https://johnsonvilleschistory.org/files/original/573e3763018af564d0935afec52ad3f8.pdf 73f3f94d7057dd342b4c822a657e7dec PDF Text Text hg;r l:!-TllF. \\"F.J.:Kt. \ ORSt:R\'J.:R. llemlngway. South <"arollna. Thursday. July I. l!l;t; n ustry e 'fhe first work done by the early ttlers to the Black Mingo area, seter known as Rome, South ~rolina, was to build some kind of helter for themsleves. The first ~uts were hovels made from dirt t)lat soon washed away with the rains. As soon as they made these dirt adobe houses for temporary shelter, the men began to cut trees their horses, leather breeches for them~elves, aprons for their wives, cov~r1ngs for their hand made cha.1rs and used them in place of springs on their home made beds Sheep and hogs were 500~ brought into the area and multiplied rapidly. Much of the clothing was made from wool at home from the sheep raised there. Sawing Tree A lone worker Is seen In the swa1nps as he labors to cut the tree into the proper lengths from which he a nd others will cut cypress shingles. oun 0 me -------~·onttnued Most of the early people to Black Mingo had come from Scotland and Ireland and knew how to cultivate flax, and were expert weavers. There are yet some heirlooms of linen pieces still held in the area that was woven at hom e from flax grown on the plantation. Some cotton was grown for plantation purposes only. Cotton was later to become the main crop. Soon, the planting of indigo was begun. Slaves were brought in for the cultivation of indigo and after five years of growing it, prosperity began to come to the land. They were able to bring in more slaves and buy better blooded horses from the profits made selling the indigo for dye. Nearly every plantation had its indigo vat a nd some can be seen today. Later, rice was grown in the low areas of this county, but soon gave way to cotton. In the home there was much industry going on as the ' women made their own soap from hog fat and ashes. Besides weaving the wool and flax, they later started spinning the cotton for their household use. In the winter months of short daylight hours, they sewed patches of cloth together by candle light into colorful quilts for warmth on their beds and to help brighten their dark, dismal houses. They made their own candles for light in their homes from beeswa x, by dripping a stri ng into the melted wax until it wa s the size they wanted. Later they used tin molds. They were from l'uge · - - - - - - - - - - - - -.... shingles on lands for 111 erly d Pict .... 'l'his seri es of pictures e s an parly industry in the s~tam~r around tht> old con1muni Y k as lto1ne. S. ('. They show wor ers tht>y labo1· at gt>ttlne: out cypress busy canning surplus food in glass jars and drying fruits and herbs for winter use. All of their clothing was made at home. 1'he first village settlement in ancient Black Mingo was Willtown. It was on Black Mingo Creek and had an excelelnt water way to the sea. A rich merchant from Charleston, who also had a rice plantation on Black Mingo, established a trading post there in 1750 and called it Willtown. He exchanged rum and molasses and tape and buttons, for the cow hides, deer skins and furs from the people and the Indians, Willtown was on the post route which Benjamin Franklin established from Savannah, Georgia to Maine. The first post office in this area was at Willtown. It became known as one of the most popular stopping points in South Carolina . The Indians were growing tobacco when the settlers arrived. They taught them to grow it and soon tobacco was being shipped out to Europe from this area. This industry still exists today. Soon, the men began to clear the forests, using what they needed for themselves and selling the remainder . On the swamp lands of the descendents of one peioneer, Benjamin Britton, there is evidence of the industry of getting out wood shingles by hand, to cover the roofs of buildings. Few wooden shingles are seen today as modern industry grew into manufacturing plants. by Benj an11n · Bn•t ton and 1 his son. Thomas M. Brltto'n d b hi 1 pa sse on y m to his dau l\linnie Britton llemingw y.l!h 1 . . . .. . • Planing Shingles The1·e ~ere different phases in the production of shingles in the early da11i, we see 111 our modern industries. This man planes the shingles, left, wbDe conti.n ues to split blocks. The center figure is identified as Joseph llem111g\vay, son of Allard and Minnie Britton Hemingway. , 1 • •• ~ • t • • • ' .. • • ' • • :• • t • Hemingway Home ~de in 1898, this picture shows the home of Allard Belin Hemingway and Minnie l'itton • th e 1mme · d'1ate Rome area near the Rome store and post office. · The • in 111 1 ro~ Y m~mb~r~ are, left to right, Furney Hemingway, late lawyer and Judge of date •n W1ll1amsburg County; Lucy Hemingway, who married James M. ;rn~' son of Rev. Thomas J. Clyde; Florence Julia Hemingway; Minnie Britton •T ngway, the mother; Allard Belin Hemingway, Jr.; William T. Hemingway, Wo rooms were-later added to the house and it stands today in that original 1gn. ,d built crude cabins to keep the ,d animals out as well as the 1 , n. Every two families were ~en a cow and a calf. The llnais found abundant grazing in e Slack Mingo swamps and insect until before very long, e herds of half-wild cattle were lliing the woods. rn the cattle hides the rs. ~de the harness for The settlers had brought a horse with them and these multiplied and soon they were plentiful in the swamps and the men banded together to pen them when they needed more. Their first activity was to tra,de with the Indians and ship deerski~ and furs to England. Then began to el(l,port 11rk a COntinit ... < ' S littin 1b Bl k .. --·Y~ ...... _... ~-·';'~"=•~re~r:,•~u:s:ed~heavy p g mallets e andocwedges s to sp11·t the huge blocks .. - nllUj,._ Shaping Shingles Finished Product All of the work involving getting out shingles was done deep in the woods as can be J._: ____, _... _ _,.__..;;.._ _.;;..._ _ _.::;..._ _ _ _ _ _ _..;: s;,;;e.;:;e;.;. 11...;w;.;h:o;e"'r"'e""t"h,._is"'-"lo,,,1_1._,e.,_,,__,,o~r~ k ~r~sitS shanine:..shine:les to hP_ll~Prt on I.he n1 .. n1... 1.inn (,,,._____ A w_ear"ILittOUt>.AL.....nttl.-- ·- - -- ·- -- - - -- - - -- - -- � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Weekly Observer Description An account of the resource The Weekly Observer was published out of Hemingway, SC from 1973 until printing ceased in 2012. The paper continues as an e newpaper on scnow.com Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1973-2012 Subject The topic of the resource Local Newspaper covering the Johnsonville and Hemingway communities. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Weekly Observer Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Early Industry Rhome WO 7-1-76 2 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Weekly Observer News Newspaper Weekly Observer