The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1902-07-02

Edisto rivers, which was cut off and
placed in Aiken county since the close
of the Civil wsr. TIE Saluda river
runs across the north west section of
Lexington county, and is forms what
known as the Dutch Fork. Richland
lies on the east, Orangeburg on the
south, Aiken aud Saluda counties on
the west and Newberry on the north.
Three fourths of this large terri
tory is south of the Saluda river ly-
ing in the great sand hill belt, which
begins in south eastern Virginia and
runs across the South Atlantic States
of North Carolina, South Carolina
and Georgia and ends in South east
ern Alabama, marking with its up
per edge the falls and shoals Of the
large rivers that travers it from north
to south, and skirting the lower
edge of the Piedmont belt through
out it's whole extent. This entire
sand hill region of the South, when
We take into consideration it's favor
able geographical location, its equable
and salubrious climate, its abundance
of bold and swift streams of pure
and sparkling water, it's great variety
of soil and agricultural products and
resources, it's immense supplies of
timber of many kinds, minerals, beds
of granite, sand stone and flint, it's
many waterpowers and facilities for
manufacturing of every variety Of
fering inducements to capitalists for
investments, as we'll as superior at
fractions and advantages held out to
persons in search of pleasant and
healthful homes, is unsurpassed by
any other part of our widely extend
ed country.
As I have already stated the first
settlers of Lexington county were
for the most part Of German origin,
except perhaps along the Edisto
rivers where many persons of other
nationalities may have been found at
an early period. These pioneer settlers
as whole possessed in an eminent
degree the sturdy virtues Of industry,
thrift and economy. Their means
and facilities for religious training
and educational progress and improve
ment were very limited until a few
years before the Civil war, and as a
consequence they were very conser-
vative in all civil, political and relig-
ious matters. They we're, however, I
am panied to say, at that time, more
loyal to duty and more law abiding
in many respects than are their de-
scendants at the present day. When
South Carolina, in a spasm of politi-
cal excitement, committed the fatal
blunder of Secession, I will venture
the assertion that there were more
sincere Union men in Lexington
countv than in any other county in
the State. Notwithstanding this
fact Lexington county furnished her
full quota of troops for the deplora-
bic and disastrous war that followed;
and her soldiers were as gallant and
brave, and her people as jealous and
self sacrificing in their devotion TO
the 'Lost Cause" as .bose of any
other county Of South Carolina.
In the year of 1861, the beginning
of the Civil war, Lexington county
was in a fairly prosperous condition,
though still without railroad facilities
or other modern improvements to any
considerable extent. The Columbia
and Greenville road ran through a
small portion of the Fork of the
county next to Broad river. The Co.
lumbia and Augusta road had been
cnruo-oS ond hannn hl1t ruoe NOT fin