The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1871-08-30
"REMINISCENCES
OF THE
COUNTY or GRsEnvllle.


in Mills Statistics of South Caro-.
lima, on account of "the physical
face of the country, presenting q
remarkably verdant appearance.
The better opinion, however, is,
that the District was named after
General Nathaniel Green, who
rescued South Carolina from the
British Government, about the
time the District was being set
tied.
The first settlement of Green
vile county was commenced i'm
l166, but progressed very slowly
till after the Indian treaty of 1777,
by which the lands were ceded to
the State. In 1776 Paris, an En-
glishman and Indian trader moved
to GreenvIlle from Virginia and
built a house where the city of
Greenville now stands. The house
was located near the spring now
owned by Doctor Irvine. "Paris
Mountain" seven miles West of
the city was called after him. He
patent from Rfat Ring or Ged5aagIRse G4esd5aaIRed dtns
III, for ten miles square, includ-
ing the present town of Greenville.
But in our revolutionary struggle,
he remained loyal 10 the crown OF
Great Britain, and his grant was
repudiated by the State of South
Carolina. Mr.. Paris had two
daughters, one of whom married
John Cunningham q wealthy iner-
chant of Charleston, and became
the mother of the Hon. Richard
Cunningham who was for many
years Senator in our State Legis.
iature from the city OF Charles
ton.
About the same time, Jacob
O'Bannon Hite moved from Vir-
ginia and settled ON tie Enoree
River nine miles below the Court
House, on a place recently owned
by Nathaniel Morgan, deceased.
Mr.. Hite was a gentleman of
wealth and intelligence, and was
masacreed by the Indians with
several of his children during the
revolutionary war. His wife and
two daughters were taken captives
and carried off, but afterwards
rescued, and they returned to>Vir-
ginia. Tie State of South Carroll
na made grant of land to one of
his sons, who died before the grant
was perfected. Since my admit
arce to the Bar, suit was brought
by the heirs of young Hite for this
tract Of land which included a por-
tion of the city of fGleenville, South
of the Reedy River. The action
was abandoned after ascertaining
the death of Hite before the issu.
ing of the grant.
The father Of General Wade
Hampton Of revolutionary fame
and great grand father of the pres.
ent General Wade Hampton, NOV
ed from North Carolina before the
commencement of the revolutions
ry war, aud settled some miles be-
low Uite's in the edge of Spartan
burg District, and was also massa.
cred by the Indians, with his wife
and several of his sons, at the same
time that Hite was killed.
The settlement of Greenville in.
creased after the treaty of l777
with the Cherokees, but was check
ed again by the war of 1779 with
that tribe. After the subiugation
Of the Indians by General Pickens.
the settlement of the Distric. i'm.
creased very rapidly and especial
ly after the termination of the re.
volutionary war in 1888. The tide
femigration from North Carolina,
Figrinia and Pennsylvania, be.
came very strong before the open.
ing of the land Office in 1884,
which enabled all settlers 10 take
ont grants for any lands they
might desire. No settlers came
from the lower part OF South Car.
o!ina, and there was very little in. .
tercourse between the two sections
Of the State.
The District Of Greenville was
established by an act of the Legis-
latnre. in 1886, and its boundaries
defined: They were the old Indi.
an boundary between Laurens and
Greenville, the Saluda River be-
tween Pendleton and Greenville.
and the North Carolina line. The
line between Spartanburg and
Greenville was not designated, bot
afterwards by surveyors, and an
act of the Legislature. BY the act
of 1856, County Courts were es-
tablished in Greengille, to sat
quarterly, and the Circuit Court
set at Ninety.six, (old Cambridee.)
Persons having business in the
circuit Court, had to 90 from