Marlboro County ScArchives History - Books .....Chapter III Evans, And Other Families 1897
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/sc/scfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 4, 2007, 10:38 pm

Book Title: A History Of Marlboro County

CHAPTER III.
EVANS, AND OTHER FAMILIES.

  There is need to still linger among the old Welshmen, who first planted
civilization and Christianity upon the banks of the Pee Dee. There are several
names in the list of the first settlers, as given in a former chapter, that have
been prominent in the history of the country, and exercised a large influence in
guiding public affairs. Among these, Thomas Evans is worthy of mention. He had a
son Thomas, who was called "Old Col. Tom" Evans, who lived on the road from Long
Bluff to the Marlboro old Court-house. He was a prominent soldier of the
Revolution, a member of the Legislature, and was the father of that
incorruptible jurist and statesman, Josiah J. Evans, than whom Marlboro has had
few sons more justly honored and revered. Judge Evans was born upon Marlboro
soil in 1786. He was among the early students of the South Carolina College,
graduating in the third class in 1808. Three years later he was admitted to the
bar; was made Commissioner in Equity for Cheraw District in 1812, and in the
same year was elected a member of the House of Representatives for Marlboro
District. After the expiration of his term of service he married Miss DeWitt, at
Society Hill, and became from that time a citizen of Darlington, and soon had a
large practice in his profession. In 1816 he was elected to the Legislature from
Darlington, and in the year following was made solicitor for the judicial
circuit in which he lived. In 1829 he was elected a circuit judge, and continued
to preside in the courts of the State with eminent dignity, courtesy, and legal
knowledge and accuracy, until 1852, when he was elected to the United States
Senate. If wise and pure as a judge, he was not less faithful and true as a
Senator. Senator Hale, of New Hampshire, widely differing from him in political
opinions, said of him, "that he realized to his mind more fully than any other
man whom he had met on the floor of the Senate, the ideal of an old Roman
Senator." His career in the Senate was suddenly cut short by the stroke of death
on the 6th of May, 1858. His practice as a lawyer, his duties as solicitor and
judge, and a large planting interest in Marlboro, brought him frequently among
the sons and daughters of his old neighbors. So that we never lost our interest
in him, and when death struck him down, Darlington, his adopted home, was
scarcely more bereaved than Marlboro. Since his death, although for a time none
of his sons or grandsons were residents of the county, yet, their large planting
interests within it has brought some of them into such constant contact with our
people that they have felt almost like citizens, while in the late years several
of the grandsons have become citizens, and one of them, Mr. W. DeWitt Evans, has
served his constituents, first in the House of Representatives, then as Senator,
and now as Railroad Commissioner.

  Judge Evans had a brother, who came to be known as "Col. Tom" Evans, whose
name is entitled to appear among the historic names of the County. Col. Evans
saw active service in the war of 1812, and was for some time in active duty as
Major in Col. John Rutledge's 3d Regiment of State troops, and upon the
retirement or transfer of Col. Rutledge he was placed in command of the
regiment. He also rendered civil service to his country, having served a term in
the Legislature.

  The name of Samuel Wilds appears among these early settlers. From Bishop Gregg
we learn that he "had two sons, John and Abel. The latter was known before the
Revolution as old Col. Wilds. His residence was on the east bank of the river,
nearly opposite Long Bluff. John, the other brother, was the father of John and
Samuel, The latter became the distinguished Judge Wilds, a man of remarkable
character and brilliant talents." "His brother, John, who died prematurely, was
considered even more talented." Judge O'Neal, in his "Bench and Bar," presumes
that Judge Wilds was born in Darlington, but Gregg, in his history, makes him a
native of Marlboro. Nor need our honored sister Darlington grudge us this
distinction. She did have his residence and brilliant life —his accomplished
daughter, Mrs. R. D. W. McIver, for some years, and his noble widow, who
afterwards became Mrs. Dr. Smith—to adorn her best circles as patterns in all
that was good. And if our Darlington cousins will allow it, let them be reminded
that Peter Wilds, a scion of the 'same stock, transplanted from Marlboro, a
flower that bloomed out for Darlington a precious fruitage not yet ceased
bearing; and that Darlington has been greatly since honored, in giving birth to
another Samuel Wilds, in the person of that noble, polished, valiant soldier,
who led one of her first companies into the war between the States, and who rose
to be the beloved Major in his regiment, and, scarred and wounded returned, to
his hospitable home, to see his property swept away, and his country reduced and
impoverished; yet lived only long enough to prove that he had gone through the
struggle, and come out, the same pure-minded, splendid gentleman that went in.
Scorning anything low or wrong, and then while yet in his prime, like his
distinguished kinsman, fell asleep lamented by all, and by none more than his
comrades in arms.

  Among the first members of the old church at Welsh Neck were three Harry's,
Thomas, Daniel and John, with their wives, and in a parochial election held in
1768, Gregg gives in the list of voters, Thomas and two David Harry's. It is
inferred therefore that one or more of them lived and reared families on
Marlboro ground. It is known that the late Mrs. Samuel Sparks was Miss Ann
Harry, that her father died when she was a child, and his widow married David
Mandeville; and the first wife of the late Jesse David, as we have seen, was a
Miss Harry, and a sister of hers was married to Mr. Sam Crosland, who went to
Kentucky, and these latter ladies were not sisters to Mrs. Sparks. It is
therefore likely that there were more than one of these Harry's among the early
settlers of Marlboro. The name is extinct here now.

  It is said that the father of Judge Evans married Miss Elizabeth Hodges, who
was a sister of Captain George Hodges, of lower Marlboro. There seems to have
been a large family of Hodges upon the Pee Dee. Few families gave more soldiers
to the Revolution than this one. We have already seen that the maternal ancestor
of the present David family in the county was of this name. Capt. George Hodges
married Sarah, a daughter of George Cherry, who was a prominent citizen of
Marion county, then called Liberty. The writer has a distinct recollection of
Captain Hodges. He commanded a company in the sanle regiment in which Evans was
major in the War of 1812. My friend, Dr. J. H. Lane, placed in my hands a
manuscript record of courts martial and general orders, extending from July 15
to October 22, 1812, in which the names of Evans and Hodges frequently occur as
members of these courts, and as otherwise connected with the affairs of the
regiment, and in a careful reading of the entire record no mention is made of
either that would indicate the slightest suspicion of any dereliction of duty:
and of the captain, as well as of his company, which was partly at least of
Marlboro men, no member is named as having been arraigned before a court martial
during these three months; while a good many of other commands were tried,
convicted and sentenced; and whatever other sentence of punishment was imposed
by the courts, they seldom failed to order that the "daily grog ration" should
be withheld. Was it that Hodges' men so loved "grog" that no misdemeanor was
indulged in lest the precious ration should be withheld? or are we to infer that
the behavior of his men was superior to others f or was it that his discipline
and administration of affairs was so sound, that there was no occasion for
punishment? The testimony of tradition says, that while firm and strict, he was
kind and indulgent, and commanded the respect and affection of his men. If his
men feared his displeasure as the boys did, when he shook his gray locks at us
for any misbehavior in church, good order would reign in his presence at least.
He was spared to see a large family grow up to maturity. Mrs. Hodges and one of
the young ladies returning to their home from a visit in the neighborhood were
dashed against a tree by a frightened horse, and Mrs. Hodges was killed and the
young lady injured. The "old captain," heart broken, lingered a few months in
his sorrow and joined his companion in the beyond. The young men in the
Brownsville community of this name, and Messrs. P. A. and J. L. Hodges are
grandsons of this excellent pair, and so, likewise, was R. H. Hodges, who was a
member of the recent Constitutional Convention, and who died while the
Convention was in session.

  A daughter of "old Col. Tom" Evans and a sister of the Judge, Miss Rebecca,
married Charles Irby, who was also a prominent member of the Brownsville
community. About 1826 Mr. Irby was elected a member of the Legislature. The
writer, though but a boy, can remember the sudden death of the grand, portly old
man, and how the neighborhood was moved in sympathy with his large family of
sons and daughters in their bereavement; and how they were missed in society and
schools of the neighborhood, when, a few years later, the family removed to
Alabama. The oldest son, John, married Miss Catharine Allison, and soon after
died in the prime of his young manhood, leaving an only child who grew to
womanhood, and became the first wife of the late Henry Rogers, and mother of
Thomas Irby Rogers, of Bennettsville, and several other sons and daughters. Mr.
Irby's widow, after some years, became the first wife of John C. Bethea, of
Marion, and the mother of the well-known excellent farmer, of the Buck Swamp
region, Ed. C. Bethea.

  Another sister of Judge Evans married Christopher Pegues, from whom descended
a numerous connection, and whose influence tended largely to shape affairs on
the upper Pee Dee, in the  neighborhood of Cheraw. The grandfather of Mr.
Pegues, named Claudius, "came to Pee Dee about 1760, and settled on the east
side of the river, not far below the State line; was of French descent, married
a Miss Butler in Charleston, moved first to Georgetown, and from thence came to
this region, and at once took an active part in the affairs of the country." His
two sons, Claudius and William, reached manhood. The latter married Miss
Elizabeth Murphy and settled on the the [sic] west side of the river. His second
wife was a Miss Gardner. He is said to have been a man of cultivated tastes, and
a staunch Whig and suffered much from Tory hate and robbery. Claudius married
Miss Marcia Murphy and settled on the Marlboro side of the. Pee Dee. He, too,
was a man of fine character, active in all that pertained to the welfare of his
country; was a captain in the war for independence, an ordinary for the district
of Cheraw, more than once a representative in the Legislature, and a county
court justice for Marlboro. This family has, from their first settlement in the
country, been prominent in every laudable enterprise. Two sons of this name have
been honored ministers of the South Carolina Conference. Randolph, noble soul,
of manly bearing, gentle spirit, in the prime of his usefulness, was "gathered
to his fathers." While Wesley, an older brother, with silvered locks, stood yet
longer on the heights of Zion and warned men to repent. A number of young men
bearing the honored name live among us, to yet reflect luster upon their worthy
ancestry


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

A HISTORY OF MARLBORO COUNTY,
WITH
TRADITIONS AND SKETCHES OF NUMEROUS FAMILIES.

REV. J. A. W. THOMAS, AUTHOR.

A wonderful stream is the river Time
  As it runs through the realms of tears 
With a faultless rhythm and a musical rhyme,
And a broader sweep and a surge sublime
  As it blends with the ocean of years.
                        —TENNYSON.

ATLANTA, GA.:
THE FOOTE & DAVIES COMPANY,
Printers and Binders.
1897.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/sc/marlboro/history/1897/ahistory/chapteri11gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/scfiles/

File size: 12.6 Kb