The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1880-10-01

siderable wealth, died here in 1858.
The first store house wac put up by
Mr.. VIM. Fairey, the father Of w. +.
and j. ID. d. Fairey, on the lot where
now stands the store and dwelling Of
j.. d. d. Faircy. This store. was
rented and opened by an Irishman
FROM Charleston,' whose name was
McMaster. About this period Mr..
James Gri mes says .whiskey was in
great abundance, and was sold by the
drink at 6 IA cents, Drunkenness,
Ihorse-racipgjand gambling we're fre-
quent occurrences. It was the GUS
tom about this time when man mar
.ried to have vonson at the supper or
dinner. He was considered an "un-
lucky dog who came to his marriage
feast without having venson to eat.
When this, occurred the men would
make witty remarks and the old
women, adjusting their speotacles,
would say, "Poor Sal !; sho is given
to have a hard road 10, travel" Mr.
James Grimes says he had the honor
of killing the buck that grscetl the
marriage table of Jamos Benton
Berry, Esq. In the year 1850 there
came a large colony from MecSlen-
burg, Germany, and settled in New
York. With this colony came the
OFT family. A part of the family
came to South Caroliua, and some. OF
them settled near Branchville, and
the namo has gone into history
in connection with the place.
Col. OFT, the father Ct the, Doctor,
who, was prominent in Branchville
affairs ut this dlimc, was; a man, of
commanding presence, remarkable for
firm sense and business sagacity. Pre-
vious to the year lS11-how long be-
fore we do not know--the Mctbodists
worshippcd in little pole house one
and a half miles northwest of Branch:,
vile. OF its history but little is
Known, II was built by N. Byrd,
the parent stock Of q large and, re.
speetable' nImber of That 'ham6 in
and around the place! Division was
caused in this church by one William
Hoard organizing singing school in
the church. The result Of this divi-
sion was that on the 30th day Of Jan
uary, 1911, lot was bought from
George Hartsog for 81, where now
stands Sardis Church, one mile north
east from Rranchville. The first
church was q small frame building,
which gave place in 1872 to a larger
and more slightly one. The trustees
of the first church were Rev. Jacob
Barr, John Rhoad, Jessie Fairey,
Robert McAlhaney, John Fielder,
Joseph Hare and John Thompson.
Of these, not one is living. In 1926
the first Sunday Scnool was organic.
ed in Sardis Church by Jacob Pooser.
He continued at the head of this
school until 1850, when j. B. Berry
became the superintendent; in 1874
it passed into the hands Of B. p.
Izlar, then J. W. Fairey, now L. e.
Bruce. In 1925, says Mr.. James
Grimes, the Baptists built a church
two and half miles from Branch.
vile. near where Mrs. Ann Dukes
now lives. This church was called
Orange. Thomas Adams was said to
be its first pastor. The church was
built and organized in the town in
1858. Rev. II. j. Edwards was its
first pastor. Branchvlle had but
little trade, small population and I
rather dwarfcd existence until The
close Of the late civil war. Several
causes conspired TO this: : First, the
railroad owning the land near the
track would not sell lots for building
purposes, and, second, the place being
low and swampy it was thought it
would be sickly. Since the war the
lots have been sold, the place has
been very thoroughly drained and