Along the Jefferson Davis Trail
He left the house in the morning of May 1st and in 1.5 miles the Jefferson Davis Road terminates on the Mountville Road. Davis left Lafayette Young’s house at 9:00 a. m. on May 1st and stopped at the home of Griffin Williams (located today across from the junction of Jefferson Davis Road and Mountville Road.) Sloan quotes the diary of Emma Watts Davis who witnessed the event. “‘Great tears rolled down his face’” as he spoke. “‘He rode off with a graceful bow and wave of his hand. . . .’” General Bragg arrived a few minutes later and also spoke to the crowd. A right hand turn on the Mountville road and 1.3 miles (total of 2.8) leads to a left hand turn from the Mountville Road onto the Puckett Ferry Road. In 4.1 miles (total of 6.9 miles) the Puckett Ferry Road merges with Highway 72 at Cross Hill. [Highway 72 travels west, crosses Lake Greenwood after an estimated 6.6 miles for an estimated total of 13.5 miles but the exact route of the Puckett Ferry Road is unknown.] Sloan noted that the Davis’ party watered their horses at John Carter’s sixty-five foot well about a mile west of Cross Hill….
Information researched and provided R&R.com by James Gettys – 1.14.19
City Directories and History: Recorded in 1978, as the Carter home by the survey team recording historic properties in Laurens County. The home appears to have been constructed in circa 1840’s.
Image taken of the home by the Blythe Collection – ca. 1982
Image courtesy of the Laurens County Sketchbook – J. S. Bolick, Artist – Author
“Before coming to Cane Creek, Jefferson Davis’ troops stopped at the Carter home near Cross Hill to water their horses. This is said to have been the last stop made by the group before leaving Laurens County on their flight from Richmond, Virginia, in ‘1865.”
Information from: The Laurens County Sketchbook, Author – J.S. Bolick, 1973
R&R Note: Observe on the map below, just north of Cross Hill several Carter families were residing in the area both: A.E. Carter and J.N. Carter.
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ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF THE CARTER HOME ca. 1983
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Did this Carter family have slaves?
Hi, We do not know for sure but it would be our thought, that yes, they had a small number, certainly not considered large planters or slave holders. You should look at the 1850 and 1860 Federal Census reports for the answer to your question. Thanks for using R&R!