Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-06-16

from the colonial days until the
present time, on every page Of its
history, may be written some name
worthy of honor and emulation. If,
nearly half a century ago, the
cause Of States rights had prevailed,
seventy members of the Secession
Convention Of South Carolina would
have been handed down to posterity
with as much veneration as those of
the signers OF the Declaration Of In
dependence OF 1916. Certain 1t is
that the convention embraced the
flower of every profession and avo-
cation in the State, and its members
were peers in true nobility, of any
assemblage Of like numbers, of any
time and in any country. 1t was
written of it by DR.. Thornwell the
noted divine, in faithful tribute:
at embraced the wisdom and mod
Grafton Of the bench, the learning
and prudence of the Bar, and the
eloquence and learning of the pulpit.
That convention, in the char
acter of it's members, deserves every
syllable of the glowing panegyric
which Milton pronounced upon the
immortal Parliament of Great Bri-
tain, which taught the nations of the
earth that resistance to tyrants was
obedience to God"
1t is sad to contemplate that of the
one hundred and seventy stalwart
men who met in this convention. in
December, 1860, only two survive,
namely: DR.. James II. Carlisle, OF
Spartanburg, and Col. Robert A.
Thompson, of Walhalla. 'Nenerable
men. You have come down to us
from the former generation" You
stand alone as the connecting link
between the generation of your COM
radeS and ours. In the stirring
scenes through which YOU have pass
ed it was yours Ito dare, and again
to dare. and without end to dare"
Monuments OF granite may cvumble
into dust. but the influence OF your
lives and works shall abide until the
last generation. until time shall be
no more. You shall live in the
hearts OF your countrymen May
the young men OF our state learn
well the lesson Of your lives and
works
As the writer has been closely as
sociated with Col. Thompson in pro-
fessional and other affairs. for the
past twenty-five years he has thought
1t appropriate TO put in written form
some of the more prominent incidents
Of his life.
His Early Life.
Robert Anderson Thompson was
born June 13, 1928, in Pckens Dis
trict, about eight miles north of PEN
dleton, on TwelveMile river. His
father was Charles Thompson: his
mother, Mahala Gaines THOMPSON.
His grandfather, William Thompson,
was native of Union county. His
Sreat-grandfather, James Thompson,
was native of Ireland, as was also
his great-grandmother They came
to America in 1776, and after land
ing at New York they came to Tn
ion county, South Carolina. where
they made their home. They at
once heartily espoused the Whig or
Patriot cause. His maternal ances-
tors belonged to two prominent Vir-
ginia families. Gaines and Pcndle-
ton.
His means OF obtaining an educa-
ton were limited. as school facilities
In the days Of his boyhOod were few.
The "old field school," and then the
printing Office Suiiiccd for him. as II
mas for many another struggling
youth. While only a small boy he
entered upon an apprenticeship to
the printers trade in the Office Of the
Pendlcton Messenger. with McSSrs.
SymmeS and BridwCll as owners and
editors. He served the full period.
and, after completing his apprcn-
ticeship, worked for some time on
the Laurcnsvillc Herald. at Laurcns.
5. {. In 1870 he became associated
with the Hon. Frank Burt as editor
and publisher of the Pcndlcton Mes
sengcr. After spending three years
in this relation he moved TO Pickcns
Court House. where he purchased the
keowce Courier in 1888. For forty
five years he was one OF the owners
and editors Of the Kcowcc Courier.
first at PickenS, and afterwards ot