The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-09-26


ARTICLE No.I.
We notice in the last issue Of oul
sotemporary, the Times, an article
with the above heading, which is cX
cecdingly interesting. AS we desire
to keep our readers posted in the his,
tory Of the county, and have no idea
Of being behind the times, we propose
to publish in each issue until the sub.
ject is exhausted, an authentic ac
count of the early settlement and
progress Of the county, derived f-oul
reliable sources. We rely upon thcm
at oil events. We have taken the
sketch from an ancient paper called
aye Journal Of Commerce." edited
ably and published in the days OF
yorc. The writer, whose sources OF
information seem to have been un-
limited and who gives his authorities,
commences thus. We reproduce in
his own language: "This sketch
must necessarily be brief, but as there
can be no question as to its accuracy
it will, / truet, prove interesting
to you, as well as useful and iustruc-
tive. You will find it easier to com
nit to memory than you would the
huge dry tones from which it is Ia
ken. Therefore, be thankful. There
appears TO be no little confusion as
to the derivation of
TIE NAME or THE COUNTY.
Some persons maintain that the
earlier settlers planted large groves
Of orange trees, which, it is said, flour
ished in great luxuriancc, and yield
ed a very respectable revenue. But
as there are no stumrs or sprouts or
vestiges of such trees in the county,
ard as every attempt TO cultivate
them has invariably and sigually
failed, the "orspge tree" hypothesis
has lost ground, Rnd has but few adj
vocates at this day. Others hold, and
this tradition is insisted on by the
more ambitious and aristCcratic Of
the people, and is the popular theory,
that the name WAS derived from one
William Prince Orange. He WAS The
son of old Mrs. Prince, and bis faith
er was supposed 10 have Eaen vii
liam Prince or William Orange, or
somebody name / William /. seems
all of that family we're named Will
liam more or less. This Bill Orange
was Dutchman. There is some
plausibility in the theory, for there
can be no doubt but that the county
aUas settled by Dutchmcn, and as w.
+. Orange in due time married and
was thereafter happily blessed with a
large family Of boys and girls, all OF
whom came over and settled in this
county (thcn districD it is hut natur-
al TO suppose that the tribe would
have been anxious to name some
thing after him, if only horse or
steamboat or telephone, and being so
many and fsncying the name for
Themselves. they consolidated and
gave it to the county. Q. +. D.
No they didn't take w. P.'s name
for their people at all. They dropped
that, but they took their old pastors
name for themselves and handed it
down. This old pastor was sent
over by w. p. 0. TO take care of his
family A. y. 1875. DR.. Ramsay in
his History Of South Caroline says
"Brom the third year Of their settle
ment they had the benefit OF religious
instruction from Rec. Gesesscndan-
ess7. One Of his children born in
l749 Ia ettn a1i0s. The frs; ehid be
christened pas born TN 1859, and is
dloo aNvc." Without desiring - re-
feet upon the accuracy of the learn
ed historian above quoted, would
beg to he allowed to pause one mo-
ment before swallowius these last
two statements. Had the Doctor
furnisheA seme lubricating prcpara-
tion With his assertions they would
probably 60 down easier. We are
expected in this era to take great
many rash statements. / regret that
the Doctor shouli have asked me
seriously TO adopt The above as true.
For my part l seriously believe those
pass:es ere dead. DR.. Ramsay being
partly Dutchman himself in sill
probability WAS anxious 70 show up
the longevity Of the Inhabitants and
the climate Of location in which he
~. II 4.