The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-05-06
MANNING, S. c.:
WEDNESDAY, MAY, 6, 1896.

PACKSVlLLE.
Mr.. Mcdonald Furman Writes up
One of Clarendon's Pleasant
Villages.
At the kind invitation of Mr.. Il. J. brad
ham, we paid q visit to Packsville for the
purpose If writing it up-we went down
yesterday afternoon aud left to-day. As
the ". i S, has several readers in that sec
tor we send this article to you. First
we will give some account of the origin OF
the name.
Dr. Henry Reynolds, OF that section, WHO
is versed in local history, Informs Us that
some time in the thirtiesa post Office was
opened near where the present village
stands and that Mr.. Joseph Pack owned all
the lands through that section. We see,
then. how the place first got its name. Mr..
7. 4. Pack. of Greenvillc. Informed MS in
1881 that the original Pack came from Wales
and settled in Virginia, and his son. Joseph
came to South Carolina. This Joseph was
the one TO whom DR.. Reynolds alluded.
Two of his sons. MessrS. Alexander and
Ben Pack, will probably be remembered by
several Of our. readers. We don't know
whatithe etymolo2y of the Pack name was
in WEIGH, but probably It differed consider
ably from the English way of spelling.
Having glanced at the name, let US now
tell about the village.
Packsvilie is situated on the Wilson
aud Summerton Railroad, IN northern
Clarendon. AMI is about y miles from
Sumter. It's pleasant scattered little
town of about 500 inhabitants; roughly
speaking, it has two streets and the prin-
cipal street affords pleasant place for a
stroll. About % years ago this place was
covered with woods, In which there was
7one residence. At that time Mr George
Curtis opened 3 store here and we under
stood that he was the oae who moved the
post Office to what was the cross roads.
Mr. Curtis's store Was the only enc here
when the Railroad reached this point
aboui E,e years ago. The reader can form
On idea OF IL growth of the place by the
following statement about the business
houses and other buildings
MesSrS. Bradhaul Il Cole, MIR. George
Cortis and the Trou5eieid Brothers, have
general merchandise stores Mr.. j. II.
Brsaham, who is the postmaster. keeps &
stationary store in connection with that
Office Miss Maria Bradham has dress
making aud millinery store. Mr.. ". r.
ACSSVI itos SAOSS-S oSSNS oSO <hiSGSuSl
taeIc are not many negroes IL the village,
there is general merchandise store kept
by Dur.nt. Logan u Co., of that race
Oae OF the leading industries of Packs
vile is the saw mill and ginnery OF NessrS.
Brajham 4 Cuie-iu the summer season
the former IS run and IN the tail and win.
ter the gins Is IN number) are run, anI a
bale eau oe ginned and packed every DC
minutes.
Shed Robinson, colored man, also has a
small giunery and grist mill.
Aaoiher important industry is carried on
bv Messrs. Bell j Mathis, who doa build
ing and general repair work. They have
q wheel-xright and blacksmith shop.
In addition TO their merchandise, the
;ruubefeld Brothers are engaged in the
crosStie business, and they have the signal
service in charge. for this little town has q
weather service, and not only do these gen.
tlemen get daily reports, but they report to
Silver, St. Paul and Summerton.
Packsville has four churches-two white
"a Baptist and Methodist, and two colored,
which represent the same denominations.
Ali are reat buildings. The pastors are,
White Baptist, Rev. c. VI. Billings, located
at Packsyille; white Methodist the Rev. A.
3. Watson, of Summerton; colored Baptist,
the Rev. ;Aoram Conyers, of Wedgeheld;
colored Methodist, the Rev. II. S. Gamble,
of Privateer The white Baptist have a
neat parsonage near their church, at
which church protracted meeting is now
being carried oD. We had the pleasure last
night of hearing Mr.. Billings deliver a
Thoughtful and forcible Esermon. The
white Baptist Church is to be repainted
The white Methodist Church is new bull
ding and Is finished, except the painting
Both would do credit to large town.
Another good feature of Packsvills is its
white school The building is large one
and tie school has been run for about two
wears. The first session there was one as.
sistant teacher. Last session the corps of
teachers were Mr. j. b. Wilder. of Sumter,
and assistants, Misses Hattie Bradham and
Eva Curtis, both OF Packsville. There were
at least hundred pupils in attendance at
the last session. The school is now con-
,inued as a private one by Rev. G. u. Bill
lings, who has ever 80 scholars; among the
branches taught ly him are Latin and al
zebra. We visited the school this forenoon
and found the children polite and atten.
tive. The colored people have neat
school building near the colored Baptist
Church. Packsvillc's school trustees for
botL races are Messrs. F. s. Geddings, j..
n. Brown and W. n. Stukes. Mr.. Billings
private school has five trustees.
The depot is convenient one, but IS
greatly iD need of repairs, which are to be
nude. Mr.. C. K. Curtis is the agent. The
cotton shipping business ranges from loco
to 1900 bales through season. Packsville
Is also good point for shipping crossties
and lumber.
The people of PacLsyille are turning
their attention to another important in
dustrv-truck farming; Messrs. J. ~ Brad
ham and Charley Reynolds, Mrs. VI. n.
TayIor and Master Boyd Cole all have truck
patches We will remark, in passing. that
Ills industry as carried out IL Packsville,
has met with encouragement.
There are some good lands in the neigh
horhood of Packsville which are Wei.
ADAPTED to cotton culture. Packsville's
laro.st and most successful farmer is Mr..
IS. Geddings.
The next best thing to newspaper in a
town 10 a spicy correspondent, aud this We
understand Packsville has in the shape of
good correspondent Of the Manning Times,
whose identity, however, is not known to
the public.
Packs siiie is not an incorporated place,
and It is no use that it should be. for it is
such IN orderly place that there IS no need
Of town officers.
Mr.. George H. Curtis. the original mer-
chant Of Packsvi!le, was born i'll Connect
cut, but came to Oraageburg IN 1857 and
was one Of the boy Sololers OF the Southern
Confe6eracy. He was taken prisoner at
the seeoud battle cf Manassas.
During our pleasant newspaper sojourn
in Packsville, We were the guest at the hos
pitab!e LONE Of Mr.. r. j. Bradham.
There are other points on which We
could wlite (tor the subject IS an interest
ing one, and by DO means exhausted,) but
we have already written so much that We
must close. We viii always have a pleas