Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-02-13
B. f. GRAFTON PASSES AWAY.
ONE OF ANDERs0Ns BEST AND MOST
SUBSTANTIAL CITIZENS


substantial citizens, died here yester-
day.
Mr.. Crayton was born in Green.
vile in July, 1920, and was, there
fore in his S7th year at the time of
his death. He attended school in
Greenville and at the age of 13 en-
tered Fairview Academy, in Green
vile county, high school conducted
by Rev. John Boggs, who in his day
was a noted teacher and prominent
divinee
In 1888 he came to Anderson as e
CLERK for his aaoie, the late Rev. b.
f. Mauldin, who was then young
man himself, and to whose good ex-
ample and influence hr. Crayton
ascribed in large degree his own
moral habits. He retained this
olerkship till 1S41, aud then sue
ceeded to the business on Mr.. Maui
dip's removal to Calhoun. This
business was continued till 1861, dur
ing the greater part Of which time
his brother, Il. p. Crayton, was in
partnership with him.
In 1845 the town was swept by
fire. Mr.. Crayton was absent from
home and on his return found his
store burned, but most of his goods
saved and placed in the jury room of
the Court House for safe keeping.
BY permission they were afterwards
removed to the court room, which
he used as store room till his new
store was erected. Rather than dis
turb him, Judge johnson convened
the Court on the piazza of the Orr
House. At the time of the fire, re.
markable to say, the town had not
one dollar of fire insurance.
After the war, gathering the frag.
ments Of once handsome estate,
Mr.. Crayton again began business,
associating with him his son, S. M.
Crayton, and his son.in-law, d. S.
Maxwell. This business was con-
tinued until few years ago, when
Mr.. Crayton withdrew and devoted
himself to farming.
From 1854 till 1872 MIR. Crayton
did a private banking business in
connection with his mercantile busi-
ness. In 1872 the National Bank of
Anderson was organized. Mr.. Cray
ton was one of the corporation, and
a director, till the voluntary liquida-
tion of the bank in 1891.
AT the beginning of the late war,
Mr.. Crayton closed out his business
aud joined Orr's Regiment of Rifles,
of which he was appointed quarter
master. This position he had to re-
sign on account of his health. Later
he was appointed by Jefferson Davis
Confederate States Depositary at
this place and handled for the gov
ernment large amounts of money
and bonds.
In 1862 Mr.. Crayton was elected
to the Legislature and was reelected
in 1864. In 1865 he went to Green.
vile to attend call meeting OF the
Legislature, which meeting was pre-.
vented by Stoneman's raid.
He was reelected under the pro.
visional government of South Caro-.
lima when Orr was made Governor,
and served two years. In 1878 he
was elected to the Senate, serving
four years, and was representative
of that body at the Yorktown cen.
tennial.
Mr.. Crayton was chairman of the
first board of county commissioners
provided for in the new constitution
adopted in 1868. One of the duties
Of this board was to divide the
Q >unty into townships, which divi.
sions, with the names they gave the
townships, were as they stand to-
day. Col. j. w. Norris and Col.
w. S. Pickens were the other men,
bers of the board.
Mr.. Crayton's boyhood was spent
upon farm, and he then imbibed a
love for agriculture that lasted to
La Tina 1.f LIZ laa.L