And a few interesting historic names – places as well…Greer, S.C.
City Directories and History: Type here
- Baswell’s Blacksmith Shop was operated by Tom Baswell on a corner of Greer’s North Main Street in the early part of the century. A photograph in the Centennial Edition shows Mr. Tom shoeing a fine-looking horse.
- Drace Photography Shop was operated on Emma Street (now called Trade Street) of Greer from 1895, when Charles W. Drace came from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, until his death in September, 1928. Photography was then most often called “viewing.” Several or the pictures used in the Centennial Edition were those taken by Photographer Drace.
- Old Milford Meeting House became Milford Baptist Church (1833). The original church building was auctioned off in 1949 for $300, after the present brick church had been completed.
- Van Patton Shoals on Enoree River between Greenville and Spartanburg was named for Nicholas Veeley Van Patton, who in 1826 came to Laurens County from Schenectady, New York. Soon thereafter he bought the shoals and 280 acres, where he set up an elaborate establishment: yarn mill, cotton mill, grist mill, cotton gin, machine shop, cabinet maker’s shop. The ingenious Van Patton died about 1889.
- Bailey’s Crossroads was named for an Irishman, Hugh Bailey, who ran a store there until his death in 1841. A businessman and active churchman, Mr. Bailey donated the land for Mount Tabor Baptist Church. His son William Clark Bailey was first mayor of Greer.
- Line Street (now Wade Hampton Boulevard) Greer was part of the boundary line (established 1761) between the Whites and the Cherokee lands after the Indian War (1753-1760).
- The present T. P. Wood General Store same location where Ben Neves held shop over 100 years ago. Still a popular gathering place, Wood’s store has the delightfully titled ‘two loafers’ benches” on the porch out front.
- Fort Prince (1756) on the western boundary of Spartanburg County is one-half mile northwest of the town of Fairforest near Grey’s Creek on the Blackstock Road. This strong circular structure was built as a refuge for the surrounding settlers during the Indian War. The fort was named for William Prince.
- Woods Chapel United Methodist Church was established in 1800 by Reverend Henry Wood.
- Holly Springs Baptist Church was established in 1804 in the northwestern part of Spartanburg County. The spring’s name refers to the profuse growth of holly trees on the banks of the stream.
The many family names have survived in the same Greer locale down through the hundred years, though with some there’s been a change in spelling. Lister used to be the English Leicester, changed to Leister, or even Lester. Connell was the Scottish MacConnell. Conner was the Irish O’Conner. Turnipseed has been anglicized from the German Rubensamen, as has also Taylor from Schneider, or Smith from Schmidt. And Evins, Few, Marchant, Forrester, and Anderson are among the many still these hundred or more years very much a part of Spartanburg County and Greer.
(Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC)
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