The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-06-08

pleased with, he having paid $4,000
therefor.
These facts are all matters Of rec
ord except as to the agreement to
compensate their granddaughter, and
let the Fort Hill plantation be freed
from any claim that might be set up
by the Calhouns or others thai they,
Mr.. and Mrs. Clemson, were donating
that which they did not have a moral
right to donate. I was witness to
these facts and to the purpose they
had in view.
There is, therefore, no foundation
for the statement that Mr.. Clemson
had settled Calhoun's property to the
State and then given his name to the
proposed institution. I wrote Mr..
Clemson's will and I state positively
that if any one is responsible for his
name given to the college I am that
one. MI. Clemson wanted to give the
name Of Calhoun to the proposed in
stitution, but I insisted that it should
bear his name, because / knew Of the
transactions by which his grand
daughter was to be compensated for
the full value Of the plantation and
that which he was donating to the
State was his individual property and
Mr. Calhoun had nothing whatever to-
do with the property or the donation.
But it was Mr.. Clemson S purpose and
desire to name the college Calhoun
and not Clemson.
I Was his confidential attorney and
managed all of Mr.. Clemson's affairs
for two years preceding his death. I
visited him once every week, and
spent the day with him and he lived
the life Of digni6ed, heart broken
hermit. During his last sickness he
talked to me about religion and asked
his friend and attending physician,
DR.. T. J. Pickens, to pray for him,
and he asked me to bring a minister
; to see him, and I carried the Rev.
.Mr. Clarkson to SEQ him. He told
me that during the several conversa-
tions he had with Mr.. Clemson he
confessed his faith in Christ and said
that Christ was able to save as great
sinner as he was. It was Mr..
| Clarkson's opinion that he was a con-
verted and saved man.
Mr.. Clemson was a strong believer
in Mr.. Calhoun and his political doc
trines. During the early part Of the
war, while residing at his home near
the city of Washington, he was noti-
fed by a friend that he was to be ar
rested next day on account Of his
sympathies for the south. Thereup-
on he and has son, Calhoun Clemson,
escaped and that night crossed the
Potomac river in a skiff and then
walked to Richmond and rendered
their services to President Davis.
Mr.. Clemson was attached to the nitre
and mining works in the department
Of the trans-Mississippi, and his son
was given a commission in the regular
army. Mr. Clemson served in the de-
parthent to which he was attached
to the end of the war. He then came
to Pendleton and later to Fort Hill
where he resided to the day Of his
death.
His daughter, Mrs. Lee, died in
New York, and seventeen days there
after his son, Calhoun Clemson, was
killed in railroad accident at Sene-
ca, S. C. Not a great while after the
death of their two children, Mrs.
| Clemson died suddenly. For ten years
after the death Of his wife and child
rem Mr.. Clemson lived a Lonesome,
desolate life and his death was one OF
| the Saddest scenes I ever witnessed.
In many conversations with him he
! IMPRESSED me as one who thoroughly
understood the conditions in which the
people were left by the results Of the
war. Having graduated from the
school of mines in Paris he was firmly
impressed with the conviction that an
industrial education would alone meet
the conditions then existing and he
was vitality interested in helping to
establish such an institution for the
benefit Of the rising generation.
R. ". Simpson.
Pendleton. June 3. 1909