The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-08-02

tween PendletOn and Walhalla, by
collision of two trains. Thus in two
short weeks Mr.. and Mrs. Clemson
were left childless, and it was then
that they began to formulate a plan OF
donating Fort Hill to the State for an
agricultural college.
It is a great mistake to suppose that
the money donated by Mr.. Clemson
was inherited from John G. Calhoun.
Not a dollar came from any such
source. Mr.. Clemson bought in the
Fort Hill plantation for his wife and
daughter, and paid out of his own
funds all the claims outstanding
against it, and the cost and expenses
of litigation concerning it.
The agreement between Mr.. and
Mrs. Clemson, after the death of their
children, was that they were to will to
each other their property, Mrs. Glenn
son owning two-thirds of the Fort Hill
plantation, and Mr.. Clemson in his
own right owning the money and
investments which afterwards came to
the State; and that the survivor was
to give to Isabella Lee, their grand
daughter, certain personal property
and $4,000, the value Of the two
thirds of the Fort Hill plantation, and
the balance of the property to the
State. Their wills were so made.
The Fort Hill plantation after this was
divided by commissioners between
Mrs. Clemson and her granddaughter,
Isabella Lee, her mother in the mean
time having udied. Notwithstanding
| the large amount of money paid by
Mr.. Clemson out Of his own funds in
| settlement of the claims against the
estate, and in judgment Of the costs
and expenses of litigation for the fore
| closure Of the mortgage, Miss Isabella
Lee got her full one-third Of the land,
and was not asked by him to refund
any Of the money he had so paid out.
The evidence in the case of Lee VS..
Simpson, executor, shows unmistaka-
bly, that the purpose Of establishing an
agricultural college at Fort Hill, origi-
mated with Mrs. Clemson, and that
the will which Mr.. Clemson afterwards
made was an earnest effort on his part
to carry out this solemn agreement
between him and his wife, and in this
agreement Miss Isabella Lee inherited
all of the property that Mrs. Clemson
had received from her mother or the
value of it in cash, and that the money
donated by Mr.. Clemson to the State
was his own property, the fruits OF his
own labors. About this time MIR. and
Mrs. Clemson had taken up their resi-
dence at Fort Hill, which was then
the property of Mrs Clemson by pur-
chase. They continued to reside
there for year or two. In 1873,
while Mr.. Clemson was on a visit to
one of his neighbors, Mrs. Clemson
fell dead Of heart disease. The runner
after Mr.. Clemson told him that his
wife was very sick. When he got
within few yards Of the inner gate
to his home, he met negress and
asked how Mrs. Clemson was and she
told him that his wife was dead.
With that he raised himself in his
buggy and gave the horse he was driy-
ing terrible stroke, and in his mad
rush to the house ran against the gate
post. Mr.. Clemson was thrown many
| feet over the horses head, and he too
was thought to be dead for some time.
This little incident will illustrate the
shock felt now by this old man at the
loss of the last prop of his old age.
The people of Pendleton will never
forget the scene of the burial Of Mrs.
Clemson, the mournful, feeling and
pathetic prayer that this old man
uttered, standing over the grave of the
wife about to be closed. From this
time on to his ,eath he lived the life
of hermit at Fort Hill, studying
plans how to overcome the difficulties
he knew to be in the way Of establish
ing this great purpose Of his wife and
himself.
Mr.. Clemson was, at some time not
known to me, decorated by the French
government with the cross of the
Legion Of Honor. This beautiful
decoration is now in the possession OF
his granddaughter.
There is peculiar circumstance
which may be well worth narrating !:
Among Mr.. Clemson's papers was
found his chronological chart made
when he was young man. This chart
stated that the most prominent feature
Of Mr.. Clemson's character was the
desire to so live that when he died his
name would not be forgotten, but that
he might do some act for the benefit OF
his fellowmen.
Mr.. Clemson had at his home at
Fort Hill several pieces Of furniture
once the property of George Washing
ton. Miss Louisa, a sister Of Thomas
G.. Clemson, married Samuel Wash
ington, nephew of George Washing
ton, and Mr.. Clemson told gentle
man in this community that these
pieces of furniture were obtained by
him through this connection with the
Washington family.
Now, in conclusion, it can be truth
fully said that as John c. Calhoun
was the foremost man in America so
was Mrs. Anna Calhoun Clemson the
foremost woman. She and her hus-
band are now dead and lie buried in
the Episcopal church yard in the town
of Pendlcton.
The Legislature by Act authorized
the executor to erect monument over
his grave. 1t is handsome structure
Of Winnsboro granite, large and mas
sive and sixteen feet high; but there
is grander monument now erected at
Fort Hill to this benefactor of his
race. May it long continue to flourish
and furnish the youths of South Caro-
lima with facilities for advancing their
welfare and happiness, as earnestly
planned and proposed by Mr.. Clemson
in his munifcent bequest. This man
died and gave his property to help
make his fcllowmen wiser and better,
and for this act the people of South
Carolina should honor and esteem his
memory. R. w. S., JR.
Why he did not Take 1t.