Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-12-09
Gastonia IN. c. Gazette.

found among the papers of the late
Rev. Robert Latham, D. D., who dice
a few years ago at Chester, S. c. DR.
Latham was a brother of Mrs. ]. B
Wylie, and an uncle of Mrs. w. NJ
Wilson, of this city. This sketch has
never before been printed and will be
of interest to many Gazette readers
DR.. Latham, the writer of it, was the
author of "A History of the Associate
Reformed Church." and "A History Of
Hopewell Church, Chester County
South Carolina" In the cemetery al
the last named place rest the remains
Of Robert Kilpatric. Sallie, daugh-
ter of Kilpatric, married Robert Patter-
son. Her daughter, Martha, married
Samuel Martin Latham, father of DR.
Robert Latham and Mrs. j. B. Wylie
and grandfather Of Mrs. Wilson. The
family was long-lived one. James
Latham, father of Samuel Martin La
than, Is buried in County Entrain, Ire
land, having lived to be about 100
years old. Samuel Martin Latham
lived to be SO years old, and is buried
in Hopewell cemetery. Martha Pat
terson Latham lived to be 81 and Is
also buried at Hopewell. Robert Pat
terson, her father, lived to be S5 and
is buried in Illinois. Sallie Patterson
lived to be so and Is also buried in
Illinois Another daughter Of Robert
Kilpatric married James Dunn. who is
buried in the cemetery at Old Pisgah
in this county.
Following is the sketch of Kilpat-
ric:
The names of many Of those who
sacrificed their all in the struggle fol-
American independence have never, as
yet, been inscribed on the page Of his
tory. The family name Of many has
died out of the country. Not even
in many instances a rude stone marks
the place where they were buried. They
were humble sons of toll. They came
to America that they might be free;
and having been oppressed by the
mother country, they threw off the
yoke and fought and suffered that
their children might be free. So soon
as liberty was gained they returned to
their humble homes to engage in the
various pursuits of life. They grew
old and died and now the multitudes OF
those who enjoy the fruits of their
tolls and sacrifice do not even know
that such men ever lived.
Robert Kilpatric, or as he was IA
miliarly called, Bob Kilpatric, belong
ed to this class. He came to America
some years before the breaking out OF
the Revolutionary war. The precise
time Is not certainly known, perhaps
it was in 1775 and settled in Fairfield
county, South Carolina, near the head
waters Of Wateree creek, afterwards
moved to Chester county, South Caro-
lima, and settled on the road from
Chesterville to Winnsboro. within a
few yards of the spot on which Hope
well church now stands. He was an
Irishman and the tradition is that ne
was forced to fly from his native coun-
which he and some others had entered
against some Of the kings officers.
He and his party had met one night
that they might concert plans for ac-
ton, when, to their utter surprise, the
house in which they were, was sur.
rounded by the kings troops. Kilpat-
ric and his party were seated at ta-
BILE, on which a single candle was
burning. One of their number wa:
writing and the rest were making sug-
gsstions. Without a moments warn.
ing the door was broken open and the
party were in the hands of an armed
band of soldiers. The door was guard
ed. and after an examination OF the
company by the soldiers. it was decid'
ed to hang the whole Of them on the
spot. Ropes were put around thei'
necks, and death by the halter begar
to stare the rebels in the face.
The house, it seems, was small, anc
the soldiers having rushed in stood or
the side next to the door, whilst Kill
patric saw ii was but death anyway
and he determined to escape or die il
the attempt. Being a very large man
and also a man of great strength, ht
first blew out the light and then made
a plunge amongst the kings troops
running over some ard knocking 9TH
ers down, he opened a path to the
door and leaped out into the darkness
The rest of the party followed, and all
in the confusion and darkness escaped
For a considerable time Kilpatri'
kept himself concealed. Finally N
determined to come to America. VIVA
little money he had was put into
belt, and fastened around the persol
of his wife beneath her clothes. Thi'
was done from the fear that he nigh
be captured by the government Officers
and lose both his money and life. b!
prudent management. Ki!patric ant
his family were enabled to get away
from Ireland. STILL he was in contin
nal dread during the passage of eigh
weeks. lest he should be seized, put IL
irons and sent back TO Ireland to b'
tried, condemned and executed. witt
a heart full of joy he set his feet upoi
the shores of America in the city o
Charleston. When the Revolutionar!
war broke out, he, without a moment
hesitation espoused with all Of hi
heart the cause of the Wings. Th
care of the family was committed
wholly to his wife. Unfortunately TO
her their home, both in Fairfield AM
Chester, was hard by nest OF Tories
These were a class of persons wh'
could not be said to be friends of tn
British government, but set OF heart
less monsters, who banded together t
plunder the Whig women in the alb
sence of their husbands. Mrs. kilpat
rick spent a kind of migratory life
The plantations owned by her hus
band were, perhaps, less than tel
miles apart. Whenever the Torie
made 1t dangerous to be on the plan
tation in Chester county, she woul'
take her children and go to the one II