The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-08-06
AN OLD SETTLEMENT.


Mr.. EDITOR: Perhaps it may not be
known to you or to many of your readers
that one among the first, if not the first,
Church built in Anderson County, was
known as Carmel. There is no authentic
record in existence at this day showing
just when the Church was built, but from
the best evidence attainable it is thought
that it must have been about one hundred
years ago. There is not a vestige OF the
building left to-day, for not many years
after it's erection the location was re-
moved to its present site on the Pickens
side of the line. The original location
was in Brushy Greek Township, in the
Northwestern portion of the County.
The Church was Presbyterian at first,
and the founders of it were the Pickens,
Hamiltans, Watsons, &c. Shortly after
the organization of the Church, the
Methodist circuit riders began to pass
through the country, and they got per
mission to preach at the house Of Maj.
Robert Pickens, the grandfather of Col.
w. 8. Pickens. His little daughter
Annie became anxious to unite with the
Church, and preferred the Methodist,
but they were all such good blue.stocking
Presbyterians that they insisted she
should go before the session of the
Church for examination, and, being of
tender years, her mother went with her.
Not answering satisfactorily the questions
on the doctrines of predestlnation,
election, &C., the session advised her to
wait and reflect. Her mother, being
vexed with their proceedings, turned and
said: "Now, Annie, you are at liberty
to do as you please" She did do as she
pleased-joined the Methodist Church
and from that dates the connection of the
Pickens and Smith families with the
Methodist Church, and resulted finally
in the removal of Carmel to the present
location, and the organization and build
ing of Church one.half mile farther up
the road, and this was known as long as
it stood as Pickens Meeting House.
The original graveyard is still kept up
and used as a buryiug-ground by the
neighborhood. A visit to it is full of
interest, especially when accompanied,
as I vas, by Col. w. S. Pickens, near
whose residence the graveyard is, and
who is more familiar with the facts than
any person now living in the community.
There are sixteen Revolutionary
soldiers buried there, but could not
find ont the name of the sixteenth. The
names of the fifteen are as follows:
Alexander Oliver, Job Smith, John
Wilson, Charles Wilson, Capt. james
Anderson, Micajah Hughes, Charles
Smith, VIM. Waddle, Hampton Smith,
Maj. Barr, Michal Smith, Maj. John
Ariol, Maj. James Watson, VIM. Wilson,
1t. Robert Pickens.
Capt. James Anderson was the father
of the late DR.. VIM. Anderson and
grandfather of R. II. Anderson, and has
numerous descendants in this and adjoin-
ing Counties and in Georgia and
Alabama.
Maj. Barr was the grandfather of your
fellow.townsman, w. F. Barr, who
gallantly served his country as his ances,
tors did before him.
Mai. James Watson was the father
of the late A. P. Watson.
1t. Robert Pickens was the grandfather
of Col. w. S. Pickens and of other
Pickens families living near. His
descendants can be counted by the score.
he came with his father, Robert Pickens,
from Maryland, and the father settled
with his family on Long Cane, IN AbDe'
Vile. He had son Robert Pickens, and
as far back as known there has always
been a Robert Pickens. 1t. Robert
Pickens was brevetted on the field for
gallant conduct in action at the battle of
Cowpens, and after the war settled on
the land still owned by his descendants.
There is now in the possession of Col.
w. S. Pickeus the original grant of the
land with the Great Seal made Of wax
attached and bearing date May I'd, 1884,
and having the signature of Benz.
Guerard as Governor. During the war
Robert Pickens' wife worked the farm
and clothed her family of seven children
herself, living in log cabin with only
one door and no window to it. On one
occasion he returned home to visit his
family aud was seen by the Tories, who
were watching, to enter the door. But
the watchful wife was too quick for
them, and as they rushed for the door
she shut it in their faces. To their de-