Williamsburg County, South Carolina - Chapter 39: Many Things, 1923

The "village of Kingstree," the county seat of Wil¬ liamsburg, was not incorporated until 1866. The munici¬ pality then was made to include all that territory within one mile of the Court House, except that Black River should be its western boundary line. The corporate limits of the town have remained unchanged until this day, 1923. Until 1885, the "Branch" flowed almost at will over the eastern portion of the town and these low marshy grounds formed a most favorable breeding place for mosquitoes. In this year, when Captain G. P. Nelson was mayor, a canal was dug from the old Scott saw mill dam in the extreme northeastern corner of the town to Black River, in which channel all the waters in this section flowed rapidly into the river. Until this drainage work had been done nearly everybody who lived in Kingstree from May until November suffered from malaria and frequently typhus played havoc. Consequently, few people under¬ took residing in Kingstree at all; and those few nearly always migrated to the mountains of Western North Carolina for the mosquito season.

Until about 1900, one in Kingstree might have truly said with the Ancient Mariner, "water, water, everywhere, and not a drop to drink." It was then that artesian wells were bored all over the town, at street corners and at pri¬ vate residences, and these wells began and have contin¬ uously flowed the purest water obtainable. One may drink

In 1910, Kingstree installed a system of water works and sewerage and then completed the conquest of the mosquito, when it became one of the healthiest towns in the State. Malarial fever, typhoid and typhus are now practically unknown in Kingstree and health conditions are practically the same in summer as in winter. Nobody now goes from Kingstree to the mountains in order to escape malaria. Some families migrate every summer but they are impelled to do so by a long formed habit or for other considerations than health.

It was but a few years after Kingstree had been well drained and pure artesian water obtained that people commenced to regard the town seriously as a place for residence. The county, about this time, began to produce tobacco for market and increased the cotton crop. It was then that some enterprising citizens organized the Kingstree Real Estate Company and the Building and Loan Association, both of which entered largely into the growth of the town.

The Kingstree Real Estate Company was organized in 1905 with Dr. D. C. Scott, president; M. F. Heller, secre¬ tary and treasurer; J. F. Cooper, J. A. Kelly, M. F. Hel¬ ler, and Dr. D. C. Scott, as directors. This company pur¬ chased sixty-five acres of land from the R. C. Logan estate, divided it into lots, and offered it for sale at reasonable prices. A number of the younger citizens of Kingstree immediately purchased lots and Newtown became within a short time a substantial addition to the old town of Kingstree. Among the first who erected residences in Newton were W. II. Carr, E. C. Burgess, Mrs. Lula Barr, W. M. Vause, and W. V. Strong. Some years later the Williamsburg County Fair Association purchased a part of this land and thereon erected the fair ground build¬ ing and established the race track.

The Kingstree Building and Loan Association was organized January 10, 1905, with J. A. Kelley, president; C. W. Stoll, vice-president; W. H. Carr, secretary and treasurer, and the following board of directors : J. A. Kelley, LeRoy Lee, Louis Stackley, C. W. Stoll, W. I. Nexsen, W. H. Carr, and C. W. Wolfe. This Building and Loan Association proved a great factor in the upbuilding of the town of Kingstree. W. H. Carr, its secretary and treasurer, was tireless in his efforts and tactful and in¬ telligent in managing its affairs. Probably three-fourths of the residences erected in Kingstree since its organiza¬ tion have been built in part through this company. Mr. Carr died in 1921 and Roland D. Mills succeeded as sec¬ retary and treasurer.

in Kingstree, many serviceable brick stores were erected on Main and Academy streets; and again from 1918 to 1920, when the tobacco market became one of the largest in the State, many other brick mercantiles and four very large brick tobacco sales warehouses and several prizeries were erected.

In 1912 the Kingstree Electric Light and Ice Company was formed with P. G. Gourdin as president, E. C. Bur¬ gess, secretary and treasurer, D. C. Scott, Jr., as manager. Dr. D. C. Scott was the moving spirit of the organization. The service this company began very soon after incorporation made a distinct mark of progress on the town. In 1922, F. B. Adams purchased half of the stock in this Electric Light and Ice Company and began an aggressive campaign for distributing its products. M. A. Ross has been connected with this com¬ pany as "general overseer" and "man of all work" ever since its organization.

Several miles of asphalt paving was done in the town of Kingstree in 1922. The only thing about this paving that caused regret to anyone was the removal of many of the beautiful old live oak trees planted in 1812 by Colonel Robert L. Witherspoon, who undertook, with much suc¬ cess, to "beautify certain streets in the town." Enough of these old oaks were left on Main and Academy and Church streets to keep them beautiful avenues for com¬ fortable homes. The live oaks on Hampton Avenue were planted by Dr. D. C. Scott.

The County Record, the oldest newspaper in the County, was established by R. C. Logan in 1885. He was its editor for ten years when it was sold in succession to E. G. Chandler, W. E. Cooke, and Louis J. Bristow, each of whom was its editor for a short period of time. In 1898, the Record was purchased by Charles W. Wolfe, who owned and edited it until his death in 1915. The paper was then purchased by W. F. Tolley and R. K. Wallace. Mr. Wallace soon sold out his interest to E. C. Epps, who transferred his rights therein to L. F. Cromer. In 1923, the editor was W. F. Tolley; the owners, Tolley and Cromer.

R. C. Logan - always called "Colonel Logan" - and pos¬ sibly if any Southern gentleman by virtue of worthiness as such and for community service ever deserved such high military title, this man was he, - aided in establish¬ ing in 1856 the first newspaper ever published in Wil¬ liamsburg County. When he volunteered for service in the Confederate Armv and went as Lieutenant of the Wee Nee Volunteers to Charleston in 1861, the Kingstree Star was suspended. After the War, he re-established it and ably edited it for a number of years during the dark days of reconstruction. Later The Star was edited by Herbert B. Cunningham. For many years, Mr. Logan was editor of the Greenville Mountaineer and for sometime connected with the Charleston News and Courier. He was the youngest signer of the memorable Ordinance of Secession of December 20, 1860, which severed the bond between the State of South Carolina and the Federal Union. He was commissioner in Equity from 1862 until the County ad¬ ministration fell into the hands of carpet baggers after the War. He was very active and powerful in fighting the carpet bagger administration in South Carolina, and was one in Williamsburg who never forgave the usurpers. He married Susannah Theresa, daughter of Joseph Scott, who, with four of their children, Mrs. P. B. Thorn, Walter B. Logan, George P. Logan, and Miss Maude Logan, sur¬ vived him at his death on September 13, 1905. Mrs. Logan died in 1921 at more than eighty-three years of age. George P. Logan, a prominent attorney of Columbia, died in 1923.

Charles W. Wolfe was born near Benson April 14, 1870, and was educated at the Citadel and at Wolford College. He taught school in South Carolina for some years, his last labors along this line being as principal of the Bennettsville schools. After this time, he attended a, business college in Atlanta. One day while a student there, the Governor of Alabama asked the superintendent of that business college if he had a student capable of becoming private secretary. The superintendent recommended Mr. Wolfe, who was appointed by His Excellency, the Gov¬ ernor of Alabama, as his private secretary, in which place Mr. Wolfe served with special distinction. In 1898, Mr. Wolfe was elected a member of the County delegation in the General Assembly and was Chairman of the Committee on Public Printing. He was editor of the County Record from 1898 until his death in 1915, during which time he made it outstanding as a weekly county paper. His edito¬ rials were read and approved by the leading men of the State. During the greater part of his maturer manhood, Mr. Wolfe was a continuous sufferer from physical mal¬ adies. This greatly handicapped his career. At the time of his death, he was easily one of the most popular men in the County and was generally regarded the most bril¬ liant. He was descended from landgrave Thomas Smith, colonial governor of South Carolina, and from John Scott, of Williamsburg, 1732, the oldest English and Scotch- Irish blood lines in South Carolina.

About forty years after Appamattox, the surviving veterans of the War Between the Sections had grown old and one by one began silently "putting out to sea." The very term "Confederate Veteran" has ever been a synonym for veneration and respect, but the passing of these old heroes brought home to Williamsburg the duty of perpetuating the memory of its Dead and of honoring its Living Veterans of that War. Mrs. D. C. Scott (Martha Brockinton) and some other women organized in Kingstree a chapter of the Daughters of the Confeder¬ acy, with Mrs. Scott as its first President. These good women with organized effort at once began the beautiful labor. They gave new interest to the celebration of Con¬ federate Memorial Dav, Mav tenth, and made it forever a sacred day in Williamsburg. With Mrs. Scott as the moving spirit, the Daughters of the Confederacy and the citizens of the County erected in 1910 the handsome granite monument at the junction of Main and Academy streets in Kingstree to the memory of Williamsburg's Confederate Dead. The inscriptions on this monument were written by Charles W. Wolfe. In 1923, the Daughters of the Confederacy had a large, enthusiastic organi¬ zation, with Mrs. T. S. Hemingway (Laura Cromer) as President. In this year, the John G. Pressley Camp of Confederate Veterans, Commander H. J. Brown presid¬ ing, at its meeting in Kingstree on May tenth, invited the sons and grandsons of Confederate Veterans to unite with the organization and make it perpetual. A large number of young men enrolled as members, each one pledging in his heart to keep alive the beautiful history and tradition of the Confederacy.

assisted in publishing a revised and enlarged edition of Bishop Gregg's History of the Old Cheraws. She contribbuted the addenda from this county in that valuable work. She also organized in Kingstree the Margaret Gregg Gor¬ don chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and was its first Regent. This organization revived much interest in the Revolutionary history of the County and has been instrumental in collecting and preserving data that would otherwise have been lost. Miss Marion Mc- Fadden was Regent of this chapter in 1923.

The Kingstree Masonic Lodge, Number 46, was organi¬ zed in 1859 with Samuel W. Maurice, Worshipful Master; Angus McKenzie, Senior Warden; William E. Smith, Junior Warden; and William C. Footman, Secretary. During Reconstruction days, Republican politicians suc¬ ceeded in making some negro members of this lodge, where¬ upon all native white members withdrew. Later, the lodge roll was purged and the order once again became a force in Kingstree. In 1923, M. H. Jacobs was Worshipful Master, B. E. Clarkson, Senior Deacon, H. L. Prosser, Junior Dea- con, and Donald Montgomery, secretary. In connection with this Lodge, should be named J. C. Lanham, a com¬ mercial salesman, who has been coming to Kingstree and Williamsburg for more than thirty years. Mr. Lanham is a highly intelligent member of a distinguished family. He has always been deeply interested in Masonry, and has done much towards helping the Kingstree lodge do its worthy work.

Cohen Whitehead, a negro, was the last of the Decon¬ struction postmasters in Kingstree. He was succeeded by Mrs. C. M. Chandler, who held office under Cleveland. She was succeeded by Louis Jacobs in 1898, who held the office until his death, October 13, 1913. He was succeeded by Louis Stackley, the incumbent. Assisting Mr. Stacklev in 1923, under civil serice appointments, were Misses Annie Stackley and Agnes Fulton and Mrs. G. H. Wilkins. G. H. Wilkins was the Kingstree postman.

Since Reconstruction the mayors of Kingstree have been S. W. Maurice, Dr. J. F. Brockinton, W. H. Kennedy, M. J. Hirsch, R. H. Kellahan, Thomas M. Gilland, Louis Stackley, C. W. Stoll, J. A. Kelley, L. P. Kinder, Louis W. Gilland, M. A. Shuler, and W. R. Scott, incumbent. In 1923, the aldermen of Kingstree were : E. F. Martin, F. W. Fairey, L. D. Rodgers, H. A. Miller, T. E. Arrowsmith, and W. E. Jenkinson; J. F. Scott was town clerk; H. U. Kinder, chief of police, and T. E. Frierson, night police¬ man. L. R. McIntosh was chief of the Fire Department. The town had a simple brick building wherein iron cells were arranged for the safe keeping of violators of the law, but the doors of this jail were rarely ever shut except for the purpose of keeping dogs from sleeping on the cots therein.

There were three men about Kingstree within the past half century who were institutions in themselves - who knew Williamsburg past and present, and who contrib¬ uted much in their day and generation to the amusement and entertainement of the people. Dr. Samuel McGill was the first of these. His "Reminiscences of Williamsburg" was published and will remain forever a moving picture of the County from 1820 to 1900. With glowing humor, Dr. McGill kept Williamsburg laughing for half a century, and his book preserves much of him and his pleasing per¬ sonality. Probablv, no man who ever lived in Williamsburg had a clearer view of the War between the Sections than he, nor did any one more than he help heal the wounds the War had made.

George S. Barr was a merchant and hotel keeper in Kingstree for many years. No man ever added more to the "gayety" of the town than he. As "mine host" his equal has never appeared in these parts. Every day for a score of years the people of Kingstree repeated what George Barr had said the previous night, and every night they gathered in his hotel lobby to hear him recount the things that had happened during that day. No lesser man than Charles Dickens is worthy to describe George Barr, and "here's hoping" that an understanding Dickens may give him to coming generations.

John James Brockinton Montgomery, alias "Daddy," has held continuous levees on the shady court house green for more than thirty years. Sheriff G. J. Graham listened to "Daddy's" tales every day for the twenty years he was sheriff, and now when this venerable citizen comes to Kingstree he has not spent a "perfect day" until "Daddy" has entertained him with a story. Mr. Montgomery has been auditor of Williamsburg since 1900, and few politi¬ cians even years ago had the hardihood to attempt to disturb his place. For many years, nobody has offered as a candidiate against him. Mr. Montgomery knows tax¬ ation as applied to Wiliamsbnrg and his office has always been kept along model lines. He knows the "previous condition of servitude" of every white man in Wiliamsbnrg and every man likes to hear him tell stories about every

Among the lawyers natives of the County or who prac¬ ticed here: S. W. Maurice, George P. Logan, E. J. Por¬ ter, Paul A. Cooper, E. H. Williams, E. G. Chandler, J. S. Wilson, John O. Willson, Texas Logan, John Hughes Cooper, Barron Greer, R. J. Kirk, H. J. Haynesworth, T. M. Gilland, John A. Kelley, LeRoy Lee, A. C. Hinds, J. Capers James, M. A. Shuler, L. W. Gilland, J. Z. Mc¬ Connell, J. D. O'Bryan, Philip H. Stoll, M. J. Hirsch,

E. L. Hirsch, F. R. Hemingway, W. W. Boddie, John Barron, B. P. Barron, R. K. Wallace, F. W. Fairey, C. E. St. Amand, W. O. Godwin, P. N. Becton, Junius Mc¬ Intosh, Robert Pierson, E. L. Ard, C. W. Stoll, Hoxie G. Askins, J. D. Gilland, W. Furman Dargan, R. D. Epps, Timothy Dargan, W. L. Bass, John G. Pressley, D. A. Brockinton, and Heyward Brockinton. Colonel John G. Pressley migrated to California in 1869 and there became a distinguished jurist. Judge John S. Wilson moved to Manning as a young man. For more than twenty years, he has been a distinguished circuit judge.

Dr. John O. Wilson became a powerful minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and was one of the three who determined the legal polity of the Metho¬ dist Church in the Southern States. He died in 1923 while President of Lander College.

During the late seventies, Major C. S. Land worked the Southern portion of the County for naval stores prod¬ ucts. He built a tramway for transporting logs from Lane to the western boundary of the County. In 1880, he sold this right of way to the Atlantic Coast Line Railway and immediately a standard gauge railroad was built from Lane westward through the County on to Sumter. In 1881, the first trains were put in operation on this railway. This railroad played a considerable part in the development of this Santee section. Along this rail¬ way was a section of country known as "Clocktown" for many years. It was told that soon after the War some agents selling seven-day clocks of considerable propor¬ tions and telling everything from one's "fortune" to the second of time went through this country and sold these clocks to all the inhabitants thereof. Some of these inhab¬ itants, the story goes, lived in dwellings that could not contain these clocks so that some of the clocks were fas¬ tened to large pine trees nearby these dwellings. Nobody ever lived in "Clocktown," but it was well known in the County.

About 1870, S. J. Taylor and S. J. Hutson had the town of Greelyille incorporated and S. J. Taylor was elected the first intendant. It was then depending largely on the turpentine industry. Later it developed into a flourishing town. The first postmaster of Greelyville was Wade S. Varner; second, W. H. Campbell; third, H. D. Oliver. In 1899 Fred Mishoe became postmaster and still holds the office. Among those who have served as station agents at Greelyville have been Wade S. Varner, W. H. Campbell, Frank Welch, and David Sasser, Fred Mishoe, W. H. Hodges, T. S. Brunson, and W. D. Mat¬ thews. The first Masonic Lodge at Greelyville had as its officers: B. E. Clarkson, Worshipful Master; C. E. Hil¬ ton, Senior Warden; and D. A. Johnson, Junior Warden. The first drainage district for the purpose of reclaiming swamp lands in Williamsburg County was established in the Greelyville section. Its principal promoters were T. W. Boyle and E. B. Bliodus. About twenty thousand acres of excellent farming lands have been added by the efforts of this project. The Mallard Lumber Company has been of much service in the development of this Greely¬ ville District.

known as Camp Ridge and C. W. Cade was postmaster. He kept the office at his home where H. L. Poston now lives. He had three boys about grown and they carried the mail on horseback to Santee Postoffice and to Darling¬ ton once every week. General Marion had a recupera¬ tion camp during the Revolution in the field on the op- posite side of the road from where Larry Poston has re¬ cently settled. This place was called Camp Ridge from this fact. About the time my father moved to Cades, several other families came and joined with the other residents and built a school house near where M. Clark now lives. The patrons of this school were : on the north, Littleton Dennis, R. B. Green, Levi Brown, and Patrick Parker; on the east, C. A. Cade, John F. Graham, and Brown Graham ; on the south, John Frierson and James E. Fulton; on the west, Martin S. Feagan and Benjamin Baker. Some of these men lived four miles from the lit¬ tle log school. The first teacher was named Palmer and boarded at Mr. Cades. The next teacher was Mr. Andrew Cade, and then came J. A. Feagan. These men taught three months in the year. In 1856, the Northeastern railway came through Cades, but it did not establish a depot for many years. Several turpentine stills were in operation, however. The first section boss on this railroad was named Pettit. He was killed by a train before his year was up. Charles DuBose was the next postmaster. He was suc¬ ceeded by J. N. Sauls in 1883. E. H. Sauls became post¬ master in 1887 and it was at this time that the name of the postoffice was changed from Camp Ridge to Cades. The railway then built a station house at this point and several stores were in operation. T. P. Fulmore became postmaster in 1907. He was succeeded by V. G. Arnette in 1913. L. G. Brock succeeded him and then came R. E. Tart, who was succeeded by W. J. Smiley, incumbent. There is a handsome graded school building, two churches, five stores, two meat markets, and a bank at Cades, which is in the midst of a good farming community. Its citizens are law abiding and prosperous."

Captain John A. Salters owned the plantation on which Salters depot was established and for him the town of Salters was named. Prior to the Civil War, mail was brought on horseback from Kingstree to William Lifrage's place just south of Black Riyer where S. P. Britton now lives and the postoffice was called Black River. Theodore M. Lifrage was postmaster. During the War, this postoffice was discontinued. About 1870, Maxmilian Jacobs had a postoffice established about two miles south of Sal¬ ters depot. It was called Dixie. This postoffice was in existence about one year. In 1873 a postoffice was estab¬ lished at Salters depot. Mrs. M. J. Rawlinski was post¬ mistress until 1877 when Dr. R. F. Maurice succeeded her. He was postmaster until February 5, 1879, when J. G. Lifrage, incumbent, took charge. He has held this office continuously for more than forty-four years.

In 1883 W. D. Bryan, W. R. Bryan, and James Bryan lived on the railway in the sutheastern part of the County. They established a postoffice with James Bryan as postmaster and called it Trio. Helen M. Hinnant was incumbent in 1923.

In 1881, James Fowler Cooper had Fowler postoffice created and was postmaster until his death in 1914, when his brother, Hugh M. Cooper, incumbent, succeeded him. Cooper Brothers, merchants and planters, have their headquarters at Fowler.

Nesmith postoffice was established October 1, 1907, with R. J. Nesmith as Postmaster. B. L. Nesmith succeeded him December 31, 1912. This place was given its name from the old family so numerous in that vicinity.

Henry postoffice was named by J. J. Snow, a prominent scion of distinguished family in those parts. W. T. Turbeville became postmaster when the office was created in 1913 and is the present holder.

C. J. Rollins was the first postmaster at Lamberts. This post office was established about 1900. In 1913, Lamberts was changed in name to Hemingway, in honor of W. C. Hemingway, father of Dr. W. C. Hemingway, who was accidently killed by an explosion in his labora¬ tory in 1921. Hemingway has grown into a considerable town within the past decade. The Masonic Lodge at Hem¬ ingway was formed at Indiantown in 1872, with John Frierson, Worshipful Master, H. L. Hanna, Senior War¬ den, and D. L. Keith, Junior Warden. Its headquarters were changed to Hemingway about ten years ago, but it is still known as the Indiantown Lodge, No. 165. Its present officers are: Z. H. McDaniel, Worshipful Master, R. A. Hughes, Senior Warden, D. H. Oliver, Junior Warden, and W. F. Hanna, secretary.

For a long time, young women have been coming into Williamsburg as school teachers every year. Many of the best of them have married Williamsburg men, and almost without exception, they have proved valuable in home, church, and general community service. Possibly no one influence working in Williamsburg has been more wholesome and elevating than these educated women brought from other districts. Among them may be named Mesdames M. F. Heller, J. J. B. Montgomery, LeRoy Lee, W. Y. Brockinton, P. O. Arrowsmith, R. K. Wallace, T. S. Hemingway, John S. Fulton, L. F. Rhem, J. Y. McGill, D. E. Evans, Hugh M. Cooper, Stuart Cunningham, John Cunningham, John Foxworth, J. B. Allsbrook, S. W. Mimms, Dodd Daniel, W. W. Holliday, J. H. Epps, Rob¬ ert Montgomery, G. A. McElveen, D. M. Ervin, L. S. Den¬ nis, W. S. Boyd, Wilbur Eaddy, and Lawrence Swails.

To all outward appearances, Williamsburg in 1923 was almost perfectly Puritan. More than ninety-nine per centum of all the social gatherings in the County were under the auspices of church or patriotic organizations. Churches had many societies and the frequent meetings of these absorbed most of the "herding" energies of the people. Christian Endeavors, Epworth Leagues, and Young Peoples Unions almost circumscribed the so¬ cial activities of the younger element; while Missionary Societies, Ladies' Aid Societies, and the like, almost en¬ compassed the field for the matrons. The men of the

County had no social gatherings, except about once every year one of the very few fraternal lodges of the County usually gave a "Pine Bark Stew." A notable exception to the general social inactivity among the men was the "Pine Bark Stew" D. J. E'pps usually gave about a hun¬ dred of his friends every May Day. Mr. Epps cooked and served Black Kiver bream fit for a gathering of the gods. The taste of his stew always lingered in a man and lured him to return to the King's Tree on the Wee Nee. It has been customary in Wiliamsburg for more than a cen¬ tury for every minister to preach two or three sulphuric discourses every year on the subject of "worldly amuse¬ ments," this term being applied to almost every social activity not under the patronage of denominational, pat¬ riotic, or fraternal organizations. It has not been pos¬ sible for many years for the young people of the County to maintain a dancing club, or a card club; and almost any individual who encourages his children to participate in such entertainment as dancing or card playing is openly denounced as an advocate of the Devil. Partici¬ pating in a game of golf or of tennis on Sunday would probably result in a social and commercial boycott in Williamsburg.