville District and graduated from South Carolina College. He served as a lieutenant in the Palmetto Regiment during the Mexican War, returning home to become a lawyer in Abbeville. Captain of B Company ("McDuffies Guards") of the Rifles, he was absent through 1862 serving in the state legislature. He was promoted to colonel on November 12, 1862. At the Battle of Chancellorsville, Perrin was mortally wounded on May 3, 1863 while withdrawing his regiment. He died on May 5, "universally lamented by the regiment and all who knew him." He is buried in Upper Long Cane Cemetery.

Thomas Thomson (1813-1881)
Thomson was born in Tarbolton, Scotland on June 5, 1813. He was a lawyer in Charleston, South Carolina and served in the South Carolina Legislature. He served in all ranks from Captain to Colonel in the 2nd South Carolina Rifles and resigned in December of 1863 when he was elected to the S.C. Senate. He died in 1881 and is buried in Long Cane Cemetery, Abbeville.

Colonels During the Civil War

In American military history, the rank of colonel was a rare achievement, due primarily to the fact that prior to the Civil war, the United States Army was a small force. During the Civil war, local military units were often headed by men known as "colonels of volunteers", as opposed to those in the regular army. Confederate colonels were marked with three stars on their collar. Interestingly enough, this is the same marking used by Robert E. Lee. Although Lee was the general of the Confederate forces, he refused to accept the title until the South achieved its independence, preferring to use the military rank he had achieved prior to the war.

Fort Charlotte

2009-04-08T21:15:00.005-04:00

Six and a half miles southwest of Mt. Carmel, SC, is the location of the first military action of the Revolutionary War in the South. Fort Charlotte, a stone fort, was the setting. The date was July 12, 1775.

Fort Charlotte had been built between 1765 and 1767 as a protection to the settlers along Long Cane Creek from Cherokee attacks. For decades, the Long Cane settlers and the Cherokee had been in conflict. Infamous acts such as the Calhoun Massacre occurred during this period.

In its bid for independence, South Carolina set up a provisional government in 1775. In June, the first Provincial Congress of South Carolina appointed a Council of Safety. This body was charged with administering the internal affairs of the new Province of South Carolina. The congress also called for the formation of three regiments of regular troops to protect South Carolina from the British. It fell upon the Council to raise the regiments. Regiments needed arms and supplies. On April 12, the powder in the public magazines of Charleston, were seized by the Council. They now needed arms and munitions for the Upcountry. Under the orders of the Council Major James Mayson seized Fort Charlotte on July 12, 1775.

Despite the military-sounding nature of this event, the Battle of Fort Charlotte was bloodless. Fort Charlotte had fallen into disrepair over the years. It was named for Queen Charlotte, wife of England’s King George III, and cost the crown 1,000 pounds. It was the last British fort erected during South Carolina colonial era. Fort Charlotte must have been an impressive site. It was described by Loyalist Thomas Brown as one of the most formidable stone forts in the South, second to St. Augustine. But as the Indian conflicts lessened, the fort’s staff was cut and its position became unused.

Major James Mayson was already stationed in the Upcountry. He was commander of Fort Ninety-Six, outside the present day town of the same name. Mayson was active during the war and quite a success in the years after. He owned several ferries and plantations as well as a distillery in Abbeville District.

To accomplish his mission, Mayson used two companies of horsemen. They were headed by Captains James Caldwell and Moses Kirkland. Unknown to Mayson, Kirkland held a grudge against him. Kirkland had been active in the Regulator movement and was seen as a leader in his community. He had expected to receive the appointment of fort commander at Ninety-Six. Now he was being ordered by the new commander.

With his companies in tow, Mayson rode to the fort. Once there, he met no resistance. To Mayson’s surprise, the only residents of the fort were its commander, Captain George Whitfield, his family, and a few men of the garrison. Whitfield also shared Mayson’s political views so the handing over of the fort was no real surprise.

To secure the fortification, Mayson left Captain Caldwell and his company. He returned to Ninety-Six with 1,055 pounds of gunpowder, 18 cannon, 15 muskets, 83 casks of musket cartridges, 2,521 musket balls, and 343 iron cannonballs. Captain Kirkland and the second company accompanied him. They returned on July 16, 1775. On the following day, Kirkland staged a revolt at the fort and took command and placed Mayson in the jail. Mayson was charged with robbing the King’s fort at Fort Charlotte but was released a few days later. Kirkland was assisted in his take over by Patrick and Robert Cunningham, powerful Loyalists in the region. The end result of Kirkland's takeover was the enlistment of fifteen hundred men in support of the Crown. South Carolina's revolution almost ended before it started.

From today’s vantage point, it is easy to forget Charlotte. There were no cannon fire, no great cavalry charge. There were no famous generals or military strategies. And yet this single action of a provincial government greatly angered the Loyalist population that was strong in the Upcountry. The Revolutionary Was is most often thought of as the war for American independence. This is true. But for South Carolina, it was also a civil war, one that would preclude its involvement in one a century later.

There is an historical marker (shown) in Mt. Carmel, commemorating the fort. It’s located at the intersection of SC-81 and State Road 33-91. There is an old white church behind the marker. The site of the fort is not under the waters of Clarks Hill Lake. The site is on the grounds of the Sumter National Forest and is only accessible certain times of the year.

Note – Some of the information above came from an excellent work by Patrick O’Kelley entitled Nothing but Blood and Slaughter: The Revolutionary War in the Carolina, Volume I 1779-1779, the first volume of a series which documents all Revolutionary military engagements (no matter the size) in the Carolinas.

McBee's Tithe

2009-04-01T20:25:00.011-04:00

“A man should be prudent and careful, without seeming to be so, in character, information, propriety, friends, and money, and in everything, never neglecting his friends.”

History knows him as Vardry McBee. Greenville calls him her father. His life was an example of great wealth matched by great humanitarianism. Throughout Greenville County, there are references to him in the names of streets (McBee Avenue) and buildings (McBee’s Chapel). But the focus of this entry is McBee’s Tithe, the action that resulted in the founding of five churches in downtown Greenville. The tithe included donations of land for the churches to be established as well as $500 in lumber from McBee’s mill.

While Vardry McBee is widely recognized as the father of Greenville, he was by no means its first important citizen. In fact, McBee did not move to Greenville until 1836, some 25 years after its founding. McBee owned much of his success to two earlier settlers: Richard Pearis, an early Tory and Indian trader, and Lemuel Alston, plantation owner and founder of the village of Pleasantburg.

In 1816, Alston sold more than 11,000 acres of his plantation to the young McBee, who was at this time living in Lincolnton, North Carolina. Both into wealth, McBee was the son and brother of Revolutionary War veterans. During his lifetime, he used his riches to enhance the village, which he renamed Greenville (after local Revolutionary War hero Gen. Nathanael Green). Greenville’s location was significant. Not only was it the geographic center of the county, it served as the dividing point between the county’s northern mountain region and the farmlands of the south.

McBee’s interests were as vast as his fortune. He was an industrialist, plantation owner, mill operator, local politician, agriculturalist, and philanthropist. To help the new village, McBee donated tracts of land for schools, neighborhoods, and churches. Five downtown churches (each a different denomination) owe their start to McBee, the Episcopalian. They are: Christ Church (Episcopal), First Baptist Church of Greenville, First Presbyterian Church of Greenville, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and Buncombe Road United Methodist Church. All five are still holding services.

Christ Church (Episcopal) (1820)
10 North Church Street, Greenville, SC 29601

The oldest Episcopal congregation in Greenville County (and the first church in the city), Christ Church is located at the intersection of North Church and East North Streets. (Church Street is so named because of Christ Church.) The church occupies a block bounded on the north by East North Street; on the east by Broadus Avenue; on the south by East Washington Street; and on the west by North Church Street.

The church was founded in 1820 as St. James Mission. The first building was completed in 1828. The present structure was completed between 1852 and 1854 based on a design by Joel Poinsett. The church is an excellent example of Gothic Revival style popular during the 19th century. The church went through a major revitalization during the 1960s which maintained the church’s original shape.

The adjoining cemetery contains the remains for one South Carolina governor (Greenville native Benjamin Perry), McBee and his immediate family, U.S. Senator from South Carolina Joseph Haynesworth Earle, U.S. Representatives William Hayne Perry and William Choice Cleveland, and other important figures in Greenville’s history.

First Baptist Church of Greenville (1831)
847 Cleveland Street, Greenville, SC 29601
Greenville’s second downtown church, the First Baptist was organized by William Bullein Johnson, who later became the first president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Its sanctuary was the original home of the Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. In 1999, the church voted to disavow itself from the Southern Baptist Convention, of which it was a charter member.

First Baptist Church moved from its original building on West McBee Avenue in 1974 to its current location on Cleveland Street. The old building is now the home of the Downtown Baptist Church (a large portion of the congregation which chose to remain), chartered in 1974. Located on the corner of West McBee Avenue and River Street, the building is built in the Greek revival style and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places August 1977.

The church was designed by Samuel Sloan, an architect of the mid 19th century. Its massive front steps and six-columned porch has made it a landmark of downtown Greenville for decades.

Buncombe Road United Methodist Church (1834)
200 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC 29601
In 1834, five women and one man met at the home of Miss Mariah Turpin for the purpose of establishing a Methodist congregation in Greenville. A frame building was constructed in 1836 on Coffee Street. The congregation was served by a series of circuit preachers. In 1841, the Methodist church appointed William P. Mouzon as the church’s first pastor.

In 1870, the congregation moved from its location on Coffee Street to its present site at the corner of Buncombe and Richardson Streets. The naming of the church had so divided the congregation; a compromise was made naming it after the street it faced: Buncombe Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South. In 1939, the name was changed to Buncombe Street Methodist Church. With the unification of Methodists with the United Brethren in 1968, the name changed a final time to Buncombe Street United Methodist Church.

On the day this church held its first service in its “new” building, the pastor locked the doors and did not allow anyone to leave until enough money had been raised to pay for the building. He did not want the church saddled with debt. The church produced one South Carolina governor and three mayors of the City of Greenville. Buncombe United Methodist church celebrates its 175th Anniversary in 2009.

First Presbyterian Church of Greenville (1848)
200 West Washington Street, Greenville, SC 29601
Incorporating three different buildings, the main body is another of the downtown’s Gothic churches. The first building was completed in 1851. It was torn down in 1882 and a new brick building was constructed between 1882 and 1883. A series of expansions and alterations followed with the final addition being the Kowalski Christian Life Center in 2004.

The main sanctuary is also another excellent example of the Gothic Revival style popular in the 19th and 20th centuries. The church was the fourth of Greenville’s downtown churches.

St. Mary’s Catholic Church (1852)
111 Hampton Avenue, Greenville, SC 29601
The Catholic Church in South Carolina has its genesis in South Carolina in 1786 when an Italian priest celebrated the first Mass in Charleston for a congregation of twelve. In 1789, St. Mary’s Church in Charleston was established as the first Catholic parish in the Carolinas and Georgia. As the state’s citizens migrated inward, so did the Catholic Church. St. Peter’s Church was established in Columbia in 1821. In 1852, the Greenville Missions at St. Mary’s, was established, the final of Greenville’s original downtown churches. Since then, St. Mary’s has been recognized as the mother church for Catholic congregations in Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and Union counties.

Over the years, the church has been through remodeling and expansion. The present structure, designed by renowned Benedictine architect Father Michael McInerny, was dedicated on November 4, 1956. Near the front entrance to the church is a small cemetery, holding the remains of Monsignors Andrew Keene Gwynn and Charles J. Baum, two pastors who served the church for a total of 73 years. The church received a much needed restoration in 2002.

Located near the picturesque Hampton-Pinckney Historic District, St. Mary’s has a long tradition as the center of Greenville’s Catholic Latino community. It held the first regularly scheduled Spanish Mass in the Upstate.

Walhalla State Fish Hatchery

2009-03-17T20:42:00.005-04:00

One of the more unique locations that I’ve had the good fortune to see in the past year is actually a place I was first taken to as a child. I don’t recall the exact circumstance of the trip, but I believe it had something to do with a trip to Cherokee, North Carolina. Along the way, we stopped at the Walhalla State Fish Hatchery, about 15 miles north of Walhalla. If you’ve never been to a fish hatchery, and are in the area, it’s worth checking out.

One of the stops on the South Carolina Heritage Corridor, the hatchery is the product of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The hatchery is not the only location in Oconee County to benefit from these two programs. Another example of their work is Oconee State Park. (The CCC was directly responsible for the construction of 16 state parks in South Carolina.

According to the Heritage corridor marker, the hatchery is the only cold-water hatchery in South Carolina. It is one of five fish hatcheries in the State. The hatcheries raise a variety of fish species; Walhalla’s specialty is trout, specifically brook, rainbow, and loch leven trout.

The hatchery consists of the William R. Geddings Fish Culture House and three rows of sunken tanks known as raceways. From the Geddings house, the raceways stretch west with the picturesque Oconee County mountains in the background. In fact, the hatchery is surrounded by hiking, picnic, and fishing areas; its southern border is the Chattooga River.

To reach the Walhalla State Fish Hatchery, follow Highway 28 north of Walhalla until the highway splits. Follow the right fork (Highway 107) north past the Oconee State Park (stop there if you have a chance) for about ten miles. Near the North Carolina/South Carolina border, look for Fish Hatchery Road on your left. The hatchery is located at the end of the road. The hatchery is open daily from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, except for Christmas. Due to its location, there are also times during the winter inclement weather when it is closed.

The Hampton-Pinckney District

2009-03-09T19:47:00.004-04:00

In 1816, the United States was still very young. We had fought for our freedom against the British and won. We were growing: Indiana was added as the 19th state on December 11. James Monroe was elected president the 5th President. The U.S. Supreme Court held in Martin vs. Hunter’s Lessee that it has the right to review lower state court rulings. And a young industrialist from Lincolnton, North Carolina bought a town in the upstate of South Carolina. His name was Vardry McBee. While he would not visit the town he purchased until 1836, without him, Greenville, SC would not have been the same.

Much of downtown Greenville and the surrounding area were owned by McBee. He purchased the town from Lemuel Alston, an early settler. McBee had big plans for the town, originally known as Greenville Court House of Pleasantburg. By the time of his death, Vardry McBee had donated land for five churches in Greenville along $500.00 in lumber form his mill. He was also responsible for founding of several neighborhoods in Greenville. The best preserved, and one of the oldest is the Hampton-Pinckney Historic District.

Known as one of the first trolley-car neighborhoods in Greenville, the small district was founded in 1840 when McBee conveyed a parcel of land to William Pinkney McBee, who lived in the house located at 21 Pinckney Street. Other McBee family members lived in the neighborhood and its importance grew when the trolley line was laid one block away. The housing style in the district is varied. Examples of Queen Anne, Arts & Crafts, and Colonial and Gothic Revival line the two streets which run parallel to each other. A total of three churches lay within the district, although only two are currently in use.

By the 1850s and 60s, Hampton-Pinckney had turned into Widow’s Lane. Most of the grand old houses were in disrepair as the men moved away. Elderly women were all that remained. This began to change in the 1970s. On December 12, 1977, the Hampton-Pinckney Historic District was named to the National Register of Historic Places, becoming Greenville’s first historic district to do so. Today the district is bright and inviting. Sidewalks line the streets and the entire district can be walked in about 30 minutes.

Pendleton

2009-02-26T22:38:00.015-05:00

From 1789 to 1826 the name Pendleton referred to an area in the northwest corner of South Carolina. In 1777, the Treaty of DeWitt’s Corner was signed between the Cherokee Nation and the government of South Carolina. With this treaty, the present counties of Anderson, Greenville, Oconee and Pickens Counties were added to the territory of South Carolina. The region was divided into two counties: Greenville (1786) and Pendleton (1789) and was part of the larger Ninety-Six District. Greenville was named for General Nathaniel Greene; Pendleton for Judge Henry Pendleton.

In 1791, the state boundaries were reworked and the result was nine districts. What had been Pendleton and Greenville Counties became known as Washington District and was called thus until 1800. In that year, the state went through another division as counties grew into districts. Washington District disappeared as a name and was replaced with the Greenville and Pendleton Districts. While Greenville continues today as the name of the county, Pendleton District disappeared in 1826. It was replaced with Pickens and Anderson Districts. The present day village of Pendleton is all that remains of this once large district.

During its 37 years history, the Pendleton region was well known for its planter class. In perhaps no other part of the upcountry was the gentry lifestyle so perfectly captured as in Pendleton. It was also the home of great statesmen and leaders such as General Andrew Pickens (the Wizened Owl), General Robert Anderson (the namesake of Anderson County), Colonel Benjamin Cleveland (the hero of King’s Mountain), Thomas Pinckney (first president of the Farmer’s Society), and printer John Miller (owner of the first daily newspaper in South Carolina).

The Pendleton District included many historic churches. Perhaps the most famous sits on Clemson Highway and is called simply the Old Stone Church, an accurate If not too imaginative name as the structure is built completely with stone. The adjacent cemetery holds the remains of many of Pendleton’s founding families as well as the graves of Pickens and Anderson.

Pendleton’s first court house was a log structure which first held court in April 1790. The local officers were Robert Anderson, John Wilson, and William Hubert, magistrates; John Miller, clerk of court; and Samuel Lufton, sheriff. With the formation of Washington District, a new courthouse town was selected. The now lost Pickensville was established and this served as the county seat, much to the disappointment of Pendleton.

Of the historical architecture in the village, three buildings stand out. The first is Farmers Hall, located on the village green. Built between 1826 and 1826, Farmers Hall is home to the longest running farmer’s association in the country and was originally designed as the county courthouse. The society was established in 1815 and started meeting in the hall in 1828. They have done so since. The style is Greek Revival; the society’s first president was Thomas Pinckney, Jr. A later society president was Thomas Green Clemson, founder of Clemson University.

Woodburn is the second of Pendleton’s architectural treasures. Located across the highway from Tri-County Technical College, the house was built Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, S.C. Lt. Gov. in the early 1830s. The house is four stories and was used mostly by its owners as a summer home. Its owners after Pinckney were Dr. John B. Adger of Charleston, Dr. Adger’s brother, and Augustus Smythe. In 1882, Jane Edna Hunter, one of the founders of the Phyllis Wheatly Society, was born in the tenant house on the plantation.

Finally, east of Pendleton is Ashtabula. Originally built in 1828, Ashtabula was the home for Lewis Ladson and Maria Drayton Gibbs, both from Charleston. (An original brick building had existed on the site by Thomas Lofton in 1790.) Gibbs never lived to live in the house but it remained his family’s home until 1830. The house was expanded in 1857 by owner James Latta to its present state. Both the front and rear of the house contain wide porches; the interior hallway runs 42 feet long. On the porches of Ashtabula sit joggling boards, Popular in Charleston, these early see-saw like devices were used as amusement by children and a way to settle the stomach after dinner by adults.

Although never the great regional capital that its citizens may have wished, a wonderful village is Pendleton.

John C. Calhoun, Abbeville's Favorite Son

2009-02-16T21:35:00.004-05:00

“A power has risen up in the government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various and powerful interests, combined into one mass, and held together by the cohesive power of the vast surplus in the banks.”

Sounds pretty bad doesn’t. Its an accurate description of tday's society. To have a culture so beholden to banks and special interests is not what most people think of when they think of the United States. But, what if I were to tell you this quote was not in reference to the United States of 2009 but to the United States of the 1840s. The quote, you see, is by John C. Calhoun.

The current times are difficult. From the President down, we are all being asked to do more with less. Whatever your feelings about Obama, from supporter to opponent, one thing can be agreed upon: the United States has never faced such times as this. Or has it?

Hiding on the edge of the Sumter National Forest is the small town of Abbeville, SC, the seat of Abbeville County. The name has been around for over 200 years. Abbeville was founded by Revolutionary War hero General Andrew Pickens, around a spring still visible behind the City Hall. The village was named “Abbeville” by Dr. John de la Howe, a French Huguenot who also settled in the region. Abbeville later referred to a district that included all or parts of current Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens, Saluda, and McCormick counties.

Abbeville is full of events which merit discussion. But this entry will deal with one of its most famous citizens and how his life runs a frightening parallel to today’s events. John C. Calhoun was born about 10 miles southwest of Abbeville, near the present-day town of Mt. Carmel (lower marker). Within the boundaries of Abbeville County, there are over ½ a dozen markers which speak about or are dedicated to Calhoun. The markers tell us that he was a lawyer and shows us where he practiced. We learn about his father, Patrick Calhoun, and see the Calhoun family cemetery (top marker). And we learn of his brother-in-law, James Edward Calhoun, owner of the vast plantation of Millwood.

To say that Calhoun was important to Abbeville was an understatement. Decades after his death, Calhoun was voted by the Senate as one of its three most important members, a confirmation that Calhoun’s influence was felt far. While not the doctrine’s originator, Calhoun was the strongest supporter of states’ rights at that time. He spoke often about the subject and was a champion of the liberties of the local governments. His beliefs are best summed up in the following:

“Stripped of all its covering, the naked question is, whether ours is a federal or consolidated government; a constitutional or absolute one; a government resting solidly on the basis of the sovereignty of the States, or on the unrestrained will of a majority…it is federal and not national because it is the government of a community of States, and not the government of a single State or Nation.”

Calhoun was no friend of big government: “The Government of the absolute majority instead of the Government of the people is but the Government of the strongest interests; and when not efficiently checked, it is the most tyrannical and oppressive that can be devised.”

In the final speech he wrote, delivered for him on the Senate floor, Calhoun predicted that unless the states’ rights issue was resolved, the country was split apart within 10 years. He was just a month or so off the date.

The issues of Calhoun’s day are clear and confusing. Historians often have difficulty in separating the issues of states’ rights and slavery. What is often forgotten is that tariffs were at the heart of the states’ rights argument, specifically the Tariff of 1828 (also known as the Tariff of Abominations). The tariff had several affects, most importantly to the South, the crippling of its economy by lowering the importation of British goods, thus cutting into its lucrative cotton trade with the island. Andrew Jackson signed into law the Tariff of 1832 which lessened some of the burden on the South but for many, including Calhoun, the damage had already been done. By 1832, a crisis point had been reached in South Carolina with the start of the Nullification Crisis.

In short, South Carolina attempted to do what no state had done before: nullify a law passed by Congress. In November 1832, a state convention passed two resolutions declaring the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 unconstitutional. President Andrew Jackson authorized federal troops to use force to enforce the Congressional acts. On March 11, 1833, South Carolina repealed its earlier decision. During this period, Calhoun came down on the side of South Carolina and his reputation as a defender of states’ rights was sealed.

Unfortunately, despite Calhoun’s pleas over the years, the secession of states which followed in 1860 was something that was doomed to occur. An over reach of federal power is the specter that haunts the American soul. Calhoun knew this. Men in Calhoun’s day recognized the dangers of a strong federal government, although its meddling now seems slight in our modern era. In the age of cell phones, the internet, and satellite TV, how more dangerous is a controlling centralized government? How long before we listen to Calhoun’s warning.

Lake Conestee Nature Park

2009-02-08T20:53:00.008-05:00

It’s an annual custom I have, taking my birthday week off work. This year, I celebrated my 39th year and had several new experiences. Each one would lend itself to an entire entry and I'll be using them in the future. But let me borrow a few moments of your time today to share my recent visit to the little know but slowly growing Lake Conestee Nature Park.

If you've been around Greenville any length of time, you probably know the woes of the Reedy River. For years, the water was deadly due to pollution. The levels were so high that much of the river was off limits to citizens. Now, the Reedy River Historic Park is the center of downtown Greenville life, a testament to the workers and volunteers involved in cleaning up the Reedy River.

Lake Conestee was created when a dam was built along the southern trek of the river, near the former Donaldson Air Force Base, where Bone Marrow Creek connected with the Reedy. Around the dam grew a mill and village that eventually supplied housing for the military officers. Over the decades, a small unincorporated community was born. The dam, however, had unintended consequences. During the Reedy’s darker days, her trash was delivered downstream and stopped by the Conestee Dam. Having nowhere to go, the trash backed up and Lake Conestee became one of the most polluted lakes in the state. With trash came silt and the shape of the lake drastically changed. By the mid-2000s, nearly 80% of the former lake had been covered by wetlands and swamps.

In 2006, the Conestee Foundation was formed with the goal of renewing the Lake Conestee region and turning the former cesspool into a nature park. And they have succeeded. Phase 1 of the park is now complete and it includes over 2 miles of paved and natural walking trails around the former western, northern, and eastern shorelines of the lake.

But let’s be honest. You are walking through a swamp, lowlands, bottom water, name it what you will. This is not like walking along the Reedy River. What you see here is nature. This is probably as close as you can get in Greenville to what the early settlers might have seen when they first came to the region. On my first trip, in addition to some amazing views of the Reedy and the lowlands, I saw two deer running along the banks of the Reedy and a beaver swimming leisurely in formerly polluted Conestee waters. From the main observation deck, a large beaver dam is viewable.

The park has three entrances: 1) in the parking lot of the Belmont Fire Department on Fork Shoals Road; 2) at the intersection of Fork Shoals and White Horse Road; 3) at the intersection of Henderson and Maddox Avenues. I entered the trail at the fire department. The trails are marked and easy to follow. Due to the soft earth (and the fact that you are in a swamp), it is not recommended that you leave the trail.

So take an afternoon. Play hooky from work. Pack a lunch. Grab your camera. And visit the wilds of Greenville like never before.

Golden Creek Mill, Easley, SC

2009-01-31T15:20:00.008-05:00

Grist mills dot the South Carolina landscape. Like specks in the grits they helped make, grist mills were centers of the communities they served. They were gathering places where news and information was shared as well as early examples of the entrepreneurial spirit that is unique to America.

The Golden Creek Mill, located on Enon Church Road, is actually a duplicate of the original mill. Built in 1815 by William O'Dell, the original Golden Creek Mill was located across the creek from where the present mill stands. It is possible to see the foundations of the original mill. In 1836, the mill changed hands and was owned by John Arial (the name sake for the small community along Highway 8 between Mulberry and Breazeale Roads).

The development of the mill during the 1800 suggests that it was key to the communities it supported. Arial expanded the workings of the mill and added a cotton gin and press. A subsequent owner, George Hendricks, added an ice plant which produced ice cream for many of the locals. Unfortunately, with the arrival of the 20th century and industry began to replace the agricultural base of South Carolina life, the mill fell into disrepair and ruin.

In 1985, the mill and property was bought by Joyce and Leroy Stewart. For the next five years, the Stewarts rebuilt the present mill, adding a grindstone imported from Copenhagen along with parts from other mills from South Carolina, North Carolina, Nebraska, Oregon, and Minnesota. Thankfully, the Stewarts kept the original power source: water. In 1990, the new Golden Creek Mill began production again. The water wheel, powered by a millrace, is 14-feet tall, making it one of the largest in the country. It is also one of the few grist mills that use hemp rope rather than metal gears. In fact, there are few metal parts in the mill. In the gift shop, the Stewarts sell ground corn and other items made at the mill.

The Golden Creek Mill is one of the main sites listed in Mountain and Lakes Region (Region 1) of the South Carolina Heritage Corridor.

Due West, Young Man

2009-01-12T19:07:00.009-05:00

As with other states, South Carolina has its share of strange place names. Some that immediately come to mind are Moncks Corner, Plumb Branch, North, Sugar Tit, Six Mile, Ninety Six, and Cateechee. Another name to add to the list would be the small college-village of Due West.

Located at the intersections of SC Highways 184 and 20, in northern section of Abbeville County, within the old boundaries of the colonial township of Boonesborough, the small village’s name has stirred some controversy. The region was originally known as DeWitt’s Corner and was the location of an important Indian treaty which ceded most of the Upstate (with the exception of a sliver of land in present-day Oconee County) to the English in 1777.

The village was initially incorporated under the name of Selma. But the name did not last. It began to be known as Due West after an ARP church known by that name moved to the village from DeWitt’s Corner. (Some believe that the name Due West is a corruption of DeWitt.)

Whatever the history of the name, the small village is most often known as the home of Erskine College, the University of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. In 1839, Erskine became the first four-year church-related college in South Carolina. Today, the college property makes up most of the town proper.

The Erskine College-Due West Historic District incorporates most of the campus and central portions of the town. The district includes 88 properties which “as a unit illustrate the development of the village and Erskine College from ca. 1840-1930.” Some of the highlights of the district are the Galloway House, the Due West ARP Church and cemetery, and Erskine’s two literary society halls, the Euphemian and Philmathean Halls.

As progress moved on, Due West was left behind. This is not to suggest that the town is run down or in bad shape. Quite the opposite is true: while Due West is not a metropolis, it well-serves the needs of the Erskine campus, students, and faculty. The small downtown consists of the intersection of 184 and 20 and is probably 100 yards in length. It includes stores that provide many of the locals with the necessities. Lunch is served at a small café located at the intersection of Main and Bonner Streets. The tree lined streets with turn-of-the-century homes and buildings are well worth the walk. The Erskine Quad features many remarkable examples of early 20th century architecture as well as a memorial statue to William Moffatt Grier, Erskine’s fourth president.

If there is a location that exemplifies what “under the kudzu’ is about, it’s Due West. Polish off this hidden gem and enjoy the sparkle.

Moffettsville

2009-01-06T19:55:00.009-05:00

One of my side projects is as a contributing editor for the Historical Marker Database. I was reviewing my collection of Anderson markers the other day and came across the marker dedicated to the town of Moffettsville and its nine postmasters. After spending an afternoon researching the identities of the postmasters, I discovered some interesting facts about two families and a lost town.

Moffettsville was located at the intersection of Elberton Highway and Sam Turner Road, about 2.5 miles west of Iva. One side of the marker provides some details about the town. Moffettsville was established on February 16, 1818. According to the marker, the town's population had swelled to twenty-five by 1883. By 1901, the town had vanished.

On the reverse side is shown the names of the nine Moffettsville postmasters. When I photographed the marker, I looked at the names and thought one day I would see what I could find out. And so I did.

Dr. James H. Davidson, the first (February 16, 1818 to July 15, 1822), was married to Ann Moffett, the daughter of Col. John Moffett, the town's namesake. Davidson, himself, was the son of Elias Davidson, SC Militiaman in the Revolutionary War from York, South Carolina.

John Simpson, the second postmaster (July 15, 1822 to May 16, 1826), was also a son-in-law of Moffett, being married to daughter Hannah Moffett. Simpson was the son of the Rev. John Simpson, friend of Col. Moffett and founder of the nearby Good Hope Presbyterian Church in present-day Iva, S.C. (and designated with a marker of its own).

Andrew Milligan was the third and served the shortest span of time: May 16 - December 7, 1826. He was followed by Archibald Simpson, (December 7, 1826 to May 17, 1838). Simpson was the son of postmaster John Simpson, and thus a grandson of Col. Moffett.

Joel H. Berry (May 17, 1938 to April 23, 1838) was fifth, and the first postmaster not to be related to Moffett.

William Sherard, a native of County Antrim, Ireland, was the sixth (April 23, 1842 to May 21, 1866. Sherard was a leading citizen of the area and his descendants still populate this portion of Anderson County. Sherard opened a successful store about a mile west of Moffettsville, which he operated until his death. Of the next three postmasters, two were descended from Sherard.

Robert A. Reid served as postmaster next (May 21, 1866 to June 5, 1890. Of him, nothing else is known. He was followed by Thomas Sherard, the elder Sherard's son (June 5, 1890 to October 8, 1895). Thomas Sherard closed his father's store and moved it within the limits of Moffettsville. Like he father, Thomas Sherard operated his store until he died; he was followed by his son William Thomas Alexander Sherard.

William T.A. Sherard was Moffettsville's ninth and final postmaster. He inherited his father and grandfather's business and continued operating it. His wealth was displayed on his 2,000 acre farm. He was also an important member of the community, serving a president of the Bank of Iva, and a strong supporter of the Moffettsville Graded School.

If you decide to take the drive out to see the marker and intersection, don't expect to see much. There are no remnants of the town standing. In fact, there are few people who even know of the town's existence. But if you drive there in the early evening of a summer's night, right as the sun sinks behind the treeline, you may just hear the faint sounds of a rural community absorbed by the 20th century.

Christmas in Greenville

2008-12-19T12:30:00.006-05:00

The Holiday Season. From October 31 to New Year’s Day, this stretch of 63 days stands out in my mind as the peak of the year. With the exception of those years when an election interrupts the fun, the Holiday Season is the time is the year when adults dress in costumes, children open presents, and we all gather at grandmas for more food than many 3rd world countries see in a year. This is the time of the year for family traditions. This weekend was one of mine: viewing the St. Francis Festival of Trees.
Greenville County is home to two major hospital systems, St. Francis being one. Each December, the hospital system holds a tree festival in which charities, schools, and businesses decorate dozens of trees. These trees can be viewed at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Greenville between November 23 and December 25 and is free.

In addition to the trees, St. Francis partnered with downtown Greenville to provide a holiday atmosphere for the entire downtown. The Festival of Lights is taking place at the Piazza Bergamo, the Festival of stars lines Main Street, and a Holiday Village has been constructed on the Piazza.

If you are in or around Greenville this Christmas season, take a few hours and view the displays. In today’s time of stress and financial gloom, it is important that we take time to enjoy the treasures of holiday season.

But downtown Greenville is not the only place to see holiday lights. This year marks the 28th annual Roper Mountain Holiday Lights Display. Anyone with a new of Roper Mountain knows that this time of year, a familiar start begins to shine atop the observatory. This signals the start of what has become an upstate tradition. With over 1 million lights, moving displays, and a walking path, the event raises money for two charities: the Roper Mountain Science Center and the Rotary Club. Cost is $10 for a car load and $20 for a bus or van.

It is my wish for each of us that this holiday season is the best ever, and that as we pass from this year to the next, we continue to enrich our lives and those of our fellow man.

Merry Christmas.

Blackstock's - A Tribute to Veterans Day

2008-11-11T18:26:00.011-05:00

Veterans Day was a holiday, I'm sorry to say, I never celebrated. I never attended a Veterans Day parade or event. Its not that my family was anti-military. I descend from a long line of military ancestors, going back to the Revolutionary War. They are heroes, people who sacrificed for their country; some, ultimately. It is therefore fitting to me that on this Veterans Day 2008, I write about my recent trip to the Revolutionary War site, the Battle of Blackstock's in Union County.

While most South Carolina school children can tell of the battles of Cowpens, King's Mountain, and Ninety Six, few know that more revolutionary war battles and skirmishes took place in South Carolina than in any other part of the country. The war in South Carolina was more of a civil war than a forgien war, as members of the same family supported the two sides during the conflict. (For those interested, I would refer you to the Patrick O'Kelley's four volume study of Revolutionary War conlicts in the Carolinas entitled Nothing but Blood and Slaughter. All four are available from Amazon and used copies run about $20.00.)

Blackstocks Plantation was a large farm along the southern bank of the Tyger River, near the present community of Cross Keys. At the time of the war, the plantation was owned by William Blackstock, an 80-year old Loyalist. Blackstock had been friendly with passing British troops, offering them food and water. His son, William, was a captain in Roebuck's militia. One can only imagine what family gatherings were like.

The battle primarily took place along the ford of the Tyger River, near Blackstocks. Col. Banastre Tarleton, being ordered to pursue Gen. Thomas Sumter, led his men to the ford, attempting to block Sumter's troops from crossing. While Tarleton was ultimately successful in blocking Sumter's crossing (and later claimed the battle a victory for the British) he suffered ninety-two losses and seventy-five wounded. Compared to three killed and four wounded on the Patriot side, he doesn't have much of an argument.

One of the four wounded, however, was Sumter. Near the end of the battle Sumter rode forward to watch the British retreat when he was fired upon and wounded by buckshot in six places. His wounds were treated in the Blackstock house and then he was carried into the mountains to recover. While he returned to service six months later, he never held as high a command as he did at Blackstocks.

The Gamecock. A symbol of South Carolina and personified by Thomas Sumter. He was the son of a Welsh immigrant, born in Virginia. His military career started with the 1761 Timberlake Expedition. Prior to the Revolutionary War, Sumter had amassed a personal fortune by opening several businesses and owning several successful plantations in present-day Sumter County. During the war, he was one of the primary forces pushing Cornwallis' troops out of South Carolina. In the post war years, Sumter was active in the early decades of the new government. He was a member of Congress first as a Representative and later as a Senator. He retired from the Senate in 1810. By the time of his death in 1832, he was the oldest living senator and the second oldest living general officer from the Revolution (the first being Lafayette): age 97.

He was a military hero and one of the veterans we salute. To reach the Blackstock site, from I-26, take the Union Highway (49) exit. Go in the direction of Cross Anchor (east). The roadside marker is located at the intersection of Blackstocks Road and Cross Keys Highway (49). The battlefield site is located northwest along Blackstock Road, then right onto Monument Road. Continue to follow Monument Road to its end. Walk past the gate (after parking in the parking area) and the the hill overlooking the ford is about 100 feet to your northeast.

Ceasing to Be Mortal

2008-11-04T18:13:00.010-05:00

Recently, a tombstone made news in Greenville County. Near Mauldin, on Miller Road, a tombstone for a child who was born and died in 1907 was found while workers cleared a field for low income housing. According to researchers and archaeologists, more bodies are expected to be uncovered. They speculate that parents selected this spot due to a close connection that may indicate other family members are also buried there. To make way for the continued excavation, the marker and small pieces of coffin and bones were moved to a perpetual care location.

Perpetual care cemeteries are what most of us think when we think of a cemetery. In reality, these are recent inventions, compared to the centuries of burials which have taken place in church cemeteries all across South Carolina. This entry will highlight three tombstones I’ve found in my travels and what we know about the men they were placed for.

Preston Brooks – What a Marker Doesn’t Say
On May 22, 1856, Sen. Charles Sumner of New York sat in the nearly empty Senate chamber, working on paperwork. He was approached by Preston Brooks, a young representative from South Carolina. As Sumner looked up from his papers, Brooks repeatedly hit him with a cane. Sumner fell to the floor, severely injured. He was absent from the Senate for three years.

The caning of Sumner at the hands of Brooks was a reaction to statements made by Sumner about his uncle and senator from SC, Andrew Butler. Sumner was an opponent of the Kansas/Nebraska Act; Butler was one of the act’s co-authors. Sumner had compared Butler’s support for slavery to the love between a man and an ugly mistress. Sumner then spent a considerable portion of his three hour speech attacking Butler personally, mocking his mannerisms and speech (Butler had recently suffered from a stroke).

Taking offence at Sumner’s words, Brooks came into the Senate, carrying a gold-headed cane. After announcing himself to Sumner, Brooks told him that he had read his speech twice and that it was libel against South Carolina a Butler. Sumner, probably sensing that trouble was a foot, stood up only to have Brooks began to pelt him with the gold head. Sumner hit under his desk until the blows separated the desk from the floor where it was bolted. Sumner crawled away, only to find himself blinded by his own blood. He fell into unconsciousness, only to have Brooks continue the beating.

Sumner was absent from the Senate for three years. During this time, his seat remained empty. He was reelected the following term and was only of the most powerful senators during the Civil War and Reconstruction. Brooks also remained in the House, but only until 1857, when he died from the croup and is buried in Willowbrook Cemetery.

Brook’s tombstone tells us a man who was just, fair and honorable in his dealings. His military service is documented as well as his political offices. "Ever able, manly, just and heroic." No mention is made of Brooks' beating of Sumner. Not exactly the picture history presents. But then, this is probably not surprising. For the beating, Brooks was awarded with a dinner attended by 20,000 citizens from the area. How times have changed. The act of beating a man, once honored by thousands, is today shown for what it was: an act of brutality.

Edward Flanigan -- Forgotten by History
In the cemetery adjacent to Fairview Presbyterian Church in Greenville County, stands the marker dedicated to Edward Flanigan. What we know about Flanigan is what is included on the tombstone. He was born around 1787 in Tynagh, Ireland and died December 21, 1868.

According to the stone, Flanigan was a lifelong Presbyterian and a teacher. The tombstone describes him as an "obliging" teacher, indicating that he may have been in much demand. He died with no known relatives. And yet despite this, his original tombstone is an indication of his personal wealth. Tombstones were handcarved and Fanigan's, while faded, is still a monument to this faithful teacher. He was a man who died alone. His actions are lost to history. But his memory lives on in anyone who takes the time to teach.

Lucinda Horn -- Confederate Heroine
Markers devoted to women usually devote their space to how well the women treated their husbands, family, and church. They did not normally detail specific actions. One exception is that of Lucinda Horn.

Horn's marker is located in the Chestnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery near Saluda, SC. A historical marker points out the site of the church and grave site. Lucinda Horn must have been widely respected during her life time. To my knowledge, she is the only woman who did what she did. Her husband was Cornelius Horn; her son William. Both were members of Company K, 14th S.C. Volunteers. For most of the war, Lucinda Horn traveled with her husband and son as part of the military unit. She sewed their uniforms and cooked meals. During and after battles, she treated the wounded and dying.

William Horn, Lucinda's son, was wounded at the battle of Jones' Farm (Sept. 1864, near Petersburg). While he survived the war, William died from the effects of his wound about a dozen years later. After his death, Lucinda and Cornelius spent their final days traveling in a covered wagon, peddling goods.

Three Churches

2008-10-27T18:15:00.020-04:00

It is nearly impossible for someone to drive any distance in South Carolina without passing a multitude of churches. If churches were dots and the map of South Carolina painted red, it would resemble a strawberry. From the quite and peaceful country churches to the lights and excitement of megachurches, the religious architecture of South Carolina leaves no style untried.

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by religious architecture. From the tall steeples to the open entry ways to the simplicity of the sanctuary, the church structure represented the ultimate example of faith a group of people could build. It was the place where they worshiped God. In this entry, I'll describe three of my favorite churches.

Gilgal United Methodist Church
Gilgal Church Road, Due West, SC 29639

It is hard for me to begin any discussion about churches and not start at Gilgal, founded in 1821. While Gilgal did not produce any famous political leaders, sports figures, or entertainers, it was the home of my ancestors and is therefore important to me.

The church is easy to locate. From Due West, SC, head southeast on College Street (SC-20) for about five miles. Turn left onto Central Shiloah Road. At the fork, take the left, Gilgal Church Road. The church is about a mile on the right. As the photo shows, the church is a simple design, partially based on the meeting house style with a small Greek style porch. The front of the church faces north-northwest.

One of the first things you will notice in the cemetery nearby is the monument to Eli Bowie, the man primarily credited with founding the church. Bowie was the father of several sons and daughters, the descendants of whom still live in Abbeville County. A Bowie family reunion is held the second Sunday each July. While I am not descended from the Bowies, I am related by marriage. Asa Bowie, a son of Eli, married Martha Botts, the sister of my ancestress, Emily Augusta Botts.

According to local tradition, neighbors of the church complained to Joseph Eakin and George Nickles, two of the former land owners. The replay was that if the church was not of God, it would not last. And for nearly two centuries, God must has been pleased.

Big Creek Baptist Church

820 South Hamilton Street, Williamston, SC 29687

At the site of Big Creek, organized in 1788, stand two buildings: the current church house and the previous one. It the later which proves historic. Its founder was Moses Holland. During his lifetime, Holland became the father of many Baptist churches in the area. Big Creek later became known as the mother of the Baptist churches in Anderson County.

A combination of Greek Revival and meeting house styles, the older structure was built in 1875. Early minutes of the church survive and they tell a tale of a congregation that held its members accountable for their actions outside of church. Even the founder, Moses Holland, experienced the church's justice when a loan of $5.00 went unpaid. Slaves were admitted to the church's membership along with their masters; slaves, however, had equal rights to act and speak within the church house.

In the adjacent cemetery are graves for veterans of most U.S. wars. Near the center of the cemetery stands a white obelisk, the monument set in honor of Moses Holland. Holland was pastor of the church for 41 years. He was also a veteran of the Revolutionary War and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis. The church itself has a historical marker located in Williamston.

Horn's Creek Baptist Church

Old Stage Coach Road, Edgefield, SC

The final church in this survey is one of the most recent ones I've visited. There have been several churches well off the proverbial beaten path. This one was about six miles south of Edgefield on the Old Stage Coach Road, deep in the Sumter National Forest. On a road with just six houses, it is possible to think the church will never appear. And then suddenly, it was there.

Off to the left stood a single white building with no windows or doors. Black shutters hung on the windows. Some were missing slats while others hung by a single hinge. The overall scene was somewhat creepy. At one time, this church, named for a nearby creek, was the center of this community. As I stood in the middle of tall pines, there was no sign of that community save for this church.

Time, unfortunately, has not been kind to this church. The site was marked with an historical marker in 1974. Although fully restored in the 1980s (when it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places), most of the work has faded. The boards making up the floor are rotting. The copper roof has stained the formally white sides of the church. None of the windows contain glass and the chandeliers are missing. The ceiling, however, is in remarkable shape. It is also decorated in a way I've never seen. In the center of the ceiling, is painted a large eye which is looking down on the congregation below. In each of the four corners is painted a angel, also staring down. The cemetery outback is small and is the final resting place for many leaders of this former community.

The site, by the way, is also home to an early Revolutionary War battle (Horn's Creek) in which the Loyalist commander was captured and executed by the Patriot forces. It is said that his ghost is one of the ones who haunts this site.

Ninety Six by Candle Light

2008-10-20T12:53:00.012-04:00

October 11 was the date of this year’s annual candlelight tour at the Ninety Six National Park. The annual event includes a candle light guided tour of the battlefield, stockade fort, and Black Swan Tavern as well as living history demonstrations on period crafts held throughout the day. (The photo on the right shows a barrel-maker at his craft.)

Located about two miles south of the present town of Ninety Six, the park contains the remains of an earthen star-fort, siege trenches, and a several reconstructed building (including a British stockade fort). The site was the location of the longest siege of the Revolution War and featured a show-down between Washington’s southern commander, Nathanael Greene and the British fort commander, Lieutenant Colonel John H. Cruger.

Ninety Six is an archaeologists dream. In addition to the revolutionary war fort, on the site was a settlement that saw some of the earliest and fiercest fighting in the Upcountry, the village of Ninety Six. Cherokee attacked the settlement twice during the Cherokee War and Ninety Six changed hands during the Revolutionary War.

The name of Ninety Six has even generated its own controversy. The most popular origin is that a Cherokee maiden named the town Ninety Six because it was ninety six miles from the Cherokee village of Keowee. She had fled to Ninety Six to warn the settlers about a future Cherokee attack, especially her lover who was in the settlement.

The walking tour contains several sections. All are paved and wheelchair accessible (although there is a final hill that may prove a challenge to push a chair up), and the entire tour is guided and includes historical re-enactors along the way. The first is a mile trail through the pine forest which surrounds the welcome center. Along the candle-lit trail, the wilderness that was South Carolina comes alive as shadows caused by the flickering flames dance among the pine. (Even during the day, the view and smell of the pine forest takes you back to an earlier time.)

After exiting the forest, you come upon the battlefield, the second section of the park. It is here that Cruger held off the superior numbers of Greene’s army. Earthen forts were not uncommon during the years of the Revolutionary War. But the shape of the Loyalist fort was unique. Designed in the shape of a seven-pointed star, Star Fort was a well-regarded fortification.

At the south end of the battleground are the outline of the old village of Ninety Six and the old jail (gaol). This makes up the third section of the park. The four corners of the village are marked so you can easily see the size of the settlement. Near the center of the village is a crossroads showing the approximately distance in miles to several major cities in the area.

The fourth section is the stockade fort. This was a British fortification that was taken by Henry “Lighthorse” Lee during the siege. The reconstruction was the site of a swivel cannon which was fired several times during the tour.

Finally, the tour ends at the Black Swan Tavern, an example of early Upcountry home. The home, dated from 1797, was moved to the park in 1968. It is used to demonstrate how a tavern from the period would have operated and for other living history displays.

I have toured the battlefield several times but this was my first experience at night. While I have always enjoyed my day tours, the leasurly pace through the pine and onto the battlefield, viewing the park by candle light certainly makes one respect the lives and times in which our forefathers lived. I watched a young woman make a candle and I was reminded of the fact that when I want light, I simply flip a switch. These people, when needing light, had to make a source first. I wonder how many of us would be able to survive living under such circumstances.

30th Annual Pumpkin Festival, October 11, 2008

2008-10-13T21:51:00.014-04:00

Every year, there are those events that I plan on attending. Despite my best intentions, however, I often find a reason not to attend. Something unexpected came up or my interest in the event is now gone. This year was different. Several months ago, I set out to attend 2008's Pumpkin Festival in the northern crossroads region of Pickens County known as Pumpkinville.

This year marked the 30th Anniversary of the festival and that made it even more important event. I arrived at the intersection of South Carolina Highways 8 (Pumpkintown Highway) and 288 (Table Rock Road) for the parade shortly after 9 am. There was a small crowd gathered in front of the Pumpkintown General Store. Most children were wearing something orange and held onto bags ready to fill with the candy tossed from the passing cars. The parade was varied in content: antique cars, horse riders, ATV riders, local politicians running for office, a dance troupe, Confederate reenactors, and comedy elements (the Hill-billy Shriners).

Parking for the festival is an exercise in patience. The trick is to drive as close as you can get and then pull off the road and park. I parked at the intersection of Highways 8 and 135. After an easy walk southeast along 135, I rounded the top of a hill and saw the community center. I had arrived. And for the next two hours, I ate incredible food, listened to wonderful music, and saw some of the best in homespun crafts and homemade foods.

The center piece of the festival is the Oolenoy Community Center. For those who are not familiar with the geography of northern Pickens County, Pumpkintown sits in the middle of the Oolenoy Valley, in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The valley’s name came from an Indian chief who befriended the original settler in the area. Near the community center sits Oolenoy Baptist Church, one of the oldest churches in Pickens County and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery contains a number of grave sites made of stacked stone walls covered by a single slab. These are the graves of Scottish chieftains who settled in the region. The cemetery also contains examples of slab-and-slat design markers.

Pumpkintown is something of an anomaly. At one time, it and Pickens Court House were the only two towns in Pickens County. Now, only Pickens remains so designated. The oldest buildings in the community are the general store, the community center, and the Pumpkintown Inn. There is no town to speak of, just a region that is famous for the second Saturday in October when thousands descend on the crossroads. And the name came from a traveler who remarked on the number of yellow pumpkins he saw along the valley walls.

Surrounding the community center were nearly 150 booths. Crafts of all kinds from kitchen items to decorations to furniture were on sale. The main rule for inclusion in the festival is that all your items for sale must be homemade…no mass produced items allowed. And the food. You've never seen pumpkin put into so many things that tasted so good. And let me tell you…I ate more in two hours than I ate all day Friday (or Sunday).

And the music. Bluegrass and country…old school country. Banjos, base, and quartets were heard before I even saw the festival. There was toe stamping in the audience and a few clapper too. Chairs were provided but many people also brought their own, making the hill adjacent to the center feel comfortable and the show more enjoyable.

If it’s your first time to the festival, I suggest that you “tour” the community center. On one side is an all day breakfast, consisting of mostly grits and biscuits (sausage, chicken, and ham). Hot coffee is ready with your choice of sweetener and you can eat your breakfast inside if you wish. I toured and ate. Along the calls of the center are memorials to the residents of Pumpkintown. Memorials and displays to veterans and others that are important to the community. On display was a collection of festival brochures going back to the original one in 1978. As you exit the center, be sure to sign the guest book. And take a look at what states people who signed before you come from.

With breakfast eaten (and I should say that the chicken biscuit was as near perfection as any I've ever eaten), I ventured outside to see the vendors. From purses to toys, from yard games to yard furniture, you are not without an abundance to view and purchase. I concentrated on food items, purchasing four jars of apple butter and four jars of pumpkin butter. My recommendation is that you buy from different vendors. Since everything is homemade, experiment and try butters, jams, and jellies from different people. Different tastes are ready with each jar you open. And don't be afraid to try samples.

But breakfast was not the only meal being served. Outside there were cakes, pies (yes, pumpkin), pulled pork sandwiches, funnel cakes, polish sausages, and the list goes on and on. Each food vendor sponsors a charity. So, again, diversify your spending and help the most. I left after a couple of hours. This first trip to the festival was more fact-finding than fun. But make no mistake...in the words of McArthur, "I shall return."

Edgefield - October 10, 2008

2008-10-10T23:07:00.016-04:00

This first entry also records my first visit to Edgefield, South Carolina. Known for its pottery, Edgefield's beauty but simplicity impressed me. It is definitely a location that I will revisit. My trip was divided into two sections: 1) Johnston and 2) Edgefield.

Johnston. What can you say about a town with less than 1,000 residents? Welcome to Johnston. I've lived in South Carolina over 38 years and don't recall ever hearing of Johnston before. I think that my lack of knowledge actually made the visit more enjoyable. The drive was quite simple. From Greenville, I took Highway 25 (Augusta Road), south through Greenwood. Upon arriving in Edgefield, I took Highway 23 east, arriving in Johnston on Calhoun Street. Unlike other towns, Johnston does not have a "Main Street." The center of the town is the intersections of Calhoun and Lee Streets, which divide Johnston into four sections.

Named for William Johnston, mayor of Charlotte and railroad president, the town bills itself as the "Peach Capital of the World." The title is well earned. Johnston is located in a region of the county known as the Ridge, a region known for their fine peach crop every summer. Johnston is one of two incorporated areas in Edgefield County (the other being Edgefield). The land Johnston rests on was originally the plantation of Dr. Edward J. Mims. Roughly thirty years prior to the town's founding (1896), Dr. Mims' plantation and a blacksmith shop were the only buildings in the area. It is thought that Matthew Hansford Mims, son of Dr. Mims, laid out the town. It still retains most of Mims' design.

The heart of Johnston is its downtown, a three block section which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the Johnston Historic District. Included in the district is a turn-of-the-century cotton warehouse known as Edwards Building. It is now home to the Mobley Library. A mural has been painted on the northwest side of the building, greeting visits to Johnston.

There are two churches in Johnston which also bear pointing out. The first is St. John's Lutheran, on the corner of Calhoun and Jackson Streets. The church is easily identifiable by its white facade and twin red doors. The layout of the doors was a design which I saw repeated in Edgefield at two other churches. I'm unsure why the design was used again, unless the same architect was involved in the three projects.

The second church is Johnston First Baptist Church. This Greek Revival building easily dwarfs the smaller houses and buildings around it. Never let it be said that small towns in South Carolina didn't know how to build big churches.

Edgefield. The county seat of Edgefield County. As one of the many markers in the picturesque town square will attest, the origin of "Edgefield" is not easily agreed upon. Most hold that its name is based in its geography. At the time it was settled, Edgefield was literally on the edge of South Carolina: it bordered the Savannah River and was sparsely populated.

W.W. Ball said "Edgefield has had more dashing, brilliant, romantic figures, statesmen, orators, soldiers, adventurers, and daredevils than any other county of South Carolina, if not of any rural county of America." Upon entering the town limits, you immediately learn why that statement is true: ten South Carolina governors, in addition to numerous lieutenant governors, state legislators, federal legislators, and one Confederate general (James Longstreet) were either born in or at one time called Edgefield home.

Edgefield's most famous and celebrated son is J. Strom Thurmond, former state governor, presidential candidate, and, at one time, the longest serving U.S. Senator in history. He was the only senator to reach age 100 while still in office and the only person ever elected to the Senate via a write-in vote. A statue of the late senator stands in the square, facing the courthouse.

But Edgefield is more than the home of Thurmond. I learned about a sizable and influential Jewish community that resided in the village. Two of the buildings in the downtown historic district still bear their names. And while they were working their respective crafts, I did not get a chance to see the blacksmith and potter. I'm saving that for another trip.

There are several museums and homes to tour. Magnolia Dale (320 Norris Street) is open by appointment while Oakley Park (200 Columbia Road), is open Wednesday-Friday, 10:00-4:00. Edgefield is home to the National Wild Turkey Federation Visitor's Center and Museum (770 Augusta Road), which is open Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00. The Edgefield Arts Council is open Monday-Friday (closed Wednesday) from 10:00-5:30 and Saturdays from 10:00-1:00. I will be visiting all of these on subsequent visits.

What's Under the Kudzu?

2008-10-08T12:46:00.007-04:00

As you drive across South Carolina (and many states in the southeast), you will see acres of land covered by a thick green leafy vine. Kudzu was introduced to the southeast form Japan as a way to control soil erosion. What happened, however, was that that vine's rapid growth outweighed any positive benefit. The plant grew and covered whole fields, trees, power lines, telephone poles, and abandoned buildings. At the rate of nearly a foot per day, the vine grew unchecked in many of the rural areas of the southeast. Indeed, kudzu stopped erosion, but with no known herbicide, burning the plant is the only way to stop its growth.

As a child, I remember seeing fields of kudzu, covering mysteries that lay underneath. The form it takes as it grows, acts sometimes as a clue to what it was underneath. In other cases, kudzu grows with an art-like quality, creating living shapes and designs. I imagined worlds under the vines, places hidden from human sight where only dreams resided.

As an adult, I’m still curious about what is under the kudzu. But this time, instead of a magical world beneath the green, I’m interested in the history that lies beneath. “Under the Kudzu” is more than the name of this blog. It’s my concept of traveling. It's the goal I want every trip to be about. Under the Kudzu is about searching for the hidden treasures that are off the beaten path. While I sometimes travel the main roads, I more times than not look for out-of-the-way places: the cemetery deep in the woods; the lost battlefield, now a front yard; the shaded edge of a riverbank; or the ghost towns that pepper the roads of South Carolina.

When traveling, my goals are entertainment as well as education. The stories to be heard as well as the lives to be seen create a path to yesterday. As I travel the highways and byways of my state, I am greeted on each road by the history that came before me. The stories of the famous and the little known are all around me, waiting to be told. For example, did you know that

An airport in Greenville County was once known as the “airlift capital of the world”.
Fountain Inn was home to “Peg Leg” Bates, a one-legged dancer.
Abbeville was home to the final meeting of the Confederate president Jefferson Davis before his capture in Georgia.
Former president Andrew Jackson worked as a laborer in Laurens.
“The Bivouac of the Dead”, a poem that appears on many Confederate monuments around the state, was actually written to honor soldiers of the Mexican-American War.

During the past few years, I have traveled over most of the upstate of South Carolina, photographing my way and collecting memories that I want to now share. While previous trips may be covered, my primary goal is to document the trips coming. But don’t fret. I’m always revisiting locations to see what’s changed or what I may have missed.

My equipment is simple. A Nikon d40x, 4 gigs of memory, several printed maps, and an agenda. Sometimes, I am accompanied by a traveling companion, my uncle Richard or my partner Jason. Other times, I venture out alone, just me and a couple of bottles of water. I have not graduated to using GPS yet. I prefer the old fashioned way of maps and directions. I usually get lost at least once per trip but sometimes my most valued locations are the ones I never planned on seeing to begin with. I'm not set on any clock and I've been known to spend hours talking with locals.

I hope that you enjoy my wanderings as much as I enjoy taking them. My first entry will be for this Friday when I explore Edgefield County and document its historical markers.