THE OLD STAGE ROAD
In this age of steam and electricity and all modern ways of rapid transit,
we look back and smile when we read and hear talk of the "Dashing Stage Coach"
but the Stage Coach played its part in the history of our county, and immortalized the
Old Stage Road, which was a part of the metropolitan line from New York to New Orleans.
This line first passed through Adamsville in 1883 this line from Cheraw to the
"Old Scotch Fair Ground" in North Carolina was established. It started
from the old Cheraw Hotel which is still standing. It was then a tavern for the
Stage Coaches. From this tavern, branch lines radiated, connecting with this through
line stages left daily for Charleston, Charlotte and other cities. These lines were
owned by wealthy men, and contracts were given out by them to parties. Our line was
owned by Haynesworth of Sumter; McLean of North Carolina; Stgall and others.
The drivers were important personages, and among those serving this line
we will mention Britt, Bright, Martin, Surles, Allen, McCorquordale, and a witty Irishman,
Kelly, was the last. Allen McCorquordale became a prominent minister in the M. E. church
after which he used to visit in the old Scotch settlement and preached in gallic
to his ----slan . This stage route was discontinued after the completion of the railroads.
The last gap was between Camden, S.C. and Warsaw, N.C. The stage coaches were drawn
by four horses, and had accommodations for from eight to ten passengers who sat facing
each other, with their baggage under their seats and on top of the coach and sometimes
under the driver’s seat. The mail was carried in a leather bag, similar to those used
now by the star route. These coaches ran twice daily, one coming and one going. They
had a relay of horses every nine or ten miles.
After leaving the tavern at Cheraw the
first relay was at Stafford Gibson’s just on the other side of Gibson station and thence
to the Old Scotch Fair Ground at Laurel Hill, N.C. A post office stood where
Brightsville post office now stands and was kept by John W. Stubbs. He sold tickets for
this line, and here many travelers got on. Everybody gave way for the
"Dashing Stage Coach" the driver blew his horn, which was a tin trumpet from
four to six feet long, and could be heard two or three miles. The roads were very narrow
in some places and required this signal to keep the road clear and thus avoid the least
delay. There was only one tavern between Cheraw and Laurel Hill and it stood near where
George Ballard, Jr. lives and was kept for a long time by Stand White. It was an
unpretentious frame building without a chimney at first, the accommodations were very
poor, and just here if you will pardon a personal allusion, I will say that at the
home of Capt. Henry Easterling the weary travelers found welcome and unbounded
hospitality. Many distinguished men partook of this hospitality, among them
Gov. Orr, John C. Calhoun and many celebrities from other states. Our representatives
used this route, and many lasting friendships were cemented by this old house.
This mode of travel was not exempt from dangers, wrecks, and petty inconveniences.
At Godwin’s mill the coach was "held up" by two armed men, the driver being
well armed, and aided by his passengers put their assailants to flight and pursued their
journey. A thrilling scene took place at Easterling’s mill, his lead horses, impatient
to go on, jumped into the pond, the coach became uncoupled, and all four houses,
coach and passengers went overboard having the back wheels on the dam, the screams
for help soon brought the Negroes from the quarter just across the pond and happily
all were rescued. Another incident occurred at the same pond. –just before crossing
the dam at the old saw mill the water was shallow and often the drivers would water
their horses before crossing. On this occasion the horses got into a hole and upset
the coach, the only two passengers, an old gentleman and his wife, en route to New York
were drowned before help reached them. Many amusing incidents too are told of the
drivers sometimes "warming up" before leaving the taverns and running their
horses at a lively rate.
This Old Stage road from the Cheraw tavern to the
North Carolina line has done her part as nobly as any other part of the country in
furnishing the men to build up our commonwealth. Every square mile has furnished heroes.
Some may not have adorned pages of song and story, yet they will live locally forever
in the heart of a brave and --------- people. This portion of the county furnished a
governor to the state, Governor John Lide Wilson. He married first Governor Allston’s
sister. His second wife was the ward of Aaron Burr. He wrote the famous
:"Wilson Dueling Code" the code observed in America in antebellum days.
Chas. Mott Lide, his uncle also a son of Marlboro, though eratic, was considered one
of South Carolina’s most gifted sons. Dr J. H. Thornwell, the eminent southern divine
was born near this road. It was said that on one occasion Gen. Gillespie was passing
through a field, came to a gate, seeing a small boy minding a calf for his mother to
milk, he asked him to open the gate for him. The dutiful son said, "I will if
you will mind the calf." The General became interested in him, and a few years
later he and Mr. Robbins of Cheraw educated him. Charles Thornwell, his brother,
was the leading lawyer at the bar of Bennettsville when he died at the age of thirty-six.
He married a sister of Judge Townsend, and has one son living James H. Thornwell.
The name of Claudius Pegues, a captain in the Rev., and Ordinary for Cheraw district,
a Justice for Marlboro, and a member of the legislature, is honored and respected.
Many worthy descendants still live in the locality. Randolph and Wesley Pegues were
prominent Methodist preachers. Our worthy Senator J J Evans is a descendant of
Claudius Pegues. We find the names of Gen. Harrington, Hicks, and Irby all enlisted
on the patriotic side – names never to be forgotten. Representative men of every calling
have gone forth from this road. Drs Cornelius Kollock, and H. R Easterling finished their
medical course in Paris under Cazeau, Valpeau and Malgigne, and other eminent French
surgeons. Dr Dudley of Blenheim was a student at the same time. Mr J. B. Bellingsby
is remembered as the noted "note shaver." He married the widow Catherine
Bedgegood. Mrs. Ann Lide, an esteemed old lady, lived near Phill’s creek.
Among the early representatives of the county a name prominent in early affairs,
is that of Maj. Drury Robertson, a representative man in every respect. He married a
Miss Winfield of Virginia. He was an extensive land owner, his large estates covering
thousands of acres of land, beginning above Goodwin’s mill and going to Pee Dee river.
He built the house at Easterling’s mill (now McLaurin’s mill), and this is one of the
oldest houses in the county, being built one hundred and thirty years ago. Lafayette
spent the night here on his way to Georgetown and here Gen. Winfield Scott read law
while visiting his relatives, the Robertsons. Maj. Robertson left two daughters;
one married a Hearsey and moved West. George Hearsey of Blenheim is her grandson.
The other daughter married first an Ellerbe, the father of Col. W. T. Ellerbe.
After his death she married a Prince, and had one son. There are no living descendants.
Mrs Prince, as a widow, lived at the "Old Prince Place", which was a part
of Drury Robertson’s estate, with her son, Col. Wl T. Ellerbe, a man of noble character
and broad culture. He represented his country many years in the legislature. This
magnificent home was surrounded by an old Colonial garden, the only one of the kind
in Marlboro. It covered several acres of ground and was fashioned and laid out much
in the style of the garden at Mt. Vernon. The flower beds and borders were hedged
with box wood and in this plot bloomed and boloosmed from common hollyhocks, sweat
alyssum, and every ready growing flower to the rare exotics that with care and
attention could be made to live in this clime. Mrs Prince was an invalid from a fall,
and Col. Ellerbe designed this garden for her pleasure and here with her companion,
Mrs. Black, much of her time was spent. The pleasure circle was a circular plot
lmade of cedars planted in a circle, their tops tied together wen young. They were
kept pruned and the doors and windows were shaped. Around the roots of the cedars
jasmine and woodbine trailed, and when in bloom the contrasting colors lent charm
to the vision. On the inside of the circle easy chairs and tables were placed for
loungers. The last vestige of house and garden were destroyed by Maxwell,
a Negro senator, during the Reconstruction period. He got possession of the
property by paying the taxes. The finest library in the county at that time was
owned by Col. Ellerbe. He and his mother rest in Robertson’s burying grounds just
back of Easterling’s mill, and a stately magnolia marks his grave. Mrs. Black
after Mrs. Prince’s death became a nurse in the Florence hospital dudring the war
between the states. Capt. Henry Easterling a-----------
Drury Robertson’s estate including the house, and lived here until his death.
John L. McLaurin lately purchased part of the property.
James Moore lived on stage road where Willis Turlington used to live.
He first married an Easterling, and the second time a Bethea of Marion. James Moore
of Latta is the only descendant. Benj. Moore, Sr. lived where Alex Moore now lives.
He bought his land from Maj. Robertson which abutted the Stage Road. He married a
daughter of Wm. Stubbs, a Revolutionary soldier, and raised a large family. The names
of Odom, Stubbs, Cox, and Bright were the only families between here and Goodwin’s mill.
The names are still identified with this locality. Shadrack Easterling took up a grant
of land from Thos. Pinckney in 1789 on Stage Road opposites where George Bullard, Sr.
now lives but he sold and moved to Mississippi in the early part of the nineteenth century.
Lamar Fitzhugh Easterling, the present Attorney General of Mississippi, is his great
grandson. – W. Godwin’s name appears as one who signed the
"Ordinance of Secession", from this county. His wife was Luca A. Stubbs,
the grand daughter of Capt. Daniel Sparks. Her mother, Lucy Sparks, first married
Alexander Stubbs, the ancestor of W. D. Moore, and the second time she married
Rev. Thos. Stubbs a noted Baptist preacher and Lucy Goodwin was the only child by
this marriage.
Boykin church was founded in 1805, named for the family of Boykins
and was one of the oldest religious centers in the eastern part of the state. The first
deed for this church for two acres for two dollars, was deeded to Samuel Boykin,
Matthew Boykin, Thos. Turner, Wm. Seal, Robt. Purneil. Ed Crosland, James Spears,
Aaron Knight and Sol Rye. These families who lived in this neighborhood then, have
disappeared and not one of the nine trustees named in the original deed, executed
over a hundred years ago, remain here.
Mr. Edward Crosland married Ann Snead, of North Carolina. He was
the ancestor of the Crosland family. He moved near Gardner’s Bluff from this section,
and reared a large family. After leaving Boykin church on the
"Old Fair Ground", we find Gibson, Adams and Gibson – Chas. Gibson,
the father of Col. J. P. Gibson; Robertson Adams, Jepetha Adams, Ziba Adams,
Noah Gibson, Wm. Gibson, all men of sterling qualities. The present town of
Gibson used to be a commercial center for all that section of the county,
and Noah Gibson was the only merchant. He amassed a fortune. It was at the store
of Noah Gibson that Lauachlin Me---- began clerking as a lad and here he spent
his life, with the exception of a few years spent in Bennettsville. By honesty
and industry, he amassed wealth, and is the father of our worthy regent,
Mrs. Pratt. If you will look over the list of Confederate soldiers from this
county you will see the names of these people and the bones of many of their
noblest sons are today sleeping at Richmond, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, and in
Federal cemeteries, where they died prisoners of war. These men were sons of
those pioneer men who stood strong for freedom, the characteristics of Americans.
Now we will note a few historical spots on this road. Leaving the
old tavern at Cheraw we reach the river bridge, the spot where Sherman’s
army under Gen. Logan and Benj. Harrison (afterwards President) fought the Confederates,
who retreated, burning the bridge after them as the Federals entered it. Sherman then
built a pontoon bridge, and his soldiers crossed just below the site of the present
bridge. Col. Wm. Stokes in his memoirs of the war says "Col. Hugh K. Aiken of
the 6th S. C. V. was killed here". Just after crossing the bridge
to the left of this road, near Kollock, is a cemetery, the burial place of
the Wilson family. This is the field in which Green when sent South after Gates’
defeat at Camden to take charge of the southern division of the American army, made
his camp. He was joined here by Light Horse Harry Lee, father of Gen. Robt. E. Lee,
who came from Virginia with a body of horsemen, which formed Green’s calvary. From
here Green marched to Guilford court house North Carolina, and fought Cornwallis.
In this battle the British lost so heavily that they retreated to Yorktown and
surrendered.
Again to the Stage Road, we find Sherman’s army encamped
at Easterling’s mill in March 1865 (just fifty years ago), for several days. From
this point the army divided, one part going by Bennettsville and the other
division going up the Stage Road and camping near Bright (now Stubbs) graveyard.
In this onward march as they left their camp they burned the house of
Dr. H. R. Easterling to the ground, destroying everything within their reach that
they could not carry away with them – but let us throw the veil of charity over
those heart rending scenes and bury the past.
Again on this road in 1876; the distinguished Gen. Wade Hampton
driven by a pair of horses in company with Col. John Harrington, led the red shirts
forth --- redeem their loved state from the carpet baggers and robbers. Her loyal
sons will always rise up to protest her fair name against foul assault and the memories
of political economics. "All honor to this matchless leader."
Jesse K. Faison
March 1915
