The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-06-10
EMAN'S HALL.
One Of til, Old ColoriaI Houses of
Lower Carolina.
SITUATED ON OLD GOOSE CREEK
Secret Passages of the Old Man.
aion. Which Is Now Going
10 Ruins. Said to Be
+1S5 Haunted

surrounded by all the conveniences
and sloxuries, 1t is like reading a
romaiice of another age, when we
pauseiand consider the lives of those
who preceded In In the days when this
land was young. Their quiet, and to
us uneyentful lives, seem so full of
peace, and yet like us, they had their
earesAnd anxieties, and perhaps often
grestSr3trials. They went more slowly,
but they had hard battle to wage in
reclaiming the wilderness.
i. 1 Iilfmvite my readers to 20 back
with me about century aud half
and take a peep at the home and
homes life Of one of the stately and
busy DANES Of that period.
Onithe banks of Goose Creek there
still stands the ruins of an old man
sion b il6 about the year 1894, by Sir
John Yemans, and sold by him to
Thouas Smith, Landgrave of South
Carolina. The house was of brick,
remarkable for their small size, and
as ar ,yidence that these peoples lives
were not altogether passed in peace,
the House was fortified against the
attaf sof Indians. The walls Of the
base. ent and of the first story were
prov ed with loopholes, and an under
ground vaulted passage led to the
creek, where boats were concealed, so
thattn case the house was fired the
family could make their escape.
DeTWrons tine ceiling and floor of one
OF tfe rooms was arranged a small
secret chamber, access to which was
had through trap door concealed in
closkt on the second floor.
Tho house was entered from the
frontsithe door leading into large
hall, 1lod1 which led doors into other
rooms} We are told by one who wrote
Of this old house many years ago, that
the 'iails Of this hall we're painted in
landscape and tiny gilded cherubs
Spreat their wings above the arches
of ths panels. a huge fireplace stood
In ons corner, decorated with Dutch
tiles Representing scriptural scenes.
Passing to the back of this hall, a
stairway led to the upper rooms; holes
werepierced at intervals in the wall
so thatif an entrance was forced into
the Hail$the defenders could fire upon
the lfemg
Alnsst within stones throw Of
the 5lpSiise is the family burying
ground I, where sleep several genera
tions saf those who oiinhabitated the
old Son: {
~ certain old I rec cordss
t,- as customary in those days
Q74 to remain upon the plantation
all the year round, and there are some
letters written to friends in Charles
ton inviting them to come into the
country in July and August, to escape
the heat OF the city.
Now let us take look into the busy
home life of the mistress of this old
mansion, Madame S., was left a
widow with large family Of children
and step children; she proved herself
most efficient manager, and was aid
ed by worthy man, Mr.. Elerton,
who appears to have filed the posi-
tion of schoolmastcr, and general
factotum Of the establishment. He
kept a journal Of everything that
transpire1, and it is from this old re.
cord that we gain an insight into the
daily life of the plantation. To quote
some Of these entries will give bet
ter idea Of this life than l could de-
scribe, and so l will use his own
words:
January 20, 174O. Madam went
to Mr.. Sam Warnings and remained
until 24th
January 25th she rented Back
River Plantation to Peter HuskinS
tn .I, mi II A .I,A,
Smith, 30th, sold seven cords OF wOod
and killed hogs.
February 2Oth-Settled with Mad
am for the year. She paid balance IL
my favor.
March 17th-M Miss Betsey Smith
and her niece Nancy Waring, came
from Goose Creek from Nancy's uncle
who sent her to me to school, and tC
live with her step-grandmothcr, Mad
anne S.
May l4th-John and Archer S
came to school.
May 28th- Received letter from
Capt Grange to appear and muster OF
an alarm.
Thirty y-seven negroes taken up anC
carried before Mr.. Collcton; kept guart
all night in sundry places; this after
noon came from muster field, and wen
again at night after setting patrols.
July 18th Madame went to Mr.
Ralph Yards to pay her tax; i
amounted to El38.
July 23-Madame and Miss Betse,
went to hear Mr.. Whitfield preach
and the dog, Jowler, died"
These are only few OF the entrie
in this queer old record, and go to shoy
how busy were the lives lived by thes
people.