Marion County, South Carolina - The whole text, 1902 (part 3 of 15)

Marion County was designated for the first time as a civil or political division by the Act of 1785, and was called Liberty. Prior to that time, it formed part of the large county of Craven; but Craven County, as such, never had any representation in the General Assembly. For political purposes, it was called the District East of the Wateree, and as such was entitled to two Representatives. (Constitution of 1778, 1, vol. Statutes at Large, page 140, section 13.)

The politics of the Province of South Carolina up to the Revolutionary War were intensely British. After the Revolution, they did not take definite shape, as far as can now be gathered, until about the date of 1800, when her policy tended to support the views of Alexander Hamilton - who, though an advocate for the adoption of the Federal Constitution of 1787, and a Federalist, yet he believed in a latitudinous construction of that instrument. He believed in a strong executive government. Hamilton was not ailone ; many able andl truly patriotic men had the same views. John Adams and the Pinckneys, of South Carolina, ranged themselves on that side. They were, doubtless, honest in their opinions, laboring for the good of the country. In the presidential campaign of 1800, the contest was bitter and intensely exciting. Thomas Jefferson, the great apostle of Republicanism (Democratic) of that day, and John Adams, Aaron Burr and perhaps others, headed the two parties. Republicans and Federalists. There was no election by the people; hence, under the Constitution, the election devolved upon the House of Representatives, in which, as the writer understands it, they voted by States ; each State counted one vote, and in that way the small States of Rhodfe Island and Delaware were as strong as the larger States - Virginia and New York. The House balloted thirty-seven times before an election was made. The race in the House was between Jefferson and Burr, each getting eight votes - South Carolina voting for Burr. On the thirty-seventh ballot. South Carolina and Tennessee voted blank ; the result was, eight for Jefferson and six for Burr. Jefferson was declared elected President and Burr was declared elected Vice-President. It thus appears that South Carolina voted for thirty-six ballots for Burr and against Jefferson, the great leader of the Democracy of 1800. And though dead for three-quarters of a century, Jefferson is now the beau ideal of the Democracy of 1900. How it was that they then voted with the Federalists and against Democracy, has never been explained. Such is the record of history. In every presidential election since that time, except one in 1832, South Carolina has invariably voted for the Democratic candidiate.

We have no means of ascertaining what were the politics of Marion County in 1800, but we presume they were in line with the balance of the State. On several occasions since that time, the people of Marion County have been divided on political issues, and have had some very bitter contests among themselves. The first, in the order of time, was in 1832, on the question of Nullification^ - ^that is, to decide whether or not South Carolina should nullify and make void within this State the tariff laws passed by Congress, and to resist by force, if necessary, the collection of the Federal revenue within this State. It raised a storm, a very tempestuous one, from the mountains to the seaboard, Marion included. One party was called Nullifiers and the other Union men. Marion District was aroused as it had never been before from its centre to its utmost limits. Each party had its candidates for delegates to the Convention. I do not know who the candidates were on the respective sides, but do know who were elected. The Nullifiers carried the county by a few votes - say thirty. Coloneil Thomas Harllee, General William Evans and Alexander L,. Gregg, from West Marion, were ^elected. The Convention convened in Columbia on the 19th November, 1832, and passed and adopted an ordinance of Nullification on the 24th November, 1832. (I. vol. Statutes at Large, pp. 329-333.) This Convention had in it many able men, and true patriots, such as R. W. Barnwell, Pierce M. Butler, C. J. Colcock, F. H. Elmore, Robert Y. Hayne, William' Harper, Job Johnston, George MacDuffie, Stephen D. Miller, Charles C. Pinckney, Thomas Pinckney, John Lide Wilson, F. H. Wardlaw, R. Barnwell Smith (Rhett) and many others. Most of the Union delegates refused to sign the ordinance. The Convention issued a strong and stirring address to the people, setting forth their grievances and their rights and the proposed remedy. The die was cast. Preparations to resist by force were hastily made, war seemed imminent. Andrew Jackson was President of the United States. He issued a proclamation, Congress passed a force bill and everything looked like war. South Carolina seemed determined, and set about making the best preparation possible for defence. Turmoil' and strife existed and permeated the w'hole State - brother arrayed against brother, father against son, neighbor against neighbor. Those were fearful times. The more thoughtful among us were scheming how to throw oil on the troubled waters, and to avoid a collision. Just at this juncture of affairs a ray of hope dawned upon us. The State of Virginia, seeing the danger, intervened in the interest of compromise and peace. With a view to its accomplishment, she sent as an agent or a commission to South Carolina the Hon. Benjamin Watkins Leigh, and he, with the aid of Hon. Henry Clay, the great pacificator of the United States in Washington, stayed the advance of grimvisaged war so close upon us, and brought about a compromise. Congres's passed an Act for the gradual reduction of the tariff, the casus belli, down to a revenue standard - which South Carolina accepted, and repealed her ordinance of Nullification. Thus was averted, for a period of near thirty years, a bloody fratricidal war. (I. vol. Statutes at Large, p. 390, et sequens.)

In repealing the ordinance, the Convention excepted from its operation the Act entitled "An Act further to alter and amend the militia laws of this State, passed by the General Assembly of this State on the 20th day of December, 1832." Thus preserving and manifesting a military spirit, which has ever characterized the State. The stirring times of the Nullification struggle intensified the military ardor of our people, referred to more at large in the former part of this history, and opened the way for the contest a year or two later, in this (Marion) district, between Thomas Harllee and John F. Ervin for the colonelcy of the newly-organized 32dl regiment of the South Carolina militia, and gave an impetus to and fanned into a flame the military spirit of the people, which continued with unabated ardor for years, and culminated in the founding of the Arsenal Academy in Columbia, and Citadel in Charleston. The Arsenal was preparatory to the Citadel, and they were largely patronized until they were broken up by the war of 1861-1865. Those schools turned out many useful and distinguished men, versed in military affairs, and prepared to take the lead in the bloody contest of 1861-1865. Since the war (1882), the Citadel has been reorganized and is doing well, has an extensive patronage, and is turning out every year young men well educated and, especially in the arts of military life, prepared and equipped for service in any rank of military life, and competent to fill the highest positions in the army or honorable positions in civil life. It is one of the best schools in the State. The names of the sons of Marion County graduating therein are hereinbefore given.

Not long after the Nullification struggle, the Whig party in the United States was formed. In 1836, that party nominated for the Presidency Hugh L. White, of Tennessee, and' the Democrats nominated Martin VanBuren, of New York. Van- Buren was elected. In that campaign. South Carolina was not much divided - she voted for VanBuren. In 1840, the Whig party had become very formidable. They nominated for the Presidency that year, William Henry Harrison, of Ohio, and for the Vice-Presidency, John Tyler, of Virginia. The Democrats nominated Martin VanBuren, of New York, for a second term, and Richard M. Johnson, for the Vice-Presidency. This campaign was called the "Log Cabin, Hard Cider, Coonskin and Red Pepper" campaign. In Nashville, Tenn., they actU'-* ally built a log cabin, put it on wheels, with a barrel of hard cider planted in the top of it, a picture of their candidate pictured on it astraddle of the barrel with a quill in his mouth sucking the cider from the bung of the barrel ; coon-skins and red pepper were hung all round the cabin, and the whole drawn through the streets of Nashville by four white horses. It was said in the newspapers of the day that Parson Brownlow, a Methodist preacher, and editor of a leading newspaper in Nashville, rode on top of the cabin, sucking cider out of the barrel with a quill, and gnawing the coon-skins - ^thus parading himself and his candidates through that refined city. And such emblems and "clap-trap" as that carried the election, not only in Tennessee, but in the United States. William Henry Harrison was, doubtless, a patriot and good man. The whole thing was gotten up, promulgated and carried through by his partisans, who were hungry for the "plums" of Federal patronage. Unfortunately for the Whig party. President Harrison lived only a month after his inauguration, and John Tyler, the Vice-President, became President, and proved to be about as good a Democrat as most public men belonging to the party! It is said that history repeats itself. John Tyler was with the Whig party only on one question, that of internal improvements by the government, and was nominated for the Vice-Presidiency as a matter of policy - that is, to carry Virginia, then a large State, in the electoral college. Virginia then included what is now West Virginia. So in 1864, during the war, the Repub- licans nominated Andrew Johnson, a war Democrat, for the Vice-Presidency on the ticket with Abraham Lincoln, as a matter of policy to mollify the South and to carry not only Tennessee, Johnson's State, but perhaps other Democratic States, against George B. McClellan, the Democratic candidate. They succeeded in the election, but Lincoln lived oflly a little over a month after inauguration, and Andirew Johnson became President. The Republican Congress was caught just like the Whig Congress, elected in 1840, was by John Tyler. Tyler vetoed the favorite Acts of the Congress of 1841-2, and the party in Congress were not strong enoug'h to pass them' over the veto by a two-thirds vote. Not so in Andrew Johnson's case. He vetoed the Reconstruction Acts of Congress, and the Republicans were strong enough to pass them over the veto by a two-thirds majority. Johnson did all he could to save the South from the horrors of reconstruction, but the Congress was too strong for him. They tried to impeach him, and came within one vote of succeeding in their mad effort. Andrew Johnson was far from being the man the South would have wanted for President. The South, however, owes him a debt of gratitude, though in his grave, for what he strove to do in her favor. Too many Thad. Stevens then in Congress, whose hearts were bent on revenge.

In the Log Cabiji, Coon-skin and Red Pepper campaign of 1840, Marion District was about equally divided between the Democrats and the Whigs. There were strong men on both sides. The Whig candidates were, for the State Senate, Benjamin Cause, and for the House, Davidi Palmer, Henry Davis and Dr. Daniel Gilchrist. The Democratic candidates were, for the Senate, Addison L. Scarborough, and for the House, John C. Bethea, Hugh Godbold and William T. Wilson. The people were wrought up to the highest point. VanBuren's administration of the government was too extravagant. His administration of the government had cost on an average $60,000,000 a year. That was paraded in the newspapers and all through the country as being enormous. Another fad circulated was that he slept on a $1,500 bedstead, and had other conveniences in proportion. When, now sixty years after that period, an administration of the government costs on an aver- age of $500,000,000 a year, when not engaged in a foreign war. Our people are standing all this reckless expenditure of money now, when our fathers and grand-fathers could not stand $60,000,000. President VanBuren's extravagant administration, together with the coon-skin and 'hard cider "clap-trap," hurled VanBuren from power. What shall be done now in the campaign of 1900? In 1840, the result in Marion District was the election of Benjamin Gause to the Senate by eighteen votes ; David Palmer, Henry Davis and John C. Bethea were elected to the House. Among the six candidates for Representatives, there were not fifty votes between the highest and the lowest of the six.

In the campaign of 1844, the Whigs and Democrats had another contest in Marion District. The respective parties had each its candidate for the Presidency. James K. Polk headed the Democratic party, and Henry Clay led the Whig party. Polk was elected President. The respective parties had each its candidates in Marion. Ex-Governor Dr. B. K. Henagan was the Democratic candidate for the Senate ; John C. Bethea, Barfield Moody and Chapman J. Crawford were the Democratic candidates for the House of Representatives. Senator Benjamin Gause was a candidate for re-election to the Senate as the Whig candidate; William H. Grice, John Woodberry and N. Philips, Esq., were the Whig candidates for the House. The campaign was conducted with spirit and dogged determination - every exertion jx)ssible was made by each party for success. The result was that the Democratic ticket carried the county by a majority of 200 or more. The writer remembers that Henagan's majority over Gause was 204. The campaign that year (1844) lacked the "Coon-skin and Red Pepper" clap-trap of 1840 to give it success. The class of men carried by such clap-trap in 1840 were generally such as could be swerved and seduced from that path by silent and effective influences, no doubt used, which were powerless in 1844. The writer remembers hearing a remark made by Colonel W. H. Grice, one of the defeated candidates for the House, at Marion on the second day of the election, when it was ascertained that the Democratic ticket was elected entire, to this effect: That such a thing had never .before been beard of - ^the entire delegation from a district. Senator and Representatives, all belonged to one family. The Senator, Dr. B. K. Henagan, and Representatives, Bethea, Moody and Crawford, were all connected with each other by blood or marriage. The wife of Barfield Moody was the aunt of John C. Bethea and Chapman J. Crawford, Bethea and Crawford were first cousins ; Crawford's father and Bethea's mother were brother and sister, and Moody's wife was a sister of Crawford^'s father and also of John C. Bethea's mother ; Bethea's name was John Crawford Bethea. The Senator-elect, Dr. B. K. Henagan's, mother was a Bethea. The result of the election verified Colonel Grice's remark; yet it was not a precoflcerted arrangement, - it was only a happen so.

The election laws, at that time and for years before and after until the war, providted that elections should be held one day at each poll, including the court house poll, in the district, and on the next day the election should continue to be held at the court house. That on the second day, the managers from the out or country polls, or a majority of them, were required to carry in the votes from the out polls, respectively, to be counted whilst the election was going at the court house poll, and at the close of the court house poll it was counted and the result for the whole district was then declared. The practical operation of this arrangement of the election laws of the State opened the door to all sorts of combinations on the second day at the court house poll. Many times the candidate or candidates elected on the first day of election were beaten on the second day. Not more than half the votes would be polled at the court house on the first day, and many from the out polls would not vote the first day, but would go to Marion the second day, and after hearing from, perhaps, all the polls in the district as to how the election went the day 'before, were ready to form combinations to elect or to defeat certain -candidates, and vote accordingly. A heavy vote was thereby cast on the second day. It was not then, as now, an elector could vote at any precinct in the county, provided he could identify himself to the satisfaction of the managers, and take the required oath that he had not voted in the election at any other voting precinct. The having one day's election at the out polls and two at the court house, was wrong in policy, as it often operated to defeat the will of the people; but allowing an elector to vote at any poll in the district, wherever he might happen to be on day of election, was right and good policy, and ought to be so now in 1900, provided he showed his registration certificate and takes the required oath. And it ought to be extended further. An elector ought to be allowed to vote at any precinct in the State for Governor and other State officers, and for a Representative in Congress at any voting precinct in his Congressional District, provided he identifies himself to the satisfaction of the managers by the production of his registration certificate and by other evidences, and takes the required oath. It often happens that a man's business or family necessities compel him on day of election to be somewhere else other than at his own poll. If so, by the law as it now is, he is disfranchised, he is deprived of his right to vote. Our election and registration laws ought to be amended so as to avoid such disfranchisement. Every man ought to have, and does have, the right to have his voice in choosing the makers and adtainistrators of the law under which he lives,- unless by crime or other disability he has forfeited that rig'ht.

After the campaign of 1844, there was a lull in party strife, and each party seemed to merge into the other party ; discrimination ceased and men were seemingly elected to office without any reference to past party affiliations till 1851 and 1852. In 1 85 1, it was proposed to hold a Convention of the Southern or slave-holding States at Montgomery, Ala., to consult as to the most advisable course to protect themselves against the aggressions of the North on the institution of slavery. South Carolina was for separate State action, whether any other State joinedi,in or not. When I say South Carolina was for separate State action, I mean that was the proposition - Separate State Secession or Co-operate Secession - Secession or Co-operation. A popular election was held to elect delegates to the proposed Convention at Montgomery, Ala. It aroused a furor in the State. Excitement and strife permeated the whole State, from the mountains to the seaboard. The Co-operation party, as it was called, was in favor of secession, provided they could get the co-operation of the other slave States, or a majority of them; the Separate State Action party were in favor of the secession of South Carolina, Virhether any other Southern State seceded or not. Each party put out their respective candidates for delegates. T'he contest was bitter and strong ; animos'ities were engendered, party feeling was strained to its utmost tension. I do not recollect who the respective candidates were. The Co-operation party carried the district by thirty-five majority, and that party carried the State by a considerable majority. The Montgomery Convention was never held, and thus the matter ended; but the feelings, the animosities and jealousies engendered and aroused were not allayed, or seemingly modified, but continued through the next year, 1852, as bitter and unrelenting as ever. Each party was unwilling to trust the dther, and each party had out its candidates 'for the Senate and House the next year, 1852, in this, Marion District, and it was so throughout the State. Dr. Robert Harllee was the candidate of the Secession party for the Senate, and C. J. Crawford was the candidate of the Co-operation party for the same office. I do not remember the names of the candidates for the House. Dr. Harllee was elected to the Senate over Crawford by 171 majority. Dr. William R. Johnson, Colonel W. W. Durant 'and William S. MuUins were elected to the House of Representatives. Dr. Johnson was Secessionist, Durant and Mullins were Co-operationists. The Secession party had four candidates for the House to carry, and hence they elected but one of their ticket, Dr. Johnson. The bitterness engendered by the campaign gradually cooled down, and harmony and good feeling were restored. The party for Separate State Action believed and felt assured that if South Carolina acted alone, the other slave States would of necessity follow. The Co-operation party thought otherwise - that South Carolina should act only in conjunction with the other slave States. Both parties, doubtless, were honest. One party wanted to act at once, the other party wanted'to go slow, being more cautious. The writer believes that if we had acted then, either separately or unitedly, there would have been no attempt at coercion. The anti-slavery feeling of the North was not then as strong as it was in i860 and 1861. It was intensified and became more fanatical in each succeeding year from 1852 to i860. Franklin Pierce was elected President in 1852, and a Congress in accord with the views of Pierce. Instead of coercion, some scheme of compromise would have been suggested and adopted, by which war would have then been averted, at least for a time, and maybe for all time. Slavery was bound to go, sooner or later, either peacefully or by the scourge of war. After 185 1 and 1852, there were no questions or issues to divide our people in South Carolina. But for the constant agitation of the slavery question in Congress, the people of the State were quiet and at ease. No division among themselves, nothing to disturb their equanimity of a political character.

Marion District, during the last decade before the war between the States, was steadily progressing on the different lines of civilized life to that proud eminence to which she has since attained, and which she now occupies. When the tocsin of war was sounded, she responded to the call of her section with an alacrity and an enthusiasm not excelled by, perhaps, any district in the State. However much she may have heretofore been divided and torn by factional issues and factional strife, she was almost a solid unit for the war, as the rolls of the companies from Marion District will show, hereinafter published. It is true, there were a few 5n Maple Swamp and in the lower part of Hillsboro Township, and perhaps a few in the Great Pee Dee slashes in Kirby Township, who failed and refused to respond to their country's call, but the great bulk of the young and middle-aged, and some passed the age of active military service, obeyed their country's call from motives of patriotism, and went to whatever place they were assigned, and wherever the exigencies of the times and service required, and sealed and demonstrated their devotion to their country's cause with their life's blood. Many left home and family and friends, never to return. The casualties of our late war with Spain and now going on in the Philippines, are but a bagatelle to the casualties in the Confederate War. In some of the great battles in Virginia and elsewhere, the casualties on each side ran up into the thousands. The casualties were generally much greater in the Federal army than in the Confederate army. All were Americans - all had learned the arts of warfare in the same school, and why should the casualties have been greater in the Northern army than in the Southern? The Northern army had greatly the advantage in numbers, in the character and calibre of their arms, in equipment of their soldiers and in their means and resources of every kind for successful war. It can be accounted for only upon the assumption that the Southern people as a whole have more pluck, more indomitable courage, more intrepidity and more diogged endurance than has the Northern people. With equal means, equal numbers and resources, the South would have won, and the war could not have lasted more than two years. Above all, our cause was just; the slavery question, although the proximate cause of the war, was subordinate to the great cause of the right of self-government, self-control. The Southern people were and are a homogeneous people, a chivalrous people - more of the Cavalier than the Puritan or Round-head, and under equal conditions make the best soldiers. Hence it was that the South resisted the overpowering forces of the North so successfully for so long a period - four years. The North never did whip the South by combat on the field, but by exhausting us and our resources. The world's history does not furnish a single example of such heroic endurance against such odds so successfully for so long a time, and Marion District did her full share in every way during the unparalleled struggle. She may truthfully say, magna pars fui, to the full extent of her capabilities. The war over, her men who had escaped the casualties and diseases and deaths incident and consequent upon it, having lost all, save honor, returned to their desolated and impoverished homes, with nothing to begin life again but strong arms and stout hearts. They found property gone (and what little remained had but little value), destitute homes, ragged children, in many cases no bread and other necessaries of life, and nothing to buy with. Their condition in many instances was deplorable indeed. Their poverty and want were more appalling than the enemy they had faced for four long years. The prospect foe living, for recuperation, was most gloomy. Our people, nothing daunted, went to work with such scanty means as they had or could procure, entered the school of hardship and self-denial with a hearty good will, and in a comparatively short time acquired the means necessary to supply their natural needs, and continuing to ply their energies under adverse circumstances, the horrors of reconstruction under an insolent soldiery, the people of the district gradiually recuperated, and not only supplied natural and pressing wants, but after reconstruction, though on a radical basis, began to accumulate the means of life,* as well as many of its comforts and enjoyments, and occasionally a surplus. Our troubles did not end by reconstruction, so-called, and the State Constitution of 1868. The institution of civil government did not displace the military, but it was continued for eight or nine years, or till April, 1877. Before every election, and at the meeting of the Legislature, so-called, a body of armed soldiers was sent here, for the purpose of intimidation, and to awe our citizens at the polls and, as the "powers that be" said, to protect the voters of the Republican party at elections, and to prevent as many Democrats as possible from exercising their right to vote. And on the meeting of the Legislature, the soldiers were the doorkeepers, and allowed no one to enter, as a member, except such as were known Republicans; and some from counties, for instance, Horry County, where after the first three or four years it was impossible to elect a Republican. The soldiers were the judges of the election and election returns, and were the actual returning boards of both county and State ; were judges of not only the election of members to the House and Senate, but also of their qualifications ; and the only qualification necessary for admission to a seat in either House, if a white man, was that he was a Republican, a "carpet-bagger" or "scalawag ;" if a negro, that his skin was blac!k or tan colored. So far as the negro member was concerned, he was nothing more than a puppet in the hands of those who led and controlled the body, and at least five-sixths of the members were negroes. There were a few leading negroes, such as W. J. Whipper, of Beaufort, Beverly Nash, of Richland, S. A. Swails, of Williamsburg, Henry E. Hayne, of Marion, H. J. Maxwell, of Marlborough, and some other negroes, who were the lieutenants of such men as Scott, Moses, Leslie, John J. Patterson, H. C. Corbin and the Mackeys, and perhaps some others. These latter did the planning as to when and how to steal, and their lieutenants put the plans into execution. The ignorant rabble in the Legislature were voted as occasion might require. Such a carnival of plunder, under the forms of law, was never witnessed before. Open and shameless bribery was the order of the day, and the bribes were paid from the pubHc treasury. Every man had his price - verifying the assertion of Robert Walpole, of England. The 'bribes paid in South Carolina were from $S,ooo down to $200. Every man was paid according to his supposed influence. Henry E. Hayne, first a Senator from Marion County, and then Secretary of State, built a fine house in Marion, now owned and occupied by Mr. James Baker, and had it finely furnished. Whilst he was hauling up the furniture from the depot at Marion, the writer heard him say that it (the furniture) was a present to his mother from a friend of hers. Each one of those mentioned above, including B. F. Whittemore, a Massachusetts carpet-bagger, representing Darlington County in the Senate, received $5,000; others $2,000, $1,000, $500 and $200. I would mention the names of some of the scalawags in Marion, but out of respect to the families or descendants of some of them, the writer forbears, knowing that the present generation' is not responsible for what was then done.

When the white people, the taxpayers of the State, got possession of the Legislature and the executive departments of the government by the election in 1876 (ever to be remembered) , a Fraud Commission was appointed to investigate and unearth the frauds and stealage for the then past eight years. One Josephus Woodruff, who had been and was Clerk of the Senate, turned evidence against his party, or against the party who had been in power. It seems he kept a little book, called at the time a "whirligig book," in which many of the stealings were entered - I suppose it was stenographically entered - each man's name, and how much he was paid, and what he had been paid. When that Committee made its- report, our own people were astonished. They knew that fraud and stealing had been going on, but to what extent was unknown. A stampede from the State of many of the leaders, white and colored, took place at once. Whittemore, then in the State Senate from Darlington, fled never to return ; the same of Moses ( F. J., Jr. ) ,

R. K. Scott, H. E. Hayne, S. A. Swails, and', in short, the whole gang of the leaders, the biggest rogues, fled the State, and in a few months time they were all gone. "A guilty conscience makes cowards of us all." Henry E. Hayne left Columbia and went down to Marion, his home, and where his mother lived, and was so badly frightened that he did not spend the night there, but left the same night and, as the writer understands it,, has never returned. "He left his country 'for his country's good." We can spare him. The particular stealings aibov^ mentioned were not all, by many, that occurred during the eight years of radical rule and high carnival. These were the bribes given and taken to pass a certain financial scheme by which the State was robbed and to be robbed of millions. In the early part of their career they did not seem so rapacious^ - ^more modest in their actings and doings ; but as time went on, the disguise was thrown off, and they became familiar with crime and theft; and growing more rapacious, they did not hesitate to take it by thousands, when at first they were afraid of being caught, and being somewhat squeamish, they would take only by littles, by hundreds ; now in or near the end of their reign, they could and did take it by thousands ; and no doubt thinking that their hold on the State could not be broken - that their lease of power was well secured to them for all time to come, or at least for a long time - ^they were the more ready to embark into stealing enterprises on a large scale. Hence this voracious greed for money could not be satiated with small amounts. It took more and more to satisfy them. Wresting the State from them in 1876 was a complete surprise to them - they had no idea of defeat. On the 15th August, 1876, D. H. Chamberlain, their candidate for Gtovernor, said in a public speech in Marion that day, that the Republican party would carry the State by 40,000 majority. In other words, that be would be elected by that majority. There are many now living who heard him say it. Hence the Hampton campaign success was a great and fatal surprise to them.

In 1868, at the first election under the Constitution of that year, Henry E. Hayne, a mulatto negro, was elected to the State Senate. I am not certain as to who were elected as Representatives, but think it was B. E. Thompson, Ebben Hays

(white) and W. S. Collins (white) ; the white men were called scalawags. In 1870, only Representatives were elected. The Democrats put out a ticket that year and succeeded in electing it, to wit : Rev. Joel Allen, F. A. Miles, Dr. Thomas R. Bass and John C. Sellers. They were elected by a majority of from 150 to 180. They would, doubtless, have been counted out by the Returning Board for the county, had they not been put in fear. Some half dozen or more of our citizens, headed by Major S. A. Durham, waited upon R. F. Graham, C. Smith and others, leading lights of the Radical party, the night before the returns of election were to 'be canvassed the next day, and told them that they knew the Democratic ticket entire was elected, and if they were counted out, the lives of the canvassers would be taken at once. Major Durham and his associates were appointed a committee to wait on the Board of Canvassers, and) so say to them, by an impromptu meeting of citizens in the town of Marion. This prompt action on the part of the Democrats had the desired effect, and thus saved Democratic representation to and from the county. Our Representatives could do nothing in the I,egislature when they were there. They could only watch the Radicals and block, as far as possible, any hurtful legislation atteriipted. There were only about twenty Democrats in that Legislature.

In 1872, the Democrats and Republicans each had their tickets in the field for Marion County. A strong effort was made, but the Republicans having the whole machinery of election in their hands, succeeded by fraud and by counting in their candidates. Williaan S. MuUins was the candidate for the Senate on the part of the Democrats, and C. Smith on the part of the Radicals. Henry E. Hayne, the former Senator, was elected that year Secretary of State. The Democrats elected every one of their candidates, but they were all counted out, and the Radicals counted in. Kukluxism had been doing its bloody wt>rk in some parts of the State, and the power of the United States was being invoked to suppress and punish it, and that to some extent awed our people and deterred them from going as far in 1872 as they would have gone in 1870. Hence the counting out of our candidates in 1872 was submitted to. We had a full Radical set of county officers and Sena- tor and Representatives. Incompetency in office and greed for money ruled the times. Crime was everywhere rampant, not only in Marion County, but throughout the State. The State was called the "prostrate State" - ^she was powerless everywhere. In 1872, three negroes, Jonas Deas, Lawrence Mills and Enos Reeves, were elected County Commissioners for Marion County. Ignorant and corrupt, they knew nothing whatever about the duties of the office, nothing about finances, except to steal them. For the year 1874, they fixed the county taxes so high that they, with the State levy, made the taxes for Marion County $100,000, whereas they should not have exceeded $40,000, county and State. In consequence of which a public meeting of the citizens and taxpayers was held at Marion on salesday in January, 1874. The Legislature was then in session ; our situation was discussed, and resulted in appointing a committee of our citizens to go to Columbia and memorialize the Legislature on the subject, and to pray that body for relief. The committee appointed to perform that duty was comfK>sed of Major A. J. Shaw (afterwards Judge), A. Q. McDuffie, J. M. Johnson, T. C. Moody and W. W. Sellers. The committee repaired to Columbia. We consulted our own delegation and the leaders, or some of them, in the House and Senate, and heard their suggestions. We drew up a strong memorial for the House and Senate, setting forth our grievances and the relief sought, in a respectful manner, avoiding or refraining from saying anything that would give offence or exhibit any partisan feeling - remembering the old adage, "that when your hand is in the lion's mouth, it won't do to twist his tail." We had the memorial printed and placed copies in the hands of our delegation, and they were introduced simultaneously into the House and Senate, and were referred to the respective Judiciary Committees of the House and Senate. By appointment of those Committees we went before them and were courteously received. Major A. J. Shaw, the Chairman of our committee, was our spokesman before the Judiciary Committees. The facts were very fully stated, both in the memorials and in the statements made by Major Shaw. We remained in Columbia about a week, talking with different members of other delegations and with our own, when we left and returned home, feeling very well assured that our mission there woflld be successful. The final result was the passing of an Act for our relief, and a reduction was made of the taxes for that year from fifty to sixty per cent., and was so arranged as to benefit only those taxpayers whose property was valued too high. For on inspection of the Auditor's books, there were those whose property was not valued too high and, of course, those did not share in the reduction. It saved some of our people a great deal, while it saved to others less. It saved to General William Evans over $200, to William S. EUerbe near $250 ; one Mr. Sinclair (w^hose first name is not remembeied) was assessed at $89 amount to be paid, and; by the reduction made it was less than $30. Thus it 1-an, some saving much and some less. All this trouble and expense were incurred' by the ignorance and incompetency of the three negro County Commissioners for the county, and it is not improbable that they desired a heavy collection of taxes that they might have a larger pile to steal from. This is inferred from the fact that they were afterwards indicted for embezzlement of the public funds, tried by a Republican Court, prosecuted! by a Republican Solicitor and a jury, a majority of whom were negroes, and were convicted and sentenced to terms, each, of imprisonment for a number of months not now remembered' - some for longer terms than others. Jonas Deas, the Chairman of the Board, got the longest term.

In 1874, there was a sort of compromise in Marion County between the parties, by which the white people of the county had two Representatives and' the Republicans two. The Representatives elected' that year were ex-Chancellor W. D. Johnson and Colonel R. G. Howard, and William E. Hayne and Anthony Howard - the two former for the whites and the two latter for the Republicans. During that legislative term Judge Green (a Republican) died, which left the Third Circuit without a Judge. His place was filled by the election of A. J. Shaw, Esq., then a resident citizen of Marion, and a Democrat. The Representatives from Marion voted for him, and it was said, and truthfully said, that W. E. Hayne, one of the Republican Representatives from Marion, did his best for the election of Shaw as Judge, and' was fully appreciated by the citizens of

Marion and of the Third Judicial Circuit, and also by the people of the State. Daniel H. Chamberlain, Republican, was Governor from 1874 to 1876, and during his term as Governor there were two other vacant judgeships, and W. J. Whipper and Franklin J. Moses, Jr., were elected to fill those vacancies, at which the whole State was very much mortified and humiliated ; but, to the surprise and great relief of the white people of the State, Governor Chamberlain refused to commission them, on the ground of their want of moral character, and thus the State was saved from the infliction. Chamberlain was a man of courage, otherwise he would not have dared to refuse their commissions. Chamberlain was a decent Republican and a gentleman. He had been first elected Attorney tieneral of the State and then Governor by the Republican party. It took courage to oppose the will of the Legislature expressed in the election of said men as Judges. Very few in the party, if any, would have thus flown in the face of the party as Chamberlain did. He was a Northern man, a graduate of Yale College, a fine scholar and a brainy man. He did many things while Governor which the white people favored, and by which he ingratiated himself into the favor of many of our good and leading men. In the campaign of 1876, Chamberlain was again nominated by the Republicans for a second term as Governor. The people of the State were sick and tired of Radical carpet-bag rule, and anxious to make the fight for its overthrow. Many good men in the State were fearful that if the fight was made that it would fail, and our condition would thereby be madte more intolerable; that as Chamberlain had made a pretty good Governor, we had better acquiesce in his nomination and election, than to run the risk. This was the idea of many very good men, who were opposed to making the contest. "The Straightouts," as they were called, were for making the contest, and gain all or lose all ; that if they were beaten, it could not and would not make our condition any worse. Strong men were on each side of the question. A Democratic State Convention was called to meet in Columbia on 15th August, 1876. Each and every county in the State was represented in the Convention, and the election of a Chairman or President of the Convention was made the test of the

Strength of the respective sides. The "Straightouts" nominated General W. W. Harllee, of Marion, for .Chairman, and the Chamberlain men nominated C. H. Simonton, of Charleston (now Judge), for Chairman. Upon a strict party vote. General Harllee was elected Chairman by thirteen majority. The Convention made nominations for Governor, Lieutenant- Governor and State officers, including Solicitors, and perhaps Congressmen. General Wade Hampton was nominated for Governor and W. D. Simpson for Lieutenant-Governor. The Chamberlain men wheeled right into line. They were just as good men as the "Straightouts," only were not as sanguine as to results as were the "Straightouts." The delegation from Marion were all "Straightouts," the only county in the Pee Dee section that sent such. The whole State was a unit, and in a blaze with enthusiasm. Never before within the memory of the writer was there such unanimity and such united effort. The campaign meetings were attended by the whole people throughout the State. No "coon-skins, hard cider or red pepper clap-trap" were resorted to. Nothing but red shirts, and cavalcades, and bands of music, marked the campaign. To defeat the Radical party and to rescue the State from its clutches were the aim and end to be attained. To do this, it was necessary to carry a great portion of the negro vote, and we did carry enough of it to turn the scale. A red shirt was the badge, and it was not uncommon in Marion to see in the cavalcades of the day as many as fifty to a hundred negroes, mounted on horseback in the cavalcades, with red shirts on, in procession with the white folks. The red shirts and horses in most instances were furnished them by the white people. He was then committed to the Hampton ticket, and could not go back on it. The business of the country was for the time pretty much abandoned. Men rode day and night with the red shirt insignia of the times on. No doubt, that some excesses were committed by the less considerate of our people, but not often to the injury of the common cause. Speech-making to gatherings of the people was the order of the day, and they were attended by the people in crowds. Never before in the memory of man, had there been such intensified determination manifested. It was not much less than a struggle for life. Cham.- berlain, the Republican candidate for Governor, in a speech delivered at Marion on the very day of the meeting of our Convention in Columbia, said that he would carry the State by 40,000 majority, we suppose he was about correct, counting every n«gro voter a Republican. To elect our ticket we must carry with us more than 20,000 negro voters - and we think that many were carried. The Hampton ticket was on white paper, the Radical ticket was on pink colored paper - all kept secret from the opposite party. A few days before the election, Captain Daggett, of Horry, managed to get hold of one of their tickets, it was immediately sent to Charleston (News and Courier), thousand's of them were printed with the names of our candidates on them, and on the morning of election day they were at every voting precinct in the State. That discovery and its immediate sequel was a protection to the negro voter for the Hampton ticket. There were many negroes willing to, and wanted to, vote that ticket, but were afraid to do so - were afraid of their own people, and especially of their neighborhood leaders ; and dbubtless thousands of those red tickets, with the Hampton candidates' names upon them, were that day (7th November, 1876), voted. Those red tickets turned the election, by which the people of the State were redeemed from the curse and hateful, ruinous rule of the carpet-bagger, scalawag and the ignorant negro. How or by what means Captain Daggett came into possession of that red ticket, with its eagle emblem upon it, we do not know, nor do we care to know. The tickets were sent to leaders in every county in the State, with an injunction of secrecy, to let no White man see them or to get hold of them. No doubt Captain Daggett knew the leaders in his county, Horry - ^he knew who was approachable and 'by what means. He accomplished his purposes for the good of his adopted State, and thereby his State was redeemed. To him should be erected a monument in the hearts of the people of the State more enduring than brass and marble.- He was afterwards honored by the citizens of Horry with a seat in the State Senate, an honor not at all commensurate with the daring courage which animated his patriotic bosom to do or to die. Captain Dagget has been dead for several years, has gone to his reward - "Requiescat in pace." The election in the

State for Gtovernor was pretty close. Hampton's majority, as claimed and his claim was sustained, was 1,134. Marion County was carried overwhelmingly for the Hampton ticket. Marion did her full share in the contest and she did no more than the other counties in the State - all were strained to the utmost. There were elected in the State, also, majorities for the Senate and House of Representatives. There were bitter contests in the Supreme Court for the offices. Chamberlain and State officers on his ticket claimed to have been elected. For a While there were two Houses of Representatives, each organized with a Speaker and other officers. Both bodies, for two or three days, had possession of the. Representative Hall, both Speakers-elect occupied the Speaker's chair. William H. Wallace was Speaker of the Democratic House, afterwards a Judge. E. W. M. Mackey, of Charleston, was Speaker of the Republican House. They clashed and blocked each other for two or three days and nights without leaving the House - took their meals there, furnished by the respective friends outsidte. In the meantime, thousands of our people had assembled outside the State House. Every man was well armed and ready for the fray. A company of United States soldiers were stationed in Columbia, and a detachment of them was in the State House with their guns and bayonets. General Hampton made a speech from the steps of the Capitol to our people, in whidi he assured them he would be Governor, and advised that they commit no act of violence nor provoke any hostilities. His head was cool and level. Such was the confidence the people had in him, they took his advice and left for their homes. Our legislative House quietly withdrew from the Capitol building and went to some other house in town and held their sessions there. The Court was composed of F. J. Moses, Chief Justice, . a Republican, A. J. Willard, a carpet-bag Judge, though an able man, and J. J. Wright, a negro Judge. This Court, constituted as it was, or a majority of them, decidted the various questions springing out of the late elections in favor of the Democrats, and when Rutherford B. Hayes, the Presidentelect, was inaugurated to the Presidency, the military troops were ordered to leave Columbia, and did leave. Chamberlain at once vacated the executive chamber, and left the whole

State House open for the Democratic Legislature and Democratic State officials. Thus ended the struggle, and thus ended the reign of the carpet-bag government, to the great joy and satisfaction of the people. This consummation proved the sagacity and wisdbm of our leader, Wade Hampton, when he advised, in his speech above alluded to, the people to do nothing rash, to be quiet and to go home, with his assurance that he would be Governor. But for the magic of his name and character, the State might have been till this day under Republican rule, and maybe the rule of the bayonet. This much has been said about carpet-bagism, reconstruction, the profligacy of the Radical regime, and the State's redemption in 1876, not so much for the present generation, as most of them were the subjects and actors, and participants in the governmental occurrences of the last twenty-five or thirty years, but that some faint sketch of it might be put in book form, for the sons and diaughters of the next and future generations to read and ponder. The one-hundredth part has not been told - in fact, it can never all be told.

This part of the Province of South Carolina, Craven County, was not much settled until about 1735. When Queensborough Township was laid off wholly in Marion County, in 1731 and 1732, there was not a settlement within it ; but below that township, and between the two rivers, Great and Little Pee Dee, according to well authenticated tradition, there were some settlements before that time. Mr. M. M. Lowrimore, of Woodberry Township, has furnished the writer with some interesting facts about the first settlement of that part of the county, Britton's Neck, below the old Britton's Neck Church of the present day (about which church more may be said hereinafter). The writer is also indebted to Mrs. Margaret F. Johnson, widow of the late Hugh R. Johnson, near Nichols, S. C, and who was the daughter of the late General William Woodberry, of Britton's Neck, for valuable and interesting information about the Woodberry family. From these two sources, viz: letter of Mr. M. M. Lowrimore and letter of Mrs. Margaret F. Johnson, the writer gleans the following:

"Some time in the early part of 1700, there came from Ireland some people by the name of Michalls, 'not McAU,' and settled on a point of land now called the 'Tan-yard.' Their occupation in their native land was that of tanners. After coming to this country, finding gcune so numerous, they became great hunters, and to carry on their trade they erected a tan-yard just one mile a:bove the mouth of Little Pee Dee River, on the bank of the Great Pee Dee. They killed game, then plentiful of all kinds and sorts, bought hides from others, tanned them and sold the leather to the early planters in that region and on the Waccamaw Neck. What became of the Michalls is unknown; the signs of the tan-yard erected by them were there for many years afterwards, and may be seen there even yet. The place is known now as the 'tan-yard.' The name of Michall is now extinct in the county." Mr. Lowrimore says: "About 17 10, there came over a goodly number from Great Britain, and thereby they were called the Brittons or Brittains." This would imply that the whole colony, whatever might be their individual names, were called the "Brittons" or "Brittains." The time of this settlement antedates the settlement made twenty-five years afterward, as spoken of by Bishop Gregg in his book, p. 69 There possibly may have been two emigrations in those early times to that part of the county (Craven). Mr. Lowrimore says: "They commenced settling at the lower mouth of Jordan's Lake. Their occupations were planting corn, peas, potatoes, rye, oats, wheat and flax, raised hogs, sheep, goats and cattle ; lived high on fish and honey, and wore otter-skin coats." If Mr. Lowrimore is correct, and the writer sees no reason to discredit him, this applies to the colony of 1710, called "Brittons" or "Brittains." Mr. Lowrimore further says: "About 1734, a number of Lowrimores with their wives came over from Ireland. Their trade was blacksmith and house carpentering. My great-grand-father was the blacksmith. Some of them went off to the rice countries and got rich, and lost it all by bad management. My grand-father, W. James Lowrimore, was a blacksmith, which trade my father, Robert Lowrimore, learned." The writer regrets that he has not been able to see Mr. Lowrimore, and learn more of the Lowrimore family - whom they married, how many children they raised, and their names, and what their successes in life were, and what has become of them. The writer has met with the present M. M. Lowrimore in times past, but not lately. He is advancing in life, perhaps seventy years' old, an excellent man, in fact, no ordiinary man, considering his want of opportunities and his environments. He and his immediate family are the only ones by the name known now to be in the county. In his very interesting letter to the writer, he says nothing about his family, except as above quoted, and nothing at all about his own immediate family, or whether he has any children or otherwise. There are several of the name in Horry County, who the writer supposes to be lineally or collaterally related to him. M. M. Lowrimore is a patriot and true man; if he has any family of his own, he is too modest to say anything about them. He is a remarkable antiquarian, and it is natural with him, not acquired, as his early educational opportunities were quite limited. Mr. Lowrimore continues : "Later on came a Capps, a farmer; next a family of Augustines, bee-tree hunters and hunters generally. This is on a lonely island between Jordan's Lake and the Great Pee Dee. Also an adjacent island was settled by a family of Hunters, a hunter by name and by trade. These islands go by the names of Augustine and Hunter's Islands. In 1734, came in a family of Kibber (or Kibler), occupation as others. All this on the Great Pee Dee. On Little Pee Dee, a man from England settled near its waters, by the name of Parker. Next a family of Colemans and a man by the name of Jerry Touchberry ; the Brittons at Hickory Hill. Next on the Little Pee Dee River, a family of the Woodberrys, who raisied hogs and cattle fof market, made indigo, met the trading vessels and changed off indigo pound for pound of negro weighed naked (so much for the Woodberrys). Next the Okes did likewise also. About 1760, the Munnerlyns (Irish), farmers and stock raisers, planted indigo, rice, oats, wheat and tobacco, raised orchards, beat cider." Mr. Lowrimore proceeds: "Next was a number of Williams^ - I know not where from. They lived chiefly by raising stock and driving it to market. Near the Great Pee Dee, a family of Rays, near the place that you know that is called Ray's

Causeway, on the road leading from Britton's Neck to the Ark Church. Also, the old Jenkins lived in there, too. There is where old" Mrs. Jenkins drank the toast to the British officer, when she told him she had three sons in the war, and she wished that she had three thousand. Another settlement which I forgot to note was old James Crockett, an old Englishman, came and settled on Little Pee Dee, near what is known as Pawley's Camps, the place where old Tory Pawley hid when old General Marion was ransacking this part of the country for the Tories. But the said Crockett obtained a warrant, and in 1734, he took up and had granted' to him a tract of land. I have had the old plat and grant in my hand many times. This then was called Craven County. I have not gone above the road leading to Britton's Neck Ohurch. The Graves that lived on the road, you can get knowledge of than and the old Davises and Mapp Claff." The old gentleman, Mr. M. M. Lowrimore, closes above quoted letter in these words, verbatim et literatim:

"Mr. Sellers, I take great pleasure in replying to you it was a Great strain on the mind, I did as best I could under the present circumstance please write to me if it is any profit to you or not, excuse mistakes and blunders, as I am no Grammareon In those old days the rattlesnakes were numberous I give you a receipt for the cure of Rattlesnake bite take one handful of parsley leaves one of Hoar hound leaves, beat up and squice (or) squix through one pint of new milk, add a lump of allum as big as a hulled hickory nut, give at draught" (he doesn't say how much) "When this you remember an old friend." Yours M. M. Lowrimore."

The writer cannot adequately express his appreciation of the above quoted letter, coming from the man it did. Now as to the different settlers mentioned in Mr. Lowrimore's letter. The Michalls, of "tan-yard" notoriety, have long since disappeared. It is not improbable that the name Michall, as given by Mr. Lowrimore, is the same as Mikell (a family), noticed by Bishop Gregg, pages 89 and 90, and notes, as coming to the Upper Pee Dee in 1756, two brothers, John and William. The difference is in the spelling, but idem sonans. One of these was killed during the Revolutionary War by a Tory ; the other survived that struggle. John, the elder brother, settled on the west side of the river, a few miles above Long Bluff. Gregg says hfe became a Major in the Revolutionary War, and was a man of decided character.^ It is not stated by Gregg where the Mikells came from, and it may be when the Michalls broke up from the "tan-yard," that they moved up the river on the west side in 1756, as stated by Bishop Gregg. At any rate, the suggestion is made for what it is worth. There are no Michalls in Britton's Neck now, nor has there been within the memory of the writer. As to the Lowrimores, the writer has already said all he knows about them. Now as to the colony of English spoken of by Lowrimore as coming into Britton's Neck about the year 1710, and coming from England, "thereby" called "Brittons" or "Brittains." They were different from the Brittons by name, as settling down there about 1735 or 1736, by Bishop Gregg (page 69), who says: "About the time John Godbold came to Pee Dee, two important settlements were made in that region. One of these was in Britton's Neck, twenty miles below Mar's Bluff and forty miles above Georgetown." "It was composed of the families of Britton, Graves, Fladger, Davis, Tyler, Giles and others. They came directly from England as one colony." Further notice of this colony will be taken by the writer hereinafter. As to the "Brittons" mentioned by Mr. Lowrimore, of 1710, and those mentioned by Bishop Gregg, of 1735, are they the same, or were there two emigrations by the name of Britton? Both may be correct, or one of them is in error, and if so, which one? Neither Bishop Gregg nor Mr. L/owrimore were cotemporaries with the Brittons, and, therefore, both dependted on information derived from tradition. Bishop Gregg was a man of scholarly ability ; Mr. Lowrimore was to the "manor born," a lineal descendant of some of the "Lowrimores with their wives," who came there in 1734 from Ireland, and M. M. Lowrimore got his information in the traditions of his family, handed down from the great-grand-father to the grand-father, and from him to the father, Robert Lowrimore, and from the father, Robert, to the son, M. M. Lowrimore. Bishop Gregg obtained his information (traditional) from the late Hugh Godlboldi, of Marion District - says so, in a note on page 69.

As to the Capps, spoken of by Mr. L,owrimore as coming later, who he says was a farmer, the writer supposes he is and was the progenitor of the family by that name now living, and has been for a century, below Marion Court House. If he was not the progenitor of them, it is altogether unknown what became of the one mentioned by Mr. lyowrimore. As to the Augustines and Huntets, mentioned by Mr. Lowrimore as settling there in those early times, the writer knows nothing ; he is not informed as to what became of them. No such name as Augustine is now in Marion Ck>unty, nor has there been since his recollection. The name has disappeared; as also the Hunters, so far as Marion County is concerned. There are Hunters in Florence and Darlington Counties, who, it is not improbable, descended from the Hunter family or families, mentioned by Mr. Lowrimore as settling in Britton's Neck.

Mr. Lowrimore says, in 1734, a family by the name of "Kibler or Kibber" came in and settled there ; that name is also extinct in Marion County. He says all the foregoing settlements were made on the Great Pee Dee. He says : "On Little Pee Dee, a man from England settled near its waters by the name of Parker. Next a family of Coleman, and a man by the name of Jerry Touchberry; the Brittons at Hickory Hill." Parker is a name that has been long and favorably known in Marion County; the Parker family reside on the west side of the Great Pee Dee, in w'hat is now Florence County, formerly in Marion. There is also a family of Parkers in Marlboroug'h County, quite respectable. The family in both counties have extensive connections, and are here to stay. In the absence of other information, it is probable that the family in both counties sprang from the one who settled about 1734 in Britton's Neck. The name of Touchberry is not in Marion County now. The name of Britton is also extinct in this county, and has been for years, though they have connections here not bearing the name. Time and circumstantial conditions effect wonderful changes - ^at least, in 165 years - and often leave no trace or remembrance of families or conditions. All terrestrial things are transitory and passing into the shades of oblivion.

Mr. Ivowrimore says : "Next on Little Pee Dee River, a family of the Woodlberrys (came), who raised hogs and cattle for market, made indigo, met the trading vessels and' changed off indigo pound for pound of negro weig'hed naked."

The writer received a letter from Mrs. Hugh R. Johnson, who was a daughter of the late General Wm. Woodberry, of Britton's Neck, in which she says: "The Woodherrys (two brothers), Richard and Jionah, came from Socastee - I can't give the date ; they settled in Britton's Neck, where they found several brothers by the name of Britton, who were large land and slave owners. Richard Woodberry, my grand-father, married Miss Lizzie Balloon, on Black River. They brought up two sons and three daughters; one of the sons was my father, the well known General Wm. Woodberry. General Woodberry was born January loth, 1788, and died January 31st, 1851. I have beard my father say that about 1815, the Brittons sold out and moved to Sumter County, except Dr. Tom Britton, who had married Margaret, one of the General's sisters ; she died childless. Fannie, another one of the sisters, married Sam. Wilson; she also died without children. The other sister married the Rev. Jeremiah Norman, of North Carolina ; Mrs. John Woodberry and Mrs. James Jenkins, and Samuel Norman, of Horry, were their children. Richardi Woodberry, the General's only brother, married Miss Desda Davis; their children were John and Washington, Mrs. Benjamin Gause and Mrs. John Gause. General Woodberry's first wife was Miss Hannah Davis; they had four children, all dying quite young. His second wife was Miss Sarah Johnson, of Horry ; they brought up four sons and four daug'hters, all of whom except one daughter married and reared families, but I expect you know as much about them as I do."

Mr. Lowrimore says: "Next the Okes did likewise all" - that is, as I construe it, they did like the Woodberrys - "raised hogs and cattle for market, made indigo, met the trading vessels and changed off indigo pound for pound of negro weig'hed naked." As to this name, "Okes," there is no record of such name in the county anywhere, as the writer has ever seen. The name may be included in the word "others," mentioned by Bishop Gregg, on p. 69, where he mentions the settlement in

Britton's N©ck of 1735, and gives the names of several of those early settlers there and concludes with the words "and others." The name has entirely disappeared, if it ever existed. Mr. Lowrimore says: "About 1760, the Munnerlyns (Irish), farmers and stock raisers, planted indigo, rice, oats, wheat and tobacco, raised orchards, beat cider." They settled in Britton's Neck ; there are none there now by that name. It is very probable that the Munnerlyn family, the Rev. Thomas M. Munnerlyn, who lived up near Ariel Church for many years, and raised a family there, and died there some twenty years ago, was a descenidlant of the Munnerlyn spoken of by Mr. Lowrimore. The Rev. Thomas M. Munnerlyn had a son, Thomas W. Munnerlyn, who became an itinerant Methodist preacher, and who died in 1898 and was buried at Smithville, S. C. (Minutes of the Conference, 1899, held at Orangeburg, S. C), a son named George, who emigrated West some years ago, and a daughter, who married the late R. Z. Harllee ; he and wife are both The Munnerlyn family were quite respectable in their day; none bearing the name now in the county, that the writer is aware of. A branch of the old Munnerlyn family is in Georgetown. B. A. Munnerlyn, of Georgetown, is a first class business man and stands high with all who have business with him. Mr. Lowrimore mentions the Williams as being early settlers in Britton's Neck, on the Great Pee Dee; that they raised stock and drove it to market. There are several Williams down ia that region or portion of the county now, but the writer has no personal acquaintance with them. They have the reputation of being a peaceable and quiet people, unostentatious, and unpretending in their manners and habits.

Mr. Lowrimore mentions a family of Rays, who settled near the place that is called Ray's Causeway, on the road leading from Britton's Neck to the "Ark" Church. There are no Rays down in that section now. There are Rays in the upper end of the county, but they are not of that family. What became of them is unknown. Mr. Lowrimore further says: "Also, the old Jenkings lived, in there, too, there is where old Mrs. Jenkins drank the toast to the British officer, when she told him she had three sons in the army, and she wished she had three thousand." This colloquy between Mrs. Jenkins, who it seems .was at that time a widow, and the British officer, is related in full in the Life of Marion, written by Brigadier General Horry and Rev. M. L. Weems, pages 220-222. It is as follows : "It was not for the British and Marion to lie long at rest in the same neighborhood. After a short repose. Colonel Watson, with a stout force of regulars and Tories, made an inroad upon Pee Dee, which was no sooner known in our camp, than Marion pushed after him. We presently struck their trail ; and after a handsome day's run, pitched our tents near the house of the excellent widow, Jenkins, and on the very spot which the British had left in the morning. Colonel Watson, it seems, had taken his quarters that night in her house; and learning that she had three sons with Marion, all active, young men, he sent for her after supper, and desired her to sit down and take a glass of wine with him. To his request, a good old lady of taste and manners could have no objection; so waiting upon the Colonel, and taking a chair which be handed her, she sat down and emptied her glass to his health. He then commenced the following conversation with her: 'So, Madam, they tell me you have several sons in General Marion's camp; I hope it is not true.' She said, 'It was very true, and was only sorry that it was not a thousand times truer.' 'A thousand times truer. Madam!' replied he, with great surprise. 'Pray, what can be your meaning in that ?' 'Why, sir, I am only sorry that in place of three, I have not three thousand sons with General Marion.' 'Aye, indeed ! Well, then. Madam, begging your pardon, you had better send for them immediately to come in and join his Majesty's troops under my command ; for as they are rebels now in arms against their king, should they be taken they will be hung as sure as ever they were born.' 'Why, sir,' said the old lady, 'you are very considerate of my sons ; for which, at any rate, I thank you. But, as you have begged my pardon for giving me this advice, I must beg yours for not taking it. My sons, sir, are of age, and must and will act for themselves. And as to their being in a state of rebellion against their king, I must take the liberty, sir, to deny that.' 'What, Madam!' replied he; 'not in rebellion against their king? Shooting and killing his Majesty's subjects like wolves! Don't you call that rebellion against their king, Madam ?' 'No, sir,' answered she ; 'they are only doing their duty, as God and nature commanded them, sir.' 'The d - 1 they are, Madam.' 'Yes, sir,' continued she, 'and what you and every man in England would glory to do against the king, were he to dare to tax you contrary to your own consent, and the Constitution of the realm. 'Tis the king, sir, who is in rebellion against my sons, and not they against him. And could right prevail against might, he would as certainly lose his head as ever King Charles the First did.' ~ Colonel Watson could hardly keep his chair under the smart of this speech ; but thinking it would never dio for a British Colonel to be rude to a lady, he filled her glass, and saying, 'he'd be d - d if she were not a very plain spoken woman at any rate,' insisted she would drink a toast with him for all that. She replied she had no objection. Then filling the glasses round, he looked at her with a constrained smile, and said, 'Well, Madam, here is George the Third.' 'With all my heart, sir,' and turned off her bumper with a good grace. After a decent interval of sprightly conversation, he called on the widow for a toast, who smartly retorted, 'Well, sir, here's George Washington.' At which he darkened a little, but drank it off with an officer-like politeness. The next morning early, we left the good Mrs. Jenkins, and burning with impatience to give Watson another race, we drove on Jehu-like." Mrs. Jenkins was a noble lady, full of the fires of patriotism, and had the courage, inspired by it, to speak her mind in almost the presence of royalty - at least, in the presence of and to a representative of it - and yet she did not forget the proprieties of her sex. She did not hesitate to express her sentiments, though pointed, yet with the calm dignity of a true and virtuous woman. She assuredly got the better of Colonel Watson, which he did not rudely resent. It may be inferred from his rank and position that he had the instincts of a gentleman, and though she stung him to the core, he treated her with much respect and due consideration. She, doubtless, loved her sons with all the ardt>r of her soul, yet she was willing to surrender them to her country's call, to resist its invaders, to fight for its liberties and, if needs be, to die in its cause. The writer does not know how many sons she had; he does know, however, that she had, in addi- tion to the three noble boys in Marion's army, another boy, James, then a lad of fourteen or fifteen years, who at an early age entered into the ministry, joined the Methodist Conference, and engaged in a warfare against the devil and sin - a much more formidable enemy than was the King of Great Britain. He joined the Conference in 1792, and was an itinerant preacher for the balance of his life, or as long as he was physically able. He was a pioneer preacher. In those early times of Methodism, the South Carolina Conference included the States of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Previous to 1800, there was but one Presiding Elder's District covering the whole territory of the Conference. In that year, the whole State of South Carolina was made a District, and James Jenkins was appointed the Presiding Elder. He became a strong preacher, and was distinguished through life for his great pulpit strength, and for his deep and devoted piety. He was an effective preacher wherever he went, and filled the most important positions in his Conference. He lived to the age of eighty-three. In his old age he became blind, and had to be led about by some one. The writer saw him and heard him preach two masterly sermons at a camp meeting in Brownsville, Marlborough County, S. C, in 1841. It seemed to the writer that he knew the Bible and hymn book by heart. He gave his h)rmns as though he was reading them from the book, and would state the number and page, and during the sermon would quote from the Bible, book, chapter and verse. It was simply wonderful. It was evidence that he had made the Bible and its contents a lifelong study. He died 24th June, 1847, and was buried in Camden, S. C. A distinguished son of Marion County, 'born and reared by a noble and historically distinguished mother ; thus verifying the adage, that "all great men had great mothers." W. J. Crosswell, Superintendent of Southern Express Company, of Wilmington, N. C, and J. J. Crosswell, Route Agent of same company, Fayetteville, N. C, are grandhsons of the Rev. James Jenkins.

Mr. lyowrimore gives us the name of another early settler in Britton's Neck, by the name of James Crockett, in the following words : "Another settlement which I forgot to note was old James Crockett, an old Englishman, came and settled on

Little Pee Dee, near what is known as Pawley's Camp, the place where old Tory Pawly, hidi, when old General Marion was ransacking this part of the country for the Torys ; but the said Crockett obtained a warrant, and in 1734, he taken up and had granted to him a tract of land. I have had the old plat and grant in my hand many times." This was probably the progenitor of the celebrated David Crotkett, of frontier fame in the wild West, seventy-five or eighty years ago. Davy Crockett was a great hunter in those early times. He wrote a book containing his own biography - ^his life and adventures with the Indians and wild, ferocious animals, his hair-'breadth escapes, always the hero of his own stories; his candidacy for and election to Congress ; a ludicrous account of his introduction to and interview with President Andrew Jackson. Crockett was exceedingly humorous, and could tell most ludicrous stories. His dress was made of the skins of the ani-- mals he killed ; wore a cap made of a coon-skin, with the tail hanging down his back. It has been forty or fifty years since' the writer read his book, and remembers some of his exploits as he told them, but cannot tell any of them like Crockett told them in his book. He cannot put the "spice in and gravy on," as Crockett did. He will, however, venture to insert one of his exploits here. Crockett says one day he was hunting in a swamp or bog, and he found a den of young bears. They were in a large hollow stimip some twenty feet or more high; he could hear the young bears in the stump. He determined to get at them and destroy them. He sat "Betsy," his rifle, whidi he called Betsy, down against a tree, and then climbed up the hollow stump to the top. He looked down the hollow and could see the young bears in their bed at the bottom, but he could not reach them. He got into the top of the hollow, his feet downwaTds, and with his hands hold of the top of the broken tree - like going down into a well feet foremost; swinging by the top of the curb with Tiis hands, he let himself dbwn as low as he couldi - his feet not reaching to the bottom ; he turned loose and dbwn he dtoppedi in among the young bears. The young bears became frightened at his intrusion among them, and set up a terrible screaming. The old she bear being off a little distance in the swamp. The mother bear, hearing the distress cries of her young, came to see what was the matter. She climbed up the stump and looked down to see her young ones and to see what was the matter, and saw Crockett down there among them ; she, enraged, turned tail downward and climbed down. Crockett was in a very serious dilemma - a maddened mother bear coming down upon him among her young ones. Crockett, always ready with some expedient, jerked out of a side pocket in his clothes his hunting knife, which he always carried, and which was long and sharppointed, then made ready for the contest with the maddened mother bear. As soon as she approached near enough, he grabbed' her by the tail with one hand and with the knife in the other, he plunged it into her hind parts. She tried to turn upon him, but could not do so ; he kept plunging the knife into her. She made for the top of the hollow, in order to extricate herself from Crockett and' the knife, Crockett hanging on to her tail and using the knife constantly; she soon carried him out. She went down the stump to the ground, carrying her tormenter with her. He turned her loose and sprang to "Betsy," his rifle, close by, and fired on h*, and thus dispatched her. The above is substantially the story as told by Crockett, but is not related as Crockett himself told^ - in fact, no one could tell it as he did. His book was full of such stories - ^he was always the hero. He may be a descendant of the Britton's Neck Crocketts. If so, he has immortalized the name. This "Nimrod" of the West was a unique character, a wonderful man. The name is now extinct in Marion County ; what has become of them is unknown. It is likely that the family removed West, and hence the celebrated "Davy Crockett."

There are other families in Woodberry Township, but the writer is little acquainted in that region, and, therefore, can say nothing about them. The Hucks family, down there - W. W. Hucks and his brother, Robert Hucks - are prominent men in their community, indusflrious and thriving citizens; they are 'in middle life, have families, and are doing well and quite respectable. They are sons of the late John R. Hucks, who has been a resident citizen for many years. I think he came from Horry County. The old gentleman was a very patriotic man; voluntered in 1837, i" ^ company raised in Horry, and went in Geneiral Harllee's Battalion to the Seminole War in Florida ; and' when the Confederate War came on, though past age, he volunteered into the Confedei-ate service and went to Virginia and remained, as the writer thinks, in the service to the end. Few there are who would have done so ; as he was not subject to conscription, and is, therefore, entitled to the greater honor. I think he is dead - died lately in his ninetieth year. His sons and family are and may be justly proud of him. I think the old gentleman Hucks had some daughters, but how many, and who they married and where they are, is unknown to the writer.

GoDBOLD. - ^John Godbold was the first who came to the region of Marion Court House. Bishop Gregg, p. 68, says: "He was an Englishman, and had been long a sailor in the British service. Though advanced in years at the time of his arrival, such was his enterprising energy that he succeeded in accumulating what for that day was a large property. He settled in 1735, about a half-mile below the site of the present village of Marion, being the first adventurer to that locality." * * * "During the French and Indian wars, Mr. Godbold was plundered of almost all the personal property he had gathered. Of thirty negroes, twenty-two were taken from him and never recovered ; a trunk of guineas, the fruits of many years' labor, was rifled. He married, after his arrival on Pee Dee, Elizabeth McGurney, by whom he had three sons, John, James and Thomas, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Anne, from whom the extensive connexion in Marion have descended." To this Bishop Gregg appends a note, in which he says : "Of his sons, John, the oldest, married Priscilla Johes, and had three sons, Zachariah, John and Jesse. Of these, Zachariah was a Captain in the Revolution; James, the second son (of the first John), married Mourning Elizabeth Baker, by whom he had six sons, John, James, Zachariah, Cade, Abram and Thomas. Of these, John and Zachariah were Lieutenants in the Revolution. Thomas, the youngest spn, was the father of the late Hugh Godbold, of Marion. Thomas, the third son (of the first old John), married Martha Herron, and had four sons, Stephen, David, Thomas and' EHy. Of these, Thomas was the father of Asa Godbold, of Marion, and Elly, who left a son bearing his name." Bishop Gregg, in a note to this note, acknowledges that he got his information, and also much other valuable information, from the late Hugh Godbold, and to whom the Bishop pays a very high compliment. Thus it will be seen that all the Godbolds now in the county, or that have been for many years in IJhe county, and connections through the females, are derived directly from the first old John, who was an Englishman, and not only in the county, but in the State and perhaps in the United States. Many of the descendants of old John emigrated to the Western States. More than forty years ago the writer was in Alabama and Mississippi, and he found God'bolds in those States ; also in Texas, thirty years ago. The writer supposes that, counting the seven or eight generations of them down to the present time, they, perhaps, would number thousands. There are not very many now in the county bearing the name, but their connexions are numerous, and could scarcely be counted, if the attempt to do so was made. As a family, they have always stood high as men of decided character, pluck and energy. General Thomas God'bold, the grand-son of the first old John, had three sons, John, Hugh and Charles, all now dead; yet were and are known to many now living. The late Hugh Godbold was a remarkable man. The writer, on one occasion, heard the late Julius Dargan, of Darlington, say of Hugh Godbold, that he had mind enougth, if he had been educated, to be President of the United States - a very high compliment, coming from the source it did: Charles Godbold was a graduate of the South Carolina College ; studied medicine, but died soon after graduation; never married. Neither Hugh nor Charles left any children. John, the other son, never amounted to much - his habits were not good; his matrimonial connection was not such as to promote his social standing. He lived to a ripe old age. Some of his grand-children are among us now.; and some of them are doing much to elevate their branch of the family. The first old John Godbold, Bishop Gregg says, lived to be more than a hundred years old, and died in 1765, a member of the Church of England. Thomas, the third and youngest son of the first old John, and who married Martha

Herron, had four sons, Stephen, David, Thomas and EUy. Stephen was the father of the late Stephen G. Godbold, was a well-to-do citizen, and lived in Wahee Township, I think, on the place where Dr. D. F. Miles formerly lived ; he died there. He left but two children ; married twice ; the late Stephen G. God'bold was a son of the first wife, and by the second wife he had a daughter, who is now the widow of the late John F. Spencer, and owns and resides upon her father's patrimony. The late Stephen G. Godbold, a most worthy and estimable man, settled near by his father ; married and had an only child, a daughter, who married the late Francis A. Miles. Mrs. Miles inherited the entire estate of her father, Stephen G. Godbold. Mrs. Miles was the mother of several children; three sons, David Franklin, Samuel A. C. Miles and Stephen G. Miles, and, I think, two daughters, Mrs. W. L. Durant and Mrs. Lide, of Darlington. Of these, Dr. SamueL A. C. Miles and Mrs. I^ide are dead; both leaving children. Dr. D. F. Miles is now Clerk of the Court at Marion, and resides there, has a farm in Wahee; is an amiable, worthy gentleman, and a very efficient and accommodating Clerk. Stephen G. Miles is merchandising at Marion, resides there, and has a farm in Wahee, which seems to be run successfully; a very energetic, worthy citizen. Mrs. Durant was left a widow, with . six or seven children (small) ; she lives on lands inherited from her mother; has raised her children respectably, and it is said they are promising ; Mrs. Durant is a very excellent lady - a woman of strong sense and full of energy. These Miles are the great-grand^^hildren of old Stephen God'bold, who was the grand-son of the first old John Godbold. Mrs. Spencer, the daughter of old Stephen Godbold, and who lives on lands he gave her, has ten living children, all grown, and air married, except a son, Nathan. Mrs. Spencer is a worthy lady, of sound, practical sense, and very energetic; she is a great-grand-daughter of the first old John Godbold. Thomas, a brother of old man Stephen, married I do not know whom ; but he had a son named Thomas, w'ho married Nancy Gasque. The fruits of this marriage were a daughter, who married a Mr. Harrington, I think, of Georgetown ; and sons, Asa Godbold, Jehu, Robert, Thomas, Alexander, Charles, Thomas and

William H., and another daughter, named Martha Ann. Thomas Godbold, the father of these latter, died in 1836 or '7. Asa Godbold, the eldest son of this family, married, in 1828, Miss Sarah Cox, a most excellent lady ; the fruits of this marriage were Mary Jane, James, Thomas W., Asa, Sarah, Anne, Eliza and F. Marion. Asa Godbold, Sr., was a very energetic, persevering man, sharp and shrewd, was elected Ordinary after the death of General E. B. Wheeler, in 1859, which position he held by successive elections until the reconstruction period, and he, like all others of the old regime, was relegated to the rear. His daughter, Mary Jane, married Captain Mat. Stanly, of Mexican War and Confederate reputation, and resides ten or twelve miles below Marion Court House. Captain M. B. Stanly is an importation from Darlington. When a young man he volunteered and went to the Mexican War, was with General Taylor in the several battles around the city of Mexico, and in the storming and capture of that city. When the Confederate War began, he was made Captain of the first company that left Marion, 4th January, 1861, and went to Charleston and joined the first regiment (Maxcy Gregg's), and remained Captain of the company until after the reduction of Fort Sumter, 13th April, 1861. Captain Stanly has several children, two sons and one daughter, who are the men and women of the present generation, and all dioing well. James Godbold, son of Asa, Sr., married a daughter of the late W. F. Richardson, below Marion. He has reared a family of two sons and three daughters, the names of whom the writer does not know. Asa Godbold, Jr., married Miss Sallie EHerbe, sister of the late Captain W. S. EUerbe; he died a few years ago, leaving a large family of sons and daughters ; the sons are Walter, William, James C, Lawrence and Luther; the daughters, Alice, Mollie, Anne, Victoria, Bessie and Daisy ; of the sons, Walter and William are married ; of the daughters, Alice, Mollie, Anne and Victoria are married; Bessie and Daisy are unmarried. Of the sons, Walter married a Miss Williams, near Nichols, S. C. ; William married his cousin, Lucy EHeAe, sister of the late Governor EUerbe. Of the daughters, Miss Alice married Rev. J. Thomas Pate, now stationed at Florence ; Miss Mollie, J. B. Moore, of Latta,

S. C. ; Miss Annie married James Harrel, of Cheraw, S. C. ; Miss Victoria married W. H. Breeden, of Campbell's Bridge, S. C. T'he late Thomas W. Godbold, another son of Asa Godbold (senior), was no ordinary man; clear-minded, energetic and industrious ; never married; died about a year ago, at the age of sixty-five. F. M. Godbold, the youngest son of Asa Godbold (senior), married, first, a Miss Vance, in Abbeville County, to which county he removed, and there ranained till a few years ago, when he returned to his native county, where he now resides ; by his first wife he ha'd several children ; and she dying, he married another Miss Vance, a cousin of the first wife. Sarah Godbold, second daughter of Asa (senior), married Colonel E. B. Ellerbe, uncle of the late Governor Ellerbe; he some years back moved to Horry County, where he now resides ; has a large family. Annie Eliza Godbold, the youngest diaughter of Asa (senior), married Edwin A. Bethea, now of Latta ; they have several children, sons and daughters ; one diaughter married to W. C. McMillan, of Marion, but now residing in Columbia, and is said to be doing well ; one son, Asa Bethea, is in Texas; the other children are all with their parents at L,atta.