Newberry,
South Carolina - Some Account of the Irish
Settlers and Revolutionary Soldiers
By Michael J. O'Brien, pages
167-175
Williamson, in his History of North
Carolina, relates that at an early date a settlement was established
at Fair Forest, near Cedar Springs, S. C., in the vicinity of
Newberry, which was known
as Ireland, or the Irish Settlement, on account of the large number
of settlers from the Emerald Isle. Some of these people became quite
prominent in that territory, and that traces of them are still to be
found is seen from the fact that such towns as Carroll, Kelly,
Powers, Darraughs, Gaffney, Maybinton, Moore, Higgins, O'Neal,
Sullivan, Maddens, McCarter, Rileys, Hibernia, Belfast, and
Coleraine appear on old maps of this section of the
State.
In 1737, a colony of Irish
immigrants came to Newberry, but immediately removed to the banks of
the Wateree, near what is now the town of Camden. They were by far
the most notable body among the early immigrants to that section. In
official abstracts of the original grants and deeds covering lands
in that section, I find such names as James McGowan, Michael
Branham, Benjamin McKinnie, John McConnel, Thomas and Patrick
McCormick, Daniel and William Bready, Thomas Leadom, Bryan Rork,
John Collins, Daniel McDaniel, William Kelly, Edward McGraw and
Thomas Hanahan. Edward Malloy, Oliver Mahaffy and Michael Brannon
came there in 1749, and in the next year Timothy and Walter Kelly,
James Haley, Cornelius Melone, Timothy Plunkett, Bryan Toland,
Thomas Finnin and John Cain located themselves in the scattered
settlements between the Wateree and Lynches rivers. During the
Revolution, such names as O'Quinn, Cotter, Cassity, Dunn, Downey,
O'Cain, FitzPatrick, Shannon and Lynch appear in the records, while
among those who are mentioned as at Camden in 1780 is Malachi
Murphy, one of the artificers who assisted in erecting the fort for
the defence of the town against the assaults of the British. But the
most prominent family in this neighborhood were the Canteys,
descended from the brothers, John and Wilham Cantey, who came from
Ireland at an early date and located in Kershaw County. John was a
resident of Goose Creek, above Charleston, and first comes to notice
for his conduct in the defence of Charleston against an attack by
the French and Spaniards under Feboure in 1704.
In Carroll's
Historical Collections, vol. I, we read how Captains Cantey and
Lynch brought companies to the relief of the City. The enemy landed
a party on Waldo Neck, and Captain Cantey was sent to watch them
with 100 chosen men and succeeded in capturing them at
their camp fires. He was
in the Indian wars in 1712, and many are the stories that are told
of his successful forays against the red-men. Several of the Canteys
are mentioned in the State Records in connection with the Indian
wars, land transactions and official business of the Colony. The
Cantey lineage, in all its branches, has been conspicuous for its
chivalrous military spirit. It has produced many superb soldiers,
and three noted Confederate generals were descendants of the
original John Cantey.
The Annals of Newberry, by Judge
John Belton O'Neall, give us further insight to the composition of
the early settlers in that district. In this rare old volume are
found frequent references to the Irish of that vicinity, whose names
are found in the First Census of South Carolina. Indeed, there are
so many Irish names mentioned in the Annals of Newberry, that,
without much departure from the truth, the volume could aptly be
described as a story of Irish endeavor in the pioneer days of that
particular section of the Palmetto State.
The author was a grandson of Hugh
O'Neall, one of the original settlers of Newberry County. His
grandfather was Hugh O'Neall, a native of Ireland and a midshipman
in the English Navy. According to the family annals, while his ship
was at anchor in the Delaware, in the year 1730, he jumped
overboard, swam ashore and landed near Wilmington at the little
Swedish town of Christiana. There he lived many years. He married
Annie Cox and had seven sons, William, James, Hugh, Henry, John,
Thomas and George, and a daughter, Mary. The family removed to
Winchester, Va., and about 1766, after the death of their father,
all, with the exception of James and George, removed to South
Carolina. Henry O'Neall went to Florida after the Revolution and
settled at the mouth of the Saint Mary' River, where some of his
descendants still reside. James and George O'Neall, who remained in
Virginia, served in the Revolution,” James as a Major in the
Virginia Line and George as a common soldier. Both served through
the whole war. They carried their democracy to the limit.
"Ignorantly supposing," says Judge O'Neall, "that the - in
their name was some aristocratic distinction, instead of meaning the
son of," both struck it off and wrote their name "Neall." I should
be proud (writes the Judge in his reminiscences), if
their descendants would resume the 0' which rightfully belongs to
their name."
If they did not have the Irish pride
of race, they surely had the Irish dash and spirit, but, strange to
say, two of their brothers in South Carolina, Henry and John, sided
with the Tories. When Henry accepted a Major's commission in the
British army, it is said he visited his brother, James, in Virginia
and proposed if they should ever meet in battle they should treat
each other as brothers. But the stern Republican would accept no
such amnesty. "In peace, brothers; in war, enemies," was his prompt
reply. The rest of the family in South Carolina were firm patriots
and suffered much at the hands of the British. William O'Neall was
an extensive miller and farmer on the Bush River, near Charleston.
His son, Hugh, is mentioned as participant in several fights with
Tarleton's troops in South Carolina. The family was in Charleston
when the town fell into the hands of the British in 1780. In a
volume called Random Recollections of the Revolution, published in
1838, many of the atrocious acts perpetrated by the Tories are
related as they were taken down from the lips of the aged Hugh
O'Neall. From 1780 to 1783 it was a bloody partisan war between
Whigs and Tories. Blood and plunder were the watchwords of the
Tories as they swept through the country. Their idea was to
terrorize the people, and the latter had to resort to reprisals and
punish the Tories when they got the chance. William O'Neall's
property was confiscated and everything destroyed by a detachment of
Tarleton's troops. Their houses were burned and the women and
children turned out with no covering save the forest and the
heavens. These scenes passed before the eyes of the youthful Hugh
O'Neall. His brave ancestral blood boiled almost over at the wrongs
and oppression which he witnessed and to which he was called upon to
submit. After the war, the family returned to their home and rebuilt
the mills. They had a large amount of real estate and were a
numerous and prosperous family. Hugh married Anne Kelly, daughter of
Samuel and Hannah Kelly, natives of Kings County, Ireland. In 18oo,
he embarked in mercantile business on a large scale for that time,
and lived to see his family grow up around him, prosperous and
independent. He died in 1848.
James O'Neall's company was raised
in the immediate vicinity of Washington's birthplace. He is
represented as a very brave soldier. An instance of his daring and
intrepidity is related by Judge O'Neall. At the battle of Brandywine
on September 11, 1777, when the American army was in full retreat,
it was found that an attempt was being made by the British cavalry
to cut off a part of the retreating columns. To prevent this it was
necessary that a certain pass should be gained and held against the
enemy. If this could be done, the British would be compelled to make
a sweep of several miles before they could again strike at the
retreat. O'Neall's company volunteered. They were athletic young
men, accustomed to Indian warfare, and capable of any kind of
service. They sprang forward like deer, reached the desired ground
ahead of the British, and formed a hollow square to meet the
expected attack. The British General, seeing he was foiled, wheeled
his squadrons and made an attempt to reach the army by the longer
route. O'Neall's company rejoined their regiment in safety and
aided in checking the pursuing enemy and covering the retreat. Next
morning, Washington, reviewing his line, called for the forlorn
hope. Captain O'Neall stepped forward at its head. Washington lifted
his hat and, with streaming eyes, said: “God bless you, boys. I
never expected to see you again."
Judge O'Neall tells us that the
earliest known settlement in the vicinity of Newberry was in 1752,
and that the first Gael to locate there was the Samuel Kelly before
mentioned. He came from Camden with one John Furnas and made a
settlement on the Bush River and the Beaver Dam, which is described
as some of the richest land in the State. Kelly opened the first
store in that section, at Springfield, and also became extensively
interested in lands on the banks of Mudlicks Creek and the Saluda
River. I find his name in the First Census of the Newberry District,
as well as those of two John Kellys, Samuel Kelly, Jr., and several
families named Killey. Other Kelly families are included in the
returns of the neighboring counties. Some of Samuel Kelly's
descendants still live at Springfield. "Often here," says one of the
local historians, "from 1820 to 7848 was seen the rare spectacle of
four generations of the Kellys living under the same roof." The
names of some of the Newberry Kellys are found on the Revolutionary rosters. John
Kelly was a lieutenant and served through the whole war. His
brother, Edmund, also served in the army. James Kelly of Newberry
served in a regiment raised in the beginning of the Revolution,
called Thompson's Rangers. He was one of a band of riflemen who were
stationed on Sullivan's Island in Charleston harbor, and who took
part in the memorable repulse of the British fleet on July 28th,
1776. Another of the Kellys, Abram, also distinguished himself at
Sullivan's Island. Abram served under Marion in Captain Boy-kin's
Rangers and is mentioned as at several engagements. It is related
that, when the supplies of the American artillery stationed on
Sullivan's Island were nearly exhausted, "Abram Kelly gathered up
the broken bombs fired by the enemy, thus keeping them
supplied."
"Newberry was settled," says the
historian, "very much by three classes of people:”Germans, Irish and
immigrants from North Carolina, Virginia and Pennsylvania." There
were two distinct Irish settlements, one at a place called Stone
Hills, where the descendants of some of the pioneers still reside,
and the other about Frog Level, which extended along the road to
Charleston. Some of these settlers received grants of land on what
was called "King bounty,” that is to say, they obtained bounty
warrants for 100 acres for the head of a family and 50 acres for
each child. These were also called "head rights." Among the original
settlers are mentioned Gabriel McCoole, the five O'Neall brothers,
Joseph and John Reagin, Samuel Teague, Thomas Hesket, John and
Hannah Kelly, and the Belton family from Queens County, Ireland,
from whom the town of Belton, S. C., received its name. The Reagins
were a numerous family in this vicinity. Among the "Heads of
Families" in the First Census, I find Morgan Regan, John Regin, Iona
Ragan, John Ragin, Joseph Ragen, and Darby, Reson, Daniel and John
Raygin.
The district was first named
Newberry County in 1783 by a Board of Commissioners who were
appointed for the purpose of dividing up and renaming several
districts in that portion of the State. Among the commissioners I
find the names of Andrew Pickens, Colonel Thomas Brandon and Levi
Keysey. Judge O'Neall says the latter's name was Casey, and this
seems to be verified by the fact that in the Census Returns his name
is put down as Levi Casey.
Several other Caseys and Casys are also recorded, but none named
"Keysey." Levi is referred to as General Casey, and as a Justice of
the Peace for Newberry County from 1785 to 1797. A General Casey
served in the Congress of the United States from South Carolina some
years later.
William and John Malone are also
mentioned among the pioneers of this section. In 1777, William was
appointed clerk of the first County Court in that territory, and was
to hold his commission "during good behaviour." In 1794, he
resigned the office. Others of the family whose names appear on the
First Census from that district were Daniel, Lewis, Thomas and
William Malone, Jr. One of the first cases recorded by County Clerk
Malone was that of "Daniel McElduff vs. Elizabeth and William
Turner" in an action for recovery of debt. McElduff was an Irishman.
He was a noted partisan and was taken prisoner and sent to England,
but was released after the close of the war. Other Irish people
whose names appear on the Newberry Court records were William and
Hugh McGlammery and Patrick Bradley - known as "Paddy" Bradley,
one of the wits of neighborhood - who, in 1797, were
fined for assault and contempt of court. The records say
"Brigadier-General Casey issued orders for their
apprehension."
Among the Irish settlers of Newberry
are also mentioned McQuerns, Drennans, Youngs, Fairs, Carmichaels,
and Hunters, all of whom located at Stone Hills. The historian of
the district remarks: As a body, none better deserved the character
of good citizens than did they. By hard and industrious labor as
mechanics and agriculturists, they laid the foundations of that
competence which they respectively acquired. The best proof that can
be offered of their worth is that the sons of many of the Irish
settlers became honored men in the communities where they lived or
located. We find among them ministers of the Church, lawyers,
doctors, military commanders, merchants and farmers. In the Frog
Level district were Connors, McCrackens, McMorises, Glenns, McKees,
McCreless, Neals, McNeills, Hemings, Flanagans, Boyles, Dugans,
Kellys, Madigans, O'Neills, McConnells and Greggs, all natives of
Ireland. Some of these were as remarkable for their thrift and
industry as the Stone Hills settlers. An Irish immigrant who arrived
at the settlement after 1798
was Samuel McCalla. He was a United Irishman and was captured at the
battle of Vinegar Hill. He owed his life, as he used to tell his
neighbors, "a lady who pulled the epaulettes from his shoulders and
the white cockade from his hat not five minutes before he was
captured." Samuel Spence, also an United Irishman, came with him
from Ireland. Refer-ring to Spence, the local historian remarks:
“Many and many an unfortunate Irishman he fed, clothed and found
employment for until he could do better. Few men will be found who
will so well fill the place of the good citizen and honest
man.
In a settlement between the borders
of the Enoree and Duncan's Creek are found McGowens, Mangums,
McAdams, Griffins, Kellys, Coggans, Gillams, Duns, Higginses, Rials,
Cams, Clarys, Lynches, McGinns, Cooneys, McCluskys, McCarts,
McGraws, Mooneys and Courtenys. On the fork of the Broad, Enoree and
Tiger rivers, on a tract of land six miles square, a settlement was
founded, and among the pioneers of the district are mentioned
families named Nolan, Murphy, Kelly, Duff, and William and Matthew
Maybin from Ballymena, County Antrim. The Maybins landed in
Charleston in 1771 whence they passed on to a place since called
Maybinton, where they located permanently. The brothers fought in
the campaign of 1776 against the Cherokees, after which they joined
Sumter and were present at the battle of Hanging Rock on August 7th,
1780, where William was made prisoner and died on board a prison
ship at Charleston that charnel-house of liberty to which British
pride, tyranny and cruelty consigned so many of the gallant spirits
who fought and bled for Carolina. Colonel David Glenn was a native
of Ireland and emigrated to the Carolinas in 1773. He and his wife
were among the last of the emigrants permitted to leave Ireland
before the American Revolution. They landed in Savannah and thence
came to South Carolina and settled on the Enoree, at a place known
as Glenn's Mills. Glenn at once took the part of the patriots. He
fought at the battle of Cowpens on January 17th, 1781, where he was
Adjutant of Cavalry and afterwards was attached to General Morgan's
army. He also fought at the battle of Eutaw on September 8, 1781. He
represented the Newberry district in the first Legislature of South
Carolina, which met at Charleston after the war. The Boyce brothers, John and Alexander, were
noted pioneers of this section. They came from Ireland in 1765, and
located at a place called Mollohon. John joined the South Carolina
militia, commanded by Colonel Thomas Dugan. Alexander received a
commission as Captain and was at the siege of Savannah, where he
fell at the head of his company in an attempt to carry the British
line. John also fought under General Levi Casey, then a lieutenant,
and is mentioned as at the battles of Cowpens, Kings Mountain, Eutaw
and other skirmishes. He lived long after the war, in Charleston,
where he brought up a large family, one of whom, Kerr Boyce, became
a millionaire merchant at Charleston.
Source: American Irish
Historical Society Journal, Volume 12, July,
1913