Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-12-14
A N0N0GENARIAN
WRITES A LETTER
In The Southern Christian Advo.
cate That Will be of Great In.
terest to Edgefieid People, Es.
pecially to Methodists-Shat.
terfield in the Old Days.

Dear Advocate: l am ninety
years of age and [ have pl asant
recollections of you more than half
nav life. Lane and Tippet were
the great men of the time when
you were published in Charleston.
Now, my mind runs back to
childhood and the surroundings
in the olden time. l owe mush to
8 book Of precious songs, which
the circuit preacher brought into
"Shatterfeld" community. l have
a fragment of it y'.t and nave
great anxiety to see the complete
book once more, Itwas called the
"Sacred Songster.'" john o. 'Jor-
dan and John Morgan, Of Ready
Creek Church, each bought 1t.
With the fond hope that some kind
mortal will write to me and tell
where copy may be found, ! men-
ton that it is a book of over ZOO
pages. The cxli hymn on page
153 begins thus:
"Cone all ye mourning pilgrims dear,
Who're bound for Canan's land"
About 1915 to 1920 the songs in
this book stirred the religious SEN
timent of the community wonder
fully. and many of them linger in
my memory yet.
In thoss. DAYS James DAVE aR6s : 81 81.
three years. He was afterwards
extensively known as arare genius
in. the way of preacher, Elijah
Byrd and his brother preached in
the adjoining circuit. Billy Rhodes
was a leader in the community and
church. Disorderly members were
promptly called to account by
him. He generally met the new
preacher at the next nearest church
to his own and took him to his
home.
Molly Shellnut was one of the
best women in the church. She en-
tertained the preachers often and
especially in cases of sickness.
Her co',nsel to young preachers
was highly helpful to them. As
one was departing she laid her
hand on his head and talked i'm
pressively, which he never forgot.
When he was writing her obituary
many years afterwards he said that
here was still sense of the press
ure of that hand upon his head.
Peggy Rush played the patron
saint among the children. Her en-
tertainments of large groups =
children on Easter occasions were
her happiest days in the year.
Everybody liked Aunt Peggy. If
the preacher failed to reach an
appointment she would hold q song
and psryer service.
Amos Weaver got as wooden
block turned srd painted in exact
imitation OF Aunt PeggY's dyed
eggs, and won many an egg before |
his trick was discovered.
The most exciting scene of my
childhood was when Randall Ram
sey stole Miss Darkiec Dorcas I
suppose) Wetherton, and galloped
to the, magistrates Office and |
married her before he could be
arrested. O.! how Miss Nancy did |
smack her hands and scream when
the news was broken to her. The
negroes came running from the
fields to Sec what was the matter
with Miss Nancy.
MIR. Rountree kept a country
store. Mr.. Perrin kept a store at
Whithall. Fred Slappy was the
wealthiest man in the neighbor-
hood. Jerry Martin was my first
school teacher. He taught Dill
worth's spelling book. Christopher
Wetherton taught at Stone Spring.
Scab Stalnaker was bailiff, and l
thought he was as dangerous as a
wild bear.
John Slappy's mill on Cufytown
Creek was built by John O. Jordan,
the leading carpenter of the coun-
try. He was my father.
The Burnetts, Hardins, Hogans,
Weavers, Walkers, Moselys and
Garners were prominent families
about "Shatterfeld." Will some
one explain why such name was
applied to community?
In these recollections of early
childhood | may be remiss i'll
smelling names: for / was but a