The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-06-28

" placed there for fire. Sc Sc
In twenty minutes the town was
cleared Of negroes.
That day sixteen Of US, but two or
three old enough to vote, marched
boldly to the polls and voted under
the eyes Of the negro superyisors
who knew our ages better than we
did! & Z:
The supervisor, Mitchell G6ggans,
had been a former slave Of my uncle,
Col. Ben Herndon, Of Cokesbury.s
Goggans was said to have been the
only honest Radical in the carpet
bag legislature. He prevented whatf
appeared an unavoidable clash be-
tween the races at Cokesbury over
the killing of Henry Nash, an offenfs
siye Radical negro. He had, made
himself very obnoxious TO the people
Cokesbury was probably in Dixon,ss
HBirth of q. Nation" "r-it Was;e q very
Mecca for Radicals in those, days. 3
Now, 4 will digress little on the.
history of Cokesbury-. Cokesbury,,
one of the most historical spots m,
South Carolina, has. the distinction
of producing some Of Carohnas
greatest men-a few are here men
fioned: Gen. Mart Gary of the Con-.
federate army, famous for never
surrendering, having cut his way
through Sherman's army; Gen. Ma
than G. Evans, the hero Of Balls
Bluff. as told in Stevens history;
Cen. Evans, the father Of ex-Gov-,
ernor John Gary Evans. Both gen.;
erals are buried at Cokesbury. a.
monument was erected by the famc
FiIy to the memory Of Mart Gary; al,
so Judges Eugene B. Gary, chief
Justice of South Carolina; the late.
Ernest Gary and Frank B. Gary, ex-
United States senator, who has re-.
Gently held several courts in Green,
Vile, and Judge William w:
Smith of the supreme court OF
Arkansas; natives of Cokesbury and
profound jurists. There are other
distinguished sons in educational
work: Charlie Smith Of Ann Arbor,
Michigan university, an author OF
distinction; his brothers, Landon
Smith, Of Texas and Perrin Smith OF
Leland Stanford university, Califor-
mia. are both able educators. Jef-
ferson Davis spent night at the
home of Gen. Mart Gary at Cokes-
bury. Immediately after the surren-
der. Also the late Ellis G. Grayd1n,
a very able lawyer, as well as ms
brother, William N. Graydon, are al
SO of Cokesbury today living In AD-
In church history it is famous /as
beng thu center of Methodism OF
South Carolina. The Cokesbury Con-
ference School Of the Methodist
church was located there. This was
the first agricultural school in South
Carolina. That feature, however,
failed. o,.
The distinguished DR.. Steven Oliri,
of Methodist history, and one OF the
brightest lights in the church, was
converted there. AS well as Bishop
Wightman; Bishop McTierre and
Bishop Capers of the: Episcopal
church, both attended school there
It is due to Bishop McTierre that
Vanderbilt University was establish
ed at Nashville. Vanderbilt wished
to do something for Methodisms and
consulted McTierre being related to
him, on the establishment Of this
great university. Cokesbury gets its
name after two Methodist Bishops:
Coke and Asbury. Cokesbury was on
their regular itinerary, from Baltl-
more to Charleston.
I forgot to mention our townsman,
the Rev. P. F. Kilgore, and his dis 7
brother, Bishop Khgore,
were born in Cokesbury. Also the
Revs. E. o. Watson and his cousin,
Fierce Watson, both able divines,
claimed nativity at this interesting
spot. Also the silver tongue, Hey
ward Mahcn, ex-mayor of Greenville
end the writer, 1irst saw light there.
1t has for many years retained its
reputation as a place of culture and
efined society; healthfulness, with
wholesome religious atmosphe:s.
Last, but not least, the first
game of baseball ever played IN
South Carolina, was played at Cokes-
bury, introduced by Bob Round, Of
fcon+;nned ~ pooa E,even, =