The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-08-10

, brothers, the younger. FulmfolO
Rhem, having died some years ago
as the result of a bite from a pet
monkey.
On April /, 1899, cold. freezing
day, | drove from Georgetown up the
Black River road to Rhenl, where for
the first time l met these two broth
ers at their main store. They had a
chain of stores, dc . ,arge turpen-
tine business and ran immense farms,
They sold $4,000 acres Of land en-
bloc to the Atlantic Coast Lumber
company at Georgetown.
Their hospitality vas ideal and ov-
erfowing. No man sat at their tables
without having a recollection of it
to the end of his days. To every
friend the freedom Of those vast acres
belonged of right, anG everything on
them.
At this time the region swarmed
with game. Deer, wild turkey, par
tridges, doves, ducks, anything the
hunter sought, was to be found in
prcfusion. No man could go away
empty handed. If he could not kill
game, it was killed for him and he
was loaded down.
took James E. Briggs, of the New
York Life Insurance company, up
there, and Charles R. Flint, of New
York City. General Hampton, ac-
companied by Colonel Thomas Taylor
and Evander R. McIver, went there
to hunt, the late P. A. Wilcox be-
ing chaperon of the party. All had
a wonderful time ard freely express
ed themselves so.
The Rhem brothers were devoted
and inseparable. Furnifold lived at
Morrisville, four miles away, but dai-
ly went to Rhem. Rome was within
few miles and just beyond it at the
old Indiantown settlement, so rich
in historic association and thlckly
populated with gentlemen and gentle
women.
Cedric, the Saxon, never entertain
ed half so many people nor enter
tanned them half so we'll as did these
superb planters and merchants.
The RHEIMS were not only big busi-
ness men, they were the finest citi-
zens, enlisted in every good cause,
seeing clearly and working for the
best interest of the state and the
community.
Such establishments as they ran at
Rhem, Morrisville and elsewhere will
probably never again be seen in South
Carolina; for, with the passing of the
planters, conditions have changed ut
terly. The new order may be bigger
and better than the old. No man
knows; but what we do know is that
never again can there be anything
Ike this.
The last time l saw the two 9TH
ers was in Charleston, in 1916, togeth-
er at the last as they were at the
first, memory that may not perish,
but must endure.
The remark of an educated Pennsyl-
vanian, when he first knew the RHEIMS
and their country, comes back to me.
He said:
"If a man came here who was not
a gentleman and lived for while,
the association would make gentle
man out of him."
Black Mingo, celebrated for Revo-
lutionary incident, has no finer thing
to hand down to posterity than the
! memory of these brothers, widely
known, and loved and respected where
ever known.
They have by their lives made an
invaluable contribution to the history
of the state. It would be well II the
record of such citizenship were pre-
served, that coming generations may
ponder thereon and be wiser and bet
ter.
A states enduring monuments lie
in the hearts of its good citiznes, who
are living witnesses and through their
descendants bear perpetual testimony
to departed worth.
Brick House Plantation, Chee-Ha
River.