Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-06-19
"A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST.
Interesting Facts Culled from An Old
Diary of James a. Doyle.

mo house on road between Pick
ems Ferry and Walhalla the first time
l travelled the road. The first house
was at the upper end Of what is Wal
halla, where lived an old man named
Houston. This was in 1928. Land
along this road would hardly bring
25 cents per acre.
"Of the McElroy place, Dave Sloan
and Overton Lewis said it would not
do to buy this land at % cents an
acre for speculation.
"J. A. Doyle bought Lewis Moore
heads place for colt in 1895.
Tract Of 100 acres near Double
Springs was given as boot In horse
trade in 1929. Common thing to
trade horse or colt for tract Of land.
A gun, also, was big item in
land trade.
when was tax collector of Pick
ems District G840-48), land was di-
vided into three classes or grades
and taxed as follows: 1st class, bot
tom land, tax SO cents for 100 acres;
I'd class, good upland, tax II cents
per 100 acre; Sd class, included the
balance and was taxed at 6 cents per
100 acres. Most Of the land given in
was in this class.
"The first licensed physician in
Ptckens District was Dr.. Robert Max
we'll, who lived near Fair Play, on
the Beaverdam. This was in 1870.
'ln 184S | knew personally every
taxpayer in Pickens District
civilian Doyle, father Of James
a. Doyle, was born near Hagerstown,
Nd, about 1884, Of parents whose
ancestors were among the first set
tiers of that State. His parents
moved to Pendleton District, South
Carolina. when William was quite a
boy.
My grandfather on my mothers
side was an Irishman named Alexan-
der, who was a soldier in the Ameri-
can Revolution.
Richard Lewis, father Of j. Over
ton Lewis. bought Tamassee place
from a son Of Gen. Andrew Pickens.
At the death Of Richard Lewis, Ta-
massee was given to Andrew Lewis
as his part Of Richards estate. J.
Overton Lewis swapped even the
Dendy place. at Richland, for Ia
massee. which in 1892 was valued at
$2.50O.
II was tax collector Of Rabun
county, Georgia. in 1880. Amount
OF taxes that year did not exceed
500 for the county"
These events happened in the long
ago, and but few. If any, now living
can recall knowledge of these
things. The first house on the road
ut what is now the upper end Of Wal
halla was located. in all probability,
at the Wiebenss Springs. Lands
were cheap because Of the sparse
relatively more valuable than now
because they were the principal
means Of transportation. Guns were
counted valuable assets. They were
manufactured in the old country, and
In consequence were scarce and dear
A gun In those days was also highly
valued on account of the abundant
game. Most lands are given In for
taxation as third class to-day as they
were in 1870.
"Times change and men change
with them" am not, however, one
of those who believe that times have
changed for the worse. We are In
the midst Of the most progressive and
prosperous years the country has ever
seen. The people Of this generation
compare favorably in every way
with those who have gone before. But
1t Is duty we owe sometimes to
look backward and honor the men,
ory Of the sturdy pioneers who did
so much In the past to insure the
happiness Of the present.
+. B. Doyle.