The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-09-16
SKETCHES IN CAROLINA.
Anderson County's Early Settlement and
History.
Etoln The Savannah Me,ns,

Anderson County, until 1868 known as
theidistrict of that name, originally form.
ed a part of the territory occupied by the
Cherokee Indians, which was wrested
FROM them because they went on the
warpath for the British, in October, 1776.
After delay of several years the treaty
of annexation was formally concluded
and signed in 1888, and very soon attract.
ed by the fertile soil and delightful cli-
mate white settlers began to flock in from
all quarters. 1t was attached to the old
district of Ninety Six, which then includ-
ed all of the territory embraced by Spar.
tanburg, Laurens, Union, Newberry,
Abbeville and Edge6eld districts. After.
wards, the same geographical limits were
further subdivided in 1889 by setting off
the districts of Pendleton and Greenville.
And, later still, in 1926, Pendleton was
divided into two judicial districts, named
respectively Anderson and Pickens, but
remaining still one election district until
1852. At that time they were both con-
stituted Counties, or rather districts, and
entitled to elect Senator each to the
Legislature and such number of Repre-.
sentatiyes as the law allowed, according
to The rate of population. 1t was not
until 1868 that the name district" 10
the regret of many, was changed to
"County" all over the State, the former
having for long period been the peculiar
and Individual designation OF the internal
geographical divisions of the common.
wealth.
The County was named in honor Of
Gen. Anderson, one of the revolutionary
heroes of '76. The present Court House,
with it's massive Doric columns and thick
brick walls; almost as strong as Federal
castle, was erected in 1927, and is still in
fair State of preservation albeit the
people of this progressive generation
have about resolved to tear it down, and
construct a new palace Of justice on 8
grander and more modern scale.
Agriculturally considered Anderson is
the peer, if not the superior, in fertility
and the value Of her varied productions,
of any County in the Palmetto State.
The writer heard an old and eminent cit.
izen remark that itwas probably the only
County in South Carolina in which the
farmers sold all of their cotton and truck
in the home market, and then bought
their family and plantation supplies from
the local merchants. This will account
in part for the fact that the mercantile
guild Of Anderson stand as we'll "on
Change as any community in the South.
Failures are almost unknown.
Again, it can be truthfully stated that
the usual prejudices between town and
country do not exist here. On the con.
trary, considerable portion of the real
estate of the city of Anderson is owned
by the solid farmers of the County, and,
what is more, they are proud of their
town investments and refuse to sell out.
There are merchants who rent stores
from their country friends, and would
gladly procure titles in fee simple to the
premises but cannot, because these sturdy
burghers are unwilling to part with their
city property. This is exactly as it
should be in every community. These
senseless antagonisms between town and
country people, and the upper and lower
sections of South Carolina and Georgia
especially, eliminating often times in
bitter prejudice against the cities Of
Charleston and Savannah, are alike un.
fortunate and disastrous to all concerned.
1t is pleasant to note, however, that as
the channels of communication increase
in number, and the denizens of the hill
country and the sea coast become better
acquainted, all such preposterous notions
are rapidly giving place to a new era Of
good feeling, predicated upon the SUBJ
stantial basis of mutual and identical
interests. And this affords another
argument in favor Of Capt. Raoul's road,
the Savannah Valley Railroad, which
unites the mountains and seaboard with
links of steel.
The taxable values of Anderson County
aggregate about s5,OOO,OO0. Its popula-
tion is fully 10000, with about 5000
voters, of whom decided majority are
whites. The public schools for both
races are numerous, and keep open near
seven months in the year at an annual
cost of about $12, 900, the blacks absorb
ing one third of the amount. In the
absence of the School Commissioner ne
cannot give the exact number of free
schools and pupils in attendance, but by
the latest accessible published report the
former counted Ill, with 1874 whites
and 2,079 colored scholars. This does
not include the high schools and colleges,
of which there are several.
Glover and the grapes yield finely here,
and the soil is emphatically the home Of
the grape.
This fruit, when generally utilized for
market or converted into wine, will prob
ably prove the most valuable industry in
the County. The yield per acre is re-
ported as almost fabulous.
The water powers are numerous also,
the majority of which remain idle, but
are destined to form important factors in
the future development of this region.
The town of Anderson was settled in
1927, but not regularly incorporated as a
city until 1882. The present Mayor is
that genial and big souled man, Hon. G.
F. Tolly. The growth of the place for
several years iu population and CONNER
cial Importance is almost unprecedented.
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