Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-01-05
1en to seat themselves around, sought

10, 0AI y hDA L = L
men to seat themselves around, sought
the highest pinnacle for himself, tool
his stand upon 1t, and taking up his
handsome, silver mounted rifle, put ir
fresh priming, blew piercing blast or
his hunting horn, and with the air Of
king and eye Of an eagle, watched the
approaches on every side. In few
moments, an Indian came in view, toll.
ing up the ascent with a fine buck or
his back. AS soon as the Indian king
deserted him, he raised his piece to his
shoulder, fell on his knee, took rest
deliberate aim, and fired. The un-
erring rifle did it's work, the victim OF
the savage monarch's justice fell dead,
and the royal marksman turned to
Spratt and his associates, extended his
hand in turn for each to shake, in tok-
en- of further amity between them.
OF course they had to be satisfied
with his law, administered in his way;
and readily accepted his warm invita-
ton to them to dine with him. The
repast was venison without salt, and
sweet potatoes roasted on the Goals
and served on pieces Of pine bark for
plates; and directly as they began to
eat, the king would order the atten-
dants to remove it, and bring a fresh
piece Of bark with another supply of
venison and potatoes. This was re-
peated several times, and done in imi-
tation, Mr.. Spratt said, Of a dinner
Hagler had once had the honor Of TAX
ing with Governor Bull, in Charleston,
where the changing Of plates had
struck his fancy as something very
grand, and he now observed the style
in honor of his white guests. Thus
ended the visit Of Mr.. Spratt and his
friends and a white man was never
again murdered by the Catawbas.
THOMAS sPRATT.
Mr.. Spratt's residence was about two
miles from the old Nation Ford" on
the Saluda road. He was a public
spirit man, and induced the Indians to
grant other leases to white settlers. He
also gave man named Garrison, think,
a mill-site, to enable him to put up a
gristmill, which he did, on the millsite
now commonly known as "Webbs Old
Mill" on Steel Creek-the first erected
in 1.-The Nation;" and Garrison, think,
was probably the third or fourth white
settler. Mr.. Spratt lived to an advanc-
ed age, seeing white settlements grow
up where he had known but Indian
towns, and the powerful tribe among
whom he had come when young, dwin-
die into insignificance. How mutable
are the things of this world! I remem-
ber seeing him once. He was a tall,
spare man, kindly spoken, and active
for his years. He raised large fami-
ly. His son, Thomas Spratt, died un-
married; James married Miss McRea,
and left three sons-Thomas, Robert
and Leonidas-the last, lately the edi-
tor Of the Charleston Standard, an ac-
complished gentleman and graceful
writer. One daughter married Hugh
White; another, Arthur Erwin; third,
a Mr.. Garrison; and fourth, a Mr..
Mcneil. The fifth, Susan, never mar
ried.
WILLIAM ERWIN.
The second white settler in the
Indian Land" was William Erwin. He
was from Virginia, and through the
Influence Of his friend, Thomas Spratt,
obtained from the Catawbas lease of
three miles square, extending from
Steel Creek bridge, on toward Char
lotte. He moved here with his family,
and ever maintained pleasant rela-
tions with the natives. A small field
of the rich land produced corn bread
and hominy, and his trusty rifle pro-
cured always deer and wild turkey FOR
meat. Our now common daily bever-
ages of tea and coffee were luxuries
we'll nigh unknown in the families OF
our hardy backwoodsmen, and little
labor and expense were necessary to
comfortable subsistence. Milk and
butter were usually abundant. But a
few years after Mr.. Ervin's immigra-
ton, a disease among the kline in his
section of country was prevalent,
which proved fatal to his entire stock.
He bought fresh supply, for he could
IlOl, Ilt uSSidlCub lifS WllIOul llAlh c1iANi
butter The distemper again visited
his range. The third time he bought;
the distemper killed every cow. In
thorough disgust, he sold three miles
square Of Indian land, for an Indian
pony, a silver watch, still and an old
wagon, shook the dust off his feet and
removed to the head waters Of Turkey
| t,1,n Ia
now stands, and where his cattle found
immunity from disease. He never
could be brought to acknowledge that
he regretted the exchange: for he was
dear lover of butter, and milk was a
fair necessity to him, he would always
declare, in exculpation of his exchange.
William Erwin was man Of short
stature, inclined to be corpulent in his
old age, when I knew him. A brave,
free hearted man, who would fight for
friend and give his last shilling to a
needy stranger, with a great deal of
dry humor and fund of anecdote, which
, he told we'll. He fought at Fort Du
Ouesne, and used to say he did there
"some of the tallest running to save the
red hair on the top of his head" He
,. was in the Keowee expedition, and af-
, forwards fought till the end Of the Rev
olution as one Of Lacys command, and
lived years after to tell many a merry
tale of his campaigns. His wife was
Miss Sally Ross, sister of Maj Frank
Ross, of York, woman Of great ener-
gy and good sense, who lived to the
advanced age of SO. They had three
sons and four daughters - Arthur
Frank and William, who was called
the handsomest young man of his
day; Dorcas, Jenny, Mary and Katie
from whom are many descendants now
living in York.