Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I 26—THE CHRONICLErXlinton, S. C., Nov. 12, 1970 Excerpts Of Wasson’s Remarks When Clinton Became 'City’ In 1957 REMARKS OF SENATOR ROBERT C. WASSON IN THE SENATE UPON THE PASSAC.E OF BILL H. 1444 CHANGING THE NAME OF THE TOWN OF CLINTON TO THE CITY OF CLINTON IN LAURENS COUNTY Prior to the building of the railroad between Laurens and New- Iterry, there was at a distance of nine miles from Laurens, an in tersection of five roads known as Five Forks, The railroad crossed this [wint and here a station was built. As early as ISO**, before the existence of Five Forks, there was a settlement about a mile east known as Holland’s Store. It was the community’s only merchan dising place, and as far hack as 1830 was likewise the community post office. It was altout 1850 that the railroad was completed and a station established at Fixe Forks. This meeting of roads for years had l>een the gathering place for the sportsmen of the surrounding com munity. Here a race track was maintained.' horseracing, chicken fighting, drinking, etc., were freelx engaged in. When the station was erected it was soon seen that a town wonld spring up around this nucleus of race track, barroom and railroad depot. The first buildings were erected between Holland’s Store and Five Forks. Altout 1853 leading citizens began to realize that the new settlement was neither Five Forks nor Holland’s, so there arose the important question of selecting a name. Manx- wanted to retain the title Five Forks, while some suggested Round Jacket in honor of a prominent citizen of the communitv who wore a waistcoat or vest called in those days a round jacket. A small group of farseeing citizens realized the need of some concerted action. The village needed not only a name but a gen eral layout as to streets and buildings. These interested men sought the help and advice of their legal advisor and friend from Lauren-, Court House who acted as chairman of the committee that laid off the first streets. A studv of old plats shows that the principal streets followed closely from five roads radiating from a common center; the one toward the east leading to Newberry; west, to Laur'm',; south, to the Belfast section and the two to the north to Musgroxr Mill and I .angston Church Henry Ci.inton Yoonc., Laurens at torney, a native of Iradel County, North Carolina, served as chair man of the committee that laid of! the toxxn. To honor him for hi-- valuable services, the local members of the committee named the newly created and then unattractive village, Ci.inton. From this meager In ginning Clinton has steadily developed and has never lost ground in ]K>pulation from one decade to another It has grown into a symmetrical little citx. ranking fourteenth in size in the state today and has all the e^ential requirements for comfort, convenience, and contentment of the homeseeker Its earlx jxopulation was 465; in 1880 it had ri'en to 1.201 ; in OHIO to 1,8(>0, in 1910 to 3,272; in 1920 to 3,742; in l'»30 to 5,643; in 1040 to 5,704 and in 1950 to 7,168. The town is something over eightv-one Langston Baptist Church (Photo By Clark Meadors) Langston Baptist Church Almost 200 Years Old Duncan’s Creek Church Is County Landmark Langston Baptist Church was organized in either 1773 or 1777. The church history says it was organized in 1777. However, state Baptist records shows that it was organized in 1773. It was first named Upper Duncans Creek Church but later was named for Solomon Lang ston’s family which lived nearby and donated the land on which the church was built. Soloman Langston was the father of Dicey Langston a heroine of the Revolutionary War. Lang ston was a mustering point during both the Revolutionary War and Civil War. The Rev. Joshua Palmer le- came pastor of the church in 1790, soon after he arrived in this country from Fngland. From 1790 to 1803 the church prospered and its membership increased to 302. In 1803, Pal mer said that the Lord called him to go to Indiana. He ex tended an invitation to his con gregation to follow him and apparently several families ac cepted the invitation. The mem bership total dropped to 213 when he left to establish a church in Indiana. One of Laurens County’s old est landmarks, mother of several Presbyterian Churches in the upper part of the state of South Carolina, is the Dun can’s Creek Church. It is located some five miles from Clinton in Jack’s Township. From the few written records available one can realize that this church has witnessedJur- bulent times, peaceful and prosperous times, grief and uncertainty, during the more than two hundred years of its silent witnessing of the changes wrought by time and circum stances. About 1752, following a treaty of peace with the Chero kee Indians and because of dangers after the defeat of General Braddock in Pennsyl vania, the population compris ing a settlement along the junc tion of the Fnoree River and Duncan Creek, increased ra pidly, drawn principally from Virginia and Pennsylvania. A group came from across the sea, led by John Duncan, for whom the creek was nam ed which later gave rise to the name J the church organiza tion. With the help of the family servants, John Duncan erected a brush arbor as the first place of worship for the set tlers. This was replaced with a more permanent building of logs m 1704 which was re placed by the present stone structure in 1842. Renovation in 1927 saw the removal of the "Id slave gallery, where the slaves sat when they came to v. irship with their masters. There was a door on the side for the slaves to enter and go up steps to the gallery, the four shuttered window that was lie hind the gallery still re mains atMve the mainentranced It was at this time that the oval window back of the pulpit was sealed up straight back oak pews, probably original with the present building, seats the con gregation. The kerosene lamp was replaced by electricity and the old iron stove was re placed by gas heaters, the bare floor and platform have been covered with carpeting. The upright piano has been re placed by an electric organ. About 1788 the church be came involved in serious in ternal difficulties. The dispute arose over whether or not to change from Rouse’s to Watt’s version of the Psalms. The result was that a large num ber of the members withdrew and form themselves into Bap tist and Methodist congrega tions. At this time there were about sixty communicants, the largest number that this church has had on its roll during its long history. The first minister of the church, whose term of office began around 1776, was the Reverand Hezehiah Balch. The Reverend John Kennedy holds the record for the longest term of service, fifty years. He and his wife are buried in the old cemetery adjacent to the church, in which the oldest leible stones bears the date 1776. One of the first persons buried in the cemetery is a man who drove hogs here from Tennessee and took sick at the home of T. J. Dillard and lied. Not knowing where he came from they made a w^idencoffin and buried him in the old ceme tery. Dr. L, S. Bean was a well known and beloved pastor from 1894 to 1920. Dr. W. P. Jacobs, Dr. F. D. Jones were sonn f the earlier ministers of the church. Dr. James S. Gray served the church for about twenty years until his sudden death in 1962. The first elders-those who served during the late Colonial and Revolutionary war periods, were Andrew McCreary, Jo seph Adair, Thomas Ewing, Thomas Logan, Robert Hanna and James Pollock, who was ordained in Ireland. In 1834 .the following dea cons were named Thomas Lit tle, Henderson Henry, Edwin McCrary and W. M. Adams. One of the elders today, James McElroy Copeland, Jr. is the sixth generation to serve the church as an officer. Though it can not be ascer tained now whether any burials took place prior to 1775, the cemetery, which is rarely used now, bears witness to many a funeral service. Strangely enough the first wedding on re cord occurred October 19, 1949 when Mae Copeland, daughter James McElroy Copeland, Sr. and A illie Mae Ferguson Copeland was united with Ed win Pliney Alexander of Mount- ville, S. C. There have Uen several weddings in the church since that time. In 1853 there was a Sunday School Library of one hundred ami seventy-six v Jumes. There is noSunday School today although there is worship ser vice each Sunday A. M. for a membership that now num(*ers at) -'it twenty-eight. Yearly, since 1927 I! >me- o>miru has been observed hi th>- f urth Sunday in (>cto- ter until a few years ago when the time was changed to tlie second Sunday in October due to ur early falU. These are attended 1 > friends and rela tives from far and near. Well filled baskets generously fill the tables erected under the old trees. the home of I’reshvterian College under the control of the SxiukL of South Carolina and Georgia, one of the leading educational in stitutiorm in the Mate for men and women, Recentlx, a xerx suc cessful dexelopment program for I’reshxterian College has been carried on in the Synods of South Carolina and Georgia and oxer a million dollars has been pledged for the improxement of this in stitution It is the home of Thornwell Orphanage, the pride of Clin ton and one of the largest Presbyterian orphanages in America Tin- institution. now in it- 82nd year of -erxice. is caring for orphan boys and girls, is owned by the Presbyterians comprising the Sx nods of South Carolina. Georgia and Florida. Clinton i- likewise the home of Whitten Village, a fast growing institution doing noble work for the State’s unfortunate. From a railroad standpoint it boasts the main line of the Seaboard Air Line from Birmingham to New York, and an important cro-- state route of the Atlantic Coast Line from Greenville to Charleston. years old. For many reasons. Clinton i- widelx and favorable known It is attractive from many viewpoint.-. It ha- an elevation of 806 feet above sea level, and is the highest point on the Seaboard Air Line in the state. Its location on the top of a broad ridge give- excellent drainage. An ample water supple and complete sewerage system enable it to maintain an excellent health record In educational development it hoa-t- of a splendid graded and high school system with an enrollment, both white and colored, of approximately 2,500. Nexv high school buildings have been erected for both xvhite and colored pupils of Clinton and recently a contract has been awarded for a nexx grammar school to be known as Acad emy Street Elementary School Clinton offers educational oppor tunities of unusual breadth. It is possible for a resident of the community to begin his or her studies in the first grade, continue them through the grammar and high school and then through Pres byterian College—all of this without a change of residence. It is From a lughwax -tandpoint. it ha- the great Piedmont higbxvax from Charle-ton f -G mountains of North Carolina and the Cal houn lughwax iron) Raleigh to Atlanta. It i- connected xxith several lughwax- under -tate maintenance l•rom a manufacturing standpoint. Clinton ha- a rather remarkable statu- It- principal iudu-trie- are Clinton Cotton Mills. Lxdia C"t b'ii Mill-, I lallmark Manuf; icturing Company. Gwen I’.van Mill-. Standard Plywoods, Inc. I).ap]>er Ho-ierx Mill-, Inc, Clinton Pa per Box Company. Inc. C W Anderson Hosierx Companx. Inc. Cincinnati Floor Mauuiacturmg Companx and Textile Bobbin \\ ork-, Inc. Tbe-e industries afford a large source of income through their heavy payrolls with a combined total of betxveen 1,650 and 2.- 250 employees. „, . The people are rea-onablx conservative, xct progressive. The gradual but continued growth of the town is a good indication not merely of the advantages of residents in Clinton but al-o of the enterprise and indomitable pluck of her jieople. SOUTH CAROLINA IS 300 WE RE 75! Chronicle Has Had Seven Editors i E. L. MANSUHE DIVISION OF JOANNA WESTERN MILLS COMPANY, now celebrating its 75th anniversary, is one of the nation’s leading manu facturers of trimmings such as fringe for bedspreads, curtains, drapes and rugs along with narrow fabrics for military use as well as commer cial use such as cotton straps, carpet binding, and seaming tape for the carpet industry. Upon acquisition by JOANNA WESTERN MILLS COMPANY, the Chi cago, Illinois; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Bluefield, Virginia, plants were closed. All operations were combined into one in Joanna, South Carolina, beginning in 1961 and being completed in 1963. The Mansure building was sold to GREENWOOD MILLS shortly after GREENWOOD MILLS acquired JOANNA COTTON MILLS in 1965. A new factory was built on a 15-acre tract on Highway 76 between Clinton and Joanna where the present operation is located. A new 83,000 square foot warehouse has just been constructed making total of 113,000 square feet of space. Provision is made for future ei Pension. The company provides employment for approximately 260 pa eons with an annual payroll of approximately 81,600,000. a E. L MANSURE DIVISION of Joanna Western Mills Co. Donny Wilder, the current editor, is the seventh editor of The Clinton Chronicle. ’• » # » * The Chronicle was founded £ in 1900 by J. F. Jacobs and ;:j Chaney Little. Another weekly X newspaper, the Clinton Gazette •j: was already in existence, having £ been started in the 1880s by X Wf, T. Crews. Crews, son of Col. Tom B. Crews to was publisher of the Laurensville •j: (Laurens) Herold, sold the f Gazette to Wade J. Dendy and it :• folded in 1913. >: J. F. Jacobs served as the £ first editor of The Chronicle. Mr. Little later served his re- J; lations with the newspaper. Mr. £ Jacobs employed four different :j; editors over the years---H. D. v Rantin, A. O’Daniel, Roberts. Owens and W. W. Harris. £ In 1912, Mr. Harris, Rantin and Allie Lee and Arthur Lee •jj of the Laurens Advertiser, £ bought The Chronicle for >: $2,000. In 1916, Mr. Harris £ bought out the interest of Rantin and the Lees. £ Mr. Harris served as editor :£ and publisher of The Chronicle £: from 1916 until his death in 1955. From 1955 until 1967, '£ Mrs. Harris was publisher of £; the newspaper with the late :£ Harry C. Layton as manager. In 1967, Donny W ilder who was ;£ reared In Clinton, and his £: father-in-law, Arnold F. Mar- shall of Rock Hill, purchased The Chronicle Publishing Co. £: for $125,795. In 1969, Chronicle >£ Publishing Co. purchased The Whitmire News and The Pros- £• perity Citizen, two other weekly jj: newspapers which it continues £; to publish. William (BUI) Arm- >:• field of Whitmire Is editor and x publisher of the Whitmire and £• Prosperity newspapers. •X >:• * * * 1933 Our buildings have changed, the attitude of our people has not. They still have the same personal interest in you, plus increasingly bet ter facilities, equipment and services to back them up. We set out in 1886 to provide you with the best in banking, and we figure to keep right on working at it! THE BAILEY BAN KfT Clinton’s Own Bank NOW M«mb«r F.D.I.C.