Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-09-05
NUMBER ~.

~ ~ ASAASA0AO 80
Originals 2; living O.; dead 2; chill
dren, living 5 dead 10; grand chill.
dren, living So; dead %; great grand
children living, 147; dead 26; great
great-grandchildren living %; dead 5.
Total living, 211; total dead, 72.
Grand total living and dead, 284.
There was more music, and then
came
DIR. BoYcE's ADDRESS.
DR.. Boyce was somewhat hampered.
He had already prepared his address
and given it to the printer. After
coming to Smyrna, he had gotten a
great deal of information that he had
previously been unable to procure,
and was under the double disadvan-
tage of not having time to correct the
recently obtained facts, and he did not
like the idea of changing the text of
the manuscript he had already given
away. His prepared address was as
follows:
FELLOW CITIZENS: This occasion is
unique in its origin and suggestive in its
surroundings. In the latter thought the
cemetery at Bethany is eloquent. There
rest the remains of all that Is mortal of a
So, looking around upon this living
crowd and calling to mind the stone
wall enclosure at Bethany, I am i'm
pressed with the richness of my SUBJ
ject and the variety of thoughts strug-
Cling to the front and clamoring for
utterance; and this intensely poetic idea
claims the first freshest place; that soli-
tude where rests the ashes Of the man
whose life was full of stirring events and
went out amid the hustle of great national
affairs. Those great oaks that have spread
their leafy crowns and naked, brawny
arms in winds Of centuries, seem to me to
to keep the unwritten records that are
fast passing away from posterity. Out
side the state house in Columbia, and
passing the record by Colonel Beatty of
the death and character Of this honored
name we have met to venerate, know
Of nothing that has been written to trans
NIT q knowledge of bis virtues to num-
erous clan that now inherit them in their
blood.
There is largely blank Of material,
therefore, to make up anything that may
claim the dignity of biographical sketch,
and provokingly 80 in the face OF the fact
that such material exists in great album
dance, but has foated out Of our reach
and can never be called up from the great
valley Of vision in the past; and however
ness by the twilight, their forms elude
our grasp.
In this department of literature -biog-
raphy-there is strong temptation to fill
in and change the history from truthful
narrative into romance, and draw large
ly from ideal imagery in the brain to
dress up our hero, especially If he belongs
to our clan and we are ambitious Of fami-
ly blood. Let any man, therefore, who
would know how far this statement is
true, let him first begin to hunt up from
the crude mass of tradition in regard to q
friend he knew and loved, and by the
time he has half finished his work, he
will be astonished at the poverty Of au-
agination to fill the blanks. These facts
are of great importance, as no department
of human learning Is more interesting
and profitable to us in the battles Of life
than to find out how others ordered their
lives and Jared in the outcome. Biogra-
ply is profitable study, and we especially
value the claims Of ancestors upon US
and feel disposed to initiate their virtues
and transmit their character and name
to posterity. In this sort Of genealogy
we discover what we honor so highly
family claims and good blood-and catch
that high inspiration that makes US
shrink from anything that would drag
us down from that high plane and bring
oh ha
pride of family and blood growing as we
are led back in the years from generation
to generation and read of illustrious deeds
in the line, and especially so when the an
tiuuity has carried US into the dnsky twi-
light of the ages past we have called he
roic, and for this reason begin back
there today in my efforts to honor the
name and family of the Hon. William
McGill.
The writer has been favored with the
following reliable item of history, and
with that begin. I am quoting from an
article in your county paper few days
ago, taken from an obituary notice in an
Irish paper of the death of one OF
McGill of Ballymena:
1.-THE family pedigree, we understand,
can be traced no further back than to an
officer of the same name who fought un-
der King William at the Boyne, and
whose sword is at present in possession
of a relative, the grandson of the late
Rev. r. McGill, A. NJ, of Antrim"
What noble introduction to history!
On the field of battle, under King Will
liam, fighting for home, country and
achieving one of the victories
of past history second to no other in the
bloody struggle of Protestant liberty with
Catholic despotism. William command
ing the Protestants, James the Catholics;
and the name McGill commands respect
in all liberty-loving countries had that
name made no other record.
But have, from the American branch
of the family, the following illustrious
names. The Magills and McGills are
in this country by such men
as the
Hon. A. r. McGill, ex-governor Of
Minnesota; Judge Alex. T. McGill, chan
cellor, New jersey General John ID.
McGill, military general, New Jersey;
Rev. DR.. E. 81. Magill, ex-president
college, Pa; Rev. DR..
George I. Magill, pastor Trinity church,
Newport, r. I. Hon. George w: Magill,
Riverdale, New York city, y. Y: Hon.
J. r. Magill, state senator, Magill, s. c.;
Hon. D. H. Magill, member legislature,
Hodges, 8. c.; Hon. Many Tucker Ma
gill, historian, Winchester, Va; DR..
Samuel D. McGill, Kingstree, S. c.; Rev.
E. Magill, Richmond, Va. Joseph Nc
Gill, chief fire department, New York
city, N. Y; Hon. J. McGill, ex-member
legislature, Fayetteville, n. c.; j. g.
Magill, Richburg, s. c.; T. 4. Magill,