The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-03-02
CHEROKEE AND OTHER NAMES
interesting Information About the
origin and Meaning of Names in
tho Piedmont Region.

Interesting Information About tn,
Origin and Meaning of Names in
tho Piedmont Region.
Now that Cherokee county Is a GER
tainty, says the Spartan, it might he
well for her citizens, especially the
children, to consider the origin OF Ger,
tain names belonging to this new coun.
ty. Cherokee is of Indian origin
When the white people began to come
TO the Piedmont section of this State
l740 to l760-they found the Cherokees
spread 'over the whole country, from
Broad river westward. 1t was the
most powerful Indian tribe in the State.
Broad river was established as the line
between them and the Catawbas.
There is a Cherokee creek that lies
wholly In the new county. There is q
Bu1ialo creek over on the York side.
IL rises up in Cleveland county, and
comes down for q few miles through
the new county. Near it's mouth Col,
Williams, who was mortally wounded
at Kings Mountain, is buried. His
grave is unmarked. Since his descend.
ants nave failed to mark his grave, we
suggest that the Daughters OF the Rev
olutlon In the Piedmont section erect a
stone OF some sort to his memory. Ira
dition says that buffalo once roamed
through the forests of this country, and
hence the name of the creek.
There is some doubt as to the origin
OF the name "Thickety." Some think
1t an Indian name, or the corrupt spell
ing OF one. If 1t is Indian the spelling,
perhaps, would be 'Thicketee," with
the accent uon the last syllable, as
Indians generally throw the accent on on
that syllable. Others say that about
the head waters of this stream, from
the Air Line railway northward, there
were dense thickets Of underground,
aud hence the name. We incline to
the Indian origin.
Cowpens Is historic name. Hun
dreds OF people pass by the old battle.
field, or read about it, without even
considering its origin. Most people 90
through this world as though they
were blind, Or having eyes, they see
nothing but the thing they are pursu-
Ing, One statement is that some
wealthy planters about Camden en-
ployed two men long before 1776 to 90 to
the head waters OF Thickety and take
care OF their cattle. The country then
abounded in wild pea vines and cane.
There are very little undergrowth.
When the battle of Cowpens was fought
there was pine forest there, with
little underground. These men would
take care OF the cattle during the sum-
mer and drive them back home at the
approach OF winter, hence it was called
The Cowpens. Another tradition is
that man, or q family. by the name
OF Hanna, settled not far from the bat
tlefield. Farmers living farther South
would send their cattle to "Hanna's
Cowpens" during the summer, and he
would take care of them for small
consideration. So it may be stated
with certainty thaticattle were herded
about the battlefield, and that fact gave
name to the place.
The other names in the new county,
such as l5lacksburg, Gaffney, Wilkins
vile, Gowdeysville, White Plains and
Goucher, are easily traced to their ori-
gin. 1t would be well, however, for
some one to prepare historical sketch
OF the new county with great care, and
after 1T was printed, to preserve the
same by pasting the printed slips care
fully in the first book In the Registers
office. On the fiftieth anniversary of
the new county such record would be
Yery valuable