The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1914-06-25
Historical Sketch of Old Pendleton District

ever held in this district (for I
shall speak of it as a district un-
til the name was changed to
county, was held on the second
Monday in October, 1928. as I
have previously mentioned. and
was presided over by Judge
John S. Richardson. one of the
Richardson family that has been
distinguished in this state for
two or three generations. The
solicitor was Bayliss J. Earle,
afterwards Judge Earle. and
the first clerk of court was John
T. Lewis, of the family OF Lewis
that have been prominent in
this district for a hundred years
and it is an interesting fact that
20 of the Lewis family are lying
in the cemetery at Old Stone
church. The first sheriff was
G.. E w. Foster, but of him and
his descendants I can find no
trace in the records. The next
clerk was Mr.. Van Lawhorn and
he was followed by Mr.. Elijah
Webb. who held that office con-
tinously until 1864, a period of
about % years.
But let me recur for a moment
to some of the earlier history in
colonial days. when all of this
country belonged to the English
crown: Back in 1880 this coun-
try attracted the attention Of
the English king, who sent Al
exander Cummings across the
Atlantic to treat with the chiefs
of the Cherokees. The struggle
which was to last forseveral dec
ades was just beginning between
England and France for the pos
session of the heart Of this CONT
nent, and the French were grad
ually pushing southwark from
the St. Lawrence through west
ern New York and Pennsylva-
MIA, the objective point being the
Ohio and Mississippi valleys,
which they proposed to hold by
a chain of forts and trading
posts, the ultimate design being
to follow the trend of the Appa-
lachian range and thus confine
the English to the Atlantic sea-
board. Cummings pushed his
way through the almost unbrok-
wilderness until he reached the
Indian village Of Keowee. 300
miles from Charleston. and there
he made a treaty of friendship
with the Cherokees, which made
them the allies of the English
against the French. This town
of Keowee was within the limits
of old Pendleton district and its
site is near Nimmons' bridge,
over Keowee river, and the land
is now owned by Mr.. R. L. MIN
mons, and frequently during
recent years when [ was a trav-
cling man l have crossed at
Nimmons' bridge, and, as I have
mounted the hill on the other
side and looked out over the
beautiful panorama of the valley
of the Keowee spread out before
me, was not surprised that the
Cherokees fought to maintain
themselves in their beautiful
mountain home.
About rs years later, or about
IT'S, the colonial governor. Jas,
Glenn, made another treaty with
the Indians, securing vast tracts
of land, but the most important
of which was to erect forts in
the Indian territory, ostensibly
for the protection of the back
country. but in reality it was
the insertion Of the camePs nose
in the Arabs sent, for from this
time began encroachments on
the Indians which eliminated in
an Indian war. One of the forts
was Prince George, erected on
the opposite side Of the river
from the Indian village Of Keo-
wee and within cannon shot OF
it. It stands on the land now
owned by Capt. R. E. Steele, an
old schoolmate Of mine at old
Thalian, under John L. Kenne.
DIV, who was born and reared