HISTORIC OCONEE COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA Subject: Sources of Oconee Station History Version 1.0, 3-Jan-2002, H-24.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 **************************************************************** DATAFILE INPUT . : Paul M. Kankula at kankula1@innova.net in Dec-2002 DATAFILE LAYOUT : Paul M. Kankula at kankula1@innova.net in Dec-2002 HISTORY WRITE-UP : Scott Alexander at Oconee_station_sp@prt.state.sc.us in Jan-2002 Pieces of the Past - Sources of Oconee Station History A collection of quotes from which we construct an image of Oconee Station. 1775 William Bartram May 15 "The Savana, now called Keowee, above its confluence with the Tugilo, the west main branch. The country uneven, by means of ridges of hills and water cources, The hills somewhat rocky near their summits and the banks of rivers and creeks, but very fertile, as there is a good depth of a loose dark and most vegetative mould." "The Cherokee town of Seneca is a very respectable settlement, situated on the east bank of the Keowee River, though the greatest number of Indian habitations are on the opposite shore, where likewise stands the council-house, in a level plain between the beautiful lofty hills, which rise magnificently." "... to view the ample Oconee vale, encircled by a wreath of uniform hills...I began to ascend the Oconee Mountain. On the foot of the hills are ruins of the ancient Oconee Town." 1787 Andre Michaux "On my return I heard the news of hostilities between the Creek Nation and the Georgians. The residents remaining in the countryside around Seneca had assembled to construct a fort and retreat there. They are afraid that the Cherokees who don't have any chief except those who govern the individual villages would join the Creeks." September 12, 1787 Andrew Pickens " I have received a letter from Col. Anderson, of the 4th Inst. From his plantation near Seneca, informing that on the evening before, at the plantation of Samuel Isaacs, the uppermost on the west side of Toogolo River, Isaacs son about 13 years of age was killed and scalped with a woman child & little Negro taken prisoner, supposed to be done by Creek Indians, it appears this was but a small party of Indians and they went immediately off, and carried very little out of the house with them, this has allarmed the inhabitants on the Carolina side of the river very much... we can only expect to hear of the perpetration of such acts of savage cruelty, committed on the defenceless inhabitants, in all quarters of an extensive frontier..." 1788 Committee of the State House of Representatives " a post not exceeding 50 men be kept on the frontiers, and that the men receive the pay of infantry and be clothed in blue coats, waistcoats, and overalls, and well armed and accoutred, and that the said men shall be enlisted for 6 months certain and 12 months if found requisite by the Governor and council, and that they be officered by the Governor". 20 Sept. 1792 Robert Anderson " I send you, enclosed, the affidavit of Jesse Spears, who will also be the bearer of this... This man escaped from the Cherokees in the year 1775, and came to our settlements, and gave us notice of a premeditated stroke then intended by the Cherokees against the frontier settlements. He was the only one who escaped... At another time in 1782 the same man came down, and gave notice of a strong party of Indians and Tories who were to rendezvous... to male a stroke in the frontiers settlements... I mention those circumstances to strengthen belief of his present information. I have ordered the people to build blockhouses, where they are exposed and intimidated, to fly to with their families, in case of alarm. I have frontier blockhouses built and building, at suitable places along our frontiers, at the distance of about eight or ten miles apart... I have ordered trusty spies to be constantly kept out at Tugalo and at the Oconee Mountain, as they are the spots (in all appearances) wich will be most exposed. I have ordered a few men from the more interior part of the regement, to each of the frontier post; but in some places, there is difficulty in providing them with provisions, the settlements being thin on the frontier, the people poor, and their improvements and crops small." April 1792 Grand Jury of Washington District (Judicial district for Pendleton and Greenville Counties) "We bear testimony to the vigilant spirit by which both officers and men were actuated during the late alarm from the Indians. We gratefully acknowledge the attention of the legislature (knowing the importance of its frontier counties) to their personal safety and property from the depredations of the Indians - at the same time we lament and believe, they have been instigated, supported and encouraged by unprincipled white men who associate with them". April 29, 1793 Governor Telfair, Gov. of Georgia "Blood has been spilt in every direction on the extended frontier of this State, and one man killed in the State of South Carolina." May 9,1793 The Georgia Gazette "... a general Indian uprising and war on the frontiers of the Southern states seems inevitable... a man was killed and scalped by the Creeks on the SC side of the Tugalo River on April 8". 1793 Henry Knox, US Secritary of War "...a few scouts, or spies who are formed of the hardiest and best hunters, and who shall be advanced a few miles of the settlements, traversing incessantly, at right angles, the paths most used by the Indians, are better calculated to give the alarm to the settlers, and secure them from danger, than any other species of troops whatever." December 16, 1793 A report? SC State Records? Located in PRT overview of Oconee Station Captain Blake Malden is due payment " Lieut. Stephen Willis 4 horsemen & 12 Infantry doing duty at the Oconee Station from the 5th to 19th October." October 12, 1793 - January 12, 1794 Payroll records Lieutenant William Bennett, 4 spies, 3 sergeants, 1 drummer, 10 privates of infantry. December 1793 SC State Legislature "The Committee have considered the expediency of the Govoners having kept up the post on the frontiers, tho " no actual violence had been committee by the Indians on any citizens of this state, and they are of opinion that the present unsettled state of the minds of the Indians and the actual state of hostility existing between our adjacent sister states & the Indians might expose our frontiers to depredations unless covered by some respectable post on the frontiers, made it highly proper for the govornor to keep up the posts on the frontiers, and that the expences ought to be provided." 1794 Henry Knox, U.S. Secretary of War In a letter to Andrew Pickens "beef up the guard at Oconee Station." Flynn, The Militia in the Backcountry1783-1799 "the group would increase the force from its present strength of one captain, one lieutenant, and thirty noncommissioned officers and privates with 20 of them horsemen to a force of one captain, two lieutenants, four seargents four spies and 46 privates with 30 of the privates mounted. The men would be divided between 2 post toogalo and Oconee Stations. Pay for foot soldiers would be 6.50 a month with rations and some clothing provided. Horsemen finding horses and arms at their own risk would receive three shillings a day with rations and forage. Spies would get $1 a day" December 19, 1794 SC State Legislature (paraphrased) Too much money is being spent on the frontier defenses. The federal government is requested to provide reimbursement for sums that the state has already spent. Federal garrisons are established in Georgia. January 1795 The guard on the frontier is reduced to: "1 lieutenant, 30 noncommissioned officers and privates, 12 of whom are horsemen." November 19, 1796 Benjamin Hawkins, Principal Temporary Agent for Indian Affairs South of the Ohio "there are several traders down from the Cherokees who have come to the Ocunna Station with pack horses, and taken their skins and furs, about 30 wagon loads, from thense to Charleston; the price of wagonage is 2 dollars, 12 cents per horse; the average price for some years past is $2.50. There are at that station 20 militia, 4 of them mounted. The distance from the Ocunna to Hopewell is 23 miles, and from this to Charleston 240 miles." November 21, 1796 Hawkins " I set out from General Pickens to the Ocunna station, after having been fited out with whatever was necessary by most friendly hospitality of the General and his lady. I crossed the Keowee near his house and traveled W.N. W. up the river through an uneaven broken country 11 miles to Cane Creek. Here I met a trader from Pine Log, and Notetsenchanssaie with his brothers, halfbreeds; they have uniformly supported a fair character. He sent his nephew, Tom Pettit, a decent, orderly young man with me to Ocunna to provide a pilot and interpreter for me, 8 miles father I crossed a small creek and arrived at William Richards, a trader who lives the station; he was from home, but his clerk, Mr. Cleveland, was there, and furnished me with such accomodations as he had, being pretty good. There I added to my traveling stock a bear skin and some things necessary to procure provisions from the Indians on my way." November 25, 1796 Hawkins (paraphrasing Lt. Moseley commanding officer of Oconee Station Garrison) "... every other day a scout is sent out from the Ocunna station as far as the Tugalo River, and this has had some effect in lessening depredations in the area". 1796 Hawkins "David Moseley is unconcerned about encroachments by settlers on Indian Land...When I informed him of the law and the necessity for enforcing it Moseley responded that although he has heard of the law, he had never seen it." 1796 Hawkins "...met two Indian women on horseback, driving 10 very fat cattle to market." 1796 - 1797 Garrison size Lieutenant David Moseley, 1 sergeant, 5 horsemen, 13 infantry 1796-1807 William Richards purchases 8 tracts of land totaling 3,548 acres 1798 The Militia committee of the senate "recommended that the guard be discharged and the arms conveyed to the magazine at Abbeville... The expense of maintaining forts and guards on the frontier is unreasonable and enormous and should be born by the federal government." 1802 John Drayton "...it has become unnecessary to continue any longer the guard at the station at the Oconee Mountain." Drayton (date unknown) "waggons and sledges , are principally of the middle and upper country; the first, for transporting heavy articles to a distance...The wagons carry a load of from two to three tons; their wheels are narrow; and they are drawn by five or six horses. These carriage bring the greater part of the upper country production to market; and fifteen or twenty of them are seen, following each other in the same track." 1804 The City Gazette of Charleston Margaret Richards Died of a short but painful illness, Miss Peggy Richards, aged 32 years , sister of Mr. William Richards, Merchant, at his store in Peddleton District. 1807 John Lyon "...near the old military station called the Oconee Station which is now the property of a Mr. Richards where he keeps a store etc. And has extencive dealings with the Indians." 1828 Cyrus Stuart "Oconey Station, once the resort of many people, now presents a dismal spectacle to the beholder, there is one brick, one stone, and several wooden buildings there yet, with the remains of twain brick houses, which were annihilated by the influence of that element called fire."