The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-13


section of the county was settled by the Hr-
guenots, who were distinguished for their In
offensive character and moral worth. Hard
Labor Creek, on the southeast side OF the
county, was seti ed by the Dutch, who, BY In
dAstry and thrift, acquired property and edu-
clted their children to Il degree equal u the
most favored.
To 90 farther back than the establishment
OI cur schools and colleges III accounting Tor
the superior education of our people, as well
as for the high to:Ie and moral character oil
he iluivIdldl, l would attribute the posses
sion OF these eXcclicncrs In a large degree to
tile fact hat this county was settled by some
OF the best foreign elements, who soon become
the leaders here In courtly mGnncrs and
cllvalric honor tween man and man.
w allie 1t Is true that some Of our early settlers
came possessed OF education and Il reasonable
amount of wealth., yet there were others who
clinc To this county poor and In an humber
sphere. y portion Oi These early settlers came
as servants, soinc Of the descendants OF whom
nave RISEN to IrOillncncc In tlt county, and
nave since intCrlnurricd with some Of our
best iamiiics. 1 think just now OF one IN
stance III particular which / Could mention ii
| cliOsc to do SO.
have seen much of thai part of the United
states lying cast OF the Mississippi, and | have
Jailed To observe any great difference between
the people of the cities. The people living In
denSciy populated towns are generally like
the bticHs in their houScs-or the same
mouid,-but OF the rural population OF the
various sections OF the Union, the same can
not DC said. Life ON the farm tends to the
development OF Individuality, and to the
sroWti OF personal characteristics, while, a.
Lori Brousham said, the corners oil the city
Population are worn by the CONVENTIONAL Titles
Of society. In no county have l found the
standard OF the rural population so high as In
.Abberiile County. The population OF our
county have bccn marked and distinguished
Tor their intelligence, force or character, anu
FER the possession in an unusually large dc
gre OF ali these qualities which 80 to make
zip the nOblcr MANHOOD.
1t seems That we are unc1nsciously influcn-
ccd By our own past history, BIZ that good or
bad us 1t may, ANA II Is perhaps due 10 the
fact OF our knowledge OF tho superior man
hOOa OF our ancestors that has stimulated
err achievements. White many of our citi.
zcns in the carly history Of the county
wrote well, there were very lcS living beyond
the Saluda who could write dramatically or
spell correctly. My friend General Mellow
an, came from the other side Of the Suiuda
early In life and was educated elsewhere.
General Mctiowan, s~lnliing.-l think the
line should be further cast than the Salud
Rivcr.-at lcnSt SO far AS to bring Laurens
into the enlightened belt.
Mi. Burt.-luu may be right, General. l
believe Laurcns does shove the line beyond
her borders. Except In Charleston, no Coun-
ty In the State placed so high M appreciation
upon education rs .tbbeviiie.
/ had intended to say something OF the Bar
Of Abbeville which has ever stood In this
Statssecond only TO Charleston, and would
alsoflave been equally pleMsed 10 pay Il just
tribute to the CLERGY of Abherillc,. among
them a OF distinguished jurists und
divincS, OF whom we arc proud. Owing to
my limited time / must (orebO Tho pleasure
Of recurring to the merits Of the meuOers OF
either profession. AtsoIlc future time [ hope
to do So.
In 1879 the first Court was held at AbbcvIlle
Court House, though the law designating
this as a County Sent had been enacted scv'
cral years before. In the same law establish
ing this a County Seat, the County, Commits.
siOiiers were instructed TO build n court
house, q Jail. q pillory, stocks and the whip
ping posi-. Our present representatives VIC
presume would not dare to make appropria
lions for the establishment OF such modes q
punishment, though tIerearc IL numbe oi
very good people who believe t!nt such IL Law
Is needed, and not Il small number whc
would be improved by sucn punish
mcnt. Then 1t was thought punishment
by the pillory, the stocks, and the whippln.
post WIS the most effective mode OF suFprcS
sing crime.
Among the notable characters Of this Coun
ty WAS 10. Black, Il man Of limited education
but whose common sense amounted alIlos
to greatness. lie was for sixteen years ,
member of the state senate. He seemed no
TO care greatly for making money, and Will,
he was not ambitious he had n great deSir'
good common sense gave him that supper
which kept him in the Office Of State Senate
until he was elected state Treasurer.
The PreSidcnt-Captain Perrin, VIC shOult
be pleased IL You will tell the club something
about Hard Labor?
Captain j. Wardlnw Perrln.-A hundrct
years ago that portion Of the County known
as the Hard Labor section was thickly set
tied by the Dutcl-thc Cotton Level Plants;
ton owned by my father containing no log
than thirty Dutch settlements. a small
stream running through that plantation
known then and ever since by the nn'nc d
| -, l,I,ncb yo M N, pH nv tho Dufob-fiIn II. M
Signifying "a large g0urd," because the liant
benz very fertile, the gourd5 grow 10 nn i'm
mcnse size. 1t Is interesting to trace out tn;
names of the different streams and loca lltic
of our county. and we hope that 9th ers wi!
give us the orlgiu Of the names of Curltal
and Long Cane Creeks he Dead Fall, III
BuzZard RoOst, etc.
The Prcsident-Mf. Graham, we would b.
glad to hear from you.
Mr.. Graham-I have been in this count,
but Il short while, and know but little OF tE
history Of Abbevillc. l have listened vii
much interest to your most excellent address
ii. G.. ~Scuddy.-I know nothing whicl
would Interest the club. Will you not &C.!
us something OF The history OF LowndesviIIc
educational facilities?
Mr.. Burt.-Yes, the place was o.ce an i'm
p0rtant clucaliona! polntand was named FL
the State who died In early life. He va
Il member Of the House of Representative
fom this State, and whose prospects, II IL
had lived, were good for the Presidency of TIL
United States az the election immcaiate!.
following his death. In Congress he me
Chevcs and Calhoun.
General McGowan being called upon. salt
that one Of the interesting facts in the llisiOr.
known as 1.-THE Jews land Four grants O
2l,GO acres each were made by King Georg'
tO"LlvingSton and his associates on ccEdi
ton that within n certain period so many
| al N,tr t,t.nf ~ n1n 4 mn rst In
lands. The grants were forfeited for want o
performance of The condition. But after
wards they fell into the hands of one saliva
dor, who was 81 Jew, His son, Francis SILVA
dor, Il bright, well educated young man, came
out and lived upon the lard on Coroaac'
creek.
st the time Of the Eruption Of the indiana
over the Cherokee border on July lS76. FRAN
els volunteered under General Williamson t.
drive back the Indians. and was killed in q
fight with them near Fort Hill, the residence
OF the late John G.. Calhoun. Afterwards The
lands fell into the hands of duncan and Mich
olson, who brought many suits against the
squitters and finally recovered most OF the
lands. These suits gave rise to many inter
esting cases at law and afforded opportunity
for JUln G.. Calhoun, Judge Wardiaw, Gen
McDufiic and others to distinguish them
selves.
The General eiso supplemented the &C
count OF the Jews Land"b By giving an Inter
csiing account of the "Liurens Lands
which we would be pleased to publish, but ri
this writing have neither time lish, space
We hope to do 80 at some future t;mc.-A'
closing he made one remark which struck us
lie said that the ownership of the fec simple
in the land contributed much to the prosper
It's, property and public spirit Of Il people
that Squirting or renting did not give The Ia
bnrcr such interest In the soil as TO iend TO Ia
preservation, or create the highest love O.
country. Yet Abbcvll!e had attained the
very High character given her by the essayiSt
in spite OF the disadvantages arising from
having for q long period Il large part Of thu
best portion Of her territory occupied by those
who were mere renters aH'l. not free holders
But for these disadvantages the prosperity
education and tone OF the county would have
been higher even than they arc.
Victory in the State.
The naIoritics In the different counties, sc