USA > South Carolina > History of South Carolina > Part 43
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WHY TOWE
نون لطنة
مواصتعلى
صلة سماعمـ
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HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Erasmus Powe, a Continental officer in the Revolu- tionary war.
Doctor Powe's paternal grandfather was Joseph Ellerbe Powe, whose mother was an Ellerbe, a kinswoman of Governor William H. Ellerbe, gov- ernor of South Carolina from 1897 to 1809. Joseph Ellerbe Powe enlisted in the Confederate army at the beginning of the war, was captured at the fall of Fort Fisher, Wilmington, and died while a prisoner of war at Elmira, New York. Gideon Walker Powe had a brother named Charles Haliburton Powe. The name Haliburton came from his ma- ternal grandmother, who was descended from the Italiburtons of English nobility whose original seat was at Carlisle, England.
Jessie Amelia Murdock, mother of Doctor Powe, was a daughter of John Tyson Murdock and Jose- phine (Easterling) Murdock. John Tyson Murdock was a son of Doctor Murdock of Marlboro County, South Carolina.
The Powe family lived for several generations at Cheraw, but after the war Doctor Powe's parents removed to Darlington. Darlington was the home of his early youth, he attended the schools there, and in 1908 graduated from Furman University at Greenville and from the Medical College of the State of South Carolina at Charleston with the class of 1911. After six month's in hospital post-graduate work at Charleston he located at Greenville, and except for the period of the war has since been busied with an extensive private practice in that city.
After passing the necessary examinations and sat- isfying the requirements Doctor Powe at the begin- ning of the war with Germany joined the Medical Reserve Corps, being commissioned lieutenant. In November, 1917, by orders from Washington he reported for special study and training under Dr. Alexis Carrel, whose rank as the greatest surgeon of his time is a fact of common knowledge. He spent some time in intensive training under Doctor Carrel and that together with additional study he was ordered to take "under" army officers at Tulane Uni- versity, New Orleans, gave him a post-graduate training such as he could hardly have achieved in private life. He was assigned to duty at Camp McClellan, Alabama, as regimental surgeon of the Thirty-sixth Regiment, Twelfth Division, Field Artillery. October 7, 1918, he was promoted to the rank of captain. He received his honorable dis- charge from the army in February, 1919.
Doctor Powe is a member of the County, State and American Medical associations. He was one of the incorporators in April, 1919, of the Profes- sional Building Company. During that year his company erected the Professional Building at Greenville, a handsome and modern two-story of- fice building for physicians and surgeons. It has been designed and equipped exclusively for its ten- ants, and the building and its personnel are a sig- nificant achievement in Greenville's growing fame as a medical and surgical center.
Doctor Powe married Miss Helen Mauldin of Greenville, daughter of the late Samuel Mauldin. Her father was a brother of Governor William L. Mauldin. The Mauldin family is of Scotch origin, and were among the earliest settlers of Pickens County,
South Carolina. Mrs. Powe's grandfather Samuel Mauldin was a pioneer merchant of Greenville in the thirties. Her paternal grandmother was Caro- line Ann McHardy, a daughter of Robert Mc- Hardy a native of Scotland, and a sister of Admiral John B. B. McHardy of the British Navy. The McHardys have long been distinguished in Scotland, and of the branch of the family remaining in Great Britain a consin of Mrs. Powe's father was the late Dr. Malcolm McDonald McHardy, chief surgeon of the Royal Eye Hospital in London.
Doctor and Mrs. Powe have two children : Helen Dunbar Powe and Walter Haliburton Powe, Jr.
JAMES NEWTON BOLEMAN. In the career of James Newton Boleman there have been combined the vocations of farming and banking, the two harmon- izing in his case to the extent of the acquirement of well-merited and pronounced success. As an agriculturist he has become the possessor of a val- uable Anderson County property, and in the capacity of cashier of the Bank of Townville has done much to further the interests of his institution, at the same time acquiring and holding the absolute confidence and esteem of those with whom he has come into contact in each of the fields of endeavor in which he has centered his interests and activities.
Mr. Boleman was born near Townville, Anderson County, South Carolina, May 9, 1873, has lived here all of his life, and is widely and favorably known to the people. He is a son of Samuel Lawrence and Eliza Jane (Dobbins) Boleman, natives of Anderson County, where his father was for many years a highly honored and successful farmer, although at the present time he has retired from active pursuits and is residing quietly at his comfortable home at at county seat, Anderson. When he was only six- teen years of age he managed to be accepted as a wearer of the gray of the Confederacy, and fought bravely until the close of the war between the states. The mother, who also survives, is a member of the old and well-known Dobbins family, of which extended mention is made elsewhere in this work. She and her husband have been the parents of three children : Dora Alice, who married John S. Cromer, of Anderson; James Newton, of this review; and Flora Susan, the wife of W. C. Broyles, of An- derson.
While being reared on the home farm James Newton Boleman was given his educational training in the local district schools, and following the close of his studies devoted himself whole-heartedly to the work of the parental homestead. where he re- mained as his father's assistant until reaching the age of twenty years. At that time he went to the City of Anderson, where he spent two years as a clerk in the office of the county auditor and in the employ of the Brack Hardware Company. He then returned to the farm and has since retained his interest in agricultural pursuits, in which his knowledge of conditions, great industry and sound business judgment have enabled him to gain a meritorious success. During twelve years he was a rural mail carrier in his home district, hut resigned from this position in 1918. when he was elected to the position of cashier of the Bank of Townville. In this latter capacity he has won the full confidence
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of the depositors of the institution, with whom he has also placed himself upon terms of sincere friend- ship, and his accuracy, conservatism and integrity have served to give him an excellent reputation in banking circles. His citizenship has never been questioned as to public spirit, and his name is in- variably found among those backing good and bene- ficial measures in his community.
Mr. Boleman was married in 1902 to Miss Effie Maude Cromer, who died in April, 1918, leaving three children : Lottie Belle, Samuel Roy and Max. Mr. Boleman is a Baptist in religious faith, and is fraternally identified with the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen of the World, in each of which he has numerous friends.
JAMES ALEXANDER ELGIN, who for forty years has cultivated the lands of his farm in Broadway Township of Anderson County, is the son of a Confederate soldier and the father of two gallant boys who made creditable records in the World war.
He was born in Anderson County March 14, 1853, a son of John Milton and Mary Ann (Kay) Elgin. His father was born in Abbeville County, a son of Hezekiah Elgin, a native of the same county, and a grandson of James Elgin, who was born in Ireland. Mary Ann Kay was horn in Anderson County, a daughter of Jesse and Elizabeth (Kay) Kay. Early in the war between the states John Milton Elgin joined Company J of the Fourth South Carolina Regiment, and saw an active service of a little more than a year, until he was wounded at the second battle of Manassas and incapacitated for further duty in the field. He farmed in Anderson County until his death at the age of sixty-eight. His widow survived him to the age of seventy-five. They were members of the Baptist Church, and of their nine children seven are still living.
James Alexander Elgin grew up on the home farm and assisted his father in its cultivation until he was past twenty-three years of age. He married Miss Theodocia McClain. She was born in Abbe- ville County, a daughter of James and Mary Ann (Griffin) McClain. Mr. and Mrs. Elgin have had a happy married life of more than forty years, and to them were born nine children, one, Mettie, dying at the age of eighteen. The living children are noted briefly as follows: Dr. C. E. and Dr. R. T. Elgin, both graduates in medicine from Nashville Uni- versity and practicing their profession in Alabama ; J. Walter. who is associated with his father in farm- ing; T. Kelly, who is engaged in the oil business at Birmingham, Alabama; Joseph Vernon, who served as a first lieutenant in the Three Hundred and Twenty-Third Infantry with the Eighty-First Division and spent nearly a year in France, now honorably discharged; Avice, who is married and lives in Georgia : Frank R., at home; Jack H., who was trained at Camp Jackson and Camp Sevier and went overseas with the Machine Gun Company of the One Hundred and Eighteenth Infantry in the Fifty-Ninth Brigade and the Thirtieth Division, and also now has his honorable discharge.
Mr. Elgin has always been a farmer. He moved to his present place in Broadway Township in Janu- ary, 1870. and has 120 acres of land with excellent improvements. His farm residence was erected in
1908. He and his wife have long been members of the Baptist Church, and reared their family in the same faith.
IlUGH WILSON MCCARLEY, whose life was con- spicuously identified with the agricultural develop- ment of Anderson County during the carly history of that region, and who was among the most promi- nent of the early residents who left the impress of their strong character upon the growth of the region, was born in Anderson County October 9, 1815, a son of James and Elizabeth (Wilson) McCarley. His mother was a daughter of Hugh Wilson, a native of Scotland, and James McCarley and his wife were also born in Scotland, of Scotch-Irish lineage.
Hugh Wilson McCarley passed his entire life in the pursuits of agriculture. Possessed of sterling traits of character, his career was in an eminent degree useful to those about him and serviceable to the community's interests. Although slow to form friendships, having once formed them he was true and steadfast in friendly attachment, and was kind to the needy and contributed freely to charitable institutions. During the war between the states he served under the colors of the Confederacy as one of the fifty-year-old class of soldiers, and discharged his duties in a faithful manner. As a man and a citizen he enjoyed the respect and confidence of all classes, and his death, which occurred March 10, 1887, was deeply lamented. In 1847 he was united in marriage with Sarah Dobbins, who was born in Anderson County, South Carolina, January 8, 1828, and survived her husband until February 9, 1904. They became the parents of the following children : James Lawrence, who was a Confederate soldier ; William Cephas; Lucy, who became the wife of J. C. Harris; John Jefferson; Mrs. Mary E. Dixon ; Mrs. Sallie McHunt ; and Miss Mattic, who is the popular and highly efficient postmistress at Town- ville.
Mr. and Mrs. McCarley were devout members of the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. McCarley was woman of strong common sense and distinguished by noble traits of character. In graces of mind, purity of heart and devotion to duty she was a typical representative of that most admirable body of women who so loyally sustained their resolute hushands in their work of developing this part of the South.
JESSE DOBBINS. For one of its oldest and most highly honored families, Anderson County is in- debted to the courage and farsightedness of Jesse Dobbins, who came to this county from Newberry County, South Carolina, as one of the original settlers, although a native of Holland. He took his place among the pioneers here, and a stout heart and cheerful disposition transformed hardships into shin- ing stepping-stones to better things, and his hope and optimism, unfailingly shed upon those around him, made of his humble home a place in which to grow temperamentally as well as materially.
The wife of Jesse Dohbins was Mary (Mills) Dobbins, also a native of Holland and a mere child when brought to America by her father, Aaron Mills. who became a Revolutionary soldier. To Jesse and
١٣٠ - ..
مامالعاد
محبة الله بالقالف well
د-اكت وت ساب الله عطا
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HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Mary Dobbins there were born the following chil- dren : James, who married Mary Stevenson; Susan, who married Thomas Patrick; Rebecca, who mar- ried Enos Massey; Sally, who married Matthews Martin; Peggy, who married Jesse Morris; Rutli, who married Hugh Rush ; John Daniel, who married Elizabeth Campbell, a sister of Alexander Camp- bell; and Aaron Clarkson, who married Margaret Morris, a sister of Jesse Morris. James Dobbins, who married Mary Elizabeth Stevenson, had these children: Sarah, who married Hugh Wilson Mc- Carley and became the mother of Miss Mattie MeCarley, present postmistress of Townville; Lucinda C., who married John Chamblee; Jefferson, who married Martha Simmons; Narcissu, Clemen- tine, who married Joseph Asbury MeLeskey; John Baylis; Mary Elizabeth; William; Lawrence; Jane, who married Samuel L. Boleman; and Henry Free- man. John Baylis and Jefferson Dobbins met sol- diers' deaths as wearers of the gray during the war between the states.
Although his death occurred many years ago, Jesse Dobbins realized many of his pioneer anticipa- tions, and witnessed the conversion of the wilderness into an abiding place for happy, prosperous and progressive people. He became the possessor of moderate wealth, of a fine family, the devotion of a noble wife and the confidence and affection of a large circle of friends. His descendants are numer- ous and have wielded a strong influence for good in the various communities in which they have made their homes, and many have attained to positions of influence in the business, professional, political, social and religious life of their localities, reflecting the fine attributes of their strong and sterling old pioneer ancestor.
JUDGE W. H. USEARY. As an orphan boy W. H. Useary left his early community and his associations in Greenville County, faring forth into the great world and seeking opportunity on the merit of his individual abilities. After many difficulties and struggles he realized his quest, achieved success in the law, became prominent in public affairs espe- cially in the State of Texas, and had earned a re- spected name in many communities. In the summer of 1919 he had that interesting experience of "the return of the native" to Greenville County. He had expected to renew associations practically alone and was very happily surprised when he found he still had relatives living here. On the strength of such associations, he decided at once to locate at Greenville and resume the practice of the law, and has received a cordial welcome to the bar and a rap- idly growing friendship as a citizen of his child- hood home.
Judge Useary was born in Greenville County in 1853, a son of J. W. and Elizabeth (Dickson) Useary. The Useary family is Scotch. His grand- father was born in Scotland and for a time lived in Tennessee where J. W. Useary was born, subse- quently moving from that state to Greenville County. J. W. Useary made an honorable record as a Confederate soldier. He first enlisted in Greenville County as a private in Company K un- der Capt. Henry C. Briggs in the Third South Caro- lina Reserves on November 25, 1862. February 12,
1863, he joined Company A of the Twentieth Regi- ment of South Carolina Infantry at Pocotaligo. Toward the close of the war he became a member of Company A, Second Regiment South Carolina Infantry, with which later the Twentieth Regiment was consolidated. In that organization he served until the close of hostilities, being paroled at Greens- boro, North Carolina, May 2, 1865. He did not long survive the hardships of the war, passing away in 1867, when his son W. H. was fourteen years old. Judge Useary's mother was born in Pickens County, South Carolina. Her sister, Mrs. Mary Gillespie still preserves the charm of her earlier years and is highly honored by all who know her in her home community at Greenville.
W. H. Useary had the very humble start in life characteristic of many southern boys who grew up in the days of warfare and reconstruction. At the age of seventeen in 1870 he went to Chattanooga, Tennessee, seeking employment. He drove a laun- dry wagon, and during his spare hours endeavored to fit himself with a better education. For several years he lived in Chattanooga and other points in Tennessee. The real start toward a bigger and broader life in keeping with his native capacities was made at Chattanooga. One of the customers upon whom he called in his rounds as a laundry- man was Hon. Robert Taylor, lawyer, twice gov- ernor of Tennessee, and known to hundreds of thousands outside of his native state for his won- derful genius on the lecture platform. Robert Tay- lor was then practicing law at Chattanooga. He became interested in the laundry driver, and helped him get a start in the study of law. Through the earnings of his hard work and by the influence of Governor Taylor Mr. Useary was enabled to enter Lebanon Law School, pursued his course to gradu- ation, and was admitted to the Tennessee bar Jan- uary 24, 1890. His first case was in defending a man for murder. He was appointed by the court for this duty, the judge being John N. Moon, later and for many years the congressman from Tennes- see.
In the meantime in 1885 Mr. Useary had married Miss Millie Croft of Fremont, Ohio. Her family were neighbors and friends of President Rutherford B. Hayes. Not long after his admission to the bar Mr. and Mrs. Useary went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he purposed getting employment in a law office. In that city he met Mr. J. M. Caton, a business man of prominence and president of a num- ber of business colleges located in larger cities in the north and east. Mr. Caton after estimating the legal abilities of Judge Useary employed him to at- tend to all of his legal matters at a good salary. That was the work of the young lawyer for two years, after which he went to Boston and was em- ployed in important litigation in the East. Return- ing South he and his wife were at New Orleans and on the advice of an old friend they met there he went on to San Antonio, Texas. At Austin he met Judge Robertson, a former South Carolinian, who induced Mr. Useary to take up the practice of law in that city. Subsequently Judge Useary located at Waxahachie, where he enjoyed prominence in the legal profession for a number of years, and 'was elected and served six years as district judge.
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HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In 1912 his wife, to whom he had been so happily and ideally married, passed away. After that his own health broke down and he retired temporarily from the law business, spending several years in travel through the southern states. Then as above recorded occurred the happy event which brought him back to his native community in 1919 and en- rolled him among the bar of Greenville Count. Sep- tember 27, 1919, Mr. U'seary was united in marriage to Elizabeth Robinson, of Greenville, South Carolina, by Rev. S. T. Matthews.
ARCHIE D. WILLIS. Since the close of the war and the return of the country to a peace-time basis, lead- ing citizens of Charleston have found a great deal of satisfaction in a heightened degree of industrial and commercial prosperity in the city, despite the removal of army camps and war time activities. Among the various new enterprises credited to the industrial portions of the city one of the most im- portant is contained in the program of new con- struction and expansion by the Standard Oil Com- pany (N. J.). This program embraces construction, started during the winter of 1919-20, of a large refinery on the Meeting Street road just beyond Magnolia Crossing.
The sales manager of the Standard Oil Company (N. J.) at Charleston is Archie D. Willis, who served as a second lieutenant in the National Army and is one of the enterprising young men whose influence and progressive views is likely to dominate the affairs of the rich and growing city of Charles- ton during the next decade or so.
Mr. Willis was born at Asheville, North Carolina, November 22, 1891, son of E. B. and Jerusha (Cal- donna) Willis. When he was ten years of age, his parents moved from Asheville to Statesville, North Carolina, where he continued his education, attending at Christs' School in Arden, North Caro- lina, for a term of four years.
Later he came to Columbia, South Carolina, and for two years was a student in the University of South Carolina, serving on the Varsity football teain as fullback while there.
In 1913, he was appointed manager of the Standard Oil Company (N. J.) at Columbia, South Carolina, in which capacity he served until 1917. During this time Mr. Willis was a member of the Governor's Gnards, the crack company of the old Second South Carolina Regiment, National Guard, at Columbia. With that organization and with the rank of second lieutenant he served nine months on the Mexican border in 1916, the Standard Oil Company (N. J.) having relieved him for this urgent military duty.
Almost immediately upon his return from the border, in 1917, Mr. Willis went to Charlotte, North Carolina, to assume the duties of assistant general manager with the Standard Oil Company (N. J.). On August 19, 1918, he suffered a great blow by the sudden death of his wife, who, prior to her marriage, was Miss Blossie Adelle Kreps, daughter of Dr. B. K. H. Kreps, well known physician of Columbia, South Carolina. They had no children.
Mr. Willis had resigned his commission directly after his return from the horder, but in March, 1918, he volunteered in the National Army and was
given a commission as second lieutenant, being as- signed to duty in the Quartermaster's Department at Camp Greene, Charlotte, North Carolina; subse- quently he served about six months in the same department at Washington, D. C., later receiving his discharge at the termination of war activities.
He returned to again take up his duties with the Standard Oil Company (N. J.) at Charlotte, North Carolina, until July 1, 1919, when he assumed charge of the Charleston district as manager, the promotion being a recognition of not only his services to the company but to his country as well. The field under his management comprises all of the Southern and Southeastern parts of the State of South Carolina .*
JOSEPHI CALAWAY DUCKWORTH is one of the promi- nent young business men of Anderson County, being both a farmer and head of a prosperous cotton mill supply business at Williamston, South Carolina. He was born near Williamston, November, 26, 1876, the son of Samuel J. and Margaret M. Duckworth.
The Duckworths are of English origin and were of the early settlers in North Carolina, where Jo- seph's father was born. His grandfather, Rev. James H. Duckworth, was a Baptist minister and spent many years in the service of that church in North Carolina. Samuel J. Duckworth has for many years been a resident of Anderson County, is a farmer and still active at the age of seventy. Though one of the substantial citizens who responded to the cam- paign for the restoration of white government in 1876, and also an ardent democrat, he has never been prevailed upon to accept a public office. His mother's grandfather was Robert Roddom, son of Lord Roddom of England, and the Rodgers were also early settlers from England. Robert Roddom fought in the Revolutionary war, and one of Mr. Duckworth's sisters holds land deeds executed by Robert Roddom in 1776.
Joseph Calaway Duckworth was the only son of his parents. There were five daughters, three of whom are still living. He grew up on his father's farin and in 1901 was graduated from Clemson. He was distinguished in atheletics and other student activities at Clemson; was a member of the foot- ball team for four years and was captain of Com- pany A. He was awarded a gold medal for having the best drilled company in college, and in token of their esteem the company also presented him with a handsome sword. From college he entered upon a career as a farmer west of Williamston, and has become a very prosperous agriculturalist. For sixteen years he was manager of the Williamston Oil Mill and built up a large business for this concern. He has been in the mill supply business for two years.
Mr. Duckworth is popularly known as Colonel Duckworth, from the fact that he served on the staff of Governor Manning, with the rank of lieu- tenant colonel. In 1916 he was elected a member of the State Legislature, but after two years de- clined to hecome a candidate for re-election. He is a Knight Templar Mason and Shriner and a member of the Baptist Church. During the recent World war Colonel Duckworth was a leader in every finan- cial drive, and for his personal exertions in the Vic-
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