Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-05-02
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For the Yorkyille Enquirer.
"REMINISCENCES OF WESTERN YORK.

Among the oldest men we knew,
living in Western York, was Mr..
Thomas Bolin. He lived and died
on Guion Moore creek, in the sub
urbs of the "Nation." Although
living at the time, do not think he
was soldier in the Revolutionary
war-he was too young. An unedu-
Gated man, and one, too, that had
lived somewhat in seclusion, he was
unable to give any intelligent ac-
count of those stirring times, except
such matters as came within his i'm
mediate knowledge. He was diff
ferent man, in some respects, from
Mr.. Johnnie Bolin, of whom we
spoke in our last chapter. With the
exception of a few relatives visiting
him, this old gentleman lived almost
the life of a hermit. .a
Up to his 92nd year he rode to mill
on horseback, a distance of, perhaps,
four or FIVE miles. Sometimes he at
tended elections, but not often. He
was industrious, and as long as he
was able to carry hoe, he used it..
"Uncle Tom," as we always called
him. was like most of those who pre-
ceded him in these "Reminiscences"
he would take his dram. He had a
horse that he said was 33 years old
good horse for half that age. This
horse had glass eye. One day uncle
Tom rode him to Whitesides' mill,
on Clark's Fork. He met wagner
"a horse jockey at the mill, who
bantered him for swap. He found
there was no trade in the old man !;
and to produce dissatisfaction told
him his horse was blind in one eye.
The old man said: "You're fool {;
did you never thee a horse with a
glath eye." 'r. .,r ....5
He had faithful old negro by the
name of Cain. For this old negro
everybody had more than ordinary
respect. He was kind to those old
people. Tom Barnett said that Cain
was the only Bolin of the name he
knew that asked blessing at the
table. Perhaps it was so, too.
Among the Bolins were some of the
largest people in Western York, or
anywhere else. Aunt "Ritter" Gil
more Zone of uncle Toms daughte-s)
weighed about 800 pounds. She was
the largest woman I ever saw. She
married Frank Gilmore, who went
|. off and left her, I think, before the
war. Frank was, at one time, cap
tain of the "Brier Patch" company
tof militia. A man of fine sense
full of wit and sarcasm. ,.........
He was always playing his jokes
off on somebody. 1t was at one time
reported thata bear had gotten away
from a show that had been in the
country, and a great many people
were afraid to 60 to a neighbours
house. One day Frank was passing
through the field of one of his neigh.
bors, and seeing the owner come
meeting him, he took up stick and
began to beat the grass and weeds
out of his way, and kept on at this
until the owner came up and asked
him what he was looking for. "That
bear" was his reply. The owner
didn't like this way of making fun
of his crop and gave him raking,
But this only made matters worse !;
for Frank reported frog concert that
took place on the same farm, in about
this way: Calling a branch by name,
that divided the corn from the cot
ton, he said he was passing along
one day, when he heard a bull frog,
with bass voice, in the corn saying,
"Corn's lost, corn's lost" on the 9TH
er side another, with a fine voice,
squeaked-"Cotton too, cotton too,
cotton too," when a jay bird came
along crying, "Thin it, thin it, thin
it, thin it," This joke was handed
around for many years, and was in
strumental in breaking up the friend.
ship of lifelong friends. J. L. S.