By Lynda Abegg
For the Courier

news@thepccourier.com

SENECA — Want to find out if there are any skeletons hiding in the closet? Mildred Brewer not only knows how to find out, she provides instructions on how to start the quest.

As a certified Daughters of the American Revolution genealogist, Brewer considers it her mission to help people find their Revolutionary War ancestors.

“Of course, you may run into all sorts of interesting relatives along the way,” Brewer said.

Her presentation is part of the Reunion of Upcountry Families. In its sixth year, the three-day event is for families whose heritage goes back to the Old Pendleton District, which is comprised of the present-day counties of Anderson, Oconee and Pickens.

The free event will include genealogy workshops and cemetery tours. The final day, Saturday, will be devoted to family history, with a large display of family photos, old family Bibles and other items from local families at Southern Wesleyan University in Central.

The event will kick off on March 10 at the Captain Kimberly Hampton Memorial Library in Easley. Brewer will present a seminar entitled “Finding your Revolutionary War Ancestor with DAR Resources.”

“The DAR Library has one of the best collections of genealogical records, and there is so much history in this area,” Brewer said.

Brewer will explain how to use pension records, birth certificates and the census to locate ancestors. To register for Brewer’s seminar, call (864) 850-7077, ext. 112.

The DAR Library collection contains more than 225,000 books, 10,000 research files, thousands of manuscript items and special collections of African American, Native American and women’s history, genealogy and culture.

In its sixth year, the Reunion of Upcountry Families helps folks explore their heritage through a genealogical journey.

Nearly 40,000 family histories and genealogies comprise a major portion of the book collection, many of which are rare or available in only a few libraries in the country.

As part of the Reunion of Upcountry Families, Quientell Walker will conduct a seminar entitled “Heritage Quest and Revolutionary War Records.” Walker has a master’s degree in library science and is in charge of the historical room at the Captain Kimberly Hampton Memorial Library.

He has been interested in genealogy since he was a kid and takes pride in the historical room that contains more than 3,000 books, church histories, family histories and 1,500 rolls of microfilm from local newspapers. To register for Walker’s seminar, call (864) 850-7077, ext. 112.

“The thing I like most about my job is that I get to spend my time doing historical research, and history has always fascinated me,” Walker said.

Walker located the deed dated 1888 for land in Oconee County that was given to his ancestor, a former slave, as payment for his labor.

“That land is still being passed down by my family,” Walker added.

The Friday session will begin with a tour of the Eastatoe Valley.

“We will meet at McKinney Chapel and tour the Anderson and Nimmons cemeteries, as well as the Old Pickens Church and cemetery, ending with dinner at Collins Ole Town in Central,” event co-chair Anne Sheriff said.

Sheriff is also curator of the Clayton Genealogical Room at SWU, as well as curator of the Central History Museum.

The Saturday session will be held at SWU, with historic displays from area families and local genealogical and historical associations.

“That’s when people set up tables to display the old family Bibles and photographs and maps,” Sheriff said.

According to SWU assistant director of communications Ed Welch, Sheriff is a dedicated local historian and has been a guiding force, not only for the Clayton room, but with making the Reunion of Upcountry families the success it is today.

For information on any of the specific events, contact Kenny Blakeney at (864) 898-0840 or kblakeney@live.com.

• East Side Baptist plans fishing clinic

East Side Baptist Church will host a free bass fishing clinic on Saturday, March 12, at 1 p.m. The speaker will be Bassmaster Terry Chupp.

East Side is located at 920 Anderson Drive in Liberty. For more information, call the church office at (864) 843-6481.

• PHS class of 1956 set to hold reunion

The Pickens High School Class of 1956 is planning a reunion for April 9. It will be a dutch lunch at The Gatehouse Restaurant at the corner of Ann and Griffin streets in Pickens. It will begin at noon.

Make your reservations by calling Allison Dalton at (864) 859-4396, Marie Welborn at (864) 878-9124 or Tunkie Stokes at (864) 878-6101.

• Azalea Fest pancake breakfast scheduled

For the second year in a row, the Pickens Azalea Festival Committee will be hosting its annual pancake breakfast.

The event will be held at the Pickens Senior Center on Saturday, March 5, with all proceeds going to support the 32nd annual Pickens Azalea Festival, set for April.

Tickets can be purchased for $6 from 7-11 a.m. for plates including eggs, bacon or sausage, pancakes, grits, or biscuit and gravy, coffee or orange juice.

• Classes offered at Hagood Center

New Fiber Room Center activities at the Hagood Center in Pickens have been scheduled for February.

Below is a list of the center’s regular activities:

Monday: 10-11:30 a.m. — cathedral window quilts with Jacquie. Tuesday: 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. — weaving with Pat; 9-11:30 a.m. — doll clothes with Jacquie; 10-11:30 a.m. — yo-yos with Irene and prayer shawls and cancer caps with Sharon (in the library). Wednesday: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. — weaving with Pat (in the heritage room); 10-11:30 a.m. — knitting with Tally. Thursday: 10-11:30 a.m. quilting with Sara; 1:30-3:30 p.m. — rug hooking with Cheryl.

• Six Mile Farmers Market seeks vendors

The town of Six Mile is looking for vendors at the Six Mile Farmers Depot for the 2016 season. The market starts the third Thursday in April and runs through the last Thursday in September.

Vendors may sell plants, flowers, vegetables, fruit and arts and crafts. Cakes, pies, jams and jellies produced in a DHEC-approved kitchen may also be sold. The Six Mile Farmers Market is located on Main Street in Six Mile in the old fire department building next to Town Hall. The market features 18 vendor stations inside and has room outside for several more.

If interested, contact market manager Jim Hayes at (864) 650-5078 or james_hayes@sixmilesc.org.

• Hannah-Patterson Reunion planned

The annual Hannah-Patterson Reunion will be held at Mountain Grove Baptist Church near Pickens this Saturday at noon and Sunday at 1 p.m.

Descendants of Oliver Monroe Hannah and Henry Jackson Patterson are encouraged to bring a well-filled lunch basket and enjoy fellowship with family. Paper products will be provided. Join either day or both days.

PICKENS — Patti Gonzalez invites those who enjoy creating bobbin lace, and everyone who wishes to learn more about it, to join her and other bobbin lacers in the Granger Fiber Arts room at the Senior Center of Pickens beginning with the bobbin lace two-hour session at the Gathering on Appalachian Life this Saturday, Feb. 27.

Gonzalez’s male and female students range in age from 14 to senior adults.

Patti Gonzalez makes Pickens-Pu’kintown Lace. Gonzalez will lead a two-hour bobbin lace session during the Gathering on Appalachian Life this Saturday in Pickens.

Gonzales has been fortunate to study bobbin lace with Robin Lewis-Wild in Lewis-Wild’s home in Mineral Bluff, Ga. Lewis-Wild is an internationally recognized lacer known for publishing book using color coded diagrams for instruction which reduces confusion among bobbin lace terms and techniques used by different lacing communities in America and abroad. Lewis-Wild teaches bobbin lace at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, N.C. She has offered the Senior Center of Pickens Inc. her framed collection of nearly 100 handmade bobbin lace pieces from the book, four antique pillows with lace attached and her bobbin lace library of 250-300 titles. Her library includes lace patterns, rare and out-of-print bobbin lace books, and current texts. The public will be invited to visit her library and collection of fine lace and antique pillows once they have been prepared for display.

Lewis-Wild was commissioned by the Tennessee Valley Authority to produce a multi-story, three-panel bobbin lace hanging which hung in the atrium of the authority’s office building in Chattanooga. Pictures of this three-piece hanging, the crane hoisting one of the panels and Lewis-Wild working on a specially built table necessary for her to create the hangings are also included with her collection.

In the 1980s, Lewis-Wild came to Pickens to meet with Betty Dalton and teach a small group of ladies to make bobbin lace. In the 1990s, Dalton introduced Lucy Harward and her friends to Lewis-Wild. Since then, Harward has studied bobbin lace with Lewis-Wild at John C. Campbell Folk School and in Lewis-Wild’s home on occasion.

During 2015, Lewis-Wild designed an original lace pattern for Lucy and Dale Harward. The Harwards requested that the motifs in the lace include pumpkins. This lace was specifically designed for the Pickens-Pumpkintown area and has been named Pickens-Pu’kintown Lace. The Harwards own the master patterns for this lace. The patterns will be shared with bobbin lace students and accomplished lacers at the Senior Center of Pickens. Both Gonzalez and Harward have made pieces of the Pickens-Pu’kintown Lace which are on display in the Granger Fiber room along with other lace made by them and Gonzalez’s students.

Even today, many Americans do not know what bobbin lace is. It is handmade lace made with threads which are first wound onto bobbins and then braided, crossed and twisted in a variety of techniques to create intricate lace patterns. The threads are woven over patterns called prickings and held in place on firm pillows by straight pins until a section or motif of the design is complete. Once the pins are removed, the lace retains its shape and design.

Traditionally bobbin lace was made with precious metals, linen, silk or wool threads. Later it was made with cotton threads. It was largely made by the poor, but used for the decoration of clothing for the rich and famous. Even though most lace worn in the colonies was ordered from London in the late 18th century, it is documented that up to 41,000 yards of black laces and white edgings were produced in one year by more than 600 workers in Ipswich, Mass. Bobbin lace-making flourished as a cottage industry along the northeastern coast until the advent of the net machines in the early Nineteenth Century when lacers turned to the more lucrative business of embroidered net. Bobbin lace groups continue to make lace for pleasure in the Appalachian region and throughout the country. There are bobbin lacers in Hendersonville, Asheville, Atlanta, Greenville, Columbia and Charleston to mention a few areas nearby.

Handmade lace can take an hour or more per square inch to make, so placing a monetary value on it is difficult to do. Little is made and even less is sold. In 2009, Lorelei Halley said lace-makers should market their handmade lace as wearable art the same as modern high-priced dress designers market their $20,000.00 dresses. An internet search on Feb. 8 listed two bobbin lace patterns for sale. Baby lace, about one half inch in width, was available for $16.45 for six inches. A shell design about 1 inch wide was available for $69.95 for six inches. The Granger Fiber room teaches participants to make their own bobbin lace, both for the pleasure of making lace for one’s family and friends and also to make it more affordable for those who appreciate it.

There are some locations for fine collections of old bobbin lace in the United States. These include the Cooper Union Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Gardiner Museum in Boston, and the Art Institute in Chicago. The current Southeast director of the International Organization of Lace is familiar with Lewis-Wild’s work. She does not question that the Robin Lewis-Wild Bobbin Lace Library and Collection to be housed in the Senior Center of Pickens is the most valuable and complete in the area. She is helping Harward verify this by sending out a survey asking for known bobbin lace libraries and collections among the guilds in the Southeast.

Gonzalez will lead the two-hour bobbin lace session at the Gathering on Appalachian Life on Saturday. The bobbin lace sessions will be held in the Granger Fiber Arts room at the Senior Center of Pickens. Participants will need to pre-register for the two-hour session. Registration may be online or by stopping by the Granger Fiber Room at the Senior Center or the Pickens Chamber of Commerce at 222 W. Main St. to pick up a registration form. The bobbin lace session will be held from 2:15-4:30 p.m. in the Granger Fiber Room. It is very important to pre-register for the two hours of instruction to make sure that an adequate number of supplies is provided. Pillows, patterns, pins, wound bobbins and instructions will be provided at no cost above the registration fee. These supplies and the Torchon background the participants create during the session will become the property of the participants. Participants will be welcomed to join the Granger Fiber Arts Lacers and attend regularly scheduled bobbin lace sessions in the future in the Granger room at the Senior Center at 129 Schoolhouse St. in Pickens.

Contact Harward at (864) 419-1794 or daleandlucy@gmail.com with questions.

By Ben Robinson

Courier Staff

brobinson@thepccourier.com

PICKENS — In a meeting rescheduled due to Presidents Day, Pickens City Council approved a contract for $155,000 with Durham-Greene Inc. last week to construct a roof for the city’s amphitheater.

“It will be real similar to the original design,” city administrator Bruce Evilsizor said. “This will be $25,000 cheaper than the original.”

The roof is on track to be finished by Memorial Day.

“This will be better for the band,” Evilsizor said. “Some bands simply won’t come unless you have a roof.”

The amphitheater series is set to begin the first week of June, with the Folsom Prison Gang set to visit on June 4. The Jamie Wright Experience will be in town on June 11, followed by Soul Ripple on June 18, Blues Revival on June 25, Last Road Bluegrass on July 2, Splitshot on July 9, The TruTones on July 16, Itchy and the Chiggers on July 23, Juke Box 45 on July 30, Sweet Potato Pie Kids on Aug. 6, Jake Gill Band on Aug. 13, The Shawn James Band on Aug. 20 and The Hired Help on Aug. 27.

Bands will play from 7-10 p.m., and admission is free.

STATE — Do you have land with important natural, agricultural, or historic resources, or advise someone who does?

Hundreds of landowners of remarkable privately owned forests and farms across our region have chosen to permanently protect their properties though conservation agreements. These lands preserve the rural culture of our region, keep our air and water clean, provide local sources of food, maintain habitat for wildlife and native plant species, protect scenic views, and sometimes preserve important historic lands and structures. We all owe deep gratitude to these landowners, who quietly and faithfully manage these protected private lands that benefit us all.

A conservation agreement (also called a conservation easement) is a contract between a landowner and a qualified land trust, like Upstate Forever, which allows the owner to permanently restrict certain undesirable uses on their property. It is also a useful tool for landowners who plan to gift or sell their land, but want to ensure it remains a farm or forest.

This agreement is permanent and remains with the land even after it has been sold, gifted, or willed to heirs. Conservation agreements typically prevent land uses such as residential subdivisions, commercial or industrial operations, and mining, while allowing traditional rural land uses, such as farming, grazing, hunting, and timbering. The terms of a conservation agreement are negotiable, and vary greatly depending on the landowner’s intentions for their property and the conservation values being protected. A conservation agreement never allows public access unless it is the express desire of the landowner.

There are significant federal, state and estate tax benefits for qualifying landowners who enter into a conservation agreement. These benefits help offset the loss in value between the most profitable use of the property (such as selling the farm for industrial development) and the value under the terms of the conservation agreement, which keeps the land essentially as it is today. The federal tax incentives for conservation were significantly and permanently increased at the end of 2015.

There has never been a better time to learn about your conservation options and the tax benefits they may include. Upstate Forever is presenting a conference in four regional locations to provide a comprehensive overview of conservation agreements and their benefits. These events are March 1, 9 a.m.-noon. at Wade’s Restaurant in Spartanburg; March 1, 3-6 p.m. at Tommy’s Ham House in Greenville; March 3, 9 a.m.-noon at the Lighthouse Restaurant in Seneca; and March 3, 3-6 p.m. at Lee’s Barbecue in Waterloo. The cost is only $20 for landowners and $75 for professionals seeking continuing education credits, and includes a meal. Visit upstateforever.org/your-land-your-legacy/ for more information or to register.

Anyone with question about conservation agreements are encouraged to contact us at 864-250-0500 ext. 26 or landtrust@upstateforever.org.

Dr. Raul Chavez, associate professor of Southern Wesleyan University’s School of Business, was the featured speaker at the first in a series of luncheons on Feb. 10 at Baptist Easley Hospital. The topic for February was key management skills for supervisors. Chavez unpacked essential components of leadership, followed by some interactive exercises. The free series, designed for current managers and emerging leaders, is being offered on the second Wednesday of each month at Noon at Baptist Easley. A partnership of Southern Wesleyan University with Baptist Easley Hospital and the Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce is making the series possible. For details or registration, contact the chamber office at (864) 859-2693.

COUNTY — Would you like to learn how to play the guitar, banjo, fiddle or mandolin? Enrollment is now underway for the Appalachian Evening Music Program. The winter session will begin the “week of” Monday, March 14, at various locations. The enrollment period is open now and will run through Thursday, March 17.

This program is open to students from third grade through adults of all ages. It is designed to teach students to play Appalachian music with the guitar, banjo, fiddle or mandolin. The cost is $60 for a six-week session and $25 for instrument rental, if needed.

Anyone interested in signing up for this new session should contact one of the following program directors:

In Easley, the classes will be on Tuesday nights at the First Baptist Church. Contact: Susan Ware-Snow at (864) 979-9188 or susu9196@gmail.com.

In Pickens, the classes will be on Monday and Thursday nights at the Pickens Community Center. To enroll, contact Steve McGaha at (864) 283-4871 or blindpunkin54@yahoo.com

 In Six Mile, the classes will be on Monday nights. For more information, contact Jan Nations at  (864) 608-3171 or jhnations64@aol.com

The Evening Music Program is sponsored by Preserving Our Southern Appalachian Music Inc. (POSAM), a charitable nonprofit organization. For more information on the Young Appalachian Musicians (YAM) program, visit www.YAMupstate.com, Facebook: “YAM (Young Appalachian Musicians),” or contact Betty McDaniel (director) at (864) 878-4257 or mcdanibw1@gmail.com.

COUNTY — Pickens County is now accepting accommodations tax funding applications for projects for the 2015-2016 fiscal year from organizations involved in tourism-related activities or projects.

These funds, collected from Pickens County Accommodations Tax, are intended to be used to further the growth of the tourism industry in Pickens County by attracting or providing for tourists.

The distribution of these funds is approved by Pickens County Council who receives recommendations from the Pickens County Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee. This committee will determine its recommendations on completed Funding Request Applications received and will be meeting during the month of March 2016 to review these applications. The deadline for the receipt of all funding applications is February 26.

Any Pickens County organization whose efforts primarily involve or affect area tourism efforts is encouraged to apply for potential funding.

Funding request applications can be obtained by writing the Pickens County Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee at 222 McDaniel Ave. No. B-2, Pickens, SC 29671, by phone at (864) 868-2196, by e-mail at dalep@co.pickens.sc.us, or online at co.pickens.sc.us/documents/.

PICKENS — For the second year in a row, the Pickens Azalea Festival Committee will be hosting its annual pancake breakfast.

The event will be held at the Pickens Senior Center on Saturday, March 5, with all proceeds going to support the 32nd annual Pickens Azalea Festival set for April.

Tickets can be purchased for $6 from 7-11 a.m. for plates including eggs, bacon or sausage, pancakes, grits, or biscuit and gravy, coffee or orange juice.