The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-03-27

Pendleton. Mai benjamin Sloan
whose presence in his beautiful old
age digniiies Columbia, has written
certain "reminiscences of the Pendle-
ton Farmers society, which have Il
special present interest In this cen
tennial year of that ancient aud non
ornble organization.
The State has reported recently that
plans were developing for a notable
celebration this spring OF that cen
tennia. David +. Houston. secretary
of agriculture. is TO be one Of the
speakers. and II is not improbable that
q yet more important parsonage in the
Washington government will also be
heard
Maj. Sloan shows how much there
has been that is worthy OF celebration
I'm the hundred years hisIJry of the
farmers society. Two elements, more
or less blended, complemented each
other in the association. THE resident
members were in the main SONS of
men who had first wrested this beau
tiful country from its savage wildness
and then had given their strength and
help In wrestling it from Great Brit
ain. The honorary members were
however, had summer homes. these
! were from Charleston and the coast.
| In the immediate vicinity ofPendleton.
MIR. Calhonn's residence was within
few miles OF the village, but his
public duties demanded the greater
| part of his time in Washington. All
OF them were men OF refinement and
| high culture. The names of many of
them are identified not only with the
history of South Carolina. but with
the history of the United States.
"Aggressively Progressive"
mo wonder that old Pendleton
Ghould have been so aggressively pro-
gressive in eliminating savagery and
In upbuilding civilization. Excepting
Charleston, here was established the
first newspaper in the State, the PEN
dleton Messenger, and the first farm
ers' society, the Pendleton Farmers
society; and here, too. was establish
ed one OF the first agricultural maya
zines In tho South, The Farmer and
Planter, and here also was establish
ed one of the first mills in the South
| for spinning the cotton fibre into
! thread and weaving 1t into cloth. the
Pendleton cotton factory. A ref
erenee to the anf4Hai rolls OF the Pen
| dleton Farmers society from its birth
in 1915 through the first half of last
| ceutury will fully justify this tribute
front the young people of that day
| and commands equally respect and
| admiration from us grown-up people
| OF today"
| Mai. Sloan's earliest recollectiors
| are OF old Pendleton. He was born on
his fathers plantation. Hihich was
| separated from that OF John c. Cal
| houn by the Seneca river. The dwell
| ling, long since burned, stood upon
| the crest OF q high hill, three-quar'
ters OF mile perhaps lower down
| than that OF Mr.. Calhoun. The fam.
lily moved in 1898 to Pendleton vii
lage.
Hamburg was in those times Pen
1 tlleton's nearest market I'm the
| fall" saws Mai. Sloan. cotton and
| whatever OF salable produce mB;ht be
| On hand was borne TO this market In
! wagons, which on their return
brought back years supply OF nee
! essary goods--tea; coffee. sugar, mo-
| lasses. salt, iron. ETC., and such lux
uries as the market could supply adr
the weight OF the pocketbook justified
| All foodstuffs ether than those men
toned we're produced at home. Each
| plantation was, in fact. as O separate
| principaIity. AS far as vicualling was
concerned, each might have stood q
| seige of considerable length and In
every way 1t was fairly well seif-sus'
| taining. Perhaps my fathers was the
/ most modest one of them all. but he
had his carpenter, his blacksmith and
wagonnnaker.s his shoemaker, carders
and spInners of cotton aud wool
looms and weavers OF cloth, semp.
! stresses and field lah6rers. There was
a mill for grinding corn. machines fol
threshing and cleaning small grain
(home- made, both OF them), a ma
a cotton gin md screw press (primi'
tive, both OF them. 1t Is true). and watts
| for tanning the sides OF animals
/ slaughtered, Horses. mules, cattle
sheep and hogs were bred and raised
on the place. The planter truly lived
AT home but his life was a busy one
and flili OF responsibilities anG for
/ his wife there wassever an imperative
4 duty at hand. But it must be confes-
sed that money was scarce. The price
i OF cotton RANGED tsom to 6 cents
per pound aud corn sold from 40 ia
I 80 centsFa bnshei: the latter was con-
( sidereds 10 be an excellent price,"
A Glimpse of Calhoun.
Er. Calhoun when at home always
attended the meetings OF tile farmers
i society. Of which he was for some
years The president He gave to farm.
ing muslsse riops thought" Maj, Sloan
remembers aud introduced 'rto the
neishhorhoDd many Improved farn.-
ing methodss !, IS \. I think he Is re-
sponsibie for the introductIn of hill.
side ditsfing for protecting the hills
from Rilleying tefracing, however
has since proved to be a better meth
pd.s HIS practice induced farmers Ia
pillow deeper in preparing land foi
crops; he Ironght 10 their attention
methods OF selecting seeds for sowing
and ! think he introauced Bermuds
| grass nito that section of eountry. 3