The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-10-10
Orangeburg Then and Now.
ARTICLE NO. III

Religion is pretty fair in this coun-
ty. There are 4 good many "meet-
ing houses" as DR.. Ramsay irrever-
emily calls the places Of worship.
Many more than were in tho days Of
the good old pastor, hc5Rev. j. G..
The Methodists appear to be the
thicllest. There is, however, & con-
siderable sprinkling of Presbytcrians,
Baptists and Luthcrans, with drop
or so Of Episcopalias. The last
don't appear to flourish here now, and
arc somewhat discouraged, but the
prospects are Frightening for the
"Church," and 'Lis believed in few
years it will absorb the "mcctine
houses" entirely. The Prcsbyterians
got an early start. Ramsay says
"Thcrc was Presbyterian meeting
house erected on Cattle Creek IN
IT'S, and called the Fredrician
Church., after Andrew Frederick, The
founder" Gram. His. SO. Ca, page
9Ol.) Andrew Frederick is still alive,
and is an influential, popular aud
highly esteemed citizen and gentle
man.
Orangcburg County was much dis
tinguishcd for its patriotism and bra
very of its people during The revolt
ton Of 177G. The heroic and self
sacrificing conduct Of Mrs. Rebecca
Motto, (Tho regarding the British
as no better than coons in Il hollow
tree or rats in an old barn, smoked
them out of her housc) is we'll known
us recorded history. The ground on
which that house stood is still in exist
ence, tho so many years have passed.
IL is now the city which is called Fort
Motto in honor of Mrs. Rebccca.
That city is under, or was under, The
able administration of one Max Wag-
cncr, the lntendant. Under his reign
Tie city grew vastly in prosperity
and wealth and became an emporium
for the cotton trade. In 1871 Gen.
Greene got Lord Rawtlon in a tight
place, with the Edisto River on one
silc and Notifications on the other.
Greene had no pontoons, and, owing
to the fall in the rivcr,.ats gpnboats
could not get up, so he couldn't come
at Rawdon, but he begged and pray.
ed Rawdon with tears in his ewes TO
come out and light-just to give him
one pass at him. But Rawdon oniv
smiled calmly and sent his herald to
Greene TO say "not much general, if l
know. myself" SO Greene had to
dodge around and look sharp, and on
the 2d Of July Captain EgglcsLon, of
his command, fell in with forty-ninc
British horse, and captured forty
eight, the forty ninth escaped, ard
lei miscrably lonely and unhappy
life, until very recently when he was
taken up as al estray and sold. Be-
ing i'll bad condition he was purchased
Tor mere song. lie is now in The
dray profession in this place.
The town Of Orangcburg was burn
ed by Sherman in 1865. Sherman
afterwards wrote q book in which bc
tries to put the blame on Zekc, (scc
Shclman's memOirs,) but Zeic, being
4 quiet citizen, proved he was up in
q friends chimney at the time, and
only came down when the fire got too
hot, and so nailed this and clinchctl
it rs one Of Shcrman's first class lies.
In this conllagration The courthouse
with all the public records was dies.
troycd. This would appear at first
glance to have been q great calamity,
and so it was to many, but it is about
equally balanced by the good for
tune it brought to others who under
the act Of the Legislature OF this
State, 'to establish and perpc.uo,c
last rccords," were enabled 10 manu-.
facture and set up Il good many pro-
litable deeds, wills, rccripls, Sc.
Some one else burned the town in
1879. 1t has been rebuilt Of brick,
and is further cmbcllishcl and siren
Igthened by a bake shop, hotel, three
fountains and several alarm clocks at
DcChcycttcs, the watch maker. So that
the danger from fire has been much
lcssencd Of late years, and insurance
reduced greatly. There used to be
very frequent fires since 1875 and be.
fore in town. The penitcnliary
proves n very capital remedy for that
sort of finn hpsjflca tlot h,,o,n,