The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-08-09

Dream thousand memories
must have awakened of childhood days
when he wadcd in the burns Of his
native heath. 1t must have been 50,
for l have searched in vain for the
surname Rabun, or Rayburn, among
the early settlers Of the county. The
census of 1880 does not contain it.
Rayburn is historic ground. You
cross both prongs on the old road
leading from Laurens 10 Anderson.
Go slow as you cross the steel bridges
that span their waters and you will
hear "still small voices if the hum
of your automobile does not drown
them. Curse the huns and honks Of
this day, they disturb me while |
write and they make South Carolin-
ians forget their history. Hush, did
YOU hear it? Downs! Did a mufflcd
sound whisper it2 Yes, plainly to the
attentive ear The waters whispered
it as they swirlcd around a stone in
the runnell. Are you child of Lau-
rens and know not its meaning?
Jonathan Downs His ashes sleep on
the waters of North Rayburn. The
people of Laurens ought to build him
a monument. He fought in the. wars
against the Cherokees, he was a major
in the long and bloody struggle Of
'76 and was one of the commission
CTS that located the county seat, and
when his fellow members of that COM
mission desired to perpetuatc his
name in hearticst appreciation OF the
sclf-sacrifcing service he had rem
dercd the county and state by naming
the old town Downs, ''No, no., said
he, at must not be. Never rame It
in honor of any living man for ne
might do something in his old age
that would bring disgrace on the
name. Call it Laurens, beg of you,
after my old friend, Henry Laurens.
Noble old Roman! He never sought
honors but was never happier than
when he served his county and N s
state. John Hunter, Thomas Wads-
worth and Charles Allen, his fellow
membe of that commission, yielded
to the brave mans desire, feeling in
their hearts that 10 man deserved the
honor more than the heroic man who
had refused it! No wonder the waters
of North Raybucn whisper his name,
making the stones in its runncll
tongues to utter it when an migrate
full people have forgotten it. | re-
'peaa the people Of Laurcns ought to
build him monument.
He first settled on Peachland creek
near its confluence with Rcedy river,
and afterwards moved to a plantation
On North Rayburn where ne lived till
his death. Downs" Let tongues
of stone and living waters whisper it
TIL the sons Of Upper Carolina arouse
to do justice to the great man who
figured so heroically in the romance
that even nc,v, to those who have eyes
ard ears, crowns like a halo of glory,
the high hilltops Of one Of the most
beautiful sections of Carolina.
Charles Allen, a fellow commission
e. of Downs, ard like h;m ever In the
forefront for the struggle for liberty
ard the advancement Of every public
interest, also lived on the waters Of
North Rayburn at a pont known now
as Goodgon's Factory. In 1890 the
snct where the city Of Laurens now
stands was covered with virgin fotc i
of large oal,s, hickor,es and pines.
Charles Allen helped with his OWE
hands to clear away plot in this
nativesf foreSt 70 rthe first public build
ing erected in about 1870. This pub
lie spirited compatriot Of Downs lived
to The advanced age of ninety-hve
years and up to his death for several,
wears was the last surviving soldier
of '76 in his native county. He was
buried in 1853. He was man Of
strong physique and outlived all his
children, but ore, Mrs Sam B. Levers,
who came from what was then the
far west and rarsed him through his
last illness.
If history lives the names OF these
two old patriots will ever be assoclat-
ed with the waters of North Rayburn.
l write it Alphabetically because there
are doubts in my mind. If the honks
and huns of today get into the air
We will not have any history CT liter
arv value. Men who write literature
must have leisure and quietness. On,
yes, know that about every nifty
wears some one will chronicle, not