HISTORIC OCONEE COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA Subject: Acknowledgements, Preface & Sources Used Version 1.0, 7-Jan-2003, FCH-00.txt **************************************************************** REPRODUCING NOTICE: ------------------- These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, or presentation by any other organization, or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Paul M Kankula - nn8nn Seneca, SC, USA Oconee County SC GenWeb Coordinator Oconee County SC GenWeb Homestead http://www.rootsweb.com/~scoconee/oconee.html Oconee County SC GenWeb Tombstone Project http://www.rootsweb.com/~scoconee/cemeteries.html http://www.rootsweb.com/~cemetery/southcarolina/oconee.html Contributor: Frederick C. Holder, Box 444, Pickens, SC 29671 **************************************************************** DATAFILE INPUT . : Paul M. Kankula at kankula1@innova.net in Jan-2003 DATAFILE LAYOUT : Paul M. Kankula at kankula1@innova.net in Jan-2003 HISTORY WRITE-UP : Frederick C. Holder in 1989 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This publication would not have been possible without the help of several people. As is often the case when anyone is involved in work on Oconee County and the Cherokee Indians in particular, Marshall W. Williams of Georgia has provided his assistance, often taking time from his many ongoing projects; Recent M.A. theses by Bryan F. McKown on Fort Prince George and Mary W. Edmonds on Oconee Sta- tion were examined, and information prepared by Williams for a work on Tomassee Indian Village was incorporated. Jane B. Morris, George Shealy, and Jean M. Flynn graciously shared materials from their research. Sallie M. Harbin provided invaluable information about the Westminster Depot, where her father was station agent, and the towns of Westminster and Fort Madison. Frances Holleman discussed the growth and development of Seneca. Edith T. Hunnicut and Claude Hightower provided information on Long Creek Academy from their personal experiences. Peggy Rich shared in the research effort to bring to light reliable data on Old Pickens, the courthouse seat of Pickens District from 1828 to 1868, and to correct the information found in the National Register Nomination about the so-called Plea- sant Alexander House. Bessie W. Taylor supplied details of the Methodist occupation of Old Pickens Presbyterian Church in the early twentieth century. Several teachers were kind enough to review the materials for the first edition and make helpful suggestions. The staff of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History asked questions regard- ing sections of the text prior to the publication of the first edition, the answers to which improved the content and provided more specific in- formation about several topics. Their judicious editing of the first edi- tion is remembered and appreciated. Thanks are extended to Sue Pratt for allowing the use of her drawings which appear on the cover and in the section on the Seneca Historic District. Jane B. Morris read the draft for the second edition and made thoughtful suggestions which clarified a number of statements. The staff of the Oconee County 911-Emergency Office took time from their current hectic schedule to provide names for those roads where signs have not yet been erected. SOURCES USED Portions of some articles were taken from the National Register Nominations of Oconee County when the references could be verified. Other materials were derived from the research of Jean M. Flynn, Sallie Harbin, Frederick C. Holder, Jane B. Morris, Peggy B. Rich, George B. Shealy, and Marshall Williams. The illustrations used on the cover and in the section on the Seneca Historic District were prepared by Sue Pratt, with the remaining illustrations being by F. C. Holder. A number of telephone interviews were conducted to clarify cer- tain materials on the Seneca Historic District, Westminster Depot, the Oconee County Cage, and Long Creek Academy. The persons inter- viewed, with the exception of one person requesting anonymity, are listed in the Acknowledgments. An extensive body of materials (published and unpublished) was examined in preparation for this publication, though only a fraction of the information was used. New materials are constantly surfacing on northwestern South Carolina, and researchers may benefit from this information. Contact Frederick C. Holder at P.O. Box 444, Pickens, South Carolina 29671-0444, to obtain additional information regarding materials which might be quoted or used in publication, to request references on the articles, or to obtain a listing of area books in print. PREFACE The first edition of this booklet was prepared in 1989 for use in Oconee County schools. Such a publication was needed to help students comprehend three centuries of area history and to assist in developing an appreciation of the Oconee County historic properties. Increased awareness of the value of these properties will hopefully result in their continued preservation. Developed through a grant from the National Park Service, Depart- ment of the Interior, as administered by the South Carolina Depart- ment of Archives and History, with additional copies printed using funds granted by the Oconee County Arts and Historical Commission, only a few copies of the first edition were made available to the public. This situation was unfortunate in that there is a growing interest in the Oconee County area and a demand for a history of this unique region of South Carolina. There is no general history of northwest South Carolina, even though some publications make a pretense as being such. However, a growing number of specialized publications on both Oconee and Pickens counties (Pickens District from 1828-1868) may eventually preclude the need for a general history of the extreme northwestern area bordering North Carolina and Georgia. If such speculation proves to be the case, then this booklet may remain the only generalized sketch of Oconee County available. With that thought considered, a brief history of the county has been added to this edition to provide a framework for the historic properties discussed. A group of students was asked to comment on the first edition. Though they offered many suggestions, this work differs little from the original publication. Sentence structures in the first edition have been slightly modified to meet the needs of a different audience. Some road numbers used to identify locations have been sup- plemented with road names to reflect recently erected signs. Newly discovered information has been added to the articles on Oconee Sta- tion and Westminster Depot, and comments regarding Fort Prince George and Tomassee Indian Village have been somewhat altered. A suggested reading list has been added to some sections. PREFACE TO THE 1989 EDITION The Oconee County properties in this booklet are remarkable for the span of time and diversity of history that they represent. Though several historic places within the county have been destroyed over the past two decades by vandals, fire, or neglect, the area remains rich in both historic sites and potential subjects for historical research. Other than the articles on Tomassee Indian Village and Oconee Station, the wealth of materials on the Cherokee is barely examined. None of the properties discussed reflect the fact that this region was overwhelmingly an area of small farmers who owned few, if any, slaves before 1861. Only Oconee Station remains in an area so rural and sparsely populated as to give any feeling of the isolation which many people in this region experienced from the late 1780s through the early 1900s. The lack of any degree of documented and organized materials on the antebellum village of Fair Play precluded the inclusion of infor- mation on this hamlet. The search for unusual botanical specimens in the 1700s and the search for mineral wealth in the 1800s is not men- tioned. Only two of the interesting area churches are included. Unfor- tunately, none of the material leads the reader to a better understand- ing of the poverty of this region during the years following the Civil War nor does the material help in interpreting the life-style of sharecropping families. It is with sincere regret that none of the histories of the properties assist the reader in appreciating the rich and fascinating Black History of this area. Some of these deficiencies have been rectified by specialized publications. Although a majority of properties included in this booklet are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, a few additional places of particular note are included.