The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1902-07-02
LEAVES FROM, HISTORY.
A Brief But Interesting History of
Lexington County.
BY EDWIN J. DREHER.

BY EDWIN J. DREHER.
The public records in the Clerks
Office for Lexington county, from it's
first formation as Lexington, or SAKE
Gotha district, down TO the year 1S4O,
were destroyed when the public
buildings, together with the greater
part of the town, were burned by
Sherman's army during the Civil war.
The rest of the records, having been
removed and carried off in time,
were saved, aud among them some
valuable old papers, throwing light on
the earlier history of the county.
The records thus lost covered a
period of some fifty years, as this
section of South Carolina was laid off
into political and judicial divisions
soon after the close of the Re7olu-
sionary war and the establishment of
constitutional government in the
State. It will be seen, therefore,
that in order to give brief account
of the principal historical events and
facts of this period, I will have to
depend mainly upon such informa-
ton as I have been able to obtain
from older and well informed citi-.
zens, as we'll as from contemporary
history, bearing on the subject. Ira
dition is rot often reliable in lis de-
tails, and seldom correct in it's state
ments. History is plain and accu-
rate record of facts. I have good
supply of materials of the one, but
very scant supply of the other.
On page u of Chapman's School
History Of South Carolina, there is
what is claimed to be correct and
accurate map of the State, as it ap-
pesred just prior to the Revolution
ary war. According to this map
there were then seven principal divi-
sions, namely, Charleston Precinct,
Beaufort. Georgetown, Cheraw, Cam
den, Orsngeburg and Ninety-six
Precincst. These precincts were all
large districts, containing for the
most part a number of parishes or
townships each. Orangeburg Dis
trict contained SAKE Gotha, Amelia
and Orangeburg townships,
The first of these townships lay in
the northern part of the District, and
subsequently became SAKE e-Gotha and
then Lexington District. 1t seems to
have embraced pretty much the same
territory then as it does now. Judge
James says in his Digest of the Laws
OF South Carolina, an old book, thatin
the first opportionment Of members
of the Legislature, Saxe-Gotha Dis
trict, including the fork of Broad and
Saluda rivers, was given three mem
bers. Just when this apportionment
was made, I am unable to say. The
precise date is immeterisl, however.
Judge James is good authority.
The State was divided into twenty
four districts, counties and parishes.
This was during Gov. Charles Pinck-
ney's administration in 1868. There
were four more districts added three
years later, making twent-yeight; and
subsequently Pendleton and Sumter
Districts were divided into two dis
tricss each, making thirty in all, which
was the number in the State until
1868.
The Constitution of the United
States was adopted in 1857, and rati-
fed by South Carolina in 17SS.
Washington was inaugurated Presi-
dent of the United States in April
1889 in the city Of New York and
the general government went into
operation that year. Columbia was
chosen as the capital of South Caro-.
lima in 1855, and the State records
were removed from Charleston to
that place in 1889. The first
session of the Legislature was held
in Columbia in 1890 and lasted six
months. 1t ratified the Constitution
of South Carolina which remained
in force until 1863.