Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-08-01

| fifth time to that position, Is q grea
grandson of Mrs. McKenny. When the
Revolutionary war began the Scotch.
Irish of Chester were almost to mar
on the side Of liberty. This was quite
natural, as many Of them before COM
ing to this country and their ancestors
before them had been prosecuted or
account of their views on civil and
religious liberty.
The first resistance made in this part
of the state against the British was
made at Beckhamville, situated in tho
southeastern part of Chester county
Early in 1880 a British officer was sent
to Beckhamville, supported by 10C
soldiers. Circulars were sent through
the surrounding country commanding
the people to come in and take British
protection and swear allegiance to the
British government. Every induce
ment possible was offered Justice John
CASTOR, man of great influence, who
lived in that community to come in
and take protection. Instead Of ac-
cepting British protection he went tc
work to run the officers and his sup
porters out of the country. Justice
CASTOR was 80 years old and not able
to bear arms himself, but he had nine
brave sons who were always ready to
do their duty. Runners We're sent
through the country to notify the
friends of liberty to assemble that
night at the home Of Justice CASTOR
for the purpose of making an attack
on the British the next morning. That
night "a men Joined the Castor
brothers. This party OF 33 men, led by
Capt. John Mcclure, attacked the
British early the next morning and
completely routed them, killing several
of them. Eight of this party were from
the immediate neighborhood Of what is
the city of Chester. Two Of them were
Walkers and have numerous descend
ants living in and in the immediate
vicinity Of the city of Chester.
A short time after this Captain Nc
Clure led a company of men against
a force of British stationed at Mobley's
carried off his seven children, the old
Fairfield county, who had been sent
there for the same purpose as those at
Beckhamville. They were also routed
and several killed.
The battles of Sumter's Defeat and
Fish Dam were fought in Chester
county. We have the gun in our pos
session now, the gun used by our
grandfather in both of these and other
battles of the Revolution. We have q
real daughter of the Revolution living
now in Chester county. She has pass
ed her 9th birthday, but still enjoys
good health and has a vivid recollec-
ton of things that occurred in her
young days. Her father was Capt.
Hugh Knox, who, with four brothers
served through the Revolution and
were engaged in several battles. Mrs.
Wallace had told us that she had often
heard her father relate the experience
in the battle of Hanging Rock. He
said as he stood beside one Of the Cas-
ton brothers, mentioned above, his
cousins, fighting hand to hand with
the enemy, CASTOR fell dead in front
Of him. The powder from the gun
that killed him burnt Capt. KnoX's
face, leaving a scar which he carried
to his grave 40 years after. When this
battle ended three of the Gastons lay
dead, the body of one lying across
another The fourth brother, Joseph
Castor, a boy OF 16, lay severely
wounded in the face. Capt. Mcclure,
their cousin, lay mortally wounded and
died at Charlotte, n. c., several days
after. Joseph CASTOR was the ancestor
of the Gastons now living in the city
of Chester.
General Adair, a native of Chester
county, and who served in several
battles of the Revolution said the battle
Of Hanging Rock was the hardest
fought battle of any in which he en-
gagged General Adair was born nine
miles north OF Chester on the planta-
ton now owned by the family of the
John o. Darby He moved to Kentucky
some time after the Revolution. He
commanded the Kentucky troops and
was second in command at the battle
of New Orleans. After he returned to
Kentucky he was elected governor of
the state. Gen. Adair was grand
uncle of the late Hon. James Hemphill,
of Chester.
One of the historic places of Ches-
ter county is Mt. Dearborn, situated on
the bank of Catawba Falls. 1t was
named in honor of General Dearborn,
who was secretary of war during
President Jefferson's administration.
This place was first owned by General
Sumter, and was sold by him to the
United States government during the
administration of President Jefferson.
A United States military post was es-
tablished and maintained here for
some time. The ruins of several brick
buildings surrounded by a rock forti-
flcation can still be seen there. Gen
eral Senf, q celebrated civil engineer
who surveyed the old Santee and Ca