ESSENECA INDIAN BURIAL MOUND CEMETERY, Oconee County, SC A.K.A. Clemson & Clemson University, SC Version 2.0, 8-Mar-2002, C265.TXT, C265 **************************************************************** 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 Mar-2002 DATAFILE LAYOUT : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Mar-2002 HISTORY WRITE-UP : Paul M. Kankula at (visit above website) in Mar-2002 IMAGES ......... : ____________ at ____________ in _______ LIBRARY REFERENCE: Unknown reference source LOCATION WRITE-UP: Ed Crawford at wcrwfrd@CLEMSON.EDU in Mar-2002 MAP ............ : ____________ at ____________ in _______ TRANSCRIPTION .. : Ed Crawford at wcrwfrd@CLEMSON.EDU in Mar-2002 CEMETERY LOCATION: ------------------ Find intersection of Perimeter & Old Cherry Roads. Drive 1.4 miles SW on Old Cherry. Burial mound is located on left side of road. The mound is exposed as an island, when the lake level is down approximately 4 feet. It's located about 100 feet from the left-side, water-front, property line of the Westpoint-Stevens Plant. The mound appears to be long and narrow. Latitude N__ __.___ x Longitude W__ __.___ CHURCH/CEMETERY HISTORY: ------------------------ SPELLINGS: Eascenica, Eseneka, Essenecca, Seneca, Senecca, Seneka, Senekaw, Sennekaw, Senica & Sinica. The Esseneca Nation was located on the Keowee River at the mouth of Conneross and Seneca Creek on the present-day Clemson University property. Part of the village was on the east side of the river as well. The first mention of Esseneca is on Varnod's Census of 1721. He stated Esseneca had 44 men, 42 women, and 48 children for a total population of 134. The next time it is found in the literature is in 1773, when Big Sawny wrote to Alexander Cameron from Seneca talking about murdered Cherokee and asking Cameron to find the murderers before he became involved. When William Bartram visited in 1775, he described Seneca as being "situated on the east bank of Keowee, through a great number of houses are on opposite shore with the council-house. The chief's house, those of the traders and other Indian dwellings are also on opposite shore and hills. It has been rebuilt since late Indian war (1760 & 1761)." On June 26, 1776, Major Williamson sent Captian McCall and about thirty men to Esseneca to arrest some white men who were causing trouble. Several solders were eating with the Indians when they were attacked and taken prisoner. The remainder of the group escaped. Williamson and his men were sent to Esseneca on July 29, 1776, to destroy the town as part of the expedition to punish the Cherokee for attacking whites. Williamson thought the Indians had abandoned the town. The Indians, learning of the troops arrival on July 31, returned to the town and hid in houses and behind a long fence close to the road where Williamson and his men would travel. The men arrived about one o'clock on the morning of August 1. The Indians allowed the guides and advance guard to pass and then poured heavy fire on the soldiers. Williamson's horse was shot down and Francis Salvador, who was riding with him, received three wounds and fell by his side. He was scalped and later died. (Salvador was the first Jewish patriot killed in the American Revolution). Colonel Samuel Hammond charged the palisade and drove the defenders across the river, burned the town, and destroyed six thousand bushels of corn as well as other provisions. While the soldiers were waiting for further fighting, they built Fort Rutledge near or at Esseneca, probably on the east side of the river. The fort was later enlarged or perhaps rebuilt. In 1789, Robert Tate owned the property that included part of the site of Senekaw Old Town. Later the property became known as the Colonel Lewis plantation. Note: The site of Fort Rutledge is probably near the sewage disposal plant on the Clemson University Campus. A small stone structure, shaped like a fort, marks the possible location. TOMBSTONE TRANSCRIPTION NOTES: ------------------------------ a. = age at death b. = date-of-birth d. = date-of-death h. = husband m. = married p. = parents w. = wife >