The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-08-26
An Enjoyable Occasion.

Family reunions have come to be
quito common in these days, and in al
most every community We hear of
large gatherings of relatives and friends
at some old homestead to celebrate the
day and to enjoy the occasion in re-
counting the many incidents of family
history that have been handed down
from generation to generation.
10 our mind there is something real
ly worth while in these family gather
lDgs, and 1T would be well Tor us and
our children if tho members of the
family should meet Mt least once in n
year and spend day in pleasant recre
many incidents OF the early days, when
our grandparents and great grandpa
rents first settled in the !vi!Is where
now their grandchildren of several
generations are living and enjoying
the advantages of civilized citizenship,
which is made secure to them through
the many hardships and heroic strug-
giles Of the hardy settlers who enter
ed this upper Carolina where the In
dian then roamed, tho sovereign of
the land, and the wild animals haunted
cabin and clearing
at that time our fOrefather cleared
the forest and titled lis little crop with
his trusted rifle near ut thand, while the
mother kept strict watch at the cabin
and guarded her little ones with zen-
lous care lest tliey stray too far away
and suffer attack from the forocious
wild beast, Oh be kidnapped by some
lurking rcd man. who was often on the
the unwarrautcd intrusion of the pale
face.
10 our worthy ancestors II ESQ were
real dangers and OF frequent occur
renee, but in our day, how different,
and how much we owe to them for the
peaceful and prosperous state of affairs
Of today
1t was our pleasure aud privilege to
be present at the family reunion held
on the Goth inst. at the old Moorehead
homestead, near the northera limits OF
ed by one of the descendants-Rob
MoOrehead. His grandfather, John
Moorehead, came from County Mona
CHAN, Ireland, in 1902, landing at New
Castle, Penn, from which place he re-
moved to Union District, s. c., during
the time OF the American Revolution,
afterward removing again in 1888 20
tho home above described.
Here he with several Of his children
AISVtlS uuO AlOtu ttll6 pthE5 uAV6 gone
out from time to time fully 300 Of his
descendants, who are living in various
parts of the South and West.
There were five SONS and three
daughters of John MUOrehead and oil
lived, married and reared large fami-
lies of children. Ihe youngest OF the
sons, Alexander MOorehead, Esq +,
lived and died ut the old homestead,
where his youngest sou. Robert Moore
head, still resides,
The company who assembled on this
occasion were not 80 numerous as at
other meetings which wo have attend
ed, as tho weather. was threatening,
but there was about 1T6 persons pres
ent, majority OF whom were the lineal
descendants OF John MOorehead. The
meeting was held near the school house
IN the grove, where seats had been ar
j. w. Quattlebaum, Esq, introduced
General Nd. l.. Bonham as the first
speaker, who made one Of his usually
brilliant and masterful addresses =
which was attentively listened to by
every one present, and which was In
teresting and entertaining throughout.
We were really sorry when the General
closed his remarks, and could have
wished they were extended, but the
speaker was human, you know, and
the hour being one o'clock, he seemed
TO think Chat probably some of the
children were becoming impatient for
the1r dlnner-and then, TOO, he was
rate dinner was announced, and such q
meal! Only those present know any
thing about it, and this article would
be too long for the printer were we 20
attempt enumeration OF the viauds.
Plenty? Yes, and more, OF everything
that q hungry man could want and the
cooking-well, the Indies have certain
ly not forgotten their lesson In this re-
spect, though they have the steamer
nothing.
And after the dinner was over then
came the fruits aud watermelons in
of superior quality TO anything we
have had the fortune To taste of lately
Oh! what feast and frolic here on the
hill where our grandpapas and grand :
motherB were SCnt to- play and rOmp
more than q century ago-and looking
forwerd o century where will orr de-
ecendants find room to sport anu pic
MIC in this rapidly growing, thrtv'-.
COunty3 Will there be any place for
gardens for their play grounds7 They
will have to settle that question. We
will not likely be here to tronble about
il then. :; s.. Il
Dinner over, ws oil gathered at
the stand to listen 10 a plain, practical
talk from our venerable citizen and
friend OF our ancestors, Hon. B. F..
Crayton. His remarks were good, "a
they always are on snch occasione, and
we were truly glad to have him with
US as our honored gueas. May he live
MANY yeara anH aftnnd nur ranntou q
with each successive year. 81
We noticed one of the treasured
family relics, draped upon the limb OF
an oak near by. Upon enquiry we learn
ed that the aforesaid .,elic was coun-
terpane which was woven in Ireland
15O years ago by the same John
MOorehead, first named. who was q
weaver By trade, aud who had piled
the beam In every County In Ireland
with the exception ut three probably
before hs smiled, from Londoniery In
1762. The colorsfwere white and blue
"a -M-v, M isss5i . }. :;