“Liberty Hill National Register District….”
City Directories and History: “Liberty Hill was one of the early South Carolina back country settlements. Historians have recorded that as early as 1813 Peter Garlick had a store located in the area. It was a gathering place for the early settlers and plantation owners of the surrounding countryside. This store, as best as can be determined, was located on the southside of what is now Hwy 522, at the junction with Hwy 97. (1)
The first recorded Postmaster at Liberty Hill was Joseph McD. Garlick, January 19, 1818. (2) Post Office records in the National Archives in Washington, D. C. indicate J. McD. Garlick as being commissioned Postmaster at Liberty Hill on June 30, 1830.Most probably he was related to Peter Garlick. Robert Goldsberry posted $600 dollars bond for Mr. Garlick on May 25, 1830. (3) As early as 1810 South Carolina had a well established pattern of Post Roads criss-crossing the state, thus connecting the small frontier settlements with the main Post Roads of the larger developed towns. It was through Acts of Congress of May 8, 1794, February 5, 1795, March 2, 1799, April 25, 1810 and others, that these roads were established. Indian Trails and backcountry paths and roads were used as the designated Post Roads. (4) Liberty Hill was on the Post Road from Camden to Lancaster and it can be assumed the mail was transported possibly from point to point by “Pony Express”. Most probably for a number of years, Peter Garlick’s store was the drop off and pickup point for the Liberty Hill mail.
The next Postmaster listed in the records at the National Archives was Wyatt Patterson, commissioned on January 8, 1838. The Post Office at that time was located in his store near the section of road through Liberty Hill known as “Rattlesnake Bottom”. The Patterson home was on a hill on the east side of the road from the store. It was said one could sit on the front porch and at a certain time of the year see the sun set by looking through the front and back doors of the store. The Post Office at Liberty Hill was still in operation on June 1, 1861 when the Confederate States of America Post Office Department took over the postal system in South Carolina. This Post Office also has the distinction of still serving the same community it served in 1860.
There are 115 other post offices with this same distinction. (5) (6) Wyatt Patterson died in 1866. Archival records show that the Post Office was discontinued at Liberty Hill on January 14, 1867 and re-established on September 23, 1867 with James L. Brown as Postmaster. He served only about a year as the Post Office was discontinued again on August 31, 1868.
These were trying times for the South and the village of Liberty Hill. It was a period of Reconstruction when the South was trying to establish some kind of order after the defeat in the Civil War, 1861-1865. Chaos was everywhere; any semblance of state government was in turmoil, all industry was paralyzed. “Native white radicals were branded scalawags and were far more detestable than the Carpetbaggers who had come from beyond the state and arrived with the invading Federal Troops.” (7) Federal Troops marched through Liberty Hill after crossing the Wateree River at Peay’s Ferry. Many camped in and around Liberty Hill, with some of the officers taking over the spacious homes to use as their headquarters. Troops were in the area for nine days – February 22, 1865 – March 3, 1865. When they left they burned, they plundered; what they could not take with them they destroyed. (8) For a period of about eight years Liberty Hill was without a Post Office. As previously stated, the office had been discontinued in August 1868.
During reconstruction days and Republican rule Reub Gaither, a colored citizen from Liberty Hill served for a time as a representative to the South Carolina legislature from Kershaw County. It was during his term that he appointed his son Pete Gaither to be Postmaster at Liberty Hill. Pete Gaither used the Little Office for the Post Office. This was a small, one room building built in 1847 and originally used as a doctor’s office.
Archival information lists the shortest time served by a Postmaster at Liberty Hill as the term of Darling J. George, who held the position for about six weeks, the dates being July 26, 1877 to September 4, 1877. This was shortly after Pete Gaither had been fired from the postal service in April 1877. Mr. Stephen M. Richards was appointed September 4, 1877 to serve as Postmaster. He held tlie position fifteen years, until his death in August 1892. He succumbed to the dread disease of typhoid fever. At that time the Post Office was in a small store located on the corner of the old baseball field on the southside of the road leading to the Presbyterian Church. This store was owned by Rev. John G. Richards. For a short period at the death of Mr. Stephen Richards, his assistant and also brother. Dr. James Prioleau Richards filled in as Postmaster. According to Archival records Mrs. Lily McK. Richards, widow of Stephen Richards, was appointed Postmaster on November 18, 1892 and served until June 18. 1898. It was during her term that the Post Office and store located at the top of the church hill burned. All Post Office records were destroyed in this fire. The Post Office was then moved to the old Goodwyn Jones store. This building was one of the oldest buildings in Liberty Hill having been built sometime before the Civil War by the late John Brown. At this point it is appropriate and interesting to give some history of the mail earners and those who had charge of the mail routes. In the late 1870s a carrier brought the mail to Liberty Hill from Lancaster one day, went on to Camden, came back the following day on the return trip to Lancaster. The mail carrier made his arrival known by blowing a bugle. (10)
Over the years the mail was transported by various means of travel: sometime on foot, horseback, in two-wheel cart, buggy or a two-horse wagon. In later years a Model-T-Ford was used, and then the newer cars as they came on the market. Often it was late afternoon or night before the mail carriers arrived back at Liberty Hill with the mail. During the early years of the mail routes Mr. Norman S. Richards had charge of the route at Liberty Hill. He employed Wyatt James, called Uncle Pete, a faithful colored citizen, to carry the mail daily to Heath Springs and back to Liberty Hill. Uncle Pete rode in a two-wheel cart and sat on the mail bags. As he arrived with the mail his loud call “Mail, Mail” could be heard from quite a distance. Henry Bailey, another faithful colored citizen, was also a mail carrier in horse and buggy days. At one time Mr.
Norman and his brother Dr. James Prioleau Richards had the mail earner contract together. They hired two colored men to walk and carry the mail to Heath Springs and return to Liberty Hill. In the early 1890s Mr. George R. Clements of Lancaster County and his brother-in-law, Mr. Creighton, acquired the first Star Route contract to carry the mail from Liberty Hill to Heath Springs. At this time Mr. Clements moved his residence to Liberty Hill. He and his sons, Eddie and John Henry, gave many years of faithful service. The thirteen miles traveled to Heath Springs over muddy, slippery, unpaved road and in all kinds of weather, sun, rain, freezing rain or snow, was quite a trip to make up and back the same day.
It is interesting to note here several well known points on the old dirt road traveled in all weather conditions. Creighton Hill located about a half mile on this side of Heath Springs was a long moderately steep red clay hill, dusty in dry weather, deep rutted and almost impassible in wet weather. It wasn’t unusual for the buggy or wagon, and in later years the car, to get mired up to the axles. The Bell Hill was another section of road difficult to travel in bad weather.
To continue with the Postmasters who served at Liberty Hill, Archival records show that Frederick J. Hay was appointed Postmaster on March 6, 1899. The Post Office had been moved from the old John Brown store to a building located at the bottom of the Johnston Hill. This store was owned by Mr. N. S. Richards. Mr. Hay resigned as Postmaster on May 14, 1903 and he was followed by Mr. James B. (Barklay) Johnston. He was appointed to take over the position on June 26, 1903. Mr. Johnston served until September 26, 1907 when Mr. William A. Cunningham was appointed as Postmaster. It was during Mr. Cunningham’s term that Money Orders were first put into effect at the Office, this date being December 1, 1914.
Post Office records indicate that Mr. Charles D. Cunningham was appointed Postmaster on October 1, 1918. At that time the Post Office was located at the bottom of the Johnston Hill, where it had been located since the mid 1890s. Records show that shortly after “Mr. C.D.”, as he was affectionately referred to, became post master, the Post Office was moved on December 1, 1918, 240 yards north to a store at that time owned by Mr. G. R. Clements. While at this location during a severe thunderstorm, lightning struck the iron bars over the window and caused a fire. Only minimum damage was done to the building as the fire was quickly put out. The Post Office had previously been located in this same building in the mid 1890s. It remained at this location about two and a half years until once again on March 23, 1921 it was moved 200 yards farther north into a new store building built by Will Thompson and owned by “Mr. C. D.”. This new store was located at the top of the Church Hill and about in the center of the little village of Liberty Hill. Over the little window and area in the store where the Post Office was located there hung a sign LIBERTY HILL spelled out with white quartz arrowheads. This sign was crafted by “Mr. C. D”. The arrowheads, found in the area, were attached to screen wire and placed in the cedar frame, thus making an sign.(12)
For many years Mr. George R. Clements and his son John H. Clements continued to be faithful Star Route carriers. As noted earlier the mail was transported by various means and over various conditions of the road and all kinds of weather. In 1940s this drive became easier as the road from Liberty Hill to Heath Springs was paved. In 1940-1944 Mr. R. J. Wardlaw took over the Star Route service. Later Mrs. John H. Clements assisted by Johnny James, a colored citizen, had the carrier contract.
Due to failing health, “Mr. C.D.” Cunningham retired as Postmaster on December 31, 1942 after serving almost twenty-four years. He had the distinction of serving next to the longest period of time as Postmaster. Wyatt Patterson, the second Postmaster to serve at Liberty Hill Post Office, served the longest time. This was twenty-eight years. The store building in which the Post Office was located when “Mr. C. D.” was Postmaster is still standing today. It was purchased by the Liberty Hill Presbyterian church in 1987, remodeled with a comfortable apartment located in the back part, and a large storage room at the front. Upon the retirement of “Mr. C. D.” Miss Louise Johnston became the new Postmaster. The Post Office remained in “Mr. C. D.’s” store until February 1957 when it was moved to the present location, the small store building once owned by the late Mr. N. S. Richards and now owned by his daughter Mrs. Edith Richards Wardlaw. This building is located at the bottom of the Johnston Hill at the junction of Singleton Creek Road and Hwy 97. (13)
During Miss Johnston’s term as Postmaster the schedule for receiving and dispatching the mail was changed several times. In 1955 key less boxes with combination locks were installed and made available to those who wished to use them. This was a big change….” (This information is courtesy of Long Ago At Liberty Hill by Mary Ellen Cunningham, 1997 – Midlands Printing Company)
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