Monthly Archives: May 2014
The truth can be a scary thing
On The Way
By Olivia Fowler
Olivia Fowler
The last time I wrote about relations marrying each other, I got into a lot of trouble, as I linked this practice to abnormalities in the offspring of such unions. There were some complaints about this, and some called me insensitive.
After tracing three lines back on my mother’s side, I have discovered that my own family is riddled with marriages between second cousins, so much so that we now know many of what we believed were second cousins are actually also fourth and fifth cousins on different family lines. Now I’m kind of afraid to look too closely into the fourth line on Mama’s side.
Fowler says this explains a lot about my family. And it’s true that there are an awful lot of “forceful” outspoken people in my family. And there are a few Grandmama always referred to as “high-strung,” which of course translates to “crazy.”
For example, “Aunt Sally isn’t able to come to the reunion becomes she’s having a bad time with her nerves.” This means Aunt Sally is at home in a straitjacket or under sedation, or
Dealing with a virus
All About Ben
By Ben Robinson
Today I am dealing with a computer virus. This obviously is a lethal virus, because it is aimed at those of us who are not really that bright.
Ben Robinson
Each time I try to save anything to the computer, a message will come up telling me that I have a virus and suggesting ways I can deal with it. Each way the computer suggests involves me purchasing a program online to solve the problem. It makes one wonder if the virus was not somehow sent with these messages of how to solve the problem. Each one has a price attached for the “savior” program.
So I am here struggling to get this column into the system. Last week I had to write my column twice before I got lucky enough to have it land in a place where it could be used. Of course, if I wrote the column twice, I felt the first one was better.
Rocky said he will work with my computer after deadline, and he’s probably smart enough to fix it. But I’m not, so for the next day or so I will be struggling.
We’re continuing to struggle raising funds for my Kentucky trip. I was going to use my tax refund to cover the cost. As I wrote last week, my state check was used to pay an old hospital bill. So I became nervous about my federal check also being
Berkshire-Pickens wrestlers bring home state championships
FORT MILL — For the second year in a row, Berkshire-Pickens Wrestling Club’s Blake Chandler and Cole Murphy won state championship gold in their respective weight classes in both freestyle and Greco-Roman competitions at the SC-USAW state championships Saturday at Fort Mill High School.
Three other teammates joined the pair in winning state titles in both disciplines — Matt Frey, Kris Murphy and Devan Powell.
Other club members who took home medals were Devon Johnston, who took silver in both styles, McKinnon Stewart and Jacob Rogers who earned silvers in freestyle and Trent Burdette, who earned
Annual Rogers Scholarship golf tournament a success
The first-place winners at this year’s Rogers Scholarship golf tournament were, from left, Zach Martin, Nancy Holcombe, Pam Prescott and David Lackey.
PICKENS — Sixteen teams participated in the 10th annual Charles F. Rogers Scholarship Award Golf Tournament held at Pickens Country Club on May 10. The event, which is held annually, raised money for scholarships that will be awarded to Pickens High School basketball team members who plan to further their education. Each year a senior from the girls and boys varsity basketball teams are awarded the scholarship award.
This will be the eleventh year the scholarship has been presented in honor of the late Charles Rogers, a man who gave so much to Pickens High School as a player and coach for so many years.
“Charles Rogers’ legacy lives through this award,” PHS girls’ coach Butch Morris said. “It is a joy to honor a man that gave so much of his time and talents to Pickens High School, as well as our
Ancestral Civil War Letters (part 2)
The author at Cumberland Gap, location of Confederate Fort Raines, where Mark Cloer wrote.
Doubt, decline and the destiny of duty
By Dr. Tom Cloer, Special to the Courier
Editor’s Note: This is the second of a two-part series on Civil War letters from Courier contributor Dr. Thomas Cloer Jr.
The next Civil War letter is from the oldest Cloer ancestors for whom I have personal letters. John B. Cloer and Aggatha S Cloer are my great-great-great-grandparents. How moving it is for me to see the precious handwriting of these old calloused hands! They were writing just before Christmas 1862 to their son in the Civil War. They mentioned that their son, Mark, had written that he had reunited with his Company. Mark had obviously come home for a November 1862 visit, as he had talked about doing in his correspondence.
Notice the information in this letter about salt. Why would this be important? Coffee, tea, sugar and salt were in very short supply in the mountains during the Civil War. Many of the mountaineers even used okra seeds for coffee during this time. Molasses was used for sugar, but salt was a very different matter. My brother, Nat, and I, growing up in Southern Appalachia during the 1940s and ‘50s, were responsible
Edwards student shows appreciation for teacher
R.C. Edwards Middle School eighth-grade student Alyssa Howard wrote the winning essay in the Papa John’s Teacher Appreciation contest. She wrote about her seventh-grade social studies teacher, Tommy Wright. Howard and Wright were treated to a surprise pizza party recently. In her essay, Howard described Wright as a teacher who always listened to her and helped her understand social studies better. She said, “I did not enter this contest for me. I entered for Wright.” Howard considers Wright family and even asked him to be her grandfather. The Edwards faculty is proud of Howard for writing the winning essay and proud of having a giving, respected teacher such as Wright.
Liberty Police offer annual summer camp
LIBERTY — Each year, the Liberty Police Department offers a summer camp for kids from 10-13 years old.
The camp is held at the Liberty Middle School gym and meets Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Campers play games at the school and are given information useful in avoiding drugs, gangs and alcohol. They are also given classes on being safe. Campers also go on field trips to a Greenville Drive baseball game, the Discovery Island waterpark, zoos, bowling, skating and movies.
Each camper is given a T-shirt and lunch, and all admisions fees are included in the price. The fee does not have to be turned in immediately, but the application should be returned immediately to reserve your place
Obituaries 5-21-14
Bessie Patterson Gilstrap
Easley — Bessie Patterson Gilstrap, age 94, died Tuesday May 13, 2014.
She was the last surviving member of her immediate family. She was a member of Rice’s Creek Baptist Church, Liberty.
Surviving include one daughter; Nancy Fant and husband Frank of Easley, one son; Kenneth Gilstrap and wife Gail of Liberty, six grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and one great great-grandchild.
She was predeceased by two sons; Stan and Steve Gilstrap and one daughter; Toni Evans.
Courier Legals 5-21-14
NOTICE OF SALE
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
COUNTY OF PICKENS
IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
CASE # 2013-CP-39-1142
Pickens Savings and Loan Association, F. A., Plaintiff, vs- Joseph Terry Stewart, a/k/a Joe Terry Stewart; Tim Randolph Stewart; Melanie Suzanne Richards; Ken Towe, Emma Towe, Jose Abel Estrada Citi Bank, N.A., and Discover Bank, Susan Gayle Minyard; Steve Allen Stewart, Lesley Stewart, Olivia Stewart, Zoe Stewart (a minor over the age of Fourteen years) and all other persons unknown claiming
Courier Notice to Creditors 5-21-14
The publisher shall only be liable for an amount less than or equal to the charge for the space of the item in error in the case of errors in or omissions from any advertisement, and only for the first incorrect insertion.
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NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATES
All persons having claims against the following estates MUST file their claims on Form #371ES with the Probate Court of PICKENS COUNTY, the address of which is 222 MCDANIEL AVE., B-16 PICKENS, SC 29671, within eight (8) months after the date of the first publication of this Notice to Creditors or within one (1) year from date of death, whichever is earlier (SCPC 62-3-801, et seq.), or such persons shall be forever barred as to their claims. All claims are required to be presented in written statements on the prescribed form (FORM #371ES) indicating the name and address of the claimant, the basis of the
