The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-07-09
a DeHghsfal Ontina.

casIOn OIL bhe commencement OF the
schools in the town, successfully taught
by young Mr.. Ii. D.. Majors and Miss
Clardy.
Cross Hill is located near by the
Presbyterian Church, known as Libert,
Springs, taking its name from q tradf.
tlonal skirmish in the revolutionary
epoch, between q small body of Whigs
and q band of Tories. 1t was the centre
oil q large element of staunch Presby-
terian patriots, who soon after the
struggle for liberty, built out of the
native granite on the ground q sub
stantial house of worship. The church
has hourished and grown and still is
n OF the strong bulwarks of the faith,
with q large and intelligent member
ship to this day. Near by was Gross
from the fact that while the country
around is comparatively level, at d
crest OF decided elevation two great
highways intersect, the one great
road leading from western North Caro-
lima and Buncombe to Augusta, and the
other passing from the eastern parts of
the State to buckets Ferry on the Sa-
luda and to the great West. From the
immediate neighborhood have sprung
many names who have cast lustre upon
the county and in many fields OF useful
ness done honor to the State.
Five miles west Of the town is Rose
mont, on the Saluda, the historic seat
of q most charming hospitality, dis
pensed since the Revolution, where re-
sided Capt. Robert Cunningham, q
prominent soldierof the war of ~; the
father OF Col. Jno. Cunningham and
Miss Pamela, familiar as the Southern
matron, whose splendid appeal thirty
five years ago. wrested Mt. Vernon
from possible dissertation and made it
the property of the world under the
corporate existence it now has and per-
petuates the home Of Washington as
the Mecca Of the world. Near by, and
three miles from this town, is the birth
place of the McGowans, where were
reared Gen. Samuel MCGOWAN, of Abb
beville, Homer MCGOWAN, Esq of Lau-
rens. and Lieut.. Alexander McGowau,
who died during the war, Capt. j. II.
MCGOWAN, now q veteran farmer re-
siding near the old homestead. Hard
by, in the same ne~ighborhood, was
reared James Baxter, who settled at
Newberry, a man of unusual ability,
and who died recently, leaving an en-
viable reputation hat extended
throughout the State. Farther down
the river, but within three miles of
this old church, was reared Beaufort
- = w NoVSt ~ ~ SStlJ III lllS ~
captain in the u. S. army, afterwards
Secretary Of State for this State, Sec
rotary Of the American Legation at
the Court of the Cars under Middleton,
and subsequently served the Govern
mentas Minister for nine years at the
Republic of Colombia and other States
in South America.
Upon the property whereon is now
situated the depot of the Seahoard Air
Line Railway, was reared the Rev.
Martin Ball, al eloquent and powerful
preacher of the Baptist denomination,
who ~emigrated to Mississippi in 1916,
prominent and wealthy citizens, who
became prominent in that State.
The school houses where these exer
cises were held were erected about
1850, under the auspices of James Car
ter, q prominent citizen, who was the
owner Of the property. They were the
first substantial school houses built in
the country and initiated the evolution
from the old classic log cabin. Mr..
James Carter largely promoted the
enterprising spirit. DR.. Robert Camp
bell Capt. Horny Carter DR.. Robert
Austin. DR.. William Philips and the
In this vicinity, too, were also reared
the two Pulliams, Capt Robert Pull
liam, who was killed in the army COM
handing a gallant old company that
went out from the city of Greenyille,
and in memory of whom the Greenville
Camp of United veterans is called
Capt. Zachary G. Pulliam, who was in
the secession legislature from old Pick
ems County and who was killed COM
handing q company from that
county at the Second Manassas, his
remains lying at the cemetery Of
the Liberty Springs Church. a
growing up around the depot of the
Seaboard Air Line, with enter
prising, philosophical merchants and
business men. Here reside Col. Jno.
G.. Williams an intelligent men,
Der OF tho State House of Representa-
tives, with a large pcrsonel of intelli-
gent physicians. 1t was a pleasant oc-
casion to the writer to meet a few
school companions, male and female of
the far back past and bright, hopeful,
sparkling, laughing faces of their chill
dren of three generations. Cheerful as
a cricket, we met Mrs. John CasOn Hill:
with sparkling black eyed wee bits of
grandchildren moving around her.-
Mrs. Miller, a surviving sister of Gen
MCGOWAN, we were reioiced to meet with
q little army Of stalwart lads and lit
tie lasses. Ben Wells a gallant veteran
in his empty sleeve, stood up through
out the long exercises; there we saw
other old soldiers, as brave as over in
the whining COS as Alex Owens, Silas
Adams, George Hanna, John G. Chap
man, Ellis j. Dendy, and n num-
Der of others. We missed the ia
miliar salute of j. j.. MCGOWAN,
Aaron Wells (my old comrade of Garys
Brigade) David Whiteford and Samuel
Leaman. These old followers are no
doubt awaiting with philosophic COM
posure, the 'inevitable hour have
borne sufficiently the heat and burden
of the day, and must take their ease,
and cannot turn out with us youth in
these stirring times.
This is a grand old neighborhood
dear to the writer, and may the time
never come, when there is not an Aus
tin, a Bryson, a Hit, q Wells, Owens,
Whiteford, Lowe, Leaman, MCGOWAN,
Strain, Reid, Hill, Carter, Boulware,
Nicely, Fuller, Hollingsworth, Pinson,
Campbell and others of we olden times
to leaven the civilization of the dawning
days.
De"