Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-08-10
HISTORICAL - REMlNESCENT-PER

HISTORICAL REMINESCENT-PER
EDITORS kEowEE COURIER We arc
satisfied that your correspondent
Canon" whose communication appeared
in your last issue, is sincere in his desire
to learn something in reference to tho
history of this Immediate section of
country, which, ho says, has always been
his homo. Not only so, but he is anxious
to ascertain tho former status and pres
ont condition of many of tho prominent
people and families of tho same region.
We are disposed to crafty him, and per-
haps interest Others, in giving to your
readers our recollection of cvonts, his
torical, remncscont and personal, of tho
period to which ho rcfors.
The public records at Picl1cns would
give us many facts, especially as PiclSons
District has a history of forty years; but
we havo had no opportunity to consult
thom recently. Tho files Of the COURIER
since 1858, which is the first year of our
connection with tho paper, would also
be worth much to us in this respect, but
NNoA oNHf@SiJ oiiSJj "iIh
valuable books and papers, were burned
in our Office in 1887. We shall, however,
do tho best VIC can to inform your read
ers in reference to tho matter and things
referrcd to by your correspondent. This
sketch must necessarily be imperfect
and your readers arc confidently relied
upon not bo too critical.
First, then, the character and condition
of tho territory out of which Piclens
District was carved may be an important
starting point. The territory of Ninoty-
Six was not only large, but has many
interesting historical associations con-
nected with it. 1t was tho frontier of
of civilization during tho Revolutionary
War, and was also the scene of Il number
of bloody conflicts between the Indians,
British and our forcfathcrs. This large
territory vas divided by Statute in IT'S,
and the Counties Of Abbcvillc, Edgofcd,
Newbcrry, Iaurcns, Spartanburg and
Union wero established thcrcfrom. In
1850 Pondleton County was formed out
of tho territory lying West of Abbcvillc,
and had an existence of ncarl' forty
years. Grecnvillo County was ormcd
out of tho territory lying West of T.au-
rens and Spartanburg
In 1928 the County of Pcndlcton was
divided and the Districts of Anderson
and Pickons created thercfrom. Andcr-
son was named in honor of Gen. Robert
Anderson and Pickens in honor of Gen.
Andrew PickcnS These Districts were
knowp 9S judicial bodicA and for many
years were represented in the General
Assembly of tho State by one Senator
and seven Representatives. Subsequent
ly, in 1857, wo believe, these Districts
wero made election districts, and there
upon Pickens elected her first Senator,
Mr.. Elan Sharpe. This peculiar condi-
ton Of affairs was attributed to the fact
that the low country held in her hand
the political power of the State and was
loath to part with it. Now the political
power of tho State resides iii tho up-
country, and Charleston, which had two
Senators when we had none, now has
one.
In 1876 the Legislature changed tho
thon existing Districts, seven in number,
into Counties, to-wit: Nincty-Six into
six counties, Camdon into seven coun-
ties, Cheraws into three countless
Georgetown into four counties, Charles
ton into six counties, Beaufort into four
counties, Orangoburg into four counties.
Pondleton and Grccnvillc were two moro,
making altogether thirty counties, three
of which were known as Washington,
WintOn and Sake GOtha. These three
are now unknown. The Legislature also
provided at the same time that tho &C NJ
missioners of Public Buildings sl,ould
erect piilory, stocks, whipping pose, &C.,
for each county.
During tho existence of Pcntlloton
county tho District Of Washington was
established thcrcin. In 1902 the I.ccIs-
laturo enacted: "That the place or vii
lago in Pcndlcton county, in this State,
whore tho gaol and court house of Wash
ington District have been built by tho
direction of tho commissioners appointed
for that purpose, being upon land lately
conveyed to said commissioners by the
Cotesworth Pincknoy, shah be called
Piokensvillo, and by that name shall al
ways bo known in law"
Tho commissioners appointed by the
Legislature to orcct tho court house and
Jail for Washington District were General
Andrew Pickcns, Genera Robert Andor-
son, Robert Maxwell, John Bowen, JAS
Harrison, John Ford, John IIallum.
Subsequently tho town Of Pic]<cnsvillo
was nearly destroyed by fire. The Leg
islaturo authorized n lottery to be organ
lied and drawn by which it was hoped
that $4,000 would bo secured to roim-
burse those whose property had been
deatroyod by G:c. Tho managers of tho
lottery %oro John II. Lewis, Joseph
Grisham, JamoS G. Griffin, Robert An
derson, Walter $, Adair.