Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-01-20
Aisturp uf 8. Garu1ina.

| Written Tor the Yorkvllle enquirer.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
! OF THE
Early Settlement of South Carolina.
BY Rev: ao1Ea7 LATHAM. y y
(Continued.)
In the year 1743, James Glen succeeded
William Bull as Governor of the English
colony of South Carolina. Glen continued
in Office for a period of thirteen years, or to
the year 1856. During the administration Of
Glen, the whole middle and up-country, with
the exception of few remote sections, was at
least partially settled. Two classes ofpersons
first pushed their way into the regions remote
from Charles Town. These were traders and
wild adventures. Of the latter class, there
is evidence that some individuals, at very
early period, abandoned the comforts of civil.
ization, and took up their abode with the wild
savages of the New World. 1t is difficult to
say by what spirit these adyenturers were
moved, or what object they had in view,
unless it be that to some minds there is some
thing fascinating in savage life The traders
had much to induce them to push their way
far into the interior. The Indians, although
poor, were in possession of some things which
were valuable to civilized people, and these
things could be bought for mere triae. A
few trinkets, which were of no intrinsic worth
to the Indian and of but little relative value
to the trader, would purchase from a savage
the hard-earnings of the chase during whole
year. ..... ....
The consciences of the traders we're not gen.
orally very tender. They seldom scrupled
at swindling the poor Indian out Of all the
meagre comforts which he possessed. Some.
times cheated Indian would become incens
ed and pour out his fury upon the first pale
face that he met, on account of some misde-
meanor which had been done him by a trader.
Really, the traders did little to initiate the
Europeans into the good graces of the sava-
pes. Few Of the traders settled down and be-
came good citizens. Most of them became
amalgamated with the Indians, and the half
bloods were even more dangerous than the
native ssvages. Most of these half bloods,
the descendants of European traders and In
dian mothers, were, during the Revolutionary
war, either plundering tories or thieving 10y
alists.
It is somewhat remarkable fact that the
whole of the middle and upper sections ofthe
State of South Carolina were settled about
the same time. For the first half century,
settlers kept almost within sight Of the sea
coast and the Savannah river. The first per-
manent settlement, which was made at any
considerable distance from Charles Town, was
that made by the Scotch Irish colony in 1888
in the present county of Williamsburgh. This
| 70 mot ~ -bv --v1ra.rvd 1r. Immigrants
came not to a we'll cultivated country with
fields waving with generous harvest; but to
dense forest inhabited by ferocious wild
beast and by human beings little less ferocious.
The first settlers had to build forts as we'll as
fell the trees of the forest. The French on
the north and west, and the Spanish on the
south, watched the movements Of the first SET
tiers Of South Carolina. By these two ma.
tions-not in concert, but each for itself-ev-
cry obstacle was thrown in the way to pre-
vent the spreading of the colony. No small
portion of the first seventy-6ve years of the
colopys existence was 8, mt in war. Add to
this the fact that the colony was, during this
period, visited by FIRE and food, and the won
der is that it was not annihilated.
Many circumstances contributed to entice
settlers to South Carolina. The government,
after it passed out of the hands of the pro.
prietors into the hands of the crown of Eng
land, was more favorable, in many particulars,
than that of any Of the colonies in America.
In no region in America, was home offered
to poor man on easier terms than in South
Carolina. Land was cheap and taxes light,
whilst ample provisions were made by the
crown to secure the comfort and prosperity of
immigrants. Notwithstanding all the hard.
ships to be undergone and deprivatious to be
endured, poor men, if they were sober and
industrious, soon accumulated 80 much prop.
erty as to put them beyond the reach of want.
Many, in short time, grew comparatively
rich. About the time that James Glen be-
come Governor, many circumstances tended
to the rapid settling Of the territory now en-
braced in the State.
When Glen became Governor, he called to-
gether the chiefs of the Indian tribes in the
northwestern section of the State. He met
them in their own territory, and after friend
ly salutation and the delivery Of speeches,
which, at this day, sound like aattery, treaty
was entered into by which large portion Of
the upper part of the State was ceded to the
English. The Indians in that section we're,
by this treaty, made friends, and there was
comparatively little danger in making settle.
ments among them. The misfortunes Of the
people of Europe and the faults of the Euro
pean government furnished settlers for this
region of country. The Pretender, Charles
Edward Stuart, was defeated and his follow
ers reduced to the utmost extremity by the
battle of Culloden. Multitudes of brave
Scotchmen, who had, whether right or wrong,
it matters not, still, unfortunately, espoused
the cause of the Pretender, we're made pris-
oners The English government had more
prisoners than it knew what to do with. To
put all to death was too cruel to pardon all
would rob the government Of its vindictive
power. To meet the case, nineteen out of ev-
orv twentv were hardened and furnished trans-