The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1917-01-12
OLD SIMSTOWN.
(By Mrs. Julia Rainey Farr)

eventful life during the Revolutionary
war, one very serious one was having
his life saved by being a Mason. At a
place on Broad river, where Lockhart
Mills now stand, company Of Tories
had rope around his neck ready for
the tree, when British officer came
riding up, to whom Capt. Sims gave
the "Mason's Sign" The officer cor
sered Immediately his release" and
then gave him parole" which for
bade his fighting again in South Car
slina. He went back to his old home
country, Hanover, Va, and Gov. Pat
rick Henry gave him Commission"
to organize company, which he did
Of CORVALLIS. When he first came to
South Carolina, he made his home on
Tiger river, in Union District, but in a
few years after the war ended about
1884 he came up and took in a large
grant of land in the bend of Broad
river, where he first built a wood
house, in which he lived several years !;
then he brought him a brick mason
from Virginia and built a large two
and one-half story brick house, where
he reared his family consisting of one
son and four daughters. His only son,
William, inherited his lands and large
brick house, where he raised his fam
lily, of five sons and one daughter
William Sims divided this large grant
of land among his children, the old
homestead with the large brick house
came into the possession of his son.
Clough Sims, who had four daughters.
Consequently, in 1854. it was sold for
a division among his heirs and the
old brick house and lands around it
came into possession of Mr.. James
Scaife, ana soon again sold to Mr.
James letter, and his granddaughter.
Miss Knight, now has possession Of
them. In the early days of Old Sims
town, there were no railroads in the
country nor did the stage coach travel
the highway to Columbia, but Broad
river was used for all means of trans
portation and pleasure. They had
bateau pleasure boats and large boats
In which all the cotton in that part of
the country was carried down to CO.
lumbia and sold there, bringing back
barrels of sugar and hogs head of
molaSses for the next years supply
for the family and plantation. No
sorghum was ever cultivated until
during the War Between the States.
In early days the Catawba Indians
would come over and pitch their tents
near the river for the summers. de-
pending on hunting and fishing for
their meat, and getting their coSn and
flour from Mr.. w. A. Sims, exchang-
ing thir baskets and beautiful home
made pottery, decorated with white
and red and black flowers, from their
own dye stuffs. They would never
honor white people by addressing as
Mr.. and Mrs, but call them by their
given name; for instance, Old Philip
Keg, the leader of the purchasing of
provision, would walk in and saw.
Sarah, where is Billie, I want some
corn and -four" Otherwise, they were
very kind and harmless. Old Jenny
Joe was the leader in selling the bas-
kets and pottery. The portion of land
of the old grant inherited by William
A. Sims, bordered by Broad river for
almost mile up towards Worthy's
ferry, and contained beautiful low
lands on which he raised herds of
cattle, horses and sheep in abundance;
also park, where roamed ~ or Is
head of deer among them a beautiful
white doe, which they called "The
White Doe of Raylston," from Tenny-
son.
During the War Between the States
the wool from those sheep clothed
many soldier, as Mrs. Sims had three
hand looms in constant use, managed
by the negro women.
AS no bought dyes we're to be had
to make the Confederate grey, all
home articles had to be used, the
leaves from the alder and sumach
bushes were mostly used. Mrs. Sims
sent the Rev. Mr.. James, the chaplain
of the 18th Regiment, in which she
had two sons serving, full suit of
home-woven Confederate grey leans
to Petersburg, Va. During the war
Mr.. w. A. Sims also cultivated flax
and made his own shoe thread, the
flax thread being spun by an old cmi-
grant from Ireland, Mrs. Gregory, be-
ing two complicated for negroes to
undertake, which drew forth the re-
mark from him "that fax made for
Ireland and cotton for the negro, as
cotton would wait on their leisure
time" He also cultivated a brown
cotton called Nankin, as the seed was
brought over from Nankin, China. by
one of the United States consuls,
which made beautiful brown suits for
boys which required no dye stuff. Dur
ing the war all leather used was made
from the hides of these sheep and cat
tie, and all shoes were made by their
own shoemakers, and beautiful kid
slippers in which the young ladies
danced at the balls given in Unionville,