Originally published Sept. 3, 1975

Whenever we find anything regarding Pickens County, the natural thing to do is to photograph it. Sometimes we try to sketch it.

Last Sunday the Hejaz Temple Band of Greenville attended the Lancaseter Shrine Club Day in Lancaster, and since “Old John” is the drummer, he went.

The event brought in several thousand dollars for the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Greenville. All units from the temple participated and made a special spectacle of uniformed splendor.

A delicious barbecue dinner was served at the Shrine Club to all. The day being on the warm side, it was thought that many would be kept away from the parade. But the streets were lined with people for a mile on both sides. Several thousand people stood in the hot sun and seemed to enjoy the performance. Several events followed the parade, and many of our Greenville and Pickens Nobles stayed over for them.

Not being as young as the average, my wife Vern and I decided to leave after the parade. Packing up the snares, brass and cymbals, we took a northenrly route coming back.

As we drove by the old Waxhaw Presbyterian Church, we pulled out under the cool shade of the ancient oak tress in the church yard. Here are the graves of many Revolutionary soldiers and patriots, this being one of the earliest presbyterian Churches in upper South Carolina.

I knew from several accounts that General Andrew Pickens lived near here and attended this church. There are markers erected to all of his brother and sisters, and his mother and father. The markers were placed here by the Waxhaw Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The marker on the extreme right read, “To the memories of Col. Pickens Sr., c. 1690-1756, and wife Ann Davis Pickens, parents of Gen. Andrew Pickens, hero of the Revolution.”

A hundred feet east of the Pickens markers is a grave which bears the following inscription: Andrew Jackson Sr., father of the 7th President. Born in Ireland, died in 1767.

A number of David Crockett’s relatives are also buried here.

Directly in front of this fine old church is a large monument bearing the following information:

Waxhaw Presbyterian Church, organized in 11755 by Scotch Irish. The first church in Upper South Carolina. This seven and one half acre tract was deeded to the congregation by Robert Miller, school teacher and minister, March 9, 1758. The first pastor was the Rev. William Richardson, 1759-1771. The earliest building of longs was used as a hospital for wounded soldiers during the Revolutionary War and was burned by the British. This, the fourth, was built in 1896. Marker erected by Waxhaw Chapter DAR, 1948.

On the reverse side is found, “Gravesite date from 1758. Prominent men buried here: President Jackson’s father; the Rev. William Richardson; General R. Davie, Revolution patriot, founder of the University of North Carolina 1789 and Governor of North Carolina 1789, and Minister to France 1799.

Afterthought: In the words of Seth Catlin, when other bards shall trod these dells, these graves hold the last remains of rugged pioneers who helped make this civilization possible.

Note: Old Waxhaw Presbyterian Church is locate near Lancaster.