Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Ii ....L14 SFCKENS COUI (This histoi-iteal s! et lch w as, writ te:1 by ' 1. F. Van Cla Ion, of Pickns, and will comprise at c hater in .Ilist ory of I'ieke i ctanty w hihI he is r:ctmringc). Ihe p litical divisions; of South Carolina heginniiig in 1670 and term nrating in the formation of Pickens county, forms a chapter in South Carolina history both interesting and iportant-interesting for its num ercus legends and historical infor mation, and important for its effects uj;on the- then weak frontier settle ments, and that part of the state which in the future must have its in luence throughout the state on ac count of its geographical situation. In the year 1670 when the first white man set his foot as a perman ant citizen upon South Carolina's fair -oil his only neighbor was the red man; while the land upon which he ;ettled was one vast primeval wild 4'rness. Roaming over her fertile vales and wooled hills were animals of lost every description, and in her lacid streams of the low country, nd dashing, hoisterous ones of the uipper Country are found numerous ind1s of fish in wonderous plenty. For awhile after the first perman ient settlement was made, there wase no thought of political jurisdiction 'V;E 1ver an1y part of South Carolina save that of Charlston; but with the com ing of new settlers, and the growth nd expansion of the frail Nttre set 1lement, it was soon evident that new Surritory must be acquired; and thus egan our first oflicial dealings with "e Indians, in the form of treaties for more land. We might . ay, not incorrectly, as r l' as the present Pickens county ;concerned, that from 1670 to 1678 Ie present county of Pickens lay in e Charlston di trict, with all the icial affairs tranlisavte(d at Charles ii, unle:ss designated otherwise' by c' goverrme(nt officials. It was during this period that we (- most of our dealings with the dians. 1 any are the legends left us of this time, most conspicious that of Cateechee or isaqueena. e old Keowee Trail, on -which now - only be heard the rattle and ;tle of wagons and automobiles nbined with the shrill whistle of locomotive, was then trod only Small or large for us t We sell room. Pupils' Desk M'aps, Write us Special a Joes . J.1 1 CITY HISTORY by they'early traders with tli:ir pack: h~orses, andll the indian , rtometimesl" 4)n1 missic as of peace onid will, alnd at other times leavhes it hurrible0 with their del redaltions. ~I crime: amd of bloodshed. The life of the mlnIy settlers of the upper country is during this time seenl in its ipimitive 4111 weakest stage; the efforts of the Provincial geverniors to keep down war with the Indians by means of treaties; the truble with the French, who were ever on the 'alert to : ff the Indi ans from their l "e< 1 fill trade :with the IEnglish, and who were also plot ing the utter annihilation of the Eng lish on the continent; the French and Indian war, and nuI merous other events that are reecr I ded in nny in teresting volumes, are left to us from this period of 1671f to 1768. The next p11 itical division made direetly affecting i iekens county was in the year 1768. The northwestern part, of the state, includin g the pres ent c"ounuties of Oconee, Pickens, An derson, (;reelville and ILaurens, were formed into Ninity-Six district, and remained within the same until 1791. It was during this period that we fought our last war with the Indians, which was caused by British agents for the purpose of helping Great Britian in the American Revolution. Again in the year 1791, another division of territory was necessary cnl account of the ever increasing population, caused largely by the steatdy flow of emigrants from other parts of the country. The new dis trict embraced the present counties of Oconee, Pickens, Anderson and Greenville, and was known as Vash ington district, with its Courthouse town at Pickensville, about one mile south of Easley, S. C. Washington )istrict remained in existance until 11798. On account of the geottrap1hical situation of this part of the State, con enial climate, and fertile lands, mmigration continued, and in 1798 Pendletonj district was cut of from Washington, with the other part taking the name of Greenville. Pen dleton district was composed of what is now Pickens, Oconee and Anderson counties, and Pendleton was the court house town. Many interesting events ealn be re sks :-: Scht ders appreciated 1 o handle. everything needed s, Teachers' Desks, Charts, Crayons, E Report Cards, Etc. your needs. ttention given to mn kchooI Supply C COLUMBIA, S. C I SUPEIRINTENDENTS OF EDUC, 'LION OF PICKENS COUNTY. F itece I'ickens e<.unty was organiz :7i y-two years atgo it has had 4wn vi. 1h t . I'eintenden('Jts of eduunt oi 'i:-jer '"1. F. Bradley was the cocune i' '~(rtlelce ~ f clu".ti (then called school commissioner al wis succeeded by 'i11r. R. Bowen. Mir. Mo.ses Ilendricks w. eleIctL next. but he died befo he took the oflice. Alr. (eorj Singleton, who was second in til race, was appointed to the office au was later elected several times. I vas succeeded by the followii gentleman in the order named: M Laban Mauldin, Mr. J. R. Glazent Mr. W. W. F. Bright, who died office, Mr. R. TI. Ilullum and F. Clayton, the present superintendet lated of this period. The formati< of the first agricultural society in tl State and the second in the Unit( States; the beginning of agitation the slavery question, with that tarrifY and lthe State's rights questic led by Calhoun from this distric and the beginning of musterin These Iermeld the leading issues this period of our histoi y. Pendleton remained a district utn 1826 when it was divided, giving A dlersoni the southern part, and ti present counties of Oconee and Pie ens forming Pickens district. T court house town of Pickens distri wais located about ten miles west the present town of Pickens, on ti west banks of the Keowee river. 0 Pickens remained the district se until after the Civil war, when in t year 1868 the Keowee river was mac the line and Oconee and Picket counties were formed. Lately, there has been some ta of another division of a part of Oc nee, Pickens and Anderson counti into still another county, but as 'y nothing has materialized. -Whether not this new project is really need' or whether it grew out of preju(lic and discontented minds, time alo will reveal. Looking back to the very begi ning of our country, and scanning 11 history briefly, we can easily sec h shortcomings, as well as her achie, meats; yet with the ever turni wheels of time., progress has k apace until now she is ranked w the first in the State. ol Supplies mad none too in a school Blackboard s, 'asers all orders. ompany V51 J. P. (AREY, President. JOHN C. CAREY, Cashier KEOWEE BANK id PICKENS, S. C. ill t. tIl dTT >1 1 SAFE :: SOUND :: PROGRESSIVE t;2 .i\ n le lei Welcomes accounts of school teachers and school children: 1k Start a Savings Account with us and let us help you make your money grow, (MI BoksCS-tonr itfr I COM M 11 A ro mi n a nous