One Lancaster house escaped the destruction. One of the Union
soldiers was a man named Biafogle who had lived in Lancaster some
25 or 30 years earlier. Biafogle had been a journeyman in the shop of
Andrew Mayer and held Mayer (who was also mayor of Lancaster)
in high regard. For five days Biafogle guarded the home of his old
master and protected both Mayer’s home and family. – Pettus
The Rock Hill Herald on April 14, 1887 announced – “Mr. W.H. Kirby who has the contract for grading the 3C’s Railroad from Yorkville to the Ingram Place in Lancaster Co., has moved his family to Rock Hill.”
City Directories and History: One story frame residence built circa 1910. SC historical marker reads: “Maj. Crawfords home. Near this site was the home of Maj. Robert Crawford, where Geo. Washington spent his last night in South Carolina during his southern tour.”
“When George Washington left Camden to traverse the twenty miles to James Ingram’s house at the Hanging Rock battle site, he took the Camden to Salisbury Road, a road that would later connect with the “Great Road to Philadelphia.” The president preferred public accommodations to private homes, but he realized that he was in an area limited to only a few taverns of the most common sort. He spent the night of May 26, 1791, at James Ingram’s.
He was an early riser and liked to ride horseback for two or three hours before breakfasting. General Washington’s second stop was Barr’s Tavern. Nathan Barr was a Revolutionary War lieutenant under Joseph Kershaw. Barr shared a second experience with his commander-in-chief: each bore the disfiguring scars of smallpox. Washington paid for his meal by giving Barr’s young daughter half of a Spanish silver dollar he had cut with his sword. She later gave it to Andrew Mayer, the first mayor of Lancaster.
After leaving Barr’s, Washington continued northward. In his diary he made note, “About 2 miles from the place I came to the corner where the No. Carolina line comes to the Rd.—from whence the road is the boundary for 12 miles or more.” The next stop was at Major Robert Crawford’s home where he spent his last night in South Carolina. Like Barr, Robert Crawford had been a Revolutionary War officer. Numerous citizens of the populous Waxhaws settlement were present to cheer their distinguished visitor. A bountiful picnic dinner was served to all.
He was also met by a delegation of the chiefs of the Catawba Nation who set forth their apprehensions that attempts would be made to deprive them of their land. Washington made note of this meeting in his diary, with a tinge of annoyance at having to deal with the Catawba Indians at that time and place. The next morning he followed the road that had long been the Catawba Indian land boundary. That night, May 28, 1791, he slept at Harrison’s just across the North Carolina line.”
Information courtesy of the Lancaster Co Pictorial History – Pettus, and graphics by Edwin Faires, Surveyor
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