AIKEN - a fire broke out on October 9, 1850 in the bake house joining the kitchen of the MANSION HOUSE at Aiken which was owned by Mr. E. B. Lausens Esq. The wind was high and the buildings were of wood so the flames spread rapidly consuming everything including the furniture. The only boarder was C. Lanneau and he suffered by this calamity. The entire premises were insured for $3000. Laurensville Herald 10/11/1850, p3, abstracted by Edith Greisser Marie Samuella Cromer The Jeanne d'Arac of a crusade of Souther women in agriculture.  By means of "Girls' Tomato Clubs," she is teaching three thousand girls to become independent through growing and putting up vegetables.  The movement has become national, and is backed up the the department of Agriculture. Marie Samuella Cromer MISS MARIE CROMER, of Aiken County, South Carolina, a year ago was a leader in a Southern school. To-day she is a symbol of an inspiring movement for the uplift of Southern women, a salaried officer of the Department of Agriculture,and the almoner of a fund of $25,000 entrusted to her by the General Education Hoard of New York City. Briefly, Miss Cromer is the Jeanne d Arc of a crusade of Southern women in agriculture. The Boys' Corn Clubs, now a great army of over 100,000 boys in all Southern States, aroused Miss Cromer's emulation. She felt that the divine gift of the soil should possess something for girls. She thought of roses, chrysanthemums and other  possibilities, and finally pinned her faith to the practical and delectable tomato. The dynamic power of the human idea is a wonderful thing. Miss Cromer has enlablatured her idea as "the Originator of the Girls' Tomato Clubs." In January, 1910, she had enrolled 46 girls from her schools in Aiken County in the first organized agricultural   movement   for  women.    Each girl marked off one-tenth of an acre of land and planted tomato seeds. There was no school girl in South Carolina who had not been a spectator of the honors bestowed upon the Corn Club heroes,-diplomas from the governor, excursions to Washington, all sorts of prizes,-and real money from the crop. The Aiken girls resolved to ''show em" something. They did. Before the summer was over the watchful eye of the United States Farm Demonstration Service, from its office at Columbia, South Carolina, discovered the importance of Miss Cromer's idea. The late Dr. S. A. Knapp, head of this federal bureau, secured the sum of $5,000 to buy can ing machinery and semi experienced operators to take a hand in the game. The Aiken girls then waked up to a sense of an immense opportunity. Emulation was strong within the little group of forty-six girls; and the boys of the corn dubs were beaten to a finish. This is what happened. Miss Katie Gunter, of Samaria, Aiken County, put up 512 cans of tomatoes. Her profits, after all expenses had been paid, were a trifle more than forty dollars, or at the rate of $400 an acre! The best that the boys have done in the corn clubs was the achievement of Jerry Moore,-a profit of over $130 on one acre of corn. The Aiken girls have "come across" with an achievement over threefold greater. Their canned tomatoes commend themselves to the popular palate, because they are done better than the factories. They are labeled like other canned tomatoes, but each girl puts her autograph on the can, which with the legend. "Put up by the Girls' Tomato Club of Aiken County," adds the flavor of romance to an otherwise commonplace commodity.  Miss Cromer's achievement has arisen to the dignity of a national movement, fostered by the United States Government. Within a year five Southern States have taken up the growing and canning of tomatoes. Her army has grown to 3,000 girls from the original forty-six. In May the General Education Hoard promptly gave its check for $25,000 to meet the expense of equipment and a propaganda of national circularization. The federal agricultural department has scattered broadly through the South leaflets of instruction, and girls and women are everywhere awake to the fact that the divine gift of the soil was not for man alone.   The crusade is to be far-reaching and will not be confined to tomatoes; when the work progresses further, cucumbers and other garden products will be given attention. The proper ways of cooking will be taught, for Miss Cromer has been in New York observing the principles of teaching Domestic Science. Southern homes will be healthier, wealthier, and wiser, when Miss Cromer's mission is complete.    Stanley Johnson.  [1912, American Magazine, Volume 73, page 178] AIKEN, S. C., June 5— <AP>— A coroner's jury tonight ordered William Hooper, a former convict, held on a charge of killing his wife, Mrs. Carrie Hooper, found beaten  to death near her home here Sunday. Dr W. A. Whitlock, Jr.. the examing physician said he found three gashes on the woman's head and scratches ten inches long on her body Any of the head blows, he said, could have caused her death Henrietta Felder, a negro woman, testified she was sleeping on the porch of her home nearby and was awakened by a voice from the Hooper house screaming "don't kill me!" She said she saw a man in a white shirt and dark trousers come out of the house, pushing a woman before him He took the woman into a wood, returned to the house alone, and left in a hurry, she testified "Mrs Jessie Gomillion, another witness, said she and her daughter in law were walking to town last Sunday and met a man whom they described as stout, low, and wild eyed, who rushed up to them and said he had just killed his wife and  they would find her body in the wood behind the house Hooper was pardoned a few years ago while serving a manslaughter sentence He has been held in jail here since the day his wifes's body was found. [JUNE 6, 1936 he Morning News Florence] The Aiken Recorder Aiken , S.C. June 10, 1892 Death of Judge Dickey Judge Hugh T. Dickey, well known in Aiken, died suddenly of heart disease at his residence in New York on the 3d instant. He was about eighty years of age, and when in the prime of life had been on the bench in Chicago for a term of years and was regarded as a lawyer of more than average ability. For Senate The friends of Hon. James M. Cobb, of Silverton will be glad to learn that he has consented to become a candidate for election to the State Senate. Mr. Cobb's record in the Legislature is an enviable one. He has the reputation of having been one of the most efficient and hardworking members from this county, and would be a valuable representative in the Senate. Local Brevities Hon. Jas. M. Cobb, of Silverton, was in Aiken on Monday. Mrs. John C. Hutson and children have gone to Edisto Island for the mid-summer months. Mr. C.S. Wallace left on Monday for Retreat, N.C., where he will spend a month before going North. Mrs. G. Duncan Bellinger and Mrs. J.J. O'Bannon, of Barnwell, are in Aiken visiting Mrs. H.F. Townsend. Miss Kate Hyde and Miss Janie and Annie Eye of Beach Island, are in Aiken, the guests of Mrs. E.S. Hammond. Mr. Barney Dunbar, a well known citizen of Augusta, died at his residence there yesterday afternoon, after a short illness. The Aiken Recorder Aiken, S.C., March 30, 1898? List for Grand Jury for 1898 S.W. Howland, Gregg Frank M. Mixson, Millbrook J.H. Reld, Windsor Delaware Powell, Gregg E. M. Coartney, Aiken John M. Scott, Windsor Millidge B. Gunter, Rockey Grove Thos. S. Williams, Chinquapin John W. Beadle, Tabermale D.W. Grosland, Silverton R.D. Toole, Windsor Thos.Taylor, Aiken R.H. Morgan, Hopewell C.W. Simpkins, Hammond J.A. Jones, McTier C.R. Bush, Silverton J.V. George, Millbrook S. B. Rotherson, Hammond List of Petit Jurors Morgon Fox, McTier Alfred Stevens, Aiken David J. Derrick, McTier L.E. Girardot, Hammond R.C. Garvin, Rockey Spring A.J. Hydrick, Rockey Springs Henry Bush, Aiken Joseph Hightower, Gregg George S. Baggot, Giddy Swamp A.L. Barnes, Silverton Feliz Fox, McTier Abram Fulmer, Shaw D.T. Boiling, Gregg E. M. Seigler, Aiken T.H. Hankinson, Silverton J.E. Jackson, Millbrook R.W. Fanning, Hopewell E. Tell Clippard, Gregg Luther W. Norris, Shaw B.F. Chardeld, Aiken G.L. Simkins, Sleepy Hollow J.H. Edwards, Gregg B.F. Buford, Sleepy Hollow James W. Jackson, Rockey Grove John W. Conter, Sr., Gregg L.P. Coleman, Hopewell John A. Rish, Aiken W.A. Qualitlebatum, McTier W.H. Waiker, Hammond G.B. Anderson, Schultz W.M. Meyer, Silverton T.B. Hammond, Schultz Arrest for Murder Preston Valentine, colored, the supposed murderer of William Vail, watchman of the Augusta Street Railroad Stables, on the night of the 13th of September, 1884, was arrested in Lowmore, VA., on Friday, March 26, 1886, by an Augusta detective and will soon be brought back as soon as a requisition is forwarded by the Governor of GA. A reward of $300 was offered for the arrest of the murderer. Our clever friend Mr. George Foster of Beech Island spent the night with us this week, and we enjoyed his visit and as he is the right kind of man, we wonder why some beautiful young lady don't take him in out of the wet and hang him up and let him dry. Mr. S. W. Woodward, of Graniteville, came to Vaucluse last Tuesday and we are informed collected seventy dollars road tax, and we believe that Mr. Woodward is trying to discharge his duties as a County Commissioner. Transcribed by HC, A Friend of Free Genealogy January 2, 1916 The State EVENTS OF THE WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA SOCIETY GRANITEVILLE Special to The State. Graniteville, Jan. 1-Mr. and Mrs. Ernest P, Parker of Cross Anchor spent the Christmas holidays with their parents here. Miss Mary Harris returned Thursday to her home at Charlotte N. C. after visiting her cousin, Mrs. W. J. Rearden. Tony B. Jackson of Rock Hill spent Christmas here with his parents. Mrs. Anna M. Haid has returned from Florida where she visited relatives. James B. Parker and Ernest Devlin are at home from Clemson college and the Citadel. Mrs. I. O. Crout of Hickory Grove spent Wednesday at the home or her brother, W. L. Rearden. J. Edwin Porter of Willington visited friends here recently. Patrick Taylor of New York is visiting his sister, Mrs. James L. May. Misses Frances Harry and Lucy Plunkett left Friday for Greensboro, N. C. after spending the holidays here with the latter's mother. Mrs. W. L. Rearden was hostess Monday evening in honor of her cousins Misses Edna and Mary Harris. The seasons decorations of holly, mistletoe and long leaf pine were used in the reception hall and living room where a number of friends enjoyed the evening with games and music. The hostess, assisted by Miss Mary Chambers, served grape fruit, followed by fruit cake, grape juice and home made candies. Miss Edna Harris has returned to Newnan, Ga. after visiting here. Mrs. Clara E. Herndon of Walthall is spending some time with relatives here. C. E. Platt of Charlotte, N. C. has been visiting at the home of his brother E. E. Platt since Tuesday. Miss Hatila Newby has returned after a visit to relatives at McCormick.

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