The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-03-31
He Should Not Have Passed By.
Dear Manning Times, ana the peopl
of Clarendon:

Dear Manning Times, ana the people
OF Clarendon:
have recently had the pleasure of a
weeks trip over on your side of the
Santee, and it is good to visit near you
as near as Sumter even though:
did not get into your borders. passed
by Pinewood, on the cars, which is six
miles from Paxville: yes. Paxville, to
me the hub of that whole section Man
ming, Sumter, Summerton and Pine
wood form q fairly good rim for the
hub.
For three successive years I have
been helping in a meeting, in March,
with the Turks, colony of people well
known in the High Hills OF Santee, liv-
ing nearly entirely to themselves. in a
community near Stateburg. These peo-
pie were once members of the old High
Hills Baptist church. but few years
back, for prudential reasons. they got
letters from the old mother church and
removed to themselves. They are ear
nest christians and good citizens. Quite
number OF their men served in the
Confederate war. One Of these Thomas
Benuenhaley, gave me the names OF a
few. ne could recall: Randall, Ferdi-
nand, Henry and Thomas Beunenhaley
and James Scott were in Gailliard's S
company, Seventh S. c., Battalion:
Richard Oxendine was in Cantev's COM
pany: Warren Oxendine, in Carter's
company: John Bennenhaley, 10 Ais
tons company and James Ray, in War
ems company.
On this tri p paid short visit to the
old historic High Hills church, in the
cemetery of which is a modest mcnu-
uent marking the grave. OF Rev. John
NJ. Roberts, D. D., one of the earliest
benefciaries of South Carolina Baptist.
He was sent to Rhode Island College
Brown University in 1874 and from
this College he graduated. DR.. Roberts
was the first man to carry on an aca-
deny among the Baptists in this State:
and from his school came what is now
Furman Universary and, also, somewhat
remotely, the Southern Baptist Theo-
logical Seminary, Louisville, KY.
In this same community is the old
home place of the Sumters, the descen.
dants of Gen. Thomas Sumter. Here is
the Sumter burying ground, wherein is
the grave of the Game Cock. now mark
ed THANKS TO Col. J. J. Dargan) by a
handsome monument, erected by order
of the State Legislature in 1907. Gen.
Sumter was native of Virginia, and
came to South Carolina about 1850. He
was born August IA, 1734 and died June
lst, 1882, in his ninety-eighth year.
A curious remains in this old grave
yard is tiny chapel, built of brick: a
room II feet by 9. in it table and a
crucifix. 1t was the place of worship
for the mother OF the only living grand.
son of Gen. Sumter. Mr.. Sebastian
Sumter She was g catholic lady, a ma
tive of France. She was the daughter
and the grand daughter of French Ad-
mirals. This only living grandson OF
Gen. Sumter was born in Brazil while
his father was United States minister to
that country.
Perhaps the best monument to Gen.
Sumter, though. is The General Sumter
Memorial Academy, a school presided
over by Col. Dargan. and furnishing
high school and boarding school advan-
tases TO the surrounding country There
is not more healJhiul and picturesque
section in all our State than the High
Hills of Santee, and one of the most at
tractive locations in that community is
"Acton," au old residence, now the G.
S. ii. a.
The next time I am on that SIDE OF
the river, hope I may have the pleas
ure OF a visit into Clarendon.
Faithfully, ETC.,
J. D. HIGGINS.
Beaufort: March TO- 1909.