The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-08-15
r1AJOR w. S. BAMBERG.

r1AJOR w. S. BAMBERG.
Col. Counts Gives Some Early History
of the Town of Bamberg.
Editor The Bamberg Herald:-A
little upward of sixty years ago |
came to Graham's Turnout, now
Denmark, and took a clerkship with
Messrs. D. & H. B. Rice at salary
of eight dollars per month and nay
board. For those days that was a
pretty fair salary for young man
just starting out in the world. Soon
after my arrival at Graham's | found
my way down to Lowry's Turnout
through an invitation from Maj. w.
S. Bamberg, more familiarly called
"Old Seab." l was a stranger at
Graham's, or comparatively so, and
"Old Seab," as 1 had known some
thing of him before, had very kindly
invited me at different times to come
down and see him. The first oppor-
tunity that l got l availed myself of
his kindness and made the trip.
l found him just as pleasant and
big-hearted as l expected, but | was
sadly disappointed in the town or vii
lage of Lowry's Turnout. In point of
fact, l found a very small building
just between where H. C. Folk now
keeps and the railroad, but very near
the road. This building was occupied
by "Old Seab," as he was called, and
pretty well filled with goods. His
store was the only place of business,
and that with his own little dwelling
and that Of Isham R. Simmons, old
man Lowry, old man Jimmie Sandifer
and the railroad buildings made up
the town of Lowry's. Old man Sim
mons lived then where the Headmas-
ter of the Fitting School now lives,
and Lowry and Sandifer about where
w. E. Spann and Mrs. Addie johnson
live.
The South side of the town, rum
ming out as far as the cotton mill now
stands, for about five or six acres,
was covered with water, the deepest
part Of it being in rear of the Patrick
building, now the dispensary. In
coming in town from the South or the
Buford' S Bridge road you would leave
the main road leading to the station
just opposite the cotton mill and go
to the rear of the now postofice and
round the Counts block and again
back in the main road about where
the barber shop now stands. This
route took you round the waters
edge of the pond on the East side.
The boundary line on the West was
near the residence Of H. j. Brabham.
From time to time the water in this
pond has been drained off to make
room for building lots. don't know
to whom credit is due for the drain
ing, but in all probability the most if
not all of it has been done since the
death of Major Bamberg.~
But suffice it to say that Major w:
S. Bamberg was one of the most en-
ergetic, broad minded, ,unselfsh, self
sacrificing, public-spirited men that |
have ever known in all Of my long,
life. He was always cheerful and had
a good word for every one, but never
failed to talk up his town. He was
quite successful in business, and ac-
cumulated quite a sufficient estate to
give his children start in the world.
He was the founder of the town Of
Bamberg, which bears his name. To
his perseverance belongs the growth
and prosperity Of the town, as it was
his own hand that cast the bread upon
the waters that brought the fruit that
this generation is to-day enjoy ing. He
was the pioneer that blazed the way
that led his brothers to a business sue
cess. The brothers, like himself, have
all passed away in early life, utstill
lived long enough to make a record
for themselves that will stand as a
monument to their memory for gen.
erations to come and time immemo-
rial. Maj. Bamberg took quite an
interest in building up the cause OF
the Master. He was by faith an i'm
mersionist, having been baptized in
the Cedar Springs by Rev. W: A.
Lawton, a Baptist minister, but there
was nothing small or narrow about
him so far as his religious views was
concerned, as hepreferred every one
to enjoy his own religious proclivities.
He lived long enough to see his town
underway to growth and prosperity.
and had his views of unselfish public
spirit been carried out to the letter.
Bamberg would to-day have rivaled
Spartanburg and Greenville with all
their wealth. T. j. COUNTS.