A History of Lynches Forks and Extended
Areas on Big and Little Lynches Rivers,
South Carolina
A new book
on the history of the Kershaw, Chesterfield,
Lancaster, Lee and Darlington
County areas of Lynches River has been published by Lon D. Outen.
This book should be of interest to
historians, Native American enthusiasts, American Revolutionary enthusiasts,
War Between the States enthusiasts, genealogists, gold mining interest, railroad
enthusiasts, ghost’s buffs, and local history buffs. This area was affected by two wars,
Revolutionary and the War Between the States.
South Carolina is a
state with an enormous amount of history and every year research reveals new
information about its past. The Lynches Forks and surrounding areas had a rich
history in the Ancient and Native American period, Colonial period, the
American Revolution period, the War Between the States era, as well as
commerce. The “Forks” area is the land
between the confluence of Big Lynches Creek/River and Little Lynches
Creek/River in Kershaw
County.
The area
included in the book is Lynches Fork and surrounding areas in Kershaw, Chesterfield, Lancaster, Lee, and Darlington Counties. The book includes historical places such as Kelly’s
Bridge, Tillers Ferry, McBee (McKay), Bethune (Lynchwood), Kershaw (Welsh’s
Station), Jefferson (Millersville), the Haile Gold Mine and the Brewer Gold
Mine. It describes the history of
the gold mines in Lancaster,
Chesterfield,
and Kershaw Counties from discovery to there demise.
Navigation on Big Lynches
is discussed as it impacted Darlington, Chesterfield, and Kershaw Counties from transportation of barges,
rafts, boats, and steamboat hulls.
The book begins with unusual land and rock
formations, bays, and caves. It includes
the period of Ancient Americans to the Natives Americans and early
explorers. In the Colonial period
religion, taverns, mills, Meeting Houses and churches are discussed. The Revolutionary War discusses the area
known for Patriot support and Tory accounts terrorizing local families on Big
Lynches, along with skirmishes and the Battle
of Hanging Rock.
Settlers
brought with them their religions and established Meeting Houses. Churches began to appear in the late 18th
Century. Some of the earlier churches
include Gum Branch Church
and Flat Creek Church.
The Antebellum Period includes plantations
in and near the Forks area and identification of families living in the area. Lynches Fork rice planations were found
on both Big and Little Lynches. Sherman’s Army came through the Forks area, affecting
the Tillers Ferry area, Kelly’s Bridge area and Young’s Bridge area. Union Troops caused devastation in these
areas and some accounts from families are included.
A brief description of the Reconstruction period
and a section on nearby communities are included. The
formation of the railroads including the Three C’s, C. M. &C., and SAL
including mining and logging railroads in the area are listed. Discussed are the timber, turpentine,
logging, and lumber businesses from Colonial times to the early 1900’s. Large sawmill operations, rock quarries, cotton
gins, grist, flour, and corn mills are also listed.
Sharecropping and tenant farming was large
in and near the Forks area until the building of the cotton mills.
A listing
of bridges, branches, creeks, road,
fords, ferries, muster grounds, churches
(pre-1900), post offices, houses (pre-1900), schools, doctors and dentists,
leaders and officials, faith healers, treasure and ghost stories, and some
cemeteries are in the book.
There is a
section is devoted to the Sistare Family, a family of ship captains, whalers,
merchants, and their role in the import and export business, and their migration
to South Carolina from Connecticut and Spain.
The cost of the book is $35.00.
