The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, November 12, 1970, Image 30
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10—THE CHRONICLE, Clinton, S. C., Nov. 12, 1970
§ HISTORY OF LAURENS COUNTY
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Laurens County was established by an act of
the General Assembly on March 12, 1785. It was
one of the six counties created from the original
Ninety-Six District of South Carolina, and it re
tains an old Indian boundry line as its northwest
ern limit.
The county was named for Henry Laurens
(1724—1792), a nationally recognized statesman
from Charleston, S.C.
The site of the county seat was selected by men
deputized by the Fortieth and Forty-First Militia
Regiments. Tradition states that the site chosen
resulted from a compromise between the regi
ments, one having chosen a site near Cold Point,
the other a site near Watts Mills.
The first county court convened June 13, 1785,
with seven justices of the peace being present.
This system continued to be used until March 18(X)
when subsequent courts were established.
The Courthouse Square, containing four acres,
was purchased in 1792 for two guineas, or $21.00.
The present courthouse on this site is the third
one, the first having been of wood construction,
the second of brick.
Early schools include the Wadsworthville Poor
School and the Pyleston School, which were es
tablished in the early ISOO's; an English school on
Rabon Creek, which was in session in the 1820's;
and the Laurensville Female College, which was
started in 1829.
The oldest church in the county is Duncan Creek
Presbyterian, organized in 1764.
Three Revolutionary War battles were fought
in Laurens County: Musgrove's Mill, Hammond's
Store, and Hayes Station.
Brigadier General James Williams of Laurens
County was a Revolutionary War hero at the Bat
tle of Kings Mountain. The county's Revolutionary
War heroines include Mary Musgrove. Mary Dil
lard. and Dicey Langston.
South Carolina Governors W. D. Simpson and
Robert A. Cooper were natives of Laurens Coun
ty. Four other natives. John Hunter. Franklin H.
Elmore, J. L M. Irby, and N. B. Dial, served as
U. S. Senators.
Ann Pamela Cunningham of Laurens received
national recognition as founder of the Mount Ver
non Associatio.i for the preservation of George
Washington's home.
Andrew Johnson, seventeenth President of the
United States, once operated a tailor's shop in
the city of Laurens.
Until the early twentieth century, when diversi
fication took place, the county's industry was large-
CLINTON TOUR
The Courthouse
Laurens Tour
The stretches m this toider were done by the late Julian Stevenson Bohctr They
have been graciously lent to the Laurens County Historical Commission by the
Bohck family These sketches and nearly 150 more by Mr Bohck will appear in
his forthcoming book A Laurens County Sketchbook which he had virtually
completed at the time ol his death
Duncan s Creek Church
Tour 3
ly textile. One of the earliest known plants was
the Laurens County Cotton and Wool Factory,
now known as Burnt Factory, on South Rabon
Creek.One of the oldest graphic arts firms in South
Carolina continues operation in the city of Clin
ton; and more recently plants manufacturing glass
bottles, steel bearings, mobile homes, and ceramics
have prospered within the county.
THE HAYES STATION MASSACRE
Laurens County was the scene
of violent fighting during the
American revoultion between
Continentals and Loyalist sup
porters of King George in of
England.
On**of the worst such inci
dent occurred at a spot about
eight miles southwest of Clin
ton, midway between the Bel
fast and Milton (Joanna) set
tlements. The Massacre of
Hayes Station, as the incident
became known, was typical of
the bloodshed and violence that
plagued the Carolina frontier
during the Revolution.
The battle involved the Tory
firebrand, William “Bloody
Bill" Cunningham and his band
of followers. Cunningham, a
native of the Cross Hill area
and a member of one of the
leading families in the Caro
lina upcountry was on a burn
ing and pillaging expedition in
the eastern part of Laurens
County. He had once been an
officer in the Continental Army,
but he had some difficulty with
his commanding officer, Colo
nel John Caldwell, and Cunning
ham became a supporter of the
British.
Hayes Station was an inn run
by Col. Joseph Hayes, a pat
riot leader in the Clinton area.
Hayes was warned in the middle
of the night that Cunningham and
his men were on their way by
William Caldwell, Col.
Caldwell’s brother and a re
lative of JohnC. Calhoun, famed
Carolina Statesman, the Tories
had Just burned the home of Col.
Caldwell and murdered his
family.
There were about twenty-five
people at the home of Co. Hayes,
including some women and
children. The men were on their
way north to participate in
action against the British that
would eventually culminate in
the Battle of King’s Mountain,
the turning point of the Re
volution. Hayes and his men
made what defensive prepara
tions they could and waited for
Cunningham.
According to an article in the
February, 1953 edtion of the
Joanna Way, one of Cunn
ingham’s men named John Hood
rode to the front of the Station
and demanded that they sur
render at once or face death.
Hayes and his men refused to
surrender, and someone inside
the fort shot and killed one of
the men with Hood. Shortly after
this, Cunningham sent another
man with a white flag who as
sured the Americans that if
they surrendered they would be
treated humanely. Hayes did not
believe this and he answered
that he would hold out to the
last.
The battle began in earnest
then. Hayes and his men held
the Tories off for hours, but
they finally ran out of ammun-
tion. Cunningham’s men then
dealt the death blow to the fort’s
defense when they set it afire
by throwing long limbs wrapped
in cloth and soaked in rich,
burning fat, on top of the house.
Hayes and men could offer no
more resistance, and they had
to surrender.
We Are
Proud To Be A
Part Of This Community And It’s
Role In The Celebration Of South
Carolina's 300th Birthday.
KAYWOOD Southm Vuiikm
IMA W£STERH M,LLS COMPANY 1
louYtrmd
Finney Houm
Built shortly after the Revolu
tion near Clinton. The House was
moved from its original site near
Hammonds store to the present
one when the railroad was built
in the late 1840’s. Now the home
of Mrs. John W. Finney.
Davidson House
This house built in the late 1820's,
is the second oldest in Clinton
and the oldest standing at the
original *ite
Home 09 Peace
This building, the oldest on the
Thornwell Orphanage campus,
was built during the 1880’s The
Orphanage was founded in 1875
by Rev William P Jacobs Now
supported by Presbyterian Sy
nods of South Carolina, Georgia,
and Florida.
Old Tavern
The stone "first floor” of this
structure served as one of the
original taverns in Clinton in the
1830 s or 1840 s
Old Clinton Schools
these premises
were used as a school under the
direction of William P Jacobs
After the Civil War the school
was re-opened as Clinton High
School. Thornwell Orphanage
and Presbyterian College later
emerged from this school
Presbyterian College
Founded 1880 by William P Ja
cobs as Clinton College Now
supported by Presbyterian Sy
nods of South Carolina and
Georgia Administration build
ing—Library contains original li
brary of founder (moved in the'
late 1930 s from Thornwell Or
phanage), which can be viewed
on request
Neville Hall, designed byCharles
Coker Wilson of Columbia, was
dedicated in June 1907 and is
one of the oldest buildings on
the campus Although large-scale
remodeling has changed the in
terior, the exterior appears much
the same as it did when original
ly built
Cunningham then lived up to
blood-thirsty reputation when
he ordered Hayes and Captain
Daniel Williams, a boy of only
18, to be hung from a pole in
a fodder stack. Before the two
men died, the pole snapped In
two, and Williams and Hayes,
still alive, were hurled to the
ground. This so enraged Cun
ningham that he cut them both
to pieces with his own sword.
One of the most tradgic
events of the entire incident
occurred when Joseph Wil
liams, Daniel’s younger broth
er, ran to his dying brother’s
side and said (according to the
article),“Oh, brother Daniel,
what shall I tell Mother?'
The fierce Cunningham hear
ing this, said, “You shall tell
her nothing, you damned Rebel
suckling!' He then cut the boy
to pieces.
Cunningham killed several
more with his own sword and,
after becoming exhausted from
his bloody work, asked his men
if there were any of the Ameri
cans they wanted to spare. One
of the Torries asked his com
mander to spare the life of Bill
Blakely. Blakely was allowed to
leave, and the rest were killed
on the spot The blood-thristy
Tories left Hayes Station a
burned out rubble.
There were fourteen men
killed in the massacre. Besides
Hayes and the Williams
Brothers, they were Lt John
Niel, Clement Hanback, Joseph
Willard, Joseph Irby, Sr. and
Joseph Irby, Jr., John Melvin,
John Ferris, John Cook, Greof
Irby, Benjamin Goodman, and
Yancey Saxon.
There was a monument erect
ed in memory of those killed
in the massacre by the Daught
ers of the American Revolution
in the 1850’s. The monument is
still standing.
LAURENS TOUR
Laurens County Courthouse
The present courthouse is the
third to serve the county It was
begun in 1835, completed in
1840, and remodeled in 1911
The first courthouse was a frame
building used as church, school,
and courthouse The first county
court convened in 1785
Episcopal Church of the
Epiphany
The is the original building erec
ted in 1846 Thoughtto be oldest
church structure in city of Lau
rens
Governor Simpson House
William D Simpson, whg ac
quired the house from its build
er, Christopher Garlington, suc
ceeded Wade Hampton as Gov
ernor in 1879, resigned in 1880
to become Chief Justice of State
Supreme Court Built in 1839
Subsequent owners enlarged
the original building by adding
a second story and portico.
Octagon House
Built by the Reverend Zelotes
Holmesdurng the time between
1850 and 1859 Architecture is
attributed to the builder s brother
who was an engineer from New
York
Andrew Johnson Tailor Shop
Andrew Johnson (1808-1875),
seventeenth President of the
United States, once operated a
tailor shop in Laurens with his
brother William It was located
in the vicinity of the LaurensCity
Square
Todd House
The original wing of this struc
ture was built as a country house
in the early 1800 s The front and
columns were added in 1855
CHd Methodist Church
The original edifice at this site
was built about 1850 and was
used until the present structure
was built about 1897
Garlington - Todd House
Built in 1858. by Creswell Gar
lington and completed after the
Civil War Now owned by Mrs J
W Todd. Jr
Robert A Cooper House
Hon Robert A Cooper. Gover
nor of South Carolina 1918-1922
built this house about 1910
Dunklin House
One of the oldest houses in Lau
rens. this house was built by
Washington Wiliams about 1820
for his daughter Nancy, married
to James Watts Owned for more
than a century by Todd family
Now home of James G Dunklin
Franks House
Built by Col John D Williams in
1859 as a reproduction of an
Italian Villa, the house was later
boy hood home of W W. Ball,
novelist and editor of the Charles
ton News and Courier It is now
owned by Clyde T. Franks
Milton,
Goldville,
JOANNA
As most residents of this
area know, Joanna is a town
located about eight miles from
Clinton on Highway 76. How
ever how many know the loca
tion of Milton, Martin’s Depot,
or Goldville? Actually, these
are all names for the same
community. The name of the
town has been changed five
times in its history.
The settlement was origi
nally known as Milton and
served as a crossroads for
stage lines from Greenville to
Columbia and from New Or
leans and Washington. Several
prominent men settled in the
community, including the des
cendants of Col. James Milton
the hero of the American vic
tory at Kings Mountain. Col.
James D. Williams, a descen
dant of the famous Col. Wil
liams, owned a large planta
tion in the Milton area and a
summer home called Green
wood. The Blacks were also
among the early settlers of
Milton and their holdings in
cluded a flour and grist mill.
The first postal service for
the community was provided by
a post office in John Black’s
Store in downtown Milton. Ac
cording to the National
Archives, Congress establish
ed a post office in Huntsville,
County of Laurens, and State
of South Carolina. Thus, Jo
anna has its second of five
names.
Next in the list of names
was Martin’s Depot This
change occurred in 1853, and
the reasons for the change
are not clear. For the first
time, a school was establish
ed in the community.
The next change occurred in
1883 through a strange coinci
dence. It seems that one James
L. Blalock, an overseer for a
plantation in Union County, had
made a great deal of money
running cotton through the
union blockade during the Civil
War. Blalock decided to buy
some land around Martin’s De
pot, and when he left his posi
tion in Union, he related
that he be paid in gold. He had
aleo been paid in gold for his
ventures in the cotton market
during the war, and he ap
parently had a great deal of
bullion on hand when he pur
chased the lands around Mar
tin’s Depot He bought around
1,400 acres, and paid in gold.
Few of the Inhabitants of Mar
tin’s Depot had ever seen such
a large amount of the yellow
stuff, so they naturally changed
the name of the town to Gold
ville.
Around the turn of the cen
tury, an industrial revolution
was sweeping through South
Carolina, and many small
towns began establishing tex
tile mills. One was construct
ed in Goldville, and the town
began to prosper with the mill.
In 1923, the plant was bought
by a firm beaded by Stewart
Hatshorn. The name of the Mill
and the town was changed to
Joanna in honor of Hatshorn's
daughter. Thus, Joanna had
transformed a small back-
country crossroads catering to
travelers on a stagecoach route
to a modern industrial com
munity and went through five
names in the process.
SOUTH CAROLINA
TftKXNTZKNIAL
Marker Commemorates Jefferson Davis’ Trip
Jefferson Davis’ trip through
the Clinton-Joanna area after
the fall of Richmond was an
event of great historical signif
icance. It was the last attempt of
a dying government to establish
itself on a firm basis, and a
gallant Confederate effort to
break away from the United
States and form their own gov-
erment was rapidly coming to
an end.
In order to celebrate this
event in American and Southern
history, a marker was erected
by members of the Stephen D.
Lee Chapter, United Daughters
of the Confederacy on Nov
ember 19,1961. The marker was
placed at the Lafayette Young
house on Highway 56 about
four miles south of Joanna
where Davis and his followers
spent the night The marker
was unveiled by Billy and Ro
bert Young, great-great grand
sons of Lafayette Young.
The speaker for the occasion
was Representative John A.
May of Aiken, chairman of the
Confederate War Centennial
Commission. There were sal
utes to the American flag, the
South Carolina flag and last
but certainly not least, the
Stars and Bars of the Con
federate States of America.
These salutes were lead by
Mrs. Archie Watson of Col
umbia, the president of the
South Carolina Chapter of the
U. D. C.
The speaker, dressed in the
full uniform of a Confederate
officer, said that Davis was a
close friend of John C. Cal
houn, a giant among Southern
statesmen and a friend ofWeb-
ster. Clay, Crawford and other
great Americans of the critical
period of the pre-Civil war
period. May said that Davis
idolized the great political
thinker from South Carolina and
patterned his life after Calhoun.
May also praised Davis for
his struggle to make states'
rights and a liberal interpre
tation of the Constitution a
reality. He said in conclusion.
“In fairness to you, I shall say
that Davis was not always right
to human is - to err is human.
But In fairness to Davis, I
should say that be was a man
of honor, one who believed with
all his heart and soul in fight
ing for the principles in which
he believed. He loved his
county and he devoted his life
to its defense.*