SWINGING 'ROUND THE CIRCLE
The Dillon Herald
August 17, 1905
By
W.
J. Galloway
HOW MALLORY MEN MAKE MONEY
Good
Farmers and
Honest Citizens Predominate-Many Model Farms
Personal Mention of Men Whose
Names are Linked with Marion History
Mallory, S.C.
Aug 14, 1905
Special - As we
"swing 'round the circle" from Bingham to Mallory we have the choice
of two roads known in local parlance as the "hard road" and the
"sand road." And if neither
of these suits the traveler there is the railroad. to which all
pedestrians are
entitled to a free pass, provided they remove all obstacles, their feet
especially, when the train toots the danger signal.
The
sand road takes us first to John
Lane's. His farm is a practical
demonstration of what a hustler will do any where you put him. For several years he operated a small farm
on Reedy Creek, and made money there.
But for more outlet and elbow room he purchased the old Timothy
Rogers
farm "out on the sound." A
very poor and deplorably run-down place it was, and people said that
John Lane
would perish there. But a glance at the
changed conditions now, and his fine crops this year will tell another
tale. He does not believe in man living
alone. Mrs.
Lane is his second and a
help meet indeed.
A
little further down the road on what is
known as the Andrew Berry
place. Mr.
Henry Parham lives. He is one white man
in whom there is no guile. Not a very
large farmer, neither is he eminently successful, but no man can boast
of three
sons who are better farmers than Will;
Arthur and Tom C. Parham. Mr. Parham has a fine crop this
year. While the rains were so numerous in
the spring
he "knocked along" and didn't grumble, and during the drought of the
summer he did the same. His harvest
therefore will be as large as that of those who are never pleased with
the
weather.
Henry
T. Berry comes next. There is not a
harder
working man in the
county than Mr. Berry. He says that a
man with a small farm should do his own work; make all he can for his
own use
and if any surplus then sell that. He
goes for the "hog and hominy" more than bigt debts and cotton. Visit Mr.
Berry's home and you will find
that he "lives at home and boards at the same place."
He says that a man is not half a man until
he is married, and Mrs. Berry,
his third wife, is eloquent evidence of
his
assertion.
Next
to Mr. Berry comes Tom O. Parham, and
a better farmer never lived on this road.
He goes at it like "fighting fire" the year round.
And the darkey who does not want to work
stays clear of Tom Parham. Yet, he is
never scarce of hands because he always pays them their dues. He has a fine crop of cotton and corn this
year and despite the unfavorable seasons he will run close a bale of
cotton per
acre on his entire farm. Tom is a
big-hearted fellow and is always ready to inconvenience himself to
accommodate
others.
About
forty years ago a young man who
graduated from the "War School" started life in the flat woods of
Little Reedy Creek without a copper of capital. A
young wife and an indomitable will were his possessions.
Today J. O. Lane owns a
valuable stiff land
plantation and a comfortable home on the same spot, where many fine
crops have
been made and where one is growing now.
He has reared a family of boys and girls all of whom are married
and
doing well. Therefore the old man is
still where he began to fight the battles of life, with none other than
the
same companion by his side. One
distinguishing characteristic of Mr. Lane is his neighborly confidence
in all
around him. He says, "Treat every
man as an honest man 'till he fools you."
A quiet and peaceful citizen he is who gives no thought to the
current
political topics which so much concern the average man.
We
are now drawing nigh the suburbs of
Mallory, and find ourselves in the very pleasant company of Capt.
Stephen F.
Berry. It is indeed a pleasure to
hear
this old gentleman converse on the local events of earlier days, when
the
fiddle and banjo were indispensible features of a rousing country
breakdown. He likes young people's
company and entertains them well. The
Capt. who was once an extensive planter has about retired from the busy
affairs
of life. His farm is being operated by
his son-in-law, Mr. W. M. Gilbert
who has a fine crop.
Does
farming on the small scale pay? This
question is often asked, and if you
will watch Frank Haselden
awhile you will find the answer.
He farms on the intensive plan altogether
and does it well. He says that no
matter what the undertaking is whether large or small, "do it well and
fret not." He has a god crop but
he is not wholly dependent on his cotton and corn for his living. His large orchards, vineyard and garden
laden with the choicest of fruits and vegetables play their part. Every week finds him moving toward town with
his cart loaded with these good things and their superior quality
always
demands ready sale. Frank is undoubtedly
the happiest man in the county. Every
time you see him his face is covered with a broad smile, and he never
feels any
other way than "right peart."
Mr.
Philip W. Bethea is the oldest citizen
of this section, and in many ways a remarkable man.
Though he has reached his fourscore years there are few men in
the county more
energetic. He walks rides, talks, and
works with more energy than lots of men of much fewer years. For many years he has himself superintended
his large farm, but this year Mr. C.
G. Bruce has had charge of it,
thereby
relieving the old gentleman of many burdens.
Mr. Bruce has a good crop all over the plantation and he "laid
it
by" in good shape, though in the spring he had a long hard fight with
general green, as nearly every one else did.
Mr. Bruce is a Marlboro man who learned how to farm in the old
banner
county and you need never give him out.
Mallory
is situated on the Latta Branch
railroad six miles from Latta. It is
only a flag station containing a neat freight warehouse, yet it is an
important
step -convenient for a large number of passengers and a vast amount of
freight
which is handled here every year. There
are times during the spring that the side-track is full of cars heavily
loaded
with fertilizers. Mallory is on the
dividing line between the Catfish sand lands and the Reedy Creek stiff
lands,
and is surrounded on all sides by large and prospective plantations. There are two stores here.
The Mallory Store Co., is composed of
Messrs. C. G. Bruce, W. C. Bruce and
R. C. Emanuel, all of whom are
emigrants
from Marlboro. They are doing a nice
mercantile business and doing some furnishing.
Marion county will never be hurt as long as such men take up
their abode
within her borders. Mr. Emanuel has
purchased the Mallory farm on which Mr.
J. W. Reynolds has been doing
excellent
farming for several years. He has a
fine crop this year, yet this is nothing unusual for Mr. Reynolds. Mr. James
McRae a former Binghamite, is also
merchandising here. He carries a small
well kept stock and is getting a nice trade.
He will operate a large farm next year in connection with his
store.
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The
Mallory Brick Co. a recent
organization, will soon be in operation and the old familiar hum of
machinery
will again be heard around Mallory.
This company is composed of that well known brick man of Latta,
Mr. Jas.
Ben Moore who is president, and all the members of the Mallory
Store
Co. Mr. C.
G. Bruce is secretary and treasurer.
The "brick dust" of Mallory is as fine clay for the purpose as
any place can boast of and with the up-to-date machinery that they are
putting
down we see no reason why the Mallory Brick Co. can't make as good
brick, and
do as good business as anybody any where.