The Yorkville Enquirer reported on Sept. 8, 1881 – “The gin house of Sarrat Brothers situated on Bullock’s Creek, was destroyed by fire on Aug. 25th.”
The Rock Hill Herald reported on Aug. 2, 1883 – “On July 22, the new dwelling house of the Rev. W.W. Ratchford of Bullock’s Creek Township was destroyed by fire. The fire originated in the old dwelling about sixty feet from the new one. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ratchford were burned while removing their furnishings from the building. The loss is estimated at about $2,000.”
The Rock Hill Herald reported on July 28, 1887 – “The trestles for the 3 C’s RR over Bullock’s Creek and Kings Creek are being built.”
City Directories and History: This site is a misc. group of pictures and data on individuals who once lived in and around the Bullock’s Creek community.
In the latter days of this century a small dispute arose over the proper spelling of “Bullock’s Creek” –some contend that it should have neither the apostrophe nor the “s”. Oddly some say that it is proper for the creek to carry both, but that the community and church should not. Some have even imagined that the creek derived it name from the presence of bullocks in the area. At one time a road sign on the south side of the community was spelled with the ‘s and on the north side it was absent. The Bullock’s Creek Fire Department has one truck baring the elusive ‘s while the other does not. Some years age, the voting precinct was changed from ” Bullock’s Creek” to “Bullock Creek” and has not been corrected since.
The earliest documents (deeds, grants, letters and military communications) all use the ‘s when speaking of the creek, the church and the general area. The name is derived from a family of early settlers by the name of Bullock; hence the ‘s in it name. Zachariah Bullock, an early settler and surveyor for the King, was living on the Pacolet River in the mid 1700’s.
Sometime around the second decade of the twentieth century, the ‘s was being dropped in the local newspapers. While The Herald, which is based on the eastern side of the county, was the greater offender, The Yorkville Enquirer, based on the western side, consistently used the elusive ‘s. By the 1930’s many of the area’s people were writing and pronouncing the name without the ‘s. However it is more proper, historically and traditionally to use the ‘s.
The tiny, quiet community of Bullock’s Creek sits a top a hill on a ridge between Turkey Creek and the Broad River. From the north side of the community, Crowders Mountain in North Carolina, some twenty-five miles to the north, can be seen. From the summit, one may look out over the Broad River basin, and at night, the lights of York, Chester, Union, Lockhart, Santuc and Spartanburg may be seen. On a clear, crisp day in the winter, the smoke stacks and water tanks at Union may be seen and occasionally the Blue Ridge Mountains, sixty miles to the west.
The community, which sprang up around the Presbyterian Church, was situated near the intersection of two important Indian Trails. The Cherokee Path to the Catawbas ran east to west (now known as Highway 322) intersected with the Catawba’s Path to the Lower Cherokee Villages which ran from the Catawba westward an turned southward near the present-day town of York. This pat, widened to accommodate wagons, was later known as the Yorkville-Pinckneyville Road. Five miles east of the community and just above Turkey Creek, the Cherokee Path intersected with another path coming up for the south. This road also played an important role in the history of the area.
Oddly enough, the 1820 map of York County by Robert Mills does not show the Bullock’s Creek Presbyterian meeting house. While this oversight cannot be explained; it is widely recognized there were numerous oversights in Mills’ maps. By the time the map was drawn, the area was thickly settled (it has become a seat of population by (1790) and the Presbyterians had built their second meeting house, thirty-six years prior to the map.
By 1840, the Bullock’s Creek area was considered to be prospering and had several small businesses in full operation. An advertisement in the Yorkville Enquirer in 1860, described the community, “the health of the locality and the morality of the community is equal to any in the state.” In March of 1959, Elizabeth Reed, who wrote many historical articles for the Evening Herald, described it thusly: “Bullock’s Creek community abounds in houses that are around a century old. And all were built by sturdy Irish Presbyterians who found the center of community life in old Bullock’s Creek Presbyterian Church.”. Since the time Ms. Reed wrote the article in 1959, the face of the community has changed drastically. Many of the homes have been torn down or returned to the dust like their builders. Now only a few stones mark the final resting places of both.
Click on the More Information > link found below the picture column for additional data or pictures. (Education at Bullock’s Creek by Jerry West)
*** The Bullock’s Creek Post Office was operated by Thomson McCluney from 1832-1835.
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PINCKNEYVILLE, BULLOCKS CREEK Boomed with Travel, Business By Rev. Jerry West
The Pinckneyville Ferry Road, running from Yorkville to Pinckneyville in Union County, was but one segment of a stagecoach route from Philadelphia to Charleston. The stagecoaches were driven four horses to the coach and were changed every 10 miles. As the coach neared the ferry on the Yorkville side of the Broad River, the driver would blow one long blast as a warning of his approach and one short blast for each passenger he was carrying to alert the innkeeper at Pinckneyville for needed accommodations.
village for shows. He says that on one occasion after the circus was enjoyed, it proceeded to cross into York County by way of the ferry, but an elephant balked at the idea and was so persistent that it had to be shot.
User comments always welcome - please post at the bottom of this page.
William Cranford says
Thank you for the information on this page, I recently found out that a lot of my family hails from here, and in fact are buried in the local cemetery, I am wondering where I can find additional records on the people who lived here.
rradmin says
Local historian and author, Jerry L. West, who was buried yesterday at the cemetery created a wonderful collection at the Museum of Western York County in Sharon, S.C. The Historical Center of York County at the McCelvey Center in York, also has materials.
Cynthia Plaxco wilburn says
I am researching my family history, my maiden name is Plaxco. I am wondering if you have any information on Henry Plexico’s part in the revolutionary war and why his name was included on the Bullock Creek Cemetery revolutionary marker. Any information would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance,
Cindy
Glenda Watson says
I know that race relations historically were of issue in the South for various reasons.. However, my African-American ancestors lived in Bullock’s Creek, York County, South Carolina from the early to late 1800s. They were the Amzi Rainey family (may have been spelled “Amzie”. It’s my understanding that they lived on an area of land owned by a Mr. Gill. Please pass on any historical information you may have on the Rainey family and their contributions to Bullock’s Creek, York County, South Carolina. Thank you.
rradmin says
Two R&R.com site will get you a little closer. Open the York County section and enter Gill in the search box. The Gill House Ruins will be listed on Hord Rd., this is most likely your best connection. Just up the hill for the Gill Plantation was that of the Rainey’s, listed on Lockhart Road. Take a look at these two and hopefully this might assist you! We have posted your querie as part of the dialogue on the Gill farm and hopefully others will also reply.
Wade@R&R.com