The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-12-24
c., WEDNESDAY,, DECEMBER a. 1902.
A Phenomenon Of lS47.

mere IS nothing more entertaining
OF the happening of incidents which
are contrary tc experience and natural
law, especially if the incident occurred
near the nelghbOrhood whore thew
WeIo feareu, anu more especially if tho
Iacts can DO authenticated by some of
thelr 9 aged ancestry still living.
Ihere happened in this State MANY
years ago an incident, amounting clear
~ TO phenomenon, which has never
been satisfactorily explained. though
It excited "a great deal of interest mt
the time and many columns in the
newspapers were devoted to an ac-
count OF the incident and to an attempt
to explain it by natural causes. ~
Ihero WAS. and perhaps still ia, mn
enormous rock i'll what was at that time
tmrheld District, 7 miles from Month
celio ana miles from Winnsboro. on
the road between the two places. The
rock was known in the neighborhooi
as "Sheep Rock: 1t was 45 feet in cir
cumterence, 10 feet perpendicular and
contained at least 1000 feet of solid
stone. The rock was situated on the
side OF hill having an incline OF not
more than 20 degrees. On Friday
night, the 18th of March. 1847, this rock
m9yea nrt5v a. " ss distance of a74 yards. OF ex-
row II feet at the upper end, 5 feet
deep at the lower, threw the earth n
distance OF 80 feet on either sido and n
ulstance or w feet to the front of where
the rock stopped. 1t was not rolled.
Tor lts deep cut furrow showed that It
mad plowed it's way, and that with the
celevity Of q cannon ball. Hundreds
OF people from tar and near went to see
anu examine the rock and its surround
lngs, and many theories as to the cause
were advanced, but nOhe were satisfac
tory.
Some thought it was the result of nm
earthquake. but it could not have been.
because other rocks, in u tottering con-
Gltlon, IN the same vicinity, would have
1allen; indeed, every house in the State
would nave been prOstratc, neither of
which was tho case, nor was tho slight
est tremoro OF earth felt. Others thought
1t the reeult Of some iniiamablo matter
under tho rock, which exploded spon-
taneously or was ignited bv lightning.
but had this been the case tho rock
would have been thrown upward and
not horizontal. If the explosion had
Deen on the opposite side to drive it
seen on the rock, but nothing of the
KIND could be found. Besides, the re-
port OF such q concussion could have
| Deen heard for many miles, arOusing
the entire country. which was not the
case: Others thought it was the effect
OF lightning, but there was no mark
nor sign of lightning on the rock, and
had it been lightning it would have, in
thousands Of pieces. It had rained ' q
part of two days and nights, but that
would not have made it easier to plow
beneath the wet soil and clay, neither
could the rock have acquired force un-
der gravitatiOn to throw the soil SO and
80 feet to the sides and front, as was
the case. Why did not the rock move
before7 The soil had often been as
wet and even wetter; the depression of
the hill was tho same, gravitation the
same.
The fact is, this phenomenon was
never accounted for to the satisfaction
OF thlnking people, and remains a mys-
| some aged citizens yot living vino,
when they. read this, will recall this
remarkable lucident.
The above is synopsis o. articles
IN old newspapers on file in this Office.