BEAR SWAMP CEMETERY, Oconee County, SC A.K.A. Abbott Family Cemetery A.A.A. Walhalla & West Union, SC Version 2.3, 25-Apr-2003, C001.TXT, C1 **************************************************************** 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.usgwtombstones.org/southcarolina/oconee.html **************************************************************** DATAFILE INPUT . : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Apr-2003 DATAFILE LAYOUT : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Apr-2003 G.P.S. MAPPING . : Larry Abbott at malaprod@bellsouth.net in Apr-2003 HISTORY WRITE-UP : As noted IMAGES ......... : Gary Flynn at (visit above website) in Apr-2003 LOCATION WRITE-UP: Larry Abbott at malaprod@bellsouth.net in Apr-2003 TRANSCRIPTION .. : Gary Flynn at (visit above website) in Apr-2003 Larry Abbott at malaprod@bellsouth.net in Apr-2003 CEMETERY LOCATION: ------------------ Locate intersection of Highways 11 and 76/123. Drive (N) on Highway 11. In 3.6 miles turn right (E) onto Greenwood Lane. In 0.4 miles turn right (S) onto Levi Lane. In 0.4 miles stop in front of 550 Levi Lane. Face the house at this address. To the right of the house is a large meadow. Walk to right side of meadow (200 yds) and look for a pile of brush. Cemetery is located in back of this brush pile. The cemetery is located on private property. Farm animals graze in this meadow. Latitude N 34 42.606 x Longitude W 83 02.869 CHURCH/CEMETERY HISTORY: ------------------------ Local Family Historian - Mildred Ward (b. 1922), 147 Ward Lane, Walhalla, SC 29691, 864-638-3369. John Abbott was her 3rd Great Grandfather. ----------------------- ABBOTT FAMILY: Source: Keowee Courier 1950 Centennial Edition Young John Abbott enlisted in the American forces during the Revolution and served under Lt. Col. Francis Marion (later to become a famed general known as the "Swamp Fox." He was only 14 years of age at the time he joined the 2nd S.C. Regiment Continental Line on 11-Nov-1776. At the close of the Revolution, Abbott came to Oconee county - or what was then known as Pendleton District. He located in the Bear Swamp area and brought his mother and several brothers and sisters with him. Later he married Miss Mary Smith. When his 1st fife died, John later was married to Miss Sarah Doyle. ----------------------- Source: The Tugaloo Tribune (Westminster, SC), issue of Thursday, September 21, 1939, p. 2, col. 4 O.M. ABBOTT, SON OF REV. WAR SOLDIER, LIVES IN OCONEE COUNTY (1939): Contributed by Dr. James L. Reid, 730 Walnut Hill Road, Campobello, SC 29322. Believed to be the last surviving son of a revolutionary soldier, O.M. Abbott, 83, of the Oak Grove section of Oconee County has been a lifelong resident of Oconee and has served his county well as an educator, having helped to establish Long Creek academy. His father, the late John Rowland Abbott, fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain, at Cowpens and other historic battles of the Revolutionary war. Below he is shown beside the monument which has been given to him by the D.A.R. chapter to be erected at his father's grave in Bear Swamp cemetery. Photo by Youngblood and picture through courtesy [of the] Anderson Independent. (Photograph not available) Five Years Old When His Father Died-Played Big Part in Founding Long Creek Academy Walhalla - Believed to be the last surviving son of a Revolutionary soldier, O.M. Abbott of the Oak Grove community of Oconee county also has the distinction of being one of Oconee's pioneer educators. Born in 1856, he has been a lifelong citizen of the County. [Contributor's Note: The 1860 census of Pickens County, Western Division, household 1122, shows Sarah Abbott, 53, Wilburn Abbott, 12, and Oliver Abbott, 9. The latter is Oliver Miller Abbott, the subject of this sketch, who was born in 1851.] His father, the late John Rowland Abbott, joined General Jerry Cole's cavalry and was stationed at Cowpens during the Revolutionary war. He fought in the victorious battle at Kings Mountain under General Andrew Pickens. Mr. Abbott said he could not recall his father very well as he was only five years old at the time of his father's death, but among his memories are the times his father took him horseback riding. For a number of years, he had a number of cherished possessions of his father but they were lost in a fire which destroyed his home years ago. The veteran Oconee citizen takes pride, however, in a monument which was recently presented him to be erected at his father's grave in Bear Swamp cemetery. The monument at the present is still crated and lies in front of Abbott's home. After finishing early school, Mr. Abbott said he attended Adger college at Walhalla and at the age of 15 was given a second grade license to teach. His first school was located near the present site of Long Creek academy. In order to complete his education, Abbott would attend college a year, and then teach a year, and back to college. He graduated from Davis College, Shelby, N. C. In his years of teaching he taught some of Oconee's best known business men, and he recalls that in the years of those early days of teaching he was paid five cents per day. Once he was a candidate for the superintendent of education, losing to his opponent by a margin of three votes. He was a member of the Baptist convention which met at Tugaloo to discuss the building of a Baptist school and he was named to a committee to purchase the site and plan for construction of the school and election of a faculty. Thus Long Creek academy was built and today is serving a useful purpose in the Baptist denomination. Friends assert that Abbott was a leader in founding the school, canvassing the county for contributions and himself donating generously to the fund. In the last few years he has made over 500 lectures, speaking on education and church activities. ----------------------- OLIVER M. ABBOTT, SON OF REV. WAR SOLDIER, SEEKS PENSION IN 1943: Contributed by Dr. James L. Reid, 730 Walnut Hill Road, Campobello, SC 29322. Source: The Keowee Courier, issue of Thursday, November 11, 1943, p. 1 col. 3. Oconee Man is Believed Only Living Son of Continental Vet. A 92 year old Oconee man, who claims he is a the son of a veteran of the American Revolutionary war, is seeking a $ 100 a month pension from the government. Oliver M. Abbott, of Westminster, the claimant, says he was born when his father, John Abbott, was 88 years old. It is believed that Mr. Abbott is the only living person who is the son of a Revolutionary soldier. The House of Representatives invalid pensions committee has referred the claim to the veterans administration for a special investigation of all available records. Congressman Butler B. Hare, author of the bill (HR 2452), said he believed the claim was authentic, stating that the only discrepancies in historical records from the war department and the census bureau, were whether John Abbott, the soldier, was eight or 14 years old when he enlisted in the Army. John Abbott was a member of the 2nd South Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army, serving under Lieut. Col. Francis Marion. The War department has officially recognized the father's war record and in 1939 sent Oliver M. Abbott a monument for his father's grave. Congressman Hare's effort is believed to be an unprecedented pension application presented to congress. [Contributor's Note: A shorter, less detailed account of the application appeared in the Spartanburg Herald, issue of Wednesday, November 3, 1943. The 1850 census of Pickens District, household 882, shows John Abbott, 82, Sarah Abbott, 41, Doctor W., 4. The latter is Wilburn Abbott in the 1860 census of Pickens District.] ----------------------- TOMBSTONE TRANSCRIPTION NOTES: ------------------------------ a. = age at death b. = date-of-birth d. = date-of-death h. = husband m. = married p. = parents w. = wife (15) Unknown/Unmarked Graves ABBOTT, John, b. 6-oct-1762, d. 1857, pvt 2 sc regt rev war soldier, dar memorial marker. ----------------------- These are the persons that I have documented that are buried in the Abbott family cemetery along with John Abbott. ABBOTT , John Roland (Jr), b. 6-oct-1762, d. 15-nov-1856 Revolutionary soldier. Most sources put his date of birth at 1762. The original marker that was placed on his grave put his death as 1856, "age 90 Yares", making his birth year 1766. ABBOTT, Mary Smith, b. 1764, d. 14-nov-1843, h. john abbott, 1st w. Pendleton Messenger Marriage and Death Notices of 1826-1851: In the November 24, 1843 issue of The Pendleton Messenger the following obituary appears: Mary Smith Abbott died at the house of Capt. John Abbott, on the North Fork of Coneross, Pickens, on the 14th Instant, at the age of 72 years, on the 22nd of October, survived by her husband and numerous relatives. The original grave marker said she was 79 "Yares" old, making her birth year 1764. ABBOTT, Narcissa Adair, b. 1814, d. 3-oct-1880, h. simpson abbott, father john abbott The following obituary was posted in the "Keowee Courier" on October 14, 1880: Narcissa Abbott, wife of Simpson Abbott, departed this life October 3, 1880, after along illness. She was 66 years old. She joined the Baptist Church October 2, 1841, and was a consistent member. She was baptized by Joseph Grisham. She leaves a husband, one son and grandchildren and many friends to mourn their loss; but their loss is her eternal gain. ......Her funeral was preached by Rev. A.W. McGuffin from 2nd Cor., 5th chapter, 1st verse.......She was interred at the old family burying ground at Captain John Abbott' old place. ABBOTT, William (Buck) (Jr), b. 1773, d. 10-may-1858 From my research, it appears the Abbott's were a close-knit family. Though I have no documented proof, I strongly believe this person is also buried in this cemetery. William was the brother of John. According to Oliver Abbott, John's son, John and William fought side-by-side at the battle of King's Mountain during the Revolutionary War. After the war John moved to Oconee County, and William, along with their mother, Mary Sarah Dennard, and several family members soon followed John to Oconee County. John and William were close brothers, and the fact that they died two years apart, leads me to believe William is buried at Abbott family cemetery. ABBOTT, Jula/Julia Davis, b. 1786, h. willian (buck) abbott jr. From my research, it appears the Abbott's were a close-knit family. Though I have no documented proof, I strongly believe this person is also buried in this cemetery. Julia remained in the area after the death of her husband, and I think she is buried along with William in the family cemetery. ABBOTT, James Madison, b. 1823, d. 1864-1866, father William (buck) abbott jr. From my research, it appears the Abbott's were a close-knit family. Though I have no documented proof, I strongly believe this person is also buried in this cemetery. James Madison Abbott is my gg-grandfather. He was the executor of his father's estate. This indicates that he was close to his father. James' son, Allison Eugene, (my g-grandfather) was born in 1864 and in the 1866 agriculture census, James' wife Jennette is listed as owner of their land. Based on this, and the fact that James name doesn't show up on the Coneross Baptist Church roll, where he was a deacon, after 1866, James is thought to have died between 1864-1866. With the closeness James seemed to share with his father, it is thought he is buried at the Abbot family cemetery. There are others that I suspect may be buried at the Abbott family cemetery, but I have no proof, and my thinking is based on two and half years of researching the Abbott family, and the fact no one has found any markers elsewhere. I guess the other reason I think others are buried there is "just a gut feeling". Larry Abbott, April 25, 2003, malaprod@bellsouth.net -----------------------