Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-03-20
BIG TOM WILSON.
Character Story of Noted Mountain
Guide Recently Deceased.

relics of the mountaineers who have
been made the type of heroic fiction
and romance.
AS so often happens in the case of
recognized types" that appear in
books, the type" is in reality the
exception. Big Tom, as hundreds
can testify was during the whole of
his long life both the ideal mountain
type and the practical exception to
the rule.
Of great stature, of HeI llean
strength, fixed with the homely phil
sarcastic humor of one who has lived
close to nature toward those who
come upon her with the condescen-
sion of the city, Big Tom" was as
much one of the sights-and in some
manner as really one of the inspira-
tions-as anything afforded by the
mountains among which he lived.
Through three generations he has been
the great magazines devoting pages
to his character and publishing studies
of his great and picturesque frame;
hundreds of tourists have made pain
him; and yet there was always the
same story that came back-the story
of a great primal man, with the gen.
tleness of his strength, the wisdom of
olo with the
brooding mountains and the humor
which those who live large acquire in
the amused contemplation of those
who live small.
Even as a young man Big Tom
was stated to know the then unknown
mountains better than any other. He
was in large demand as guide and no
party that he took out into the soli-
tudes but that came back to the cities
with his memory in their hearts. He
was hunter and trapper by profess
sion, knowing to the detail that would
put TO shame the most successful na-
ture takers the habits and character
istics of every creature that went the
ways Of the mountains. With it all
he bore about him a deep seated rev.
erence for the God of the mountains
that robbed him Of the faults while
it brought out in him the virtues OF
the men the mountains breed. In times
of danger, and they were many in his
life, big Tom" acted with the direct
simplicity of the rare breed that has
heard Of fear but does not recognize
it by experience; when the call was
for humanity he was as gentle as
woman.
1t is narrated of Big Tom" that
at one time he was persuaded by
friends to go to Wilmington and see
the ocean. He was distressed with it's
fiatness and perturbed by the motion.
The SNUG and unbroken horizon ir
ritated him. He chafcd and cut his
visit short that he might return to the
personally, seemed to love him.
1t was as the discoverer OF the dead
body of DR.. Elisha Mitchell that big
Tom will be chiefly remembered.
dreds participated it was Big Tom"
who, by process Of deduction learn
ed from intimate association with the
great scientist and explorer, knew
where in the mountains to search for
and find his trail. And it was the
party led by big Tom" that late at
night discovered where DR.. Mitchell
had slipped upon the ledge and after
the bottom Of a clear pool Of mountain
water many feet below. The details Of
the search and finding of DR.. Mitch
ellis body made a story that big
Tom" was accustomed to tell with un-
varying graphic detail to the day Of
his death.
Now that big Tom is dead, the
story of the finding of the body as mar
rated by Zeb Vance, who happened
to be in the mountains as a student
on vacation at the time and who was
of the searching party, gains renewed
interest at this time. 1t was to visit
Big Tom that DR.. Mitchell had
turned aside from his party on the
day that he was lost. The finding Of
the body is told by Gov. Vance. in the
Asheville Spectator, as follows:
About l o'clock in the night just
as the writer was about closing his
eyes in troubled and uneasy slumber
Cat the Steep cabin on Mt. MitchelD,
a loud haloo was heard from the high
bluff that looms over the cabin. 1t
was answered from within, and in
moment every sleeper was upon his
feet. Mr.. Jesse Steep, Capt. Robert
Patton and others then came down
and told us that the body was found.
Mournfully then indeed those hardy
sons of the mountains seated them
selves around the smouldering cabin
fire and on the trunks of the fallen
frs. and then, in the light Of glori-
Gus full moon, whose rays penciled
the dark damp forest with liquid
silver, 1000 feet above the tide-wash-
ed sands of the Atlantic, the melan-
choly tale was told. Many a heart was
stilled with sadness as the awful truth
was disclosed, ard many a rough
face glittered with tear in the re-
fulgent moonlight, as it looked upon
the marble pallor and statue-stillness
of the stricken and bereaved son, and
thought of those far away whom this
sudden evil would so deeply afflict.
at was as they expected. The de-
ceased had undertaken to go the
same route to the settlements which
he had formerly gone. They traced
him rapidly down the precipices of
the mountain until they reached the
stream, (the Cat-tail fork). found
traces going down it-following on a
hundred yards or so. they came to a
rushing cataract some forty feet high,
saw his footprints trying to climb
around the edge of the yawning prec-
ipice. saw the moss torn up by the