The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-02-26
ADDRESS
OF Col. Sam. w. Wilkes at Unveiling OF Con
feders,te Monument, Jan. 1S, 1902.


incidents stand out SO plainly Oh the
canvas Of the past that it seems bu t
yesterday that was here. | remcm-
Der the old Fairgrounds about the viii
lage, my companions Of those days,
their faces and characteristics Who
does not recall the boyhood days Of
Mike O'Ncal and Mack Cochran, who
kept the town alive with their pranks? =?
recall the old swimming pool in
Rocky River where we all learned to
swim. recall the old churches, Sam
Crawford's brick school house, Prof.
Hall school, Mr.. Osbornc's lanyard,
Ed Anderson and his little white
horse Mack" Joe Martin harness
shop, where Joe. in his kindlincss,
welcomed all with happy smile, DR..
Cater, on his missions Of mercy; Mr.
Murray, the man Of God; Mr.. Reed,
with his gold-hcadcd cane and broad :
cloth suit; Newt. Scott, the town mar
shall, at once the guardian of the vii
]agc and the town boys friend; Elijah
Webb, Of boundlcss hospitality; Mr..
Daniel Brown, whose quick energy al
ways made him a notable figure; Capt.
MIN Sullivan, whose jokes are pro-
verbal; Davy Woodson, who was a
ray of sunshine of peculiar kind;
Jcp. Wilson and Stephen McCully, Of
sacred memory, and, last Of all, Grant
Fant, IL true type Of the town darky Of
antc-bcllum days, confidential friend
Of all the boys, and a servant to every
household.
Again, there is one VIC do not for
get. 1t is he: the knightly gentleman, :,
the learned jurist, the broad states
man, the devoted patriot, who loved
his people and loved his land Whose
philosophy would have guided them,
whose wisdom would have protected
them, whose matchlcss cloqucncc did
often lead them, who in every station
Of life was great. Who occupied the
highest places Of public trust in his
State and nation, with illustrious
pride to his State and honor to his
name, and thus is the kingly James
l.. Orr enshrincd forever in the
hearts OF his country men and the
history Of this grand old common
wealth.
Again, can you recall 4 court week
in Anderson in those days, when
Uncle Billie Holmes, from tho iron
steps of the old court house, ann oun-
ccd, "Oh, yes, oh, yes! the court is
now open," and calling different ones
into court with an unction of authori-
ity in his voice never before nor since
equalled2 Have you not seen the peo-
pie from every section of the district
greeting each other with neighborly
cordiality? Have you never bought
locust and persimmon beer and ginger
cake from the old ladies whose cover
ed wagons stood on the square with
little tables on the rear from which
they served their wares? Do you re-
member how palatable it was?
Among the notable characters who
came to the village every court week
let me present to you one as I remem-
Der him. A short, strong built man,
somewhat gray from age, full of self
confidence and much palavcr, good
hearted to fault, but with an imagi-
nary enmity always against the town
marshal, and harmless idea that his
visit to the village was failure unless
no was arrested or had engaged in
scrap. He was consequential broth
or and would be noticed, but his good
qualities always saved him from serious
trouble. He was the shoe maker, he
was ga bad man with bad eye," be
was man with thirst. He was
Steve Chastine of the Fork, the com
panion of Devil John Smith" and
Silas Massey, of notorious fame. Peace
to them
But we pass from this happy pc
riod. Hark-what is that?
There seems to be an unrest amongst
the people. 1t is scarcely noticeable
at first, there is subdued fever in
the air, suppressed something like
the terrible quiet which oft preoedcs
the storm at sea. Men are unnatural
ly disturbed, the peace and content
mcnt seems to have gone out Of their
lives, there is an ominous commotion
here and there, vague rumors of trou-
ble in state and national affairs had
floatcd .out amongst the people and
disquieted them. Soon meetings we're
being held, and strange excitement
,oacoccod tho rnulf;fudo