Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-08-01
CHESTER COUNTY
Historical Sketch Of YOfk'S NeighbOr
10 the South.
1T WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1885
General Edward Lacey Said to Have
Been Responsible for Location Of the
Courthouse.
(By DIR. G.. 3. Whitley

(By DR.. G.. 3. White.)
Chester county, S. c., was surveyed
and it's present boundaries establishe
as Chester District in 1885. Previous
to that time it was a part Of Craven
County with the county seat at Cam
den. A district court was established
and held for 10 years at a place called
Walkers, near what is now Lewis
Turnout.
About 1895 commissioners were ap-
pointed to locate and erect a court
house. The commissioners were at
first disposed to locate the courthouse
at Old Purity church, three miles
southeast Of Chester, which is about
the geographical center Of the county.
At that time General Edward Lacey
owned and was living on the land, or
at least part Of the land, on which the
city of Chester is built. General Lacey
was one Of the heroes of the Revolu-
tionary war. His biographer states
that he was engaged in more battles
than perhaps any other officer in the
state. He was a member Of the legis-
lature at that time and had great in
fluence in the county. Tradition says
he brought undue influence to bear on
the commissioners and induced them
to locate the courthouse where the city
now stands.
The first courthouse stood in the
public square about opposite the Ma
tional Exchange Bank. This building
stood until 1855, when it was removed
and the present courthouse erected.
The district court was held here
from 1885 to 1895 when the circuit
court was established. Mr.. John Ros-
borough was elected clerk of the court
in 1900 and served for so years.
AS early as 1892 few adventu esome
Scotchmen settled near the mouth OF
Rocky Creek and began to traffic with
the Indians. Most of the early settlers
of the county were Scotch Irish. A
good many Of them came from the
counties of York, Lancaster and Ches-
ter in Pennsylvania, which accounts
for three counties of the same name in
South Carolina. Many came direct
from Ireland by way of Charleston.
This side of immigration set in about
1855 and continued up to the Revolu-
ton. By that time a large portion Of
the county had been settled.
These early settlers endured a great
many trials and hardships before, dur
ing and some time after the Revolu
ton. We have it by tradition from one
who lived during that time that many
brave. good men lived at times for
months on bread and water, with what
meat they could procure from the wild
game of the country.
Some Of the early settlers suffered
greatly from the savage Cherokee In
dians who inhabited the western part
Of the state. In order to protect them
selves against the Indians, they built
forts as places of refuge. One Of these
forts was built on Fishing Creek and
was known as Steeps Fort, and another
at Lands Ford, known as Taylor's
Fort.
In 1761 party Of Indians appeared
very Unexpectedly ! the Fishing Creek
neighborhood near .Le residence of
William and James McKenny, who
were absent at the time on a trip to-
Camden. Several of the neighbors as
sembled at the house of William Nc
Kenny for defense against the Indians.
The next morning there being no In
dans in sight, Mrs. McKenny ventured
out to milk the cows. While milking
several Indians crawled on their hands
and knees to where she was. She made
no effort to escape, but agreed to go
quietly to the house with them. AS
they came near the house Michael Mel
berry shot at and wounded the Indian
that held Mrs. McKenny by the arm.
She broke loose from him, but another
Indian pursued her to the door. At the
moment John Ferguson opened the
door to let her in. He was instantly
killed and his mother mOrtally wound
ed by shots fired by the Indians. The
door was then closed. After several
Of the Indians were wounded by shots
from those in the house they retreated,
taking with them Mrs. McKenny, who
did not succeed in getting into the
house. When she was dragged about
half mile from her home she was
tomahawked in the back and head
scalped and left for dead. After she
lay unconscious for some time she re-
gained consciousness and crawled back
home. When the Indians came in the
neighborhood Of Rocky Creek they
killed John Mcdaniel and wife and
carried off his seven children, the lod-
est being a girl of Is years old.
These brutal acts aroused the peo-
pie and a party headed by Thomas
Steels were soon in pursuit. They
followed them almost to the borders
of the Cherokee nation. They came
upon them in the dead of night, killed
most Of them and rescued the children.
Thomas Garrett of Rocky Creek killed
the one who had tomahawked Mrs. Nc
Kenny, and actually found her scalp in