The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1921-07-27

Did the old Scotch-Irish settlers
bring that name with them, or did
they coin it in Laurens? No one will
ever know. I believe, however, that
the name originated in the county
and from tho lips Of some old settler
on the banks of the puring stream.
North and South Iabun leave the bas-
es Of the hills OF the central part Of the
county. Rabun, however, like so
many of our words has had the cruel
treatment by Southern tongues. Why
did they not write and pronounce it
correctly -Raybuln? Oh, just because
we seem to have a natural aversion
to the letter ~. We like to say do
instead OF door, pO instead Of poor and
Eoy-'ment instead OF government
often feel sorry for the little letter
r., Southern tongues will not rccog-
nize it as socially equal with the 9TH
cr letters OF the alphabet, 1t is elimA
mated and grossly ignored in enuncia-
ton. We would not like to be treat
ed that way and l will not treat the
impolitcly. Pardon me if am an
iconoclaSt in this particular. / re-
write it Rayburn. The Ray, scion
officially, is species OF fiat fish, the
Scotch settlers frequently called the
Sun-breaan or as we say the Sun
perch, Il Ray. Burn is Scotch for
branch or creek North and South
Rayburn were full of Sun-perch. |
have seen them. Some old Scotch
irishman, perhaps, with his mind and
heart full OF the memories begotten
by the burns of Northern Ireland must
have named the creek Rayburn, and
as he ate the golden SUM- Dream a
thousand memories must have awak-
ened OF childhood days when he wad-
ed in the burns Of his native heath. It
must have been so, for | have search
cd in vain for the surname lRabun or
Rayburn, among the early settlers OF
not contain it,
Rayburn is historic ground. You
cross both prongS on the old road lead
ing from laurcns to 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 Carolinians for
get their history. Hush, did you hear
it? Downs! Did mufflcd sound
whisper it Yes, ,Dlainly to the at
tcntive ear. The waters whispered ii
as they Swirlcd around a stone in
the runncll Are you a child Of Lau-
rcns and know not its meaning? iona
than DownS. lis ashes sleep on the
waters OF North Rayburn. The people
OF laurcnS ought to build him Il mon
umcnt. lie fought in the wars againSl
the Chcrokcc$, he Was 4 major in the
long and bloody struggle OF &c and
was one Of the commissioners that
located thc county seat, and when his
fellow mcmbcrs Of that commission
desired TO pcEpctuatc his name li
hcarticSt appreciation OF the Sel-.aC-
rilcmg service he had rendered the
county and state by naming the old
county Downs,
NO, no. said he, ii must not be
!. Never name it in honor Of any living
man for he miGhi do Somcthins in his
old agc that would bring disgrace on
the name Gail il IaurtnS | hoe ,nu
after my old friend Henry Laurcus.
Noble old Roman He never sought
honorS but MAS never happier tl!aI
when he served his county and his
state. John Hunter, Thomas Wads-
worth and Charles Allen, lis fellow,
members OF that commission, yicldcG
TO the bray" mans desire, feeling in
their hearts that no man deserved the
honor more than the heroic man who
had refused it, No wonder the waters
OF North Rayburn whisper his name
making the stones in its runncl
tongues to utter II when an migrate
ful people have forgotten It, ! re
peat, the people Of lnurcn& ought to
build him monument.
He first settled on pcachland creek
near itS confluence with Rccdy river
and afterwards moved TO n plantation
on North Rayburn where he lived till
his death. Downs" N.ct tongues OF
stone and living waters whisper it til
the sons Of Upper Carolina arous,