The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-09-15

the name of Granny Ridgeway, and
was a small settlement when the
town was built. It has been trad.
itionully said that the place was SC
healthy that Granny had to move
away before she would die, and per-
haps this helps to account FOR the
health Of on" delightful town. It is
also said that many decades ago, in
, colonial times, an Englishman, whose
name is not now known, made set
tlement near where is now the GEM
etery. But the Oldest house stand.
ing in town is the Dickson house.
This place was cleared up by the
Ridseways, and the house was built
by Capt. Burgess. The two Drs.
Higgins came here at the beginning
OF soon after the town was COM
mencca, and DR.. Allen Higgins set
tied what is now the Levi place Mr.
Levi built what was the original
Rigby house, and Dr.. Dlnkins lived
where DR.. Brockinton now owns. DR..
Herman Huggins built fine two
story residence on the lot now used
as the tobacco warehouse lot, nearly
opposite the Presbyterian church. DR..
Allen Higgins also built where Mrs.
Thames lives, and our beautiful trees
stand as living monument to his
broadminded citizenship. Mr.. Henry
Kelley settled what is now the Rhame
place, and COL Barron's residence was
originally built by Mr.. John Hayns.
worth, prominent lawyer who came
here at the settling of the town.
The old court house. large
brick structure, was built where the
present court house stands, by Capt.
Morgan Butler as CONTRACTOR. A Mr..
Charles Pack had the first store in
Manning, situated about the spot
where our friend Jenkinson's store
now stands.
But to prolong this listwould make
my sketch too lengthy. The build
ing and improvement of tbe town was
rapid, and it might be incidentally
mentioned that one of the most prom.
inent figures in the immediate vicin
ity of the town during its early his
tory, was Mr.. Charles r. Harvin,
father OF our townsmen Messrs. c. R.
and ". S. Harvip. He cared naught
for public position, but was a citizen
of great energy, ard at the time of
his death had the contract and was
building a causeway across Black
River leading to Manning. His mill
sawed the lumber for most of the
earlier buildings of the town.
Among ;he first lawyers who set
tied here were DR. Joseph Galluchat,
Moses Benbow, T. c. Coogler, John
Havnesworth, Charles Wolfe, who af-
terwards moved to hingstree, and
Capt. Keels.
Our fellow citizens, Messrs. B.
Presley Barron and Joseph T.
Rhame, located here soon after the
town was settled and have ever since
been honored members Of the bar
and we'll known in the State.
Among Manning's early physicians
were the Drs. Higgins, DR.. Ingram, DR..
Moore, d.. AIcCauley, DR.. Mcleod
ard Dr. Richardson.
Oar old friend Mr.. Moses Levi
was among the first to build store
here in 1856, aud has remained in
the mercantile business continuously
since. Mr.. S. j. Rigby was also
among the earley merchants, begin
ming business il 1860.
Tie first newspaper published in
Manning was "Ihe Clarendon Ban
ner" and was published by Robert
Machem.
Truly our Town and County have
much history which might be written
at length.
In regard to the county many his
torical traditions might be given
abont the passage up the Santee Riv-
er, during the revolution, of Lord
Cornwallis, whose road of march is
still in many places visible; of Fort
Watson, near Scott's Lake; of the old
Georgetown road, still easily discern
ed at some points near our Naming
depot; of Marior's camping in Black
River, near town, and of this famous
Swamp Fox's" recruiting on the
"High Hills of Santee" near where
is now old Fulton.
Concerning our towns history
much might be written of her strug-
giles during the late war, of the ex-
citing times when General Potter
was encamped here, with his head
quarters in the Higgins residence,
(the one spoken OF as being opposite
the Presbyterian church); of the kill
inc of Yankee in the street il front
Of Mr.. John Wilson's house by
Charles Jones, of Sumter, and Of his
desperate fight to save his life, being
pursued by the Yankee soldiers; OF
the burning of the court house and
tie town By General Potter, and
many other recitals.
But we are now in new era.
Our county to-day is by no means
what it was in 1855. Now we have
one of the foremost counties in this
midlle section OF the State. Our
tax books show Il total OF l,469
acres of land and 81 town lots at
valuation of S1,371,2l5. In personal
property we show l5l7 horses, valu-
alton $4,000; 5339 cattle, at say
$4,000; 170S mules, worth 100000;
$50 sheep, 999S hogs, and 24l2 dogs,
valued at SO a piece. We have a