The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-03-09
JOSEPH LABO0N BYRuM.
III ". ". KEYS.

ueIbOu ailu IL BLlllEnOWD 98 t16 ByruNl
homestead. His nearest neighbcr on
tance of about mile, running north
and south, their lands joined. They
both had large farms, kept large herds
Of sheep and cattle and hogs, with
horses and mules and servants sufi-
cient to operate their places. and al
though the line fence was very sorry
one. furnishing very poor protection
against the passing of stock from one
place to the other. there was never. to
difference between them on account of
the trespassing of stock or from any
other cause. They were what we
would call good ncighbors. They re-
spected esc,, others rights, were CON
Blderato of each others interests, and
accommodating and fraternal as neigh
bors should be. In both tho Byrum
and the Keys homo were many chill
drcn and these, following the good
in all their relations kindly fellow
ship and mutual good will toward
each other. And SO it was also with
The mothers in these homes. The ex-
change of friendly visits and thOus-
and and ono little cOurtesies between
the good women continued through
nearly half a century. Each seemed
to thoroughly understand the other,
and ii there was ever an unkind feel
ing on the part of either for the other
their children never knew it, He who
learns how to live in harmony with
his fellows has solved ono of tho i'm
pOrtant problems that cOnfrOnts every
life. These families solved the prob
lem as 1t concerned them as neiglIbors,
and enjoyed tho blessings resulting
from it's solution through a long period
OF years.
II l remember correctly, Joseph l..
Byrum was a native of Georgia, prob
ably OF Hart County. On visit TO
Anderson County when young man
ne made the acquaintance of Miss
pcRgy Burrlss, q member Of tho large
family OF that name which has done
80 much for the development and en-
rlching OF tho County, and soon there
after they were married and begun
the journey of life together. They
were we'll mated. They were both
descended from sturdy stock and had
been reared in conditions that required
familiarity with all sorts of labor neces-
sary to country life in their time. MIR.
Byrum was both u mechanic and far
mer, while his good wife knew how TO
spin and weave and make the cloth
ing, to tend the garden and prepare the
meals, and to wisely direct the affairs
OF her household. And in knowledge
OF all these accomplishments she gave
her six or seven daughters full instruc-
ton.
As remember Mr.. Byrum he was
rather of the rugged order, and am
impressed that he paid somewhat less
attention to his personal appearance
and to the cOnventionalities of life
than was usual with tho other gentle
mon of the community. lie Was not q
man to wear store bought clothes and
the regulation black silk neck chokcr
and silk hat. Indeed, | doubt if he
would have worn such an outfit if it
had been provided by his friends free
Of cost, ans! ! fee! quite sure that he
Valued his tiuiiurs too highly to invest
them in such articles While his good
wife. Peggy, kept him 30 we'll sup
Piled with the necessary articles for
his comfort of her own make. But il
he was indifferent to his personal ap-
pearance ho was not Indifferent to his
personal conduct, and after all it is
better to put the emphasis on conduct
than on appearance. And evidently
that is where this rugged countryman
put 1t. He was man of stern integ-
rity, of the kind whose word is "a
good as their bond. He gave full
measures Of wheat and of corn for the
money and put honest lumber and hon
est work into every plow-stock and
wagon wheel that went out from his
shop: When an honest heart beats
within q bosom, who cares whether 1t
is covered with fine linen and broad
cloth or coarse cotton and jeans7
MI. Byrum was not very socially in
clined. He seldom visited his neigh
bOrs. imagine he was too busy with
his farm and shop work to spare the
time necessary for visiting. And yet
ne was II huspitabic mnn and enjoy ed
the comradesh;p of his neighbors and
always. gave them cordial welcome
when they went to his home. lie was
spent as few days in idleness in the
year rs any man Of his means in An
derson County. He worked on the
farm during the crop season, made
brick after the crops were "laid by''
and spent many weeks in his shop,
which was we'll supplied with forge and
benches and anvils and all the tools
necessary, for work in wood and iron
he could build O wagon or make plOw,
and do all kinds of repairing, from the
most DELICATE parts of intricate ma
chimes to the heaviest parts of the large
farm wagons. He did much repair
work for his neighbor farmers and was
always MOST accommodating about it..
Ills shop was q curious looking place,
ut least to u little boy who was not
used to such establishments. In addi-
tion to the numerous tools which hung
from nails and spikes in the walls. such
as saws and hammers, planes and axes
of all kinds and sizes, squares and
compaeses, drawing knives and wrench
es, screw drivers and files, vices and
screws, tOngs and punches, there we're
all kinds of lumber in all the stages Of
manufacture. and everywhere were bro
ken wheels and springs and shafts and
plow-stocks and scythes and number
Iees other such articles awaiting the
skillful hand of the master mechanic
or discarded as worthless. Talk about a
curiosity chop. but if MIR. Byrum's shop
was not a curiosity, then lhave never
seen place that deserved to be so de-
signated. To the novice there was con-
fusion everywhere, but imagine with
the master Of the place things were in
perfect order and just rs he wanted
them.
The subject of my sketch was largo
man, perhaps six feet high and two
hundred pounds in weight. lie was
etOOD- shoul ldered and moved in elou,