The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-07-17
Letter From Glenn Springs.
Glenn Springs, July i, 1901.

full time. Brethren Sims OF orange
burg and Ligon of Aiken together with
their better-halves, and the writer
have been the loiter on the Glenn
Springs shore, and I have enjoyed
their company and the exchange OF
ideas, along with the water and kind
attention of the Messrs. Simpson.
As is we'll known to all who have
ever been here that there is no lack Of
good company. The best people of
South Carolina have been patrons of
Glenn Springs for generations and
they continue to come; and when peo-
pie get here, no matter whether they
appear to be so at home or not, they
get approachable and sociable like a
family gathering. almost. This is one
feature about the visitors to Glenn
Springs that I have frequently heard
remarked. Governors, Senators,
Congressman, Judges, plain farmers,
merchants and small-fry editors with
occasionally a bigger one from city
daily, all hob-nob together.
think our Sumter colony are all
getting along in good shape. Occa-
sionally one gets off and misses meal,
but at this time all are able to report
at the spring and in the dining hall.
So far DE-. Booth, while having held
his own, has not improved as we
hoped. but it takes a little time at
first. It was about two weeks before
DR.. Edmunds showed material i'm
provement, but he now thinks he is
improving daily, and looks it. The
writer. who does not acknowledge to
having come here for his health gets
daily compliments on his looks.
This is not only good place for a
sick person to come to, but well ones
can have a good time, and [ am glad
to see that the people of no part OF
the State know this better than those
of Sumter.
I am a great believer in the virtue
of the water used at home and always
advise those who cannot come here to
send for the water. Just write to
Paul Simpson, Glenn Springs, and he
will supply you promptly or give you
anv informtion about the water.
The following bit of history Of
Glenn Springs and of the connection of
the Simpsons with it, that I picked up
sinceI have been here will, l think,
interest the general reader, as we'll as
Glenn Spring cranks:
The Glenn Springs property was
purchased by the late J. Wistar Simp.
son, some twenty-five years ago and
is now owned by his sons-H. s., R.
c., A. O. and Paul Simpson. These
young men, by their industry, liberal
| ity. well-directed business capacity
and good judgment, aided by their
father up to the time of his death,
have made that summer resort one of
the most popular in the South. 1t is
also now a remunerative enterprise,
reward faithfully and Justly merited.
| In brief historical sketch, His
tory of Glenn Springs from its Discov-
ery,'' etc., written by Mrs. T. Sumter
Means. talented lady of Columbia,
and who is still habitue of that re-
sort, we find the following:
It has been an interesting task to
trace the history of this spring back
to its discovery. The first settlers of
this portion Of the backwoods of
South Carolina found the spot quag-
mire, and known to the Indians as a
"deerlick.' It was soon noticeable
to them, that the COWS loved to browse
around it, and lap the water that set
tied here and there amid the black
mud in little pools. From the pecu-
liar smell pesvading the mud, it came
to be designated tas the Sulphur
Swamp
The same writer gives the fur
ther curious fcts:
This section then belonged to North
Carolina, and was in Mecklenburg
County. For many years after the
State lines were established it was
known as the "New Acquisition. -
We find it constantly so called in the
Documentary Hristory Of the Revolu-
ton. Later on it took the name Of
Ninety-Six District, but finally the
quagmire fell into the lower edge Of
a county laid off and named Spartan
burg.
The curative qualities of the spot
were revealed by commonplace acci-
dent. During the Revolutionary war,
from the unavoidable filth Of camp
life, scabbies,'' or as it is vulgarly
termed, "the itch,'' was the plague
of the rank and file of the American
army. After the war, the irritating
disease "stuck closer than brother"
and returning soldiers infected their
families. A man living in the neigh
borhood of the "Sulphur Swamp," "
with a round dozen "quivers in his
bow,'' had every one broken out with
"scabbies, - One day the cows did
not come at milking time; one of the
boys of this family going out to look
them up, found them in the quagmire.
In getting them out he fell in, and
came home covered to the neck with
the black, ill-smelling mud. It was
lucky souse, for in few days he
found himself entirely we'll of the
hateful "itch.'' The father must
have been man who thought, for he
took the cue, marched the whole
family up to the swamp for a mud
bath, and the result was they were
all healed. True, some of them had to
dip more than once, but finally all
were cured. Of course such good luck
was told from one to another, and the
place was resorted to by the country
folks for miles around, and used for
mud baths bv those affected with skin