Williamsburg County, South Carolina - Chapter 24: Things, Political and Social, 1830- 1860, 1923

On the first day of December, 1922, there were a number of people living in Williamsburg who were born about 1830, and were, therefore, more than ninety vears old. Several of these were of the highest types of citizen¬ ship, men and women whose minds were still keen and clear and strong and whose memories and judgments were remarkable. Among these were two physicians, Dr. James S. Cunningham and Dr. Isaac W. Graham. As an indication of the interest that these venerable men still held in things, each one read first in his family the news¬ paper as it came every morning.

These men and women who had lived in Williamsburg for more than ninety years seemed to regard the period between 1830 and 1860 as a wonderful epoch. While old men usually remember their youth as the greatest time in their lives, yet these old fellows had many reasons to give in arguing that from 1830 to 1860 was the halcyon period. There were no poor people in Williamsburg then except those willfully in want. Williamsburg's cupboards were full and its woodsheds overflowing. Kindly masters ruled from their mansion houses their large planta¬ tions, and in the evening negroes sang about the "great house" door. The only discord that marred this happy period grew out of arguments on religion and politics. Nobody then cared very much about the price of cotton or tobacco. If the world did not want to buy from Wil¬ liamsburg, Williamsburg did not care. It had all it wanted. When a man owned more than one hundred slaves, he seemed to lose interest in acquiring temporal things and to devote his special attention to religion and to politics.

Public schools were authorized, but they were designed only for those people who were themselves unable to educate their children. Prior to 1860, all public schools in Willimsburg were more largely in name than in fact. Nearly every planter kept governesses and tutors in his home while his children needed them. There were some community, or parochial schools, like those conducted by Mr. North at Willtown, Mr. Durand at Indiantown, and Mr. Rowe at Kingstree. These schools were more in the nature of academies which the larger children in these communities sometimes attended. The young men were prepared for college at Reid's Academy in Concord, N. C. Bethany Academy in Iredell County, N. C. Yorkville Academy and at Waddell's Academy at Williston. The young men completed their education at the University of South Carolina, the University of North Carolina, the University of Virginia, Princeton, and at Davidson Col¬ lege, North Carolina, Wofford, and Furman Colleges. Medical students attended lectures at the South Caro¬ lina Medical College, Charleston. The young women were usually trained under governesses at home and some of them were sent to Salem Female Academy at Winston Salem, North Carolina, and others to Bradford Springs, Dr. Taylor's School at Darlington, and the Barhamville Female College near Columbia, South Carolina. A great many young men from this district received military and technical training at the Citadel, or South Carolina Mili¬ tary College, in Charleston.

Many are the interesting stories told of the College experiences at this time. Dr. Isaac W. Graham and the Reverend James E. Dunlap were students at the Univer¬ sity of South Carolina in 1854. Dr. Graham says that a "bigger devil" than James E. Dunlap, in his younger days, never lived. One time, while they were there at the college, a number of students succeeded fairly well in making a night hideous. Among other things, they tore down and concealed within their rooms in the University tenements several sign boards that had right¬ fully reposed over the doorways of Columbia merchants. The next morning, the University marshal made a tour inspecting the rooms of the students, looking for these pieces of stolen property. Mr. Dunlap had some of them in his room and heard the marshal's footsteps approach¬ ing. Mr. Dunlap hurriedly threw the sign boards in the fire and began praying in the "holy tone" so often used in that period by pious preachers in their supreme flights of petitioning eloquence. The marshal heard Mr. Dunlap's marvelous praying and stood spellbound at the door until the sign boards had burned and Mr. Dunlap had ceased praying. Then the marshal entered and com¬ mended Mr. Dunlap for his exceeding religious fervor. He did not even look for any sign boards.

Some time during the presidency of Dr. Thornwell, the mess steward did not give the students so many biscuits as they wanted. The students claimed the right to take their meals outside of Steward's hall, but Dr. Thornwell refused and required them to fare where the authorities had provided. Practically all of the students of the University held a "Secession Convention" and unani¬ mously resolved to withdraw from the University of South Carolina and enter the University of Virginia. Dr. Graham and Mr. Dunlap were two of these students em gaged in this "Biscuit Rebellion," and so completed their college courses at the University of Virginia, graduating there in 1857.

Dancing, horse racing, and tournaments were the prin¬ cipal social recreations of antebellum Williamsburg. Nearly every planter in the district kept thoroughbred horses, and at least once every year each one thought he had developed a horse that could outrun any other horse in the world. These old men were firm in their convic¬ tions in this matter and usually staked a considerable amount of gold on their horses. Racing Days at Kingstree and Willtown and Murray's Ferry were time markers for the whole year. The whiskey distillers of western North Carolina knew these dates well and sent in covered wagons from Concord and Salisbury and Charlotte to Williamsburg sufficient supplies of "mountain dew" to accommodate the gentlemen in Williamsburg.

Tournaments were frequently held when the lords and ladies of Williamsburg appeared at their best. The young men who rode in the tournament impersonated in cos¬ tume and conduct some favorite knight of ancient history. The herald called the turn in the list, "Earl of Sterling," "The Knight of Dalkeith," or the "Laird of Lochinvar." Out into the softened sunlight and on to the course the rider dashed on Selim of the proud Arabian line. The ladies witnessing held their breath and each one antici¬ pated the winning of her knight and felt beforehand on her brow the crown as Queen of Love and Beauty. That night at the grand ball, the Queen was crowned and her descendants even now of the third and fourth genera¬ tions know all about this wonderful occasion.

Some of these old Scotchmen had Irish blood in their veins and by virtue of it a sense of humor. Frequently, just after one of these tournaments, where so much pomp and ceremony and splendor had shone, they would stage a gander pulling on the field. Instead of rings, ancient, toughnecked, well greased ganders were suspended by the feet from the posts. The mock herald would call in stentorian tones the "Knight of Tater Hill" or the prince of "Punkin Centre," when out from the lists a clownish clad rider, his long eared steed essaying his utmost, would dash and try to gather gander necks along his way. The "Queen of Fun and Frolic" crowned by the winning gander puller was usually the fairest and fattest man available. It is said jolly John Brockinton, approaching

Usually grand balls were closing events of Fourth of July celebrations at Kingstree, Willtown, and Lenud's, and sometimes the dances following wedding feasts were of considerable dignity and proportions ; but the frequent plantation dances, where almost every one was a close cousin to every other, were the most pleasing and beauti¬ ful social affairs of this generation.

Many plantations had negro fiddlers who could make shouting Methodists as well as pious Presbyterians "chase the fox." Almost every young person in the district loved to dance, and perhaps the man who knows would say that nothing ever brought more light and love and joy to old Williamsburg than did these plantation dances of the long ago.

Tradition says Dick, the first African slave brought into Williamsburg, was a fiddler. Colonel Roger Gordon, his master, bequeathed him in his will to his daughter Sarah, who married Hugh McGill. Dick became fiddler facile princeps of all Williamsburg. Prior to Dick's com¬ ing into the McGill clan, it is not known just how strong the dance lure lived in them. It is certain, however, that since Dick began to fiddle for Hugh McGill, no Mc¬ Gill has ever been able to keep his feet from keeping time when a fiddle starts. Dick's spirit must even hover over the ground in which his body rests. He lived and died on what is now the Boyd plantation on Campbell Swamp.

Fundamentally religious in conception, but largely social in their working, were sacramental communion oc¬ casions and camp meetings. Bethel Congregation intro¬ duced camp meetings in Williamsburg amout 1800, but the Presbyterians soon abandoned them for biennial com¬ munion meetings. These communion occasions were held in the spring and in the fall of each year at all of the

Presbyterian Churches in the district. There were four days of religious services conducted, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The congregations of Aimwell, Hopewell, Brewington, Midway, and Salem had been formed originally of people of the Williamsburg and Indiantown communities and were closely related by blood to these people. These communion meetings were an¬ nounced many weeks before their occurrence, and large numbers from the surrounding Presbyterian Congrega¬ tions embraced these opportunities of visiting their friends and relatives, as well as of participating in these great feasts of the Church. Frequently, visiting families would come in covered wagons and camp in the churchyard.

Ministers preached two long sermons every day and a most solemn religious atmosphere settled down about the churchyards. All the children of the community were baptized; all erring brethren humbled themselves in the dust before the congregation, received the forgiveness of the elders, and were restored to good standing in the Church. So called sinners were convinced that they were the peculiar elect and were then received into the rights and privileges of the Church. It was on these occasions that the Presbyterian Churches increased their member¬ ship.

Incident to these meetings was the deep social influence. About this time, men were exceedingly careful in guard¬ ing their daughters even from the appearance of evil. The young women were hardly ever permitted out of sight of duennas, and it was a rare occasion then when a young man could speak a word of love to a young maiden with¬ out its being heard by her protectors. Wooing in those days was exceedingly difficult and required practical diplo¬ macy; but, on these communion occasions in this dim religious light, soft eyes could look love and the elders would not disapprove. The matches made were of great sociological value. The friendly relations continued through them, and the knowledge gained by this means of communication between the several communities in this section of South Carolina were of considerable import. Towards the end of this period, the Churches at Williams¬ burg and Indiantown held four of these communion oc¬ casions every year.

The Methodist denomination used camp meetings for evangelism from their introduction in 1800 until 1860. These camp meetings were held in Williamsburg at Popu¬ lar Hill and at Suttons and sometimes in other sections of the district. The largest camp meetings held in South Carolina were those at Centenarv Church in Marion District and at Remberts in the Sumter District. Hun¬ dreds of people from Williamsburg attended the meetings that were held at these two churches.

A well suited section of land was selected, usually a large live oak grove, and an immense bush arbor erected. The seats were simply strong pine boards placed on logs that had been lain at proper distances under the arbor. Frequently, more than a thousand people would listen, while seated under such conditions, to the burning elo¬ quence of the evangelists.

During the latter part of this period, many of the wealthier Methodists maintained tents at these camp meetings. These tents were immense in size and parti¬ tioned into five sections. In one of these sections, the family lived and slept; in another, the cooking was done and the groceries stored ; in the third was the dining room where all meals were served; sections four and five con¬ tained sleeping apartments for men and women, respec¬ tively. These two sections contained large numbers of mattresses and any one attending the services was gladly received for shelter during the night. All were invited to partake of any meal served. To these large tents every day came supplies in wagons from the owners* plantations and the best in the land was served. Every one who attended these camp meetings had a comfortable place to sleep and an abundance of food. Sometimes, thousands came to these camp meetings; and the social and political as well as the religious results were con¬ siderable.

Williamsburg between 1830 and 1860 was concerned deeply with certain fundamental political ideas. The States' Rights question was always before the people and everybody was deeply interested in national affairs in Washington. Local political matters received little at¬ tention. The men of Williamsburg voted only for mem¬ bers of the Legislature. The Legislature elected other office holders from governor to constable. The men of Wil¬ liamsburg knew well how almost every one in the district would vote on stated occasions, when members of the Legislature were to be elected, and so it was difficult to induce many men of the district to take interest in elec¬ tions and still more difficult to find men who were will¬ ing to leave their plantations for about two months every vear to attend the session of the Legislature in Columbia.

In 1842, Williamsburg did not elect any representa¬ tives in the Legislature at all, nor did it elect any senator in 1846. During the period from 1830 to 1860, the mem¬ bers of the Senate and House of Representatives from Williamsburg were nearly all remarkable men. They were: Senators, D. D. Wilson, William Cooper, E. H. Miller, P. H. Moore, and S. J. Montgomery; House of Representatives, Joseph Bradley, T. D. Singleton, W. J. Buford, W. J. Campbell, Joseph Scott, Joseph R. Fulmore, Robert L. Mouzon, J. W. McCutchen, J. A. Salters, B. W. Bradley, S. J. Montgomery, H. M. McKnight, David Epps, J. C. Wilson, J. G. Pressley, W. M. Belser, and J. S. Brockinton. Among the county officers of this time were: Sheriffs, S. E. Graham, William R. Scott, D. B. Mouzon, William Carter, S. J. Bradley, W. R. Nelson, and W. N. Y. Rodgers; Clerks of the Court, R. G. Fer- rell? William R. Scott, R. W. Rockingham, and W. R. Brockinton; Commissioners in Equity, T. D. Singleton, P. G. Gourdin, William R. Scott, William Flagler, Isaac Nelson, D. J. Porter, Dr. Henry Thorne, Reverend J. A. Wallace, Ikey Coleman, and R. C. Logan j Ordinaries, David McClary and N. M. Whitehead; Coroners, Samuel Fluitt, David McClary, Isaac Nelson, J. B. McElveen, and James McClary.

The American Grand Jury seems, of all good function¬ ing governmental agencies in our Republic, that which most nearly approaches idealism in its working. When the average man takes his seat in a grand jury room, he seems then and there to be nearer both God and man than he can be elsewhere. Even the average American Grand Jury works nearly always as if it were conscious of both its human and its divine origin and responsibility.

There may have been in Williamsburg from 1830 to 1860 even more regard for its Grand Jury than other districts had. It is certain that this "grand inquest from the body" of Williamsburg was always heard when it spoke and that all good citizens asked for no higher authority for action than its suggestions.

At the fall term, 1833, of the Williamsburg District Court, the Grand Jury made the following presentment: "We, the Grand Jurors of the District of Williamsburg and State aforesaid, present as a grievous evil in our land the intemperate use of ardent spirits. Few causes, indeed, all other causes together, as the Grand Jury be¬ lieves, have contributed as much as this to produce in¬ dividual misfortune and distress and public crimes and misdemeanors. A candid exhibition of facts would doubt¬ less lead to the lamentable conclusion that nine-tenths of the domestic evils which disturb the quiet of families and

"Thus believing, without adding a word touching the great inroads on good morals and the permanence of our civil institutions, which this evil has made and is likely to make; this Grand Jury would earnestly, tho? with great deference, recommend to the Legislatures to grant all the aid and facilities which in their wisdom may be proper for them to grant in restraint of this great evil." Signed : Thomas Steele, Foreman, J. M. Pendergrass, William Brown, Jr., R. Morris, W. Parker, J. S. Dick, William Crapps, Samuel McKenzie, James Tedder, John M. Smith, John G. McKnight, Jesse Mild, George W. Cooper, Ran¬ dall McDonald, B. R. Pendergrass, and H. D. Shaw.

It is very probable that this report of the Williams¬ burg Grand Jury, with its recommendation to the Legis¬ lature, was the highest recognition the cause of Prohibi¬ tion had received in the State of South Carolina. It was time that something happened in Williamsburg. The Asbury kind of circuit riders had been preaching in these parts for nearly a half century that Man worked out his own Salvation.

"The Grand Jury for the District of Williamsburg for Fall Term, A. D, 1846, in the discharge of its duty would most respectfully make the following presentments :

"That in its examination of the Public Buildings of the District it finds nothing worthy of remarks, with the ex¬ ceptions of the windows and doors of the Court House. It finds sundry panes of glass in the windows and lights of the circular room below the stairs broken and think they should be supplied. The cobwebs collected on the panes of the windows and other portions of the Court Room give it a dingy appearance and the Grand Jury think they should be kept away.

"The Grand Jury presents the present system of Mag¬ istrates throughout the State as a great and growing evil. The Jury thinks that unless some change be made it would be better for the quiet and interest of the people that the whole system should be abolished. The change which this Grand Jury thinks advisable is in lieu of the present number, to have only one magistrate for each beat Company within the limits of the district and one extra magistrate for each Court House. The grievance complained is as to the number and as to the character of the magistrates appointed. This Jury thinks that by diminishing the number more competent persons than those who now fill the office may be obtained.

"The Grand Jury would advise an extension of the jurisdiction of the Ordinary in the matter of real estate. While the present law is continued, the rich may not complain, but the poor man has but slight consolation in the reflection that his hard earnings, instead of supply¬ ing the wants of them he leaves behind, find their way into the pockets of the officers of the Court of Equity. The forms of proceedings in that court are confessedly costly. The Jury is content that those who are able and willing should be permitted to pursue their rights before that Chancellor, but it deems it a grievance that the poor are not offered an option to adopt a cheaper course.

"The Grand Jury presents that Mr. Cleland Belin has obstructed the public road leading from the big George¬ town road to Black Mingo Creek by the erection of a house and the construction of a gate. The Grand Jury presents the obstruction as a nuisance and would suggest the names of Messrs. S. T. Cooper, J. B. Miller, W. F. Blakely, James Snow, as witnesses in relation to this nuisance. George Barr, Foreman."

"Judge John Belton O'Neal ordered the commissioners to repair the court house at once ; that a copy of the report be served on the Senator and Representatives to be by them laid before Legislature and that a bench warrant issue for Cleland Belin."

"In 1848, the Grand Jury notes with pleasure the neat appearance of things about the court house and the general orderliness prevailing." Judge Wardlaw had been exacting in seeing the recommendations of former Grand Juries had been executed. It seems that at this time the county officers for the first time found it neces¬ sary to account for all fines and penalties collected. At a preceding term, every county officer was indicted for neglect of duty along this line. This Grand Jury of the Spring Term, 1848, suggested that "comfortable chairs replace the benches then in use for jurors and that the bar be made comfortable for lawyers and that this dis¬ trict might well model its court room and furnishings after the court room in Marion." A. W. Dozier was Fore¬ man of this Jury.

From report of Grand Jury, Fall Term, 1854: "We present as our unanimous opinion that the Federal law abolishing the African slave trade is a public grievance. We hold it has been, and would be, if reestablished, a bless¬ ing to the American people and a benefit to the African himself. We hold further that this trade is consistent with the true policy of the South, and that slavery is authorized and sanctioned by Holy Writ, and experience has taught us that by introducing African slavery into these United States, the African has been elevated from a condition of absolute barbarism into one of compara¬ tive civilization; from a condition of heathen darkness into one of Christian light; from a condition of despotic and chaotic misrule into one of benign and regulated law. We hold that slavery is forbidden by no principle of policy or religion except that which springs from the frenzied imagination of fanatic philanthropy which arro¬ gantly assumes to be purer and holier than what is written. We therefore recommend this subject to the consideration and action of the Legislature of the State, trusting that through its influence the evil complained of may be remedied." D. M. Mason, Foreman.

The Fall Term, Grand Jury, 1855, presented as a griev¬ ous nuisance the dragging of the mouth of Black River with seines by men from the North, so that Williams¬ burg was deprived of its normal and accustomed supply of fish in its waters. The Legislature is asked to remedy this evil condition.

Trading with slaves seems to have been the most com¬ mon yet most serious offence general in Williamsburg in 1858. The Grand Jury that year asks the Legislature to pass an Act making trading with slaves punishable by whipping. Some of the richest merchants in the district at that time persisted in buying seed cotton at night from slaves. A pillory was erected on the Court House Square in Kingstree at this time for one of these offending mer¬ chants and he would have been placed in the stocks had not one man, his friend, suspected the purpose for which the structure was being erected and informed him in time for his escape.

The pillory had been used in the district at an earlier date than this, for a man convicted of "Assault with in¬ tent to murder" in 1815, was sentenced to one month in jail, fined fifty dollars, and to stand in the pillory fifteen minutes between twelve o'clock noon and two in the after¬ noon on the first Monday in April. In 1841, two white men, convicted of stealing three bushels of corn, were sentenced to receive on the first Monday in December, ten stripes; the first Monday in January, ten stripes; and the first Monday in February, ten stripes; and to be imprisoned for three months.

In 1859, the Grand Jury report contained the follow¬ ing: "We recommend that the Commissioners of Public Buildings apply to the Legislature for authority to sell a portion of the Eastern and the Western boundaries of the Public Square (Court House Square.) We find same unnecessarily large. We present the free negroes of the district as a nuisance and recommend that the Legisla¬ ture pass some law that will have the effect of relieving the community of this troublesome element. We also present the present militia system as a nuisance and rec¬ ommend that the same be abolished and another more efficient be substituted." Signed, D. D. Wilson, Foreman.

In the Williamsburg District in 1860, there were the following postoffices: Black Mingo, Camp Ridge, China Grove, Indiantown, Johnson ville, Kingstree, Lynch's Lake, Murray's Ferry, Santee, Natural Grove, and Parsonage.

Among the professional men of this period were: Law¬ yers, N. G. Rich, E. J. Porter, John G. Pressley, A. Isaac McKnight, and Samuel W. Maurice; Physicians, Dr. T. M. Mouzon, William Dollard, B. W. Bradley, S. D. M. Byrd, D. M. Mason, T. D. Singleton, Richard Jarrott, J. W. Staggers, S. J. Singletary, J. C. Williams, S. D. McGill, Isaac W. Graham, James S. Brockinton, John F. Brockinton, and Henry Thorne.

The Thirty-first Regiment of militia played a promi¬ nent part in the life of Williamsburg during this period. Once every month, the several companies met on their respective drill grounds in the many parts of the district and every Fourth of July all of the companies gathered on the Regimental Parade Ground at Black Mingo for regimental manoeuvres and a parade. These regimental meetings were occasions of great ceremony and were anti¬ cipated all during the year. Not only were then the several companies in the Regiment recruited up to legal strength and the Regiment drilled as a whole, but also patriotic address. On nearly every regimental muster day at Willtown the governor came, since it was a valuable opportunity for his own political future as well as the inculcation of patriotic principles. The Declaration of Independence was always read and patriotic songs were sung.

After the official and formal social events of the day had concluded, the "bullies" tried their strength and the district champion for the year was determined. Every section of the district had its "bully," the man who thought he could whip every other man in his community, at these regimental musters. The several communities brought out their respective champions and by a process of elimination in actual fist fights, the "bully" for the whole district was determined. These "bully" contests excited intense interest and formed the subject of con¬ versation for the district for many moons. Sometimes, brigade reviews were held and the "bullies" from each regiment would meet in combat and the brigade "bully" would receive his laurel wreath.

On these regimental muster occasions at Willtown, the Governor of South Carolina was usually the guest of Cleland Belin. Mr. Belin was wealthy, had a beautiful home, and was one of the most unique characters that Williamsburg ever produced. His home was a splendid structure, finished and furnished in the similitude of a palace. He had considerable mechanical ability and supervised the erection of his residence. He required the builders to finish even its hidden corners with greatest care. Probably no other building erected in South Caro¬ lina up to that time was, from floor to roof, more nearly perfect. In his home, he gathered many objects of art and beautiful books and curiosities from the four corners of the globe. There were twelve bedrooms in his house.

In each one of these bedrooms, he had a grandfather's clock out of which fairies came at the end of each hour and danced and played on their little stages. These clocks in the several rooms were set successively five minutes ahead of each other so that every five minutes in the day in some room in the house fairies played. Mr. Belin's home excited great interest in this section of South Carolina. Thousands of people visited it every year and all of them, prince and peasant alike, received a cor¬ dial welcome.

Mr. Belin was a very successful business man and a man of considerable natural mental ability. His educa¬ tion was limited, yet some of his manuscripts and the in¬ scriptions which he placed on monuments show a remark¬ able depth of thought and an excellent command of language. Governor Gist, after he had been entertained in Mr. Belin's home on one occasion, when returning to the Capitol, said in Kingstree, "If Cleland Belin had re¬ ceived a liberal education in his youth, he would have become the most powerful man in South Carolina."

Battalion musters were held in Kingstree and near Lenud's Ferry every year. On these battalion muster occasions, the Declaration of Independence was read and patriotic songs were sung. From the Revolution until the War between the Sections in 1861, it is probable that no part of the United States loved or regarded with greater veneration and respect than did Williamsburg what it regarded as the Constitution of the United States. That its interpretation was over-ruled by the supreme court of war detracts nothing from the splendor of its homage.

In 1837, when the Seminole Indian outbreak occurred, the Williamsburg Regiment of Militia furnished its quota of men. Among the volunteers at the first opportunity for service may be mentioned: John F. 1). Britton,

When war was declared with Mexico in 1844, a large number of the young men of Williamsburg volunteered and won everlasting fame as soldiers in the Palmetto Regiment. This Regiment was in the severest fighting at Buena Vista and Cherubusco, and sharpened its sabers on the walls of old Chapultepec.

Among the officers of the militia during this period, the following are outstanding: Colonels, D. D. Wilson, Washington Cockfield, William Cooper, and S. J. Mont¬ gomery; Captains, S. J. Snowden, John E. Scott, John G. Pressley, John Coachman, Leonard Dozier, John Green, and William G. Flagler. These men were very influen¬ tial in civil as well as military affairs. Colonel Mont¬ gomery was commanding the Regiment at the beginning of the War between the Sections. He was also Senator from Williamsburg and died holding this high place. Colonel Washington Cockfield seems to have been one of the most spectacular officers of the day. The old men of present Williamsburg, who were then boys, remember him in full regimentals, his long waving plume and flash¬ ing sword, dashing about the Willtown muster ground on his coal black charger.

The one great curse of this halcyon period in Williams¬ burg was fever. Almost everv vear at least half of the people were incapacitated for business and for social ac¬ tivity on account of this malady. A few times typhus became epidemic and took a tremendous toll of human life. In 1815, the first epidemic occurred and hardly a home in the district was left untouched by the death angel. Again in 1854, it raged. At the spring term of the court in 1857, the district officers were ordered by the court to occupy their new quarters which had been re¬ cently added to the Court House. This order had not been obeved when court convened in October. When the offending officers were served with the rule to show cause why they should not be punished for contempt, they showed to the satisfaction of the court that for three months prior to that time there had not been a sufficient number of people in the town of Kingstree unafflicted by fever to care for the actual needs of those who were stricken. But the great continuous curse of this period was malaria. Infected mosquitoes clouded the country. Dr. Isaac Graham says that when he was a small boy on Santee frequently he found difficutly in drawing a "bead" with his rifle on a squirrel up a tree on account of the mosquitoes swarming in the air.

Everybody in this country then had two residences. The house in which the family lived in winter was called its home. The place it lived in summer was either far removed from the swamps, or in the mountains of North Carolina. Women and children who lived near the swamps in summer were in great danger.

The old family graveyards filled during these periods tell fearful tales. Planters usually selected a square plot of about one-fourth an acre for their burying ground and there only the members of the family were interred. There are now hundreds of these old graveyards that show the father, mother, and five or more of their children of less than five years old buried by their sides. Diphtheria and malaria did their deadly work, so that in few families half of the children born reached maturity. The most pathetic tale told by these old tombstones is that of Cleland Belin and Sarah Margaret McFaddin. To them were born thirteen children before she died at forty years of age. Eleven of these thirteen are all buried in a row beside her, not one of the eleven having reached the age of five years. Mrs. Belin died before her husband and he placed a tomb¬ stone to her and one to each of their eleven dead children. He wrote the following inscription on the stone erected to her memory, "Sarah Margaret Belin, daughter of Mr.

William McFaddin, beloved wife of Cleland Belin, born 27 August, 1811, died 3 October, 1851. She was indus¬ trious, careful, and domestic in her habits, retiring in her manner, calm and tranquil in her demeanor, hospitable in her feelings, forgiving in her temper, and Christian in her principles."

It is said that when the French Huguenots first settled on the Santee River in Williamsburg, there were then quantities of mosquitoes infesting the section but that they were not infected with the germs that produced malaria. For many years these mosquitoes were not a serious men¬ ace to the community, but that some years after the in¬ troduction of African slaves, the malaria germ began to threaten the whole section, and, sooner or later, the pest made the section almost uninhabitable for Caucasians. It is believed that the malaria germ came into Williams¬ burg by way of the slaves imported from Africa.

Malarial fever, as it developed in the fifties, on the San¬ tee, surpasses human capacity for description. When the germ once overpowered a human system, it was relentless. It took away life slowly and certainly. A man might be plowing in the fields when he first felt its force and from that moment he gradually failed. Some of the men and women of this period who overcame this malignant germ showed ever afterwards remarkable resistance to all the ills to which flesh is heir. One hears now the statement made, in opposition to the use of vaccines and mosquito exterminators, that a great many people who dwelt in the Santee swamps lived to be a hundred years old. These relators overlook the fact that nine average persons per¬ ished where one extraordinary physical specimen survived. Many years ago the mosquitoes were conquered, the fevers ceased to burn.