The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-06-27
William Gram, the Revolutionary Sol
der.


MEssRs. EDITORS: The notice in the
INTELlIaENcER two weeks ago concern
ing William Grant induced me to give
some scraps from Tho personal history OF
the old soldier. A Universalist in his
religious notions, blunt of speech and
manners, he was nevertheless man OF
sterling honor and integrity, and in poll
tics an uncompromising Unionist. Dur
ing the storm of Notification he remein-
ed faithful to the Union he had helped to
establish through seven wears OF war.
One day during the Notification era,
Colonel Fitzpatrick and party Of gentle
men. some of the Harrises, of Harris
burg, on the Seneca, were surveying
soma land near Mr.. Grants house, and at
noon they called on the old man to rest
and discuss bottle of brandy. The con-
yersation ran into politics and the sur
veying party being ardent nullifiers soon
struck stump in the old Revolutioner.
do not suppose any one had ever doubt
ed that he had been staunch Wing
throughout the war, but one OF the party,
io,ularly, I suppose, twitted the old man
with having been Tory. This fired him
to white heat and be swore with great
round oath that he would prove the
falsity of the charge by claiming pen
sion from the government.
Up to this time he had steadily refused
to ask for pension on the ground that
and h1s tSat hs Was fay able to live
its help. He was man Of affairs, and
had prospered, but his patriotism was OF
the disinterested sort, and tits doubtful
if he had ever applied for a pension but
for this incident.
The man by whom Mr.. Grant
proved his claim was Maj. Joseph
McJunkin, of Union, who that day had
called on his old comrade while on his
way to visit his sister, Mrs. Mcclure,
who, well-to-do, resided not far from
Earles' Mills on land now owned by
John N. Grant, grandson OF the subject
of this sketch.
That afternoon Mr.. Grant accompanied
Major McJunkin to Mrs. McClure's
where the following morning before
Esquire Myers the pension papers were
duly proven, Mr.. 8. 3. McJunkin, of this
place, now living at 81, being subscrib-
ing witness.
Mr.. McJunkin, now and for many
wears teetotaler, was in that day very
much more afraid Of shaker than he is
now, and was always provided with
supply for emergencies. Major McJun-
kin was his grandfather and that night
he set his decanter of brandy before the
old heroes. AS they i'm bibed they fought
over their battles again, how together
they fought from behind large persim-
mon at the Cowpens, how the persim,-
mon was skinned by British bullets. how
together they fought at Guilford Court
Eouse, Eutaw Springs and elsewhere TILL
the British were cooped up in Charleston,
and the State wrested from the foul In
yader.
On one occasion many years after the
Revolution Mr.. Grant was approached
I by man. who although he may have at
I some time in the war fought with The
Wings, had finally joined the Tories and
fought against his countrymen. The
man wanted pension and desired Mr..
Grant to swear that he had been good
Wing. He may have been in want and
supposed the sasperities Of war softened
to the extent that would enable him to
run his claim through successfully, but
he mistook his man and got cussed out
for his presumption, and told OF big
scar on his scalp made by Wing broad
sword.
the settlement Of this section, known pre-
yious to and during the Revolution as
s.ihe back country" and his old resi-
dence. located on Conneross Creek near
its junction with the Seneca and on the
road from Pendleton to Townville, is
still standing. Two hundred yards west
B of his house on q hillock, Mr.. Grant
chose the spot for his sspulture, saying
he wished to lie where, when the graves
shall give up; their dead, the scene Of his
old home might be the first to greet his
renewed vision.
The line dividing Anderson and Oconee
passes over this hill. aud by Mr.. Grants
order his grave was dug half in Oconee
and half in Anderson. These were sim
gular vagaries, to be sure, but they were
characteristic Of the man.
|. He was twice married, and M: Noah
Grant, of whom mention has already
been made in the TNTELLIGENCER, is
product of the, second marriage, having
been born in his father extreme old age,
and he, has tho unique distinction OF
being in all probability the only living
son of hero OF the Revolution.
w. A. DICKSON.
Sn,,fb sTJs,io,. OcOnaee COuntU,