Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-27
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
From the First Settlement to the Close OF
the Revolution.
vREy. ROBERT LATHAM. ID. ID.

| From the Y~rkville Enquirer Of 1876
INsTALLMENT XXXIV.
Growth of Population.
For many reasons the increase Of
population in South Carolina was not
so rapid as was desirable, nor so great
as might have reasonably been expect
ed In 1924, the population was $4,000,
of which number $4,000 were whites.
In 1874, the population was only 80 O0O,
of which 5000 were whites and $4,000
slaves. The whites had, in ten years,
decreased 5000 and slaves increased
1000. If the census returns of 1884
are correct, 1t would be difficult to
account for the decrease. The prov
ince was visited in 1923 by yellow fe-
yer, which greatly reduced the number
of the inhabitants, and from a petition
sent up by the people to the King or
England, we are informed that many
colonists had gone with their effects
to North Carolina.
About the time of which we are
speaking, it was, 1t seems, daily oc-
currence for individuals to leave South
Carolina and go to North Carolina.
The reason of this was the fact that up
to the time Of the settlement Of Geor-
s!a, South Carolina was frontier set
.lernent, and exposed as we have al
ready seen, to the Spaniards Of st.
Augustine, and various surrounding
Indian tribes.
Menace of the French.
There was another fact which had a
tendency for a time, to retard the
growth of the population OF South
Carolina. The French, in 1712. made
settlement at the mouth Of the Mis-
sissippi. Louis the Fourteenth. grant,
ed a large tract of country to Crozat.
This, as will be remembered, was
within the limits of the territory grant
ed by Charles the Second to the origi-
nal proprietors and by their success
ors ceded to the crown Of England In
1929. The simple fact that French
colony had been planted at the mouth
of the Mississippi was Of itself, mat
ter of little consequence. The dis
tance from South Carolina was so very
great and land so very abundant that
no very great inconvenience could have
resulted from the settlement Of COL
ony Of French at this point. 1t will,
haf
from an early period laid claim to the
whole Of the North American continent
and she thought upon as good grounds
as those by which 1t was claimed by
England. Louis had no good design In
granting a tract of land to Crozat.
This colony was not content to remain
in the neighborhood of the spot on
which 1t was first located; but grad
ually extended itself eastward. Forts
were built in the territory now occu-
pied by the present state of Alabama
In these forts soldiers were stationed
and from these strongholds emmissa-
ries were sent out amongst the various
Indian tribes for the especial purpose
Of alternating their affections toward the
English. This fact, as much as any
thing else retarded the increase OF
population in South Carolina. and no
doubt tended to cause it to decrease.
Georgia as a Bumper State.
The settlement of Georgia changed
the aspect of things in South Carolina
Immigrants now began to flock In from
all quarters of Europe. The eleven
townships which had been by the or
der of the assembly laid out, were
gradually receiving settlers. Germany,
Ireland, Scotland, Switzerland, and
even France as well as England, con-
tributed to fill the country with In
habitants. In twenty years after the
settlement of Georgia, the white pop
ulation of Georgia amounted to 10000
and the slaves to 10000. The Georgia
colony contributed both directly and
indirectly to the growth Of South Caro-
lima
The form of government established
by the trustees in Georgia was by no
means adapted to the circumstances or
the people. The people were restricted
in their agricultural labors to the pro-
duction Of wines and silks; the first
settlers being poor people, collected
from the cities Of Europe, were totally
unfit for making a settlement in for
est. The result was that many of
them became dissatisfied and crossed
the Savannah and became citizens OF
South Carolina. In order to obtain set
tiers Of the proper character for that
colony, the trustees Of Georgia had re-
course to the highlands of Scotland
and the rural districts of Germany.
From Inverness, in Scotland, 130 High
landers were received, and from Ger
many ITO. These new comers settled
in different sections and proved val
liable accessions to the inhabitants Of
Georgia.
The Purrysburg colony soon became
dissatisfied. At first the members or
this Swiss colony were delighted at the
prospect of being in a short time, the
owners OF large lallu estates, pul Ihe
climate proved unfavorable. Many Of
them sickened and died. The surviv-
ors murmured and repined, and Purry
was censured for inducing them to
leave the mountains and glens Of their
native lands.
Influx From Europe.
The condition of things in many of
the governments of Europe contribut-
ed to increase the number Of inhabi-
tants of South Carolina. Religious
persecution drove some Of the best
men, with their families, from their
native land, to the New World. With
great propriety it may be said that
| God ope ned up America that the op-
pressed of every creed might find a
home i'm it's wilds-that the downtrod-
den might be free. 1t is worthy Of
note that North America offered its ex-
tensive forests as an asylum to the
prosecuted Protestants Of Europe.
About the year 1871, the Scotch-lrish
began to pour into South Carolina in