Samuel Avon Smith Diary- Accession 284 - M121 (154)

The Samuel Avon Smith Diary is a journal written Samuel Avon Smith who was a Confederate soldier during the American Civil War (Company H, 5th Regiment, SC) and a doctor. The journal was written from ca. 1830-1876 or beyond (some pages have been destroyed). The first part is a reminiscence of his life from 1830 to ca. 1873 and from that point on he gives a monthly account of life in Bullock’s Creek, SC. Subjects covered in the journal are the battles of Manassas and Seven Pines, Confederate Troops at Leesburg, the reorganization of the Confederate Army, the march to Richmond, the conditions of the troops, wounds received at the battle of Seven Pines and his medical treatment at the Confederate hospital in Manchester, Virginia, his education at the Ebenezer Academy and the Medical College of SC in Charleston; his life, practice, and health conditions in Gaston County, NC, Lincoln County, NC, and in Bullock’s Creek, SC; and sentiments towards the reconstruction government and Ku Klux Klan. There is also mention of a conflict between Blacks and Whites in Chester County, SC in 1871.

York County Photographs - Accession 38 - M13 (23)

One photograph depicts, the “Klan Oak” located 2 miles south of Fort Mill, Route #36. Tradition says the Ku Klux Klan in the Eastern part of York County in late 1800s gathered here. The other photograph is the school established on Saluda Street by Willie Chisholm for purpose of training black females as maids.