Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1912-05-29
Farm Demonstration Agent
Sends Another Interesting
Account.

Il
writer left Johnston at half past
three in the afternoon for Meri-
wether hall. In passing down the
old plank road we saw all kinds Of
crop conditions from good stands
chopped and worked out, cotton
and corn, to land simply run off in
rows and no other preparation. The
grain, wheat and oats, we found
varying from very poor to very
fine.
At half past seven we reached
the home of Mr.. J. S. Reynolds,
Jr. Mr.. and Mrs. Reynolds are
comfortably and happily situated
and made us feel very much at
home. Mr.. Reynolds is in the
dairy business and his herd of Jer-
sey COWS is an evidence of the price
that he gets for his butter.
We left early next morning for
Meriwether hall, the meeting place
of the Meriwether Farmers Club,
one of the best farmers clubs in the
state, this fact being evidenced by
the great number of prizes carried
off each year from the Georgia and
Carolina fairs; but one should not
marvel at the success of these peo-
pie when you know the kind of
people that live in this section.
With few exceptions they are the
posterity of some of the greatest
people that ever lived in the state.
Among them are the Reynolds, Har-
leys, Reeces, Towns, Cheathams,
McKies, Mathises. Bunches, De-
daughters, Adams, Hudsons, Will
liams, Scots, Mealings, Gardners,
Briggs, Stevens, and Shaws.
Col. j. c. Shaw has three very
interesting boys, Leslie aged IL,
Lewis Christie IL and Milburn But
ler 6. These boys are as refined in
their manners as girls. We were
told that their love for and skill in
music is wonderful and their intel
lect is remarkable, being able to
comprehend and digest with ease,
propositions that would puzzle
grown people. When we met Col.
Shaw and Lewis Christie, the Sec
ond boy, our sympathy went out to
the unfortunate little fellow and his
two blind brothers, but after talk
ing to the little fellow we found
that our feelings were neither ex-
pected nor desired, for God makes
no errors. What these boys have
missed in their physical vision is
overwhelmingly gained In broadness
of their souls.
We found in this section two
gentlemen raised in the upper part
of the county-Messrs. John V.
and Henry Cooper. These gentle
men have cast their lot among the
Meriwether people and are appre-
ciated for their good citizenship
and knowledge of agriculture.
At near twelve o'clock the club
was called to order by president
Harley and after the routine and
annual election of officers we were
called on to speak of our work as
demonstration agent. At about
half past one a barbecue dinner was
served which was up to the record
that these hospitable people bear.
AS above stated, the people of
this community are descendants of
true South Carolinians with posi-
sibly one exception, Mr.. Philip
Markert. Mr.. Markert is a German
by birth and his department among
the people of his adopted state is
such that they esteem him for his
business qualifications as well as his
usefulness as a Christian, he being
one of the main pillars of Dothan.
1t was not our privilege to meet
many of the good women who came
with their husbands and sweethearts
to this quarterly function of the
club. There were however, three
that we were fortunate enough to
i be introduced to. We have heard
many pleasant things about Mrs.
John V. Cooper, Mrs. Henry Coop
er and Miss Mary Mealing.
After bidding many good bye we
turned our faces toward home and
wrote upon the tablet of our men,
ory pleasant and profitable visit;
forgetting for the moment that
ayorv sweet must have it's bitter.