Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-08-14
PENDLEToN FARMERS SOCIETY
Celebrated Its Ninety-First Anniver-
sary mt Pendlcton Thursday.


scene Of most joyous celebration
last Thursday, and fully five thou
sand persons gathered from every
section Of th' Old Pendleton district.
The occasion was the ninety-first an
niversary of the Pendleton Farmers
Society.
1t was in 1916 that the farmers in
this district, which then comprized
Anderson and Pickens counties, real
lied that a great good could be ac-
complished by organizing, and many
prominent planters, among them be-
ing John G. Calhoun. formed the cele-
brated society which has been one of
much Importance during all these
years. 1t was in 1926 that the old
Pendleton district was dissolved and
Anderson and Pickens counties were
established. A court house was built
for the district at Pendleton, but the
General Assembly abolished the dis
trict and the work of construction on
the building was discontinue. 1t was
then that the Farmers Society pur-
1t for meeting place.
The Meeting Thursday
was held in the shady grove around
this beautiful building. Long before
the appointed hour, which was II
o'clock, large crowds Of ladies', gen.
tlemen and children had congregated,
and when the town clock struck II
the meeting was called to order by
Col. j. G. Stribling, the president of
the society. After few remarks of
welcome he introduced Rev. X. G.
Finlay, chaplain of the society, and
pastor Of several Episcopal churches
in this section, who made beautiful
opening prayer.
Governor Ansel
was the first speaker of the day, and
his topic was the history of the soci-
ETY.. While Governor Ansel is not an
old man by any means, he Is perfectly
familiar with all of the history con-
nected with the society for many
years back. He was born in the
city OF Charleston, and reared
in Walhalla, about twenty miles from
Pendleton. He read a list of the
charter members Of the society, and
as each name was called he told Of
the history of the man. The large
audience was made up Of the grand
children and the great-grandchildren
of the old charter members, and the
Governors way of telling Of each
member was most appropriate
The charter members were:
Thos. Pinckney, VIM. Lowndes, c.
{. Pinckney, r. s. lizard, J. r. Prin-
gle, DR.. ]. Noble, Dannie Huger, John
c. Calhoun, j. Bon Ion, l.. j. Alston,
Rev. DR.. Waddell, Gen. John Blassin-
game, d. p. Hillhouse, DR.. Isaac Auld
and DR.. C. M. Reese, all of whom
left histories behind them.
The resident members in 1916 were
Thos. Pinckney, John l.. North, An
drew Pickens, Ben jamin Smith, John
Miller, Chas. Gaillard, John G.. Cal
noun, j. TaliaferrO Lewis, Thos. l..
Dart, Gen. j. B. Earle. VIM. Hunter,
Benjamin DuPre, Joseph Grisham, l..
McGregor, Samuel Earle, r. w. Far
rIr, G. w. Miller, Samuel Cherry,
John Taylor, James C. Griffin, Col.
Robert Anderson Thomas Striblfng,
John Green, Josiah d. Gaillard, Rich
ardson Harrison, Patrick Norris, j.
Z. Fitzpatrick and Joseph Earle.
The present officers Of the society
are: j. c.. Stribling, president; b.
Harris, vice presdena; J. b. Harris.
secretary and treasurer; c. l.. New
man, corresponding secretary; b. Fl.
Sadler, librarian; Rev. X. q. Finlay,
chaplain. The members Of the exec
utive committee are II. c. Summers,
G. L. Newman, NJ. NJ. Hunter, j. l..
Long and II. S. Trescott. This is the
oldest farmers society in the United
States.
John G.. Calhoun.
Governor Ansel paid tribute to
.dohn c. Calhoun. He told of this
great man, who was born in Abbe-
VILE, and who made such a name for
himself. He told of the statue of
Calhoun now being carved, which
will be placed in the hall Of fame at
Washington. 1t was from two of the
old members Of the society present
Thursday--Robert A. Thompson and
Aaron Boggs--that the sculptor got
his idea Of Mr.. Calhoun in everyday
life. Mr.. Boggs, who is eighty-five
years Of age, and Col Thompson,
aged eighty, were called to the plat