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Pickens County From Colonial TimesBy Miss Maimsakht Aikenj Before the Revolutionary War this i .section was inhit hi ted mostly by Indians,| the Clierokecs being the dominant tribe.; Their capital was called Ken wee, and . was situated on the west hank of Kemvcc • river, in I he present Oconee county.I The Keowee river is now the dividing Mine boLween Oconee and Pickens omin-! ties.1 in 1778 Governor Glenn built a fort, mi the east bank of the river, just opposite the Indian village Keowee, and enlled it Fort I’rinee George, in honor of the king of Knglund,There were several battles between the Indiana and soldiers, ns weii as the citizens generally. Most of us renieni her having heard the story of the girl, who left Fort George, to inform her lover at Ninety-Six, that the Indians were planning an attack on that fort, and how in her long and faithful journey she named the streams on the way: One Mile. Six Mile, Twelve Mile, Fight-een Mile, etc. (If course this heroic event had a happy ending.The soldiers nnd ollicers of liovolu* liomiry■fame came here early. About I7SI Gen. Andrew Pickens made a treaty with the Indians lit Hopewell, on the banks of the Seneca river near Cherrys Grossing, by which Greenville, I’iekens, Oconee and Anderson were ceded to tInstil to.This territory was called Washington District. It was about one hundred miles sipiare The cnurt house and jail were located at I’icken.sville, near the present town of Masley, in I’iekens county, I'ickensville was named in honor of Gen. Andrew I'iekens. as is , also the county and town of i’iekens,The old stone church now in Oconee I county, near Clcmson College, was ! erected in 17110. The Rev. Thomas | Re esc, a native of Pennsylvania, and a j graduate of ITinceton College, was the ! lirst pastor, lie died early, ami was the i first person buried at this famous spot, i The church's organisation was of !‘res- 1 bylerian faith. The first building was! of wood, bill was burned by accident, and the present stone church was buill by John Rusk, a Revolutionary soldier. General Andrew I’iekens and other persons of distinction are buried there,I mention with pleasure the names of' some of (he notable men of Ibis section. Col. Andrew Pickens, a son of General Pickens, was a brave soldier, lie was also governor of South Carolina, The Hon. John C, Calhoun, who lived at Fort Hill fur tnanv years, was vice-president of (he United States, and also held other high Federal position .In a few years the jail and court house at i’ickensville were accidentally burned, and were never rebuilt. It was then decided that \\ ashingtini District was too large, and in I7slt;i ||u, legislature divided it, and made Greenville and Pendleton Districts.In 1,8*21! Pendleton DDtricI was divided, and Anderson and I'iekens Districts were created, Pickens Court House was located on Keowee river near old Fort Prince GeorgeCommunication by water with Main burg and Augusta was considered favorable, Boats were constructed anil cotton was sent down the Kaviirmab river. For years produce had been hauled to Charleston by horse power.I he railroad I rmn f'barleslon to Augusta changed the market, and we sent pro dure to Hamburg and Augusta, a distance of one hundred and twenty miles, instead of the laager trip to Charleston, Haler the Greenville ami Columbia Railway brought the market still nearer home.By this lime most of the Indians had gone west, except a few friendly tribes who had settled in North Carolina They made good citizens, and served faithfully in the civil war.At this time our country was lorn and divided by the war Most of the men and hoys were away |oin homeand the women and children wore having a bard time,| B.v an act of the legislature in ImW I'iekens Di. trirt was divided into Pick-Jtens and Oconee conn ties. There were : lour r.i,imi.-sfmors appointed to select the county seat for Pickens. They were Mis follows: Col ,). F. 1 lagood, Mr.! Tom Anthony. Mr. J. Lewis mid Dr.W. T. Fields. They selected the site of j the present town of Pickens, and lots were sold at public auction.The lirst court was held at Pickens by J Judge Orr, in October, 18(18, in }1 small 1 law ollice. built by Col. Hagood.Judge on- was ex-governor of South (’andinn, ami was afterwards sent as minister ta Russia, where he died The hrsI court house wns built by Mr. Samuel [teed.from Old Pickens, and | Mr, Wilson from Anderson, who burnt and made Uleir own brick., The county ollicers were, Mr, it \I Bowen, dok of court; Mr. J, I] Phil-put, probate judge: Mr. Joab Mauldin, sherilf; Mr Alonzo Folger, auditor; Mr Anderson Leslie, treasurer. The board of county commissioners were, jMr. R. K. Holcombe, Mr, John Singleton and Mr, Levi Robins. Mr, J V, ilag.i-id was representative and Mr, T.\ Rogers, senator.Mr Bowen still lives at I’iekens, and Mr. ledger at Fas ley, where he served as postmaster for several years.Gilrenth and Burgess from Green vide, pul up the first store in Pickens.Miss Mary Hagood was postmistress, being the only eligible person to take the imth of ollice.The newspaper. The Pickens Sentinel. : was established in L871 and edited In Mnj. I). F. Bradley, who was also uelmo! -commissioner.Mr, McK'ayjjtalight the (jrsl sellout ini 1*71.Religious services of all ..... jlions had been held jn the court house j until the Methodist church.was built in ! bsTn. i be Presbyterian church wns or-, gnawed in ItS71. but was not buil! until about lifi, and the Baptist eimrch' some time later,I lie Southern Railway then known as I he Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line was . begun in 1870 and completed in 18711 iowns began to spring up along the tailroad. Ly an act of the legislature, i Fas ley. Liberty and Central wire in- j corpora ted in 1874. These towns hav gi own rapidly. Easley now has thrc cotton mills, and a population of 2,!ir; Liberty has two milks, and a populatio of 1,0£,8, and Central has one mill and population of 88b.Later the towns of Calhoun and Noi ris were built. Catceclice cotton mill near Norris. Six Mil,., Dacusvitle an other flourishing win,.,Is and cominun tics have sprung up throughout t! countyI he Fieken.s Unilvvny, h liranch lii from Kasley to Pickens, w.i,-, built aboi 1*1 lb. Piekoms has one ratten mil] ar a population of 807.rile population of Pickens county ht increased wonderfully. We arc wc supplied wilh free ,schools, churches, r mills, banks and col ton mills. We ui prmtd ,,f ,,ar resources, and hope I shea a greater increase in brnefudei enterprises in the year., In come.THE SENTINEL'S WOE'Hie inrdbcieiit.service of express e«w panics and railroads, upon which v - greatly depend, live scarcity of prints and Other things, almost has us heudi Inward the bughouse. The Sentinel kih- again (his week on account of tl extreme lack of service of the Routhei Fst ress Co. We regret it far mm Hum any subscriber possibly can, bi we cannot help ourselves. If this tbit . keeps up much longer wo are giving join Hie army and go to Franco in ord,I get a little peace and rest.
Newspaper Details
Pickens Sentinel
Pickens, South Carolina, US
Thu, Nov 08, 1917
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Laura L.
NA, 11 Apr 2024
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