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0*3 Pace Four THE CLINTON CHRONICLE , Jrfy », 1W Colonel James Williams A Hero of the Battle of Kings Mountain (Th» State. Columbia. S. C- July 11, 1954) In her valiant fighters against tyranny and foreign domination, South Carolina contributed such giants of partisan warfare as Sumter, Marion and Pickens. No less a successful and determined fighting leader of up-country Whigs was Colonel James Wil liams, who led his mounted rifle-i men in the victorious battles ot Musgrove’s Mill and King’s Mountain. These important engagements of the American Revolution proved to be the point where the patriot cause turned from defeat and despair toward an unrelent ing pressure upon the British, which ultimately resulted in their expulsion. Let us review a few facts about Colonel Williams, a hero of our state, of whom too little is known and to whom editorial at tention is given in The State be cause of failure of the author of “The Sword of Gideon" to in clude him, and his contribution to victory, in the script of the outdoor drama presented each summer at Kings Mountain. James Williams^was a son of Daniel and Ursula Williams, and was born near the Old Fork church, Hanover county, Virgin ia, November 10, 1737. He was of Welsh stock, his father being a native of Wales. When quite a youth he left his native heath in Virginia and migrated to Granville county, where his brother, Col. John Williams, an most powerful pick-ufi! //&£'£ ^>6/M0f/ DODGE 145 HP TRUCK A ISO H.R. TSUCK S 12* H.R. TRUCK C 12S N.R. TRUCK 0 112 M.P. /(&✓ Amv«-4# Mo* o*y oMe* fa/Johhoqo frock QMjihe! DODGE 3q^dTRUCNS COOPER MOTOR COMPANY 211'W. Main Street — Telephone 515 Max. Hf of '/»■, %■, omd l-too tract* in tho rotomo hold ADDED PROOF of a hotter deal for the man at the w hoof I able and distinguished jurist, resided. Col. Joseph Wiliams, a noted man pf that section, was his cousin. In 1762 he was mar ried to Miss Mary Wallace. Eight children were bom unto them. Five sons and three daughters. Ten years later (1772) he left Granville, came to South Caro lina, and settled on Little River, in what is now Laurens county, where he engaged in the combin ed vocations of farmer, miller and merchant. James Williams was one of the representatives chosen by the Broad and Saluda River district to the South Carolina provincial congress and was made a mem ber of the Council of Safety. Thus it will be seen that he early identified himself with the causa and movements in behalf of lib erty. At Ninety-Six, when the first blood of the Revolution was spilled in South Carolina, James Williams was * * captain of the company. He went through the arduous Snow campaign whan the Tories were first cleaned out of the Dutch Fork and we dare say that a braver and more heroic soldier did not pass through that period of hardships and perils. This was serious business for Williams be cause he was making his own community a safe place for his growing family to live. The then Captain James Wil liams was one of the heroes of the expedition against the Chero- kees. As a result of this treaty which followed, the present counties of Greenville, Ander son and Pickens were ceded to South Carolina and Wiliams was elevated to the rank of lieuten ant colonel of the militia. In 7778 he ran for the office of state senator, but was defeated by the strong Tory influence of his section. Later he led his command through the Florida campaign. He shared in the battle of Brier Creek. In the battle of Stono, Williams took part as commander of a detach ment of militia. During an engagement at Sa vannah Colonel Williams was struck in his forehead by a spent ball. Shortly after this affair he went to' another expedition against* the Cherokees; later still he* was engaged for a while in guarding prisoners at Ninety- Six. After the fall of Charleston in May, 1780, Lord Cornwallis dis patched Major Patrick Ferguson to Ninety-Six for recruiting mi litia to the king’s service. This propelled a general uprising of Tories and Lolaflsts throughout the district. Colonel Williams and some of hjs friends of the Little River neighborhood realized the dan ger of this turn upon their fam ilies and property now exposed to reprisals. With such movable goods as they could carry they repaired for better protection to North Carolina, probably to Granville county, his old settle ment. ♦ As soon as these vulnerable lives end properties were secur ed, Col. Wiliams returned to fight the British in South Caro lina. He joined CoL Thomas Sumter on his march from Hang ing Rock toward Charlotte. CoL. Sumter appointed Williams to serve as his commisary officer. However, the latter soon prefer red to strike out for independent operations in the Ninety-Six dis trict, which was closer to his home. Such of Sumter’s forces as de sired it, joined Williams, who crossed the Catawba and took post near Smith’s ford on Broad river. A short time before sundown on August 17, combined forces at Wlllltons, Clark and Shelby, consisting of about 300 mounted men, crossed Smith’s ford and proceeded toward MUsgrove’s. After an all night march Wil- taken their position on a timber- liams, Shelby and Clarke had ,ed ridge some little distance east of Cedar Shoals creek, and about a half mile from Musgrove’s 'ford and mill. Shelby occupied the right, Clarke the left and Williams the center; the whole force forming one extended line. The British and Tories were lured to attack and after a stoutly contested bat tle, which included the hottest rifle fire and bayonet charges, were completely routed The victorious Whigs and their cap tives fled all day and all the next night from pursuit by Fer guson’s nearby superior forces. Colonel Williams conducted the captives, which were all placed in his care, to Hillsboro, N. C., where he met South Caro lina’s refugeeing Governor Rut ledge. Receiving an acount of the battle at Musgrave’s, the governor at once commissioned Williams a brigadier general in the South Carolina militia, as fitting reward for his gallantry and success in battle. When the leaders of the Amer-! ican militia held council prior to the King’s Mountain engage ment, Colonel Williams was of fended that the other colonels did not recognize his right to command due to his superior rank, and his well known mili tary experience and ability. At first Williams was somewhat more than reluctant to cooperate in a degraded status, but when the pinch came he could not re sist such a glorious opportunity to do his country a service. He wheeled chivalrously into line. Advancing to the head of his column he exclaimed: “Come on, my boys, the old wagoner never yet backed out!" Colonel Williams’ position was on the northwest side of the mountain, between Shelby and Lacey, and facing Campbell’s right and,Sevier’s left on the op posite side. When victory was already perched upon his brow, the gallant Williams received a musket ball which laid him pros trate on the field of glory. Tbe mortally wounded Colonel Wil liam's died next day in the arms of his young son near Blacks burg and was buried in a raw cowhide near the mouth of Buf falo creek. He was spoken of as “Old King’s Mountain Jim." After more than a hundred years when the almost forgotten grave was rediscovered by an in terested historian, the DAR had the bones disinterred, placed in an iron chest, removed to Gaff ney, and deposited in the front yard of the Gaffney Carnegie li brary. A granite marker was placed over the site, which is surround ed by two small cannons and some cannon balls. When Colonel Williams fell at King’s Mountain he left five sons, viz: Daniel, Joseph, John, James, Jr. and Washington and three daughters. Daniel and Jos eph, who had been with their faher at King’s Mountain, aged 18 and 14, were massacred at Hayes Station by “Bloody Bill" Cunningham. John was poison ed on a business trip to Virginia. Washington was the father of Col. John Drayton Williams of Laurens, who was a signer of the Ordinance of Secession and quite wealthy and prominent. He was the owner of White Plains Plantation in Laurens 'county where James Williams lived. , (Editor’s Note: White Plains Plantation, referred to in The State’s article above, is located about three miles east of Cross Hill, Contained in a part of it is the cattle farm recently devel oped by C. D. Bevis and asso ciates of Pennsylavnia and Flori da). Dr. Fred E. Holcombe OPTOMETRIST Offices at 200 South Broad St. Phone 658 Office Boon •.*94 to 5:19 Conservation Notes By J. B. jO'DELL Soil Conscrraiioa Service # * J. Herman Power of the Nar- nie section planted 15 acres to sericea last week. He said: "I realize that it is pretty late to plant sericea now, but I have been aiming to plant more seric ea for several years. I can’t put it off any longer. I need it for dry weather. Til take the chance on It being a little late to plant." Mr. Power planted 30 pounds of scarified seed per acre on a well prepared seed bed, using a grain dirll with seeder attach ment with a cultivator behind. This did an excellent job of seed ing. He plans to apply 500 lbs. of an 0-14-14 fertilizer per acre each spring for maintenance. He stated, “From my observation, I am sure fertilizer will improve the quality and quantity of hay and seed.” • to P. C. Higginbotham of Green ville, who owns a beef cattle farm 2 1-2 miles west of Owings is doing an excellent job of grass farming. The entire farm of 264 acres is established in grass, se ricea, and kudzu, with the ex ception of about 40 acres of weeds. No cultivated crops are grown. Last week he was mowing his bottom land pasture where grass was shoe mouth deep. The 109 head of beef cattle have not been able to keep up with the grass on the 80 acres of bottom land pasture. The dry weather hasn’t bothered him here. About mow ing pastures, he said, “It is an operation that will pay good r%- tums. It will eliminate weeds that compete for plant food and moisture and aid the develop ment of a more desirable sod of grasses and legumes." Mr. Higginbotham is also mak ing plans to construct a two-acre farm pond, ’ftie clearing opera tion was started last week. The SGS through the District will assist him with the necessary surveys and the fish for stocking the pond. • • • Lester L Norton of Clinton, who operates the Creekland Farms, is having 20,700 feet of broad-base, channel-type ter races constructed this week on the Hipp place five miles South of Clinton. Mr. Norton was assisted by the District last year in making a complete soil and water conser vation plan on this farm. Eight meadow outlets were seeded to sericea last year. The terraces that are now being constructed are laid out to drain into these by the District’s motor grader established outlets that are now ready to take care of the surplus water from rows and terraces without damage. VARNlrfH STAINS Varnish can often be removed from fabrics by saturating with turpentine, then nibbing be tween the hands and finishing by sponging with alcohol or chloroform. How To Kill ' Athlotes Foot Germ ttehln*. kill* fungi of •• 00 contact, aids rapid 1 Of rsd, fair cracked akin. Boa** wahl Oct BLIS-TO-SOLTOW. MCGEE'S DRUGSTORE » adv. OFFICE SUPPLIES CHRONICLE PUB. CO. FINAL SETTLEMENT Take notice that on the 2nd day of September, 1854, we will tm- der a final account of our acts tad doings as Executors of the estate of William P. Jacobs In the office of the Judge of Probata of Laur ens county, at 10 O'clock a. m. and on the same day will apply for a final discharge from my trust as Executors. Any person Indebted to said estate is notified sad required to make payment on or before that date; and all persons having claims against said estate will present them on or before said date, duly proven or be forever barred. WILLIAM P. JACOBS, III, HUGH S. JACOBS, JOHN F. NORRIS, Clinton, S. C. July 13, 1854. itc-Alg. » Subscribe To The Chronicle ... 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Laurens Electric Co-op Fair and Annual Meeting V Free Exhibits Magician Star of TV Plus “The Hired Hands” Stars of WIS-TV and Radio ELECTRONIC SHOW ON STAGE % Seen Nationally on TV *> 1717 \ Electric Stove and Hot m aVEjCj / Water Heater, Plus 25 j Additional Electric ^ MmJlrftl/ Appliances! Monday-Tuesday, Aug. 2 . « Program Begins at 7:00 P. M. Each Night 4 Annual Members Meeting at 3:00 P. M. Tuesday, August 3 Laurens County Fair Grounds Laurens, S. C.