Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-03-08
a GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST.
interesting Faois cuiied from an Old Diay
Of James A. Doyle.

interesting Faots Cuiled from an Old DiaD
j Of James A. Doyle.
Bowersville, Ga, FebrIaiS 27.--Edi
tors Keowee Courier: Looking fseently
through an old diary kept by my father,
James A. Doyle, noticed some things
that might possibly interest a few of you,
readers, especially the older ones. It is
for the young genetstion to figure out IL
their minds the contrasts between then
aud now. Among other things 1 find
the following:
mo house on the road between Pick
ems Ferry and Walhalla the first tune
] travelled the road. The first house was
at the upper end of what is now Wal
halla, whore lived an old man named
Houston. This was in 1928. Land along
this road would hardly bring 25 cents an
acre. OF the McElroy place Dave Sloan
and Overton Lewis said it would not dc
to buy this land at 25 cents per acre fol
speculation.
~. A. Doyle bought Lewis Moore
heads place for colt in 1885.
"Traot of 100 acres near Double
Springs WAS given as boot In horse
trade about 1920. Common thing to trade
horse or colt for tract Of land. A
gun also was big item in land trade.
when was tax collector of Piokens
District (ls4O-1S4S) land was divided into
three classes or grades and taxed as fol-
lows:
"First Glass; Bottom land, tax SO cents
per 100 acres.
! Second Ciass-Good upland, tax 1S
cents per 100 acres.
| "Third Class-Included the balance and
was taxed cents per 100 acres. Most of
the land given in in this class.
"The first licensed physician in
Pickens District was DR.. Robert Maxwell,
who lived near Fair Play, on the Beaver
dam. This was in 1910.
"In 1S4S 1 knew personally every tax
payer in Pickens District.
"William Doyle. father of James A,
Doyle, was born near Hagerstown, Md,
about 1884, of parents whose ancestors
were among the first settlers of that
State. His parents moved to Pendleton
District, South Carolina, when William
was quite boy. My grandfather on
my mothers side was az Irishman
named Alexander, who was a soldier in
the American Revolution.
"Richard Lewis, father of Overtcn j.
Lewis, bought Tsmassoe place from son
of Gen. Andrew Pickens. At death of
Richard Lewis Tamassee was given to
Andrew Lewis as his part of Richards
estate. Overton j. Lewis swapped even
the Dendy place at Richland for Tamas-
see. which in 1882 was valued at $500.
II was tax collector of Rabun county,
Georgia, in 1880. Amount of taxes in
that year did not exceed 800 for the
county,"
These events happened in the long ago.
But few, if any. now living can recall a
knowledge of these things. The first
house on road sat upper upper end of
what is now Walhalla" was located in all
probability near the Weiben's spring.
Lands were cheap because of the sparse
population. Horses were scarce and
relatively more valuable than now be-
cause they we're the principal means of
transportation. Guns were accounted
valuable assets. They were mauufac-
tured in the old country and, in conse-
quence, were scarce and dear. A gun in
those days was also highly valued on &C
count of the abundant game. Most lands
are given in for taxation in the third
class to-day just as they were in 1910.
"Times change and men change with
Them" lam not, however, one of those
that believe the times have changed for
the worse. We are in the midst of the
most progressive and prosperous years
the country has ever seen. The people
of this generation compare favorably in
every way with those that have gone be-
fore. But it is duty we owe to some
times look backward and honor the
memory of the sturdy pioneers who did
so much in the past to insure the happi-
ness OF the present. H. b. Doyle.