The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-06-08
INSIDE FACTS '
OF the True History Of the Clem.
son Bequest.
TO BUILD ACOLLEGE
Given by Col. Il. w. Simpson, Who
Was a Friend of MIR. Clemson, and
Who Drew His Will Deciding His

Who Drew His Will Deciding His
Land and Money to Establish
College.
Col. r. w. Simpson, who was an
intimate friend of Mr.. Clemson, gives
the following history of the bequess
of that gentleman to establish col
lege:
There seems to be so little known
about the life and purpose of Mr..
Thomas G.. Clemson in connection
with the donation Of his property to
the State for the purpose OF founding
an industrial college, in justice to
his memory and his purpose l feel
it to be my duty to state the facts
and let the people judge.
A short while before Mr.. Cal
houn's death his friends in Charles
ton, seeing his declining health, sub
scribed literally to purchase or chart.
er a yacht to send him on cruise,
thinking thereby to restore him TO
his usual vigor. Before this laud-
able purpose could be carried into
effect, Mr.. Calhoun died. 1 can not
speak accurately of the amount sub
scribed, but according to my recol-
lection it was between 100000 and
$4,000. After his death it was
agreed by the subscribers to this
fund to apply it to the payment OF
Mr.. Calhoun's debts. He was not
rich man and was largely in debt
ut the time of his death. Mr.. CAL
houn's debts We're paid, and his
children released their interest in his
estate in favor Of their mother, Mrs.
Floride Calhoun, and her afflicted
daughter. Miss Cornelia Calhoun.
Subsequently Mrs. Floride Calhoun
sold Fort Hill plantation and the ne
groes, formerly the property OF John
C.. Calhoun, to her son, Col. a. P.
Calhoun, for the sum in round num-
bers of $4,000, for which he gave
his bond and mortgage. Mrs. Flor
ide Calhoun was to reside with her
son, but there arose an unfortunate
difficulty between the mother and
son, and Mrs. Calhoun purchased
home in Piedmont and resided there
to the time of her death, and it was
there she had her friend and rela-
tive. Mr.. Armstead Burt. to write her
will, in which she Willed and de-
vised her Pendleton property to her
grandsons, sons OF William and John
Calhoun, then deceased, and the bond
and mortgage Of A. 2. Calhoun on
the Fort Hill plantation, three-fourths
thereof TO Mrs. Clemson, her daush-
ter, and one-fourth to Mrs. Lee, her
granddaughter, with the provision
that ii the bond and mortgage were
given in exchange for the land, it
was to go to Mrs. Clemson and her
daughter, Mrs. Lee, in the same pro-
portion.
Some time after the close of the
war and after the death Of Mrs.
Floride Calhoun and Col. a. p. Cal
houn, Mrs. Clemson began proceed
ings to foreclose the mortgage on
the Fort Hill plantation. After
great deal of litigation, accounting,
etc, the court ordered the planta-
ton to be sold. Mr.. Clemson attend
I'd the sale at Walhalla, and bid in
the land (Fort Hill) for Mrs. Glenn
son and his daughter. Mrs. Lee, for
the sum of $4,000, considered at
the time the full value Of the land.
The cost and expense of the litiga-
ton connected with this foreclosure
proceedings. owing to the compliCat-
I'd questions involved and the num-
her of attorneys employed. amount
ed TO $4,000 These costs and en-
penses, instead OF being paid out of
The proceeds of the sale OF the land,
we're paid by Mr.. Clemson out Of his
own private funds.
Mr. and Mrs. Clemson resided at
Fort Hill. after the death of their
two children. Mrs. Lee and Calhoun
Clemson, they entered into an agree
mcnt 10 make Wills in each others
favor and the survivor was to devote
their joint property to the State to
found an industrial college, Mrs.
Clemson having nothing 10 will but
her thrcc-fuurlhS of the Fort Hill
plantation. while Mr.. Clemson had
quite a sum Of money which he had
fortunately saved after the war.
1t was also Il part of this agree
m"nt that Mr.. Clemson was TO will
out of his private property tn" sum
Of $l0.0U0 to their granddaughter,
the only surviving child Of their
daughter, Mrs Lee, and their object
! in making this donation to their
granddaughter WAS that they could
donate their property to tn Site
free OF any claim or equitable right
that she. the Srandchild. might have
to the Fort Hill plantation.
In the meantime the Fort Hill
plantation had been divided accord
ing to the terms of Mrs. Calhoun 5
will, setting off thrce-fourths to Mrs.
Clemson and onc-fourth to Mrs. Lee
or her daughter They having
agreed to donate this three-fourths
to the State, they considered the $S,-
900 paid TO his granddaughter. which