Edgefield County

In 1854, Dr. William Mobley was elected to the Legislature. His grandfather, Jeremiah Mobley, came to Edgefield just after the Revolutionary War from North Carolina, and settled near Fruit Hill. His father, John Mobley, married Lucretia Simkins. They left three sons, William, Eldred, and John. William was born in 1809. He first married Harriet Goode, of Centre Springs. She died soon. He then married Susannah Neal, daughter of Hugh Neal, a wealthy gentleman of Irish descent. Dr. Mobley was a deacon of Red Bank Church for a long time. He was a man of very fine appearance, pleasing manner, and … Read more

William Gregg, the builder of Graniteville, was a native of West Virginia, and came to Edgefield when he was about twenty years old. He married Marina Jones, of Ridge Spring. His brother-in-law, General James Jones, and Colonel John Bauskett had built a cotton factory at Vaucluse and tried to run and operate it with slave labor. Their success was not great, the laborers not having the requisite skill and expertness. Mr. Gregg concluded to use white laborers at Graniteville, and succeeded in his enterprise. In 1858, Mr. Gregg and Colonel James Carroll, afterwards one of the chancellors of the State, … Read more

William Padgett was also a worthy and prominent citizen of this section. He never sought nor held any public position. Indeed it may be said of the Padgetts that they are remarkable for their love of private life, William Padgett’s wife was Margaret Denny, sister of Colonel David Denny, of whom mention has already been made. He was quite wealthy before the war but at its close he was not rich. For honesty, industry, and general integrity of character he had few superiors. Rev. Mahlon D. Padgett, of Mount Willing, and Mr. David Padgett, of the Ridge, are his sons. … Read more

Captain Tom Bates was another prominent man at this time. His home was near the beautiful town of Batesburg, in fact, the place was named in honor of his family. Captain Bates married a daughter of Wade Holstien. He was quite wealthy. Alonzo Bates is his only son.

Colonel Sam Watson was one of the most prominent characters of this section from 1850 to 1860. He lived where his son P. B. Watson now resides. He accumulated a very handsome property and died in 1873, about 57 years of age, leaving a large and respectable family.

In the good old days there lived on Mine Creek an industrious man named Travis. His wife bore him no children and she was frequently begging her neighbors to make her a present of one; but the neighbors did not feel like parting from one of their own in this way. At last, however, her importunate prayer was gratified in a way she had not anticipated. Going out one morning to the cow pen as usual to milk her cows, she found hanging on the bars a little bundle carefully done up, which on examination she found containing a fine … Read more

Catlett Connor, a very celebrated character in that day, and who was elected to the State Senate over Eldred Simkins, afterwards member of Congress and one of the most eminent men in the State, lived near Ninety-Six in the house, the residence in 1891, of Hon. Calvin W. Kinard. This Mr. Connor was a blacksmith, a man of intelligence and of great force of character. Being considerably ambitious and jealous of the influence of the Butler and Simkins families in the county, and thinking that they were getting rather more offices than they were fairly entitled to, wrote and published … Read more

We have seen that although there were occasional wrongs done by both whites and Indians, yet it is probable that there would have been no general war between the English settlers and the natives of the upper country had it not been for the intrigues of the French. At an early day the French had occupied the northern portions of the Continent; they had passed westward through the Great Lakes; had found the upper part of the Mississippi; had explored that river to its mouth; had founded the city of New Orleans; had built a chain of forts from its … Read more