The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-06-19

many and distinct. A native Of An
derson, m y father, Fleetwood Rice,
senior deacon Of the Baptist ohurcn,
his elder brother, Rev. Amaziah Rics.
aiding in its organization, and its first
nastor. and our home ever the preach
er's home, and of all visiting Baptists,
Judge O'Neall was oft a welcome
guest. He and father, strong temper
ance men, were warm friends, and
brethren indeed. DR.. w. B. johnson,
first president Of the Southern Baptist
Convention, lived in Anderson, and it
was in the palmy days Of the johnson
Female Seminary, father being o
trustee and active worker. The
':school girls" called my father :" Uncle
Woody" and my sweet mother, "Aunt
i.izzie,' though she was but few
years their senior; and both were
loved as q brother and sister.
These girls, embracing the flower Of
the youth, culture, beauty, worth and
wealth Of onr loved South Carolina,
North Carolina, Georgia, and of all
the Gulf States, even to Texas:
daughters Of former South Carolinians,
we're ever delighted, as was all Ander-
son, when Judge O'Neall came in our
midst. Personally acquainted with
many Of them, 30 he was to many Of
their loved ones at home !; and his
coming was hailed with pleasure as
one honored and loved. On two cr
three occasions he was at the annual
May party, and the commencement
each June, which were important oc-
casions, when great gatherings assem-
bled. In the former, some fair girl
was elected and crowned "Queen Of
May amid all the splendor of court !;
with tableaux, other exercises, and &
grand banquot-usual exercises during
the commencement. Crowds from far
and near Of friends, kinsmen and loved
ones, especially Of brothers, admirers,
beaux of the lovely schoolgirls, stu
dents Of Due West, Cokesbury, Fur
man, etc., represented the chivalry,
nobility and glory Of the youth of our
Southland none more true and worthy
ever lived. These yo1ng men, with
scarce an exception, were not only
types Of the highest citizenship at
home, but in a few short years became
apart Of that incompatible army whose
bayonets upheld-under Lee, Jackson,
Bragg and Johnston-for four years,
"the fairest nation that ever rose or
fell" The girls became in time, as
their mothers, the matrons and queens
Of Southern homes, with principles
never exoelled, that bade the men go
and, as in all life, source of deeds ac-
complished making ouch history i'm
mortal. The presence, example and
life Of such men as Judge O'Neall,
Dr.. ". B. johnson, Hon. Jas. Il. Orr,
Judge j. N. Whitner, Judge J. P.
Reed, and host of others all over the
South-no wonder such people lived
then and do yet in memory, and also
in the lives of thousands of the best
Of our land to-day.
When the Judge came it was well
known he ''would preach for us.'' Sc
it was, and duly announced services
we're beld in the Baptist church.
How yividly it appears-thc little
wooden church on the corner, on the
site of the present building; the sem.
mary opposite, aud the home of the
Hon. James L. Orr just beyond-as
does all Of dear old Anderson, in the
days Of my childhood. The house
would be full, the whole court present
to listen to their honored chief, easily
the peer Of all the great and kingly
men Of the bar, who we're attending
court in those years. From Abbeville
there were Armistead Burt, Samuel
MCGOWAN, Thos. G. Perrin, Thomas
Thompson from Anderson, Hon
James L.. Orr, Judges Joseph N
Whitner and Robert Munro. Gen. yas
W. Harrison. Major Tyler Whitfield
and the solicitor, Jacob Pinckne,
Reed from Greenville, G. J. Elford
=. p. Jones, Maj. B. F. Perry, G. r
Townes, Waddy Thompson, and T. @
Donaldson; from Newberry, Simeon
Fair, and Judge O'Neal.. !, from Lau
rens, G. r. Sullivan, and Henry L
Young; from Pickens, E. NJ. Keith
Robert Thomson, and J. w. Norris
And there were other lawyers at time
! from Edgefield, Spartanburg, etc., o
distinguished men and the grand ol,
man, eloquent, good and devout, woul,
and did preach.
Sometimes the courthouse room wa
u the ,,1aoa -. 4 stA ~, q. 80 rnnu asAk1,