Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-20

Structed Governor Johnson TO DullQ
fort at Port Royal and another at AL
tamaha. A company Of foot soldiers
was granted the colony for its protec-
ton by land and ships of war were
stationed in the harbors and along the
coast, for the protection of the COM
merce of the colony. These and sim
liar acts of kindness and generosity,
stimulated the people to struggle
against the difficulties of the wilder
ness with energy and hope.
Commercial Importance Recognized.
The colony began to assume an i'm
portance which attracted the attention
of the large mercantile cities of Eng
land. The merchants of London, Bris-
tol and Liverpool, established branch
houses of their business In Charles
Town. Large numbers Of negroes were
brought from Africa by these European
merchants and sold to the settlers in
South Carolina.
In return, rice, silk, timber, furs and
leather were sold by the settlers to
these merchants. The exports of the
colony now began to be so extensive
as to secure to the people credit In
England. During the year 1881, near
ly forty-two thousands barrels of rice
were sent by the colony to England
and to the other colonies in America;
and fifteen hundred negroes were
brought into the state.
It would seem that the year 1871,
marks a very important period in the
history Of South Carolina. Prior to
this period, the inhabitants enjoyed
very few comforts. The houses In
which the people lived were miserable
wooden huts. In Charles Town, there
were in 1871, between five and six
thousand dwelling houses most Of
which were wooden structures.
The county possessed fewer artificial
comforts than the town. The farmers
at that early day were notcriously
slovenly. All that the majority aimed
at, was to procure a sufficient amount
of the absolute necessities Of life. This
could be accomplished almost without
an effort. The restrictions which,
heretofore had been laid on COM
merce, and the inefficiency Of the pro-
prietary government, had conspired to
make the farmers careless and indif-
ferent
So soon as the province became a.
part and parcel Of the British domin"
ions, a marked change took place. The
farmers became energetic, and in the
year 1871, two hundred and seven
ships were employed in exporting the
surplus productions of the colony.
New Towns Laid Out.
The king instructed Governor john
son to extend the settlement Of the ter
ritory in various directions. For the
purpose of effecting this object, he
was ordered to lay out eleven towns.
1t was ordered that the district con-
nected with each Of these towns should
contain a tract of 10000 acres Of land,
These towns were to be located on the
Altamaha, Savannah Santee, Pom
pom, Wateree, Black, Waccamaw and
Pedee rivers. On each Of the three
first named there were to be two towns,
and one on each of the others. Each
man, woman and child Of every family
which would settle on these tracts of
land was to receive fifty acres, which
was to be increased as the necessities
of the family might demand.
Many Came as Servants.
AT that time It was very common for
individuals TO come into the country
in the capacity of servants. These in
dividuals had engaged to labor In the
capacity of servants only for a certain
number Of years. The king made pro-
vision for this class of persons. So
soon as their term Of service expired
they were to receive fifty acres Of land,
free from all rents for two years. Wo-
men as we'll as men were entitled to
this bounty. This was a wise provis-
ion. Many persons Of good character
came at different times into the coun-
try in the capacity Of servants. BY
the wise provision Of the king these In
dividuals were, so soon as their
term of service expired, enabled
to assume, with credit to themselves,
and profit to the country, the position
of citizens. From this class Of per-
sons. some of the most worthy citizens
of the state, in after years, sprang.
Whether or not all the towns that Gov
ernor Johnson was instructed to lay
out, were actually located, we are not
able to say positively. Perhaps they
were not; but one thing Is certain,
about this time the population of the
state first began to spread over the
territory.
Purrysburg, on the banks of the Sa-
vannah, was settled by Swiss colony.
This town was about thirty miles from
the sea and seven miles above tide
water. This settlement was begun un-
der the auspices of John Peter Purry,
of Neufchatel: James Richards Of Ge-
neva; Abraham Meuron and Henry
RAYMOND, both of Sulpy. In order to
aid Purry in accomplishing his under
taking, the assembly granted him $2,-
600 and sustenance for 800 persons for
the period of one year. Provision
was made that the immigrants be Swiss
Protestants of good moral character.
The country had now been settled
sixty years. Still the people enjoyed
but few of the blessings Of civilization.
We have already seen that the dwell
ing houses of the majority of the coun-
try people were rude in appearance,
and afforded but little comfort to those
inhabiting them. There were even at
this early period in the country a few
stately mansions, but these were eX-
ceptions. A few rich men came to
South Carolina and from the infancy
of the colony lived in English style.
What we now called outhouses were,
of course, even more neglected than
the dwellings.
Cattle Left to the Weather.
In 1871, there were but few barns
I'm the state. The domestic animals
were rarely, even in winter, put In sta
1.k