Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-05-07
GEN. ANDrasoa's GRAVE.
II Is Unmarked and eysrsrown with Rriars.
A Disappointment "A Reproach.
lfW. al Diokson n Anaarson Nta;,,

T ~ w. <As &>iOhoVut III Auubtbou Dihlt.
Broyles. May s.---I met with painful
disappointment when 1 journeyed the
other day to Gen. Robert Anderson's old
home on the Seneca river to see his grave.
1 had heard that q number of graves
there were marked, but the only tomb
stone on the neglected aud desolate spot
stands at the grave OF a traveller who was
drowned there in the spriug OF 1919.
Notice of this incident may be seen in
an old file of the Pendieton Messenger,
now in the possession of Mr. @. @. Lang
ston, of the Intelligencer.
There seem to be q dozen or so graves
in the family burying ground, a small,
unenclosed spot, oyergrown with briars
and stunte6 post oak and wild cherry
trees. a plantation fire had broken out
q few days before was there and had
swept the spot ciean--a rebuke, as it
We're, to forgetful hands. The graveyard,
in the midst of a large cleared area,
stands on the inner border of seni-
rising abruptly some ten feet above the
big bottom lowland next the river, and
is, say, three hundred yards north of the
spot where the dwelling stands. Not
far away is the slaves burying ground.
Gen. Anderson's residence stands on the
edge of the same elevation where it
closes in upon the river and within two
hundred yards of the stream. Fronting
the house, or where it used to stand, for
the f1re-flend devoured it soon after the
war, is a strip of eight acres of surpass-
ingly rich oottom land which in the long
ago was cover with maple trees.
The old house stood north and south.
and must have been sixty feet long, judg-
ing from the piles of stone aud brickbats
where the ohimneys stood. Struggling
through one of these piles is the old-time
fig bush that hugged the ancestral ohm.
ney corners. An overhanging yearling
walnut tree had dropped its last years 5
fruit among the stones and bricks, some
of which fished out and cracked and
ate, and unused while my friend Routh
entertained the man living in recently
constructed house in the old yard with
discussion of seed corn or admired the
Jersey red pig penned upon the spot
where the other chimney stood.
Gen. Anderson settled upon the river
soon after the Revolution, coming, no
doubt, with his longtime friend, Gen.
Pickens, from Abbeville. He was a
native of Augusta county, Virginia, and
came from there to South Carolina with
Andrew Pickens many years before the
Revolution and in his young manhood.
Gen. Pickens settled on the east side of
the Seneca. and nearly opposite Gen.
Anderson, his place being known as
Hopewell. They were not related by
blood, it seems, but were kindred spirits,
and together took the lead in establish
ing and building the Stone Church, and
both served the church as ruling elders.
If Gen. Anderson ever served the State
in the General Assembly do not happen
fn hrrf II xuoo InA1 Co.,
islative honors, together with Gen. Pick
ems, in 1904, and when we consider their
standing aud influence we may conclude
they were elected if ans yoody was.
Upon the statement of his greatSgrand-
son, Prof. Halsey, of Chicago, Gen.
Anderson held no higher rank than cap
tain in the revolutionary war. He was
made general of militia after the war.
1t is great pity that no dates in his
known of his personal appearance. He
is said to have been of large frame and of
commanding appearance. That he was
a genuine Christian is we'll authenticated.
The town of Andersonville, in the fork
of Seneca and Tugaloo rivers, established
by act of the Legislature in 1901, was
named in compliment to him.
Ann Thompson, the mother of his chill
dren; second to Mrs. Maverick, and third
Mrs. Reese, widow of Rev. Thomas
Reese, ID. D., the first pastor of the Stone
church. His children were:
Mary, born September 10, 1895; mar
lied, first Robert MAXWELL; second Elias
Carouth; died May 8, II
John, born June 5, 1773; died boy.
Jean, born June IL, 177-; married Will,
liam Shaw, and died without children.
Robert, born December 20, ITS; mar
ried April B, 1906 Maria Thomas of Mas.
sau, on the Island of New Providence,
on the southern coast of Florida. He
died December 7, 1885, and his wife No.
vember, 1886.
Anna, born December 8, 1880; married
DR.. William Hunter.
Elizabeth, born August q, 1888; mar.
ried Samuel Maverick.
1 am indebted for these names and
dates to the courtesy of Mr. George f.
Prince, who has furnished me letter OF
Professor Halsey bearing upon the sub.
ject.