Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-03-05
INTERESTING LOCAL HISTORY.

Upon learning recently that Super
visor Gordon had commissioned John
R. Hart, Esq, to abstract the title OF
the court house lot, The Enquirer hav-
ing enough information on the subject
to appreciate the vast amount Of labor
that would be involved in the under
taking anticipated the bringing to light
Of more or less interesting local his
tory and requested Mr.. Hart to kindly
keep that feature of the matter In mind.
Mr.. Hart who is himself very much in
terested in this subject, readily fell in
with the idea, and from the vast num-
ber of musty references 1t was neces-
sary for him to wade through in York
Vile, Lincolnton and Columbia, and
from which he secured data that exact
ly fixed the measurements for which
he was looking, he has condensed the
following interesting statement that
fairly sparkles with important facts Of
local history:
My notes show that the town OF
Yorkville Is included in part Of tract
of 200 acres, granted by patent from
his maJesty's office" in tine state or
North Carolina, bearing date April
25th, 1867, to John Miller. John Miller
conveys this same tract to William
and John Fergus, and William and
John Fergus conveyed 1t to William
Hill, Jr.
The description Of this conveyance
Is as follows: Beginning at a hickory
tree near the road from the court
house Of Yorkville to Caleb Baylie's
plantation and runs N. 10, W. 24O
poles to a post oak, Alexander Ram
sey's corner near John Carnaghan's;
thence N. 40, E. 270 poles to point on
the east of the wagon road from said
court house to Matthew Dixon's;
thence So. 5S, E. 46 poles to black
jack on one side of the glade; then
So. 40, E. 27O poles to beginning, in
Guiding York VILE"
This deed is dated 1893. William
Hill, had evidently obtained possession
Of this property at an earlier date or
else there Is some deed, conveying 1t
to him. other than the deed above cited.
This will be seen from the fact that the
first conveyance Of any property by
William Hill to anyone in the village
of York Vile is dated 1887, or six years
prior to the conveyance from Fergus
to Hill.
L all lulOTHleu ny SOlIle VI tie OluSi
citizens that the first house erected in
or near the town of Yorkville was
house near the present home Of Mr.
Jos. G. Dixon, and that what Is now
the intersection Of Congress and Lib
erty streets at the court house, was
originally known as "Ferguss Cross
Roads"
The first deed that I find on record
is that Of William Hill to John Gee.
This is described as follows: "A GER
tain lot of ground, No. II, in the now
town, called York Vile, adjoining Mr..
Baylie's on northwest side Of Congress
street, 66 feet in front and $50 feet in
depth" This deed is dated January
17SS, and the consideration Is given as
eight Spanish milled dollars.
The next deed 1 find is from William
Hill, who styles himself Iron Mas
ter" to Elijah Bayley, Planter" This
Is for "lot sc feet front and $50 feet
in depth, in the town of Yorkville,
known in the plan Of the said town as
lot No. 16, adjoining to and south Of
the court house lot" This deed is
dated November Sth, 1887, and the con-
sideration is two pounds lawful mon
ey." Lot No. 16, thus located as being
south of the court house lot, 1 verify
by tracing from Elijah Bayley to Rob-
ert McCaw and find conveyance from
Elijah Bailey to John McCaw the same