The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-01-08
Observation-Disclosures
Or Obswations and Studies in Sue.
cessful Agricultu4e.
Tho Constitution Gives alsketch of
Nathan H. Gwyn, Caldwtll Coun-
ty, North caroli{a.
BY N. "! MOORE.

has never heard of the fame d,s "Happy
Valley" of the Yadkin river.
This region has becH tue u ith place or
iormcr home of many pcppld who have
become famous either zas FARMERS, or
statesmen, or patrios, Or grat men 9th
erwisc-the country over. Their chill
drcn, or their chidrcn's children, or re-
motcr progeny, havc doubtlgs kept the
name and the ancient assocations fresh
and green even in other incmories. The
upper Iadkiu valley-a farm on which
rs to bc the subject Of this article was
noted even in the old colonial days and
IN tho later revolutionary elh. One of
inc old revolutionary hcsoes- General
Lenolr, Of Iugucnot family now scat
tered and distinguished Ill over the
south-a Virginia Frenchman, settled at
the outpost of civilization guarding the
frontier there. He or his predecessors
built protecting walls of huge oakcn logs
on beautiful cmincncc overlooking the
valley of the rippling river for miles.
They called the spot 'FYt Defiance"
From its secure ramparts the carly set
tiers dciied the Daring savagcs who had
their hunting grounds audT maize fields
both above aud below. The same valley
was tho home and carly hunting. ground
oil Daniel Boone, e-rar=i..l- ->herpy
memories or the land to tho dark and
bloody groun Is of Kentucky, and into
the blackcr plains OF Missouri beyond.
The name "Yadkin" is not Indian, as
many have supposed; the word is a cor
ruption of the old English appellaton
Atkin-ror the beautiful stream was once
known rs Atkins river so-callcd from
the first Englishman who ecttled on lis
banks near Salisbury. The ancient or
prehistoric Indian title was Sapona o.
Scc-po-ncc, the meaning of Which is now
simply matter of poetic fancy.
For nearly Il hundred years the best of
these Iadkin valley lands were owned
and operated by noble families, repre-
scnting, in happy blending of charac-
terlstics, English aristocracy and Amer
lean democracy. The men were court!y
and dignllicd, yet they kept open house
and hand. The humblcst citizen could
obtain their greeting, or become their
guest The women were high born
an%ss OF wit .aa and lsG srase and beauty. The
and send their sons in ssiyssSsTss R9r,,, nom
universities of high fame. J.;,disfagE'
their broad acres and abundant free slave
labor, mono of them ever amassed Tor
tunes, as we know fortunes today. But
they lived like old time princcs-as old
time princes they were. They had the
fat of the land; their fields tecmcd will
the richest of golden harvests; and the.
never dreamed of liens, nor of CONNER
cial fertilizers, nor of payday for worh
hands, nor of the exhaustion OF soils. |
a money crisis came, all that was ncccs
sary was TO sell the triflingcst niggcr O
the place could easily De spared
and then things went on easy. Th
families drove IL carriages Of stately pr'
norton and finish to famous watcrin
places, and displayed dignity and cou
, tcsy, and also generous hearts, that bea
over lace and linen frills, and beucat
a high stiff collars and buckram stock
n The men had buff vests around the
ample waists, and gold dollars in the
ample buckskiu or silk purscs--that ole
~ fashioned purse, with its slit and tW
rings i'm the middle and rich itasscls
-. the ends.
:, = Oh, my! how do love to revcl
:" these dreams and mcmor ca of those Sot
q q old times, for am not (alas 90 young
~ have seen, with my own eyes, the pi
u lures would paint of that glorious pa
and these hands that now make this O
ia have held in their friendly grasp
at finocrs Of some OF the most noble 4
P. comrtly of the grand old regime.
hO hold
X. For the reader wants me TO let al'
rn my dreaming now, and get to deal
he with the throbbing facts of modern bin
" Alas! scntimcntality must yield TO
mp sterncr issues CT life, and the scribe IN
'm keep along with the procession. So be
my Just in sight Of and mile or ab
Ice the old ''Fort Defiance" there lies
eo farm of N. III. Gwyn, Patterson pos
LOT flee. N. c.. have selected the exam
IN of this mau and his place for Two rea
Oh ono is TO make it n representative
Piedmont North Carolina; and the o
reason will. trust, appear when |
fully recorded the history OF the iarn
its ruin and restoration.
In the remors-lcss carvings Of time
fate, this farm is now only small
tst' of one of the old time baronial estate
vast property OF thousands Of acres S
up-cven since the death OF slavery
over more 'nah hHi q "o|'" nv ""t,
hern Oh IL All ~ 'iie i'e' 'h'', "" I, 80,
on had titles to it all, died in hopcle IS
fhp | CtIN anu ucutC thC pif'S''ho "''N>
10 tributions among alieus of tho m
ann. possessions. In the cndeavors OF tho
cunt landlord to hold together his magnl
the landed estates fatal policies were
,;nds sued, both in labor and in cuitlvi
or 2a and when the grave closed over the
bleman, thorns and brambles, aud
and the sassafras bush, following II
wake of neglect, and crosivc rains
crawfisl, had taken poscssion yoi, OF
nigh destroyed, much that was
Colo tcelning with plenty, and the emboc
rad of pride aud value. -
licers M
illers A great hearted Englishman,
Sc on Levcnthorpe, once an officer in, the
Ala ish army, and afterwards q brave
fired in the southern confedcracy, was
were ted by the loyelincss Of the beauti' !
their lev and happy surrounding; ana
aving chased some eight hundred acres
Iould partition of the great estate referred
5 Col this genial general was only ,he
nshin toned English nobic,nnn, who
nded. nothing of practical farinlng al
"a tho 4 . ,..o.., ID ,roct;ccl cyerythir