The Rock Hill Herald reported on May 27, 1886 – “Mr. A. Sydney White has just completed a map of the Village of Fort Mill. He says the population is about 400.” The Herald reported on Nov. 4, 1886 – “Mr. W. Garl Brown, a celebrated portrait painter of Washington D.C. is doing some work for one of Fort Mill’s citizens.” (Unknown)
The Rock Hill Herald reported on Sept. 11, 1940 – “J.G. Sassi, the Rock Hill monument maker, has cleaned the monuments in Fort Mill’s Confederate Park.”
City Directories and History: The Herald reported on Jan. 8, 1896 – “Everything is ready now for the new monument to be erected in the park at Fort Mill except the statue representing the women of the Confederacy. This work is being done in Italy and will be an exceptional piece of art.”

View of the Confederate Monument in 1905. Courtesy of the Tucker Collection
The Rock Hill Herald reported on April 8, 1880 – “Culp and Brother have moved their steam saw mill temporarily to the upper portion of Lancaster County.”
The Enquirer reported on May 6, 1891 – “The Jeff Davis survivors association of Fort Mill is starting a movement to erect a monument to the soldiers who went to the war from this vicinity. A committee has been formed. The monument is to be located on the vacant square between the band and depot.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on Dec. 2, 1891 – “Mr. J.M. Spratt of Fort Mill, a member of the soldier’s monument committee, was in Chester last week to see how Mr. Childs was getting along with the monument. He was very pleased with the work.” (The dedication of the Confederate monument will be on Dec. 22, 1891 at noon. The committee for the monument is: Samuel E. White, Chairman, J.M. Spratt, J.H. Thornwell, L.N. Culp, J.C. Jones, and S.H. Epps.)
The YV Enquirer reported on Dec. 16, 1891 – “The Confederate Monument in Fort Mill will be unveiled on Dec. 22. It will cost considerably more than $1,000. Confederate veterans will meet at Cleburne and Booth streets and will march to the park under command of Capt. Samuel E. White. The march will be led by the Gold Hill Bank playing Dixie, there will be prayer led by Dr. J.B. Mack and other music and speeches. Six maimed will unveil the monument: A.H. Merritt, Frank C. Harris, R.G. Graham, D.G. Bennett, and S.L. Laney and W.C. Perry. Two of these men have one arm and the others one leg.”
The YV Enquirer reported on Jan. 10, 1894 – “Fort Mill has been improved by the addition of 30 gasoline lamps, placed on all the principal street.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on April 11, 1894 – “A fire in Fort Mill taking place on April 9th, destroyed eight buildings. Included were the drugstores of Barron Mills, and Dr. Y.S. Kirkpatrick, two unoccupied storerooms, the P.O., a dwelling occupied by a negro names Laney, the beef market of Harris and Drummond, and the shoe shops of S.L. Laney and Mr. Billue (Bellou).”
The Rock Hill Herald reported on May 16, 1896 – “The monuments erected to the Women of the Confederacy and the Slaves of the Confederacy by Capt. Samuel E. White of Fort Mill, will be unveiled at that place next Thursday. On May 23, the Herald contained a long history of the project. And later on May 27 the Herald stated, “The next monument erected will be to the Catawba Indians.”
The Herald reported on July 28, 1900 – “Mr. J.M. Spratt informed the Fort Mill Times that the Catawba Indian monument which is to be erected in Confederate park by himself and Capt. S.E. White, will arrive this week. Next week about fifty of the Catawba tribe will visit Fort Mill to see the monument and enjoy a picnic lunch prepared by the ladies of Fort Mill. Ben Harris, son of John Harris who fought in the Civil War will deliver a speech.”
The Herald reported on Aug. 4, 1900 – Dedication of the Catawba Indian Monument – Which Took Place Today, “Other monuments in the park include the Confederate Soldier dedicated Dec. 22, 1891, the Women of the South dedicated on May 21, 1895, and the Faithful Slave Monument dedicated on May 24, 1895. “
Yorkville Enquirer, Thursday, November 7, 1861
Fort Mill Ladies’ Aid Association
The letter to the YE noted papers had given notice of “the patriotic munificence of the ladies in behalf of our suffering and needy soldiers” while Fort Mill Ladies had been working to the same end. But they were “cut off by the Catawba river, and thereby somewhat isolated from our sisters of York and elsewhere,” but they had “a deep interest in the common weal.” They were busy working to the common weal, not to praise themselves. “We would fain hope that our vanity, if we have any in this little work, will be readily pardoned.”
The Fort Mill Association met in the Fort Mill Academy and were assisted by “an auxiliary society, composed of a few ladies of lower Steel Creek,” had the following results of their work. They sent “a large box of woolen shirts, drawers and socks, with a variety of other articles” to the 6th Regiment, SC Volunteers. Mr. A. Huffman was in charge of delivery of this box and it was received safely. In past two weeks this Association made “an entire suit of uniform” for Captain White’s company of the 6th SCVIR and were about to send “a goodly sized box of hospital stores.” Gentlemen of the neighborhood packed and delivered boxes to the depot.
Officers were: Mrs. T. D. Spratt, President; Mrs. Dr. Stewart, Vice President; Mrs. A. B. Springs, Secretary and Mrs. T. B. Withers, Treasurer.
The Board of Managers consisted of Mrs. Benjamin Massey, Mrs. John Stewart, Mrs. J. H. Faulkner and Mrs. George Truesdel.
The Committee to Receive Donations consisted of Mrs. Dr. Wilson, Mrs, Dr. Cobb, Miss Lizzie Watson, Miss Rebecca Faulkner and Mrs. B. J. Patterson.
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Does anyone know the names of the men in the picture of the Confederate Monument in 1905 from the Tucker Collection… Thanks, wmweisbrod@aol.com. Member of the Parks family of Fort Mill