The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-10-18
HEROINES Of the REVOLUTION.
JANE BOYD.

The following article was written
by Daniel G. Stinson, Esq, and pub
lished in the old Chester Palmetto
Is. c. Standard more than fifty years
ago. The heroine Of the story has
large number of relatives in this
County, and the remains Of her father,
Rev. John Simpson, who is mentioned
in the article, sleep in the Roberts
Churchya yard. EDITOR INTELLIGEN-
GER.
This lady is the daughter Of the
Rev. John Simpson, who was much
distinguished for the zeal with which
he espoused the cause Of liberty IN
the earliest period Of our struggle.
Her mother family name was Remer.
They came from the State Of Delaware,
and settled on Fishing Creek, in Ches-
ter District. He was the first regular
pastor of Fishing Creek Church.
: Mr.. Simpson had been preceded in
the work Of planting the Gospel IN
this then thinly settled and destitute
scope of country, by the Rev. WIZ
liam Richardson, (the maternal uncle
of the late Gen. W. R. ~Davie,) who
came out as a missionary, and settled
in the Waxhaws. In the true spirit
of his mission, he preached daily in
the different settlements: extending
his visits to the distance Of often sixty
and seventy miles from his home.
On these tours he would often be
absent from his home FOR months at a
time.
When Mr.. Simpson came, he fol-
lowed in the footsteps of Mr.. Richard
; son, preaching with like zeal, and
laboring as earnestly in the work of
spreading the blessings Of Gospel
light and liberty. Many Of the now
!, fourishing congregations Of Chester,
York, and adjacent Districts, were
collected and organized by him. In
those days the Inhabitants thought it
; no hardship to ride distance Of 10 or
20 miles to hear the Gospel preached !;
and that, too, on the days Of the week;
and in all seasons Of weather. Nor
had they then the comfortable houses
in which their descendants now wor-
ship, but in the grove, with logs for
. their seats, and rude structure of
boards for the pulpit, they offered up
their need of devotion to the God OF
their fathers.
The Rev. John Simpson was re-
garded as the head and adviser of the
, band of heroes, who had so signally
defeated the enemy at Beckhamville
! and Mobley's; and in the presence of
, these heroes, did the enemy determine
that he should be punished. They
nade the movement afterwards to the
church, where they expected to find
him and his congregation assembled;
!. and it was at the time said, and never
afterwards contradicted, that they in
tended to burn the church, and all
> that should be in it, as the most ef-
} fectual way of Furnishing the pastor
and the other disturbers of the King s
peace. (On Sabbath morning, 18th
June, 1880, whilst Mrs. Simpson was
/ sitting at the breakfast table with her
children, she heard the report of a
! gun, which caused her much alarm, as
it was a thing unusual in that COM
| munity. She afterwards learned that
it was at the house Of William Strong,
and that he was killed by the enemy,
on their way to the church.) They
r were, however, disappointed. MIR.
t Simpson, on the Friday previous, had
!, shouldered his rife, and marched of
in ranks, under the command of Capt.
, Mcclure, youth who, from his in
! fancy, had been reared under his min
: istry. The brave men of York and
Chester were distinguished in every
battlefield. How much was owing
) the noble example Of their pastor
himself in their ranks, performing the
duties of private soldier, submitting
to the rigorous discipline of the camp,
! and by his council, no less than by
his services, stimulating them to the
defence of their country!
Whilst the enemy were at the
, church, some of the "sons of Africa,
overhearing them express the inten-
tion to visit Mr.. Simpsons house and
to "burn the rascal OUT fastened
! and informed Mrs. Simpson, advising
: her, if she did not hasten away, that
she would be burned in the house.
She looked out and saw the army COM
ing down the lane! Picking up only
a set of silver teaspoons. which she
n. l.