Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-07-02
A VOICE FROM OLD PICKENS.
Dendys, Holcombes, Curtises, NeviIIes, John.
sons and McFals.

Old Pickens, S. c., June 90
Editors Courier: On looking up
the records-of Old Pickens, l find
that James III. Dendy was the first
Ordinary of the District, and held the
position sixteen years, and held the
office at the time of his death. Be-
sides the excellent manner in which
his books were kept and the impor-
tant duties of the office discharged,
the fact that he held the office for that
period of time, bespeaks his popu-
larity and fidelity to public trust.
He is said to have been most
worthy citizen and gentleman of
high Christian character. He was
an elder in the Presbyterian church.
He was born at Richland, in Old
Laurens District, 1888 and died in
1916. lie was the father of Mar
shall b., Thomas H., William II. and
S. Il. Dendy, of Oconee county,
all Of whom, except William H., on
account Of i'll health, did valiant SER
vice in the Confederate War, and
arc. all living save Thos. H., who
died few years ago, and w. H.,
who died in 1864. Each of them
has performed well his part in life
and is justly recorded as ga worthy
son of worthy sire" Marshall B.
represented his county in the Legis-
lature in 1892.
Major Styles p. Dendy, a promi-
ncnt member of the Walhalla bar,
is another son who spent four of the
most precious years of his young
manhood in camp and battle; en-
tered the army as a private and re-
turned to his home after the sad,
solemn scene at Appomattox in the
tattered, war worn uniform of Con-
federate major, finished his educa-
tion, graduated in law at the Uni
versity of Virginia, located at Wal
halla for the practice of his profes-
sion, was thrice elected Probate
Judge, and has since served in the
House of Representatives as a men,
Der from Oconee county. lie is not
only distinguished for his public
spirit and all the qualities which
most adorn the character of an able
advocate and conscientious counsel
lor, but also for his eminence as a
Free Mason and his piety as a model
Christian and Sunday school worker.
Added to all this, he is a man of fine
physique, dignified appearance and
most prepossessing manners.
w. f. Holcombe was the last Or
dinary of the old District, and in
those days was quite popular and
regarded as an efficient officer. After
the division of the District he be-
came a citizen of Pickens county,
was elected to the Legislature and
served one term in reconstruction
times, or, in the language of Radi-
Cal Governor, during "the years of
good stealing in South Carolina" ;"
One of his daughters, Eliza, married
DIR. Thos. A. Evans, of Anderson
5. G, and the other, Essie, married
Rev. Il. A. Childs, then Of Pickens.
lie had four sons, Henry, who be-
came captain in the army; John
r., who studied law, and Samuel and
ELIAS, who engaged in farming. All
were in Georgia when I last heard
from them. As boy John r.. was
peculiarly bright and talented, and
If he devoted himself to his profes-
sion there is no reason to doubt that
he succeeded.
Naaman and John Curtis, father
and son, who, in the early days,
lived four miles above the old Court
House on Keowee river Zone on each
side) deserve mention, not only as
useful citizens and prominent farm
ers, but also as being the first two
persons to die in this section from
that then dreaded and virulent dis
ease--the small pox. Somewhere in
the twcnties they carried drove OF
cattle 10 Charleston and soon afte,
their return both were seized with
the awful scourge. The community
was panic stricken, as the disease
was then regarded as always fataI
and it so proved in these two cases
| have been told by people who were
then living that it was impossible tc
get physician, nurses or sufficient
help to dress and bury the dead, but
there was one old man, immune
whose services were mado available
and he performed the sad funera
x;tna