THE COMMUNITY

The greater community that includes Cottageville and Round O was once known as "THE ROUND O". This area was settled in the mid 1700s as a buffer zone between Charleston and the Indians. Transportation, land, tools and food supplies were provided to those settlers by the English government. Produce for markets were primarily rice and naval stores. Cultivation of rice in this area was largely abandoned by the time of the Revolutionary War. In the 1830s, 40s and 50s, many people moved into this community to grow cotton. In 1850, cotton sold for $2.00 a pound. A farmer could get filthy rich off of cotton.

EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS

There were three prominent immigrants from Europe: Stephen Clyde Ackerman who came from Germany in the 1740s to live in the buffer zone. He settled on the Augusta Road near Gruber's store. Abraham Willis came from Holland in the early 1800s. He ran the ferry at Givhans and married a local girl whose name was Anna Adams. George Peirce came from England in the early 1850s. He was a peddler traveling the Wire Road and stopped in Murrary's Cross Roads (now Grover) for lodging at the home of Willie Harbeson. In the Harbeson household, there was a daughter named Mary Frances Harbeson. Three weeks later, they were wed. He served in the Civil War and later moved to what would be Cottageville.

THE DURANTS

Henry Hill Durant was a Methodist minister, and no doubt preached in this area. There were no Methodist Churches here at that time. Services were held in brush-arbors or any building that could be pressed into service. He married a lady (Miss Lowery) from Sandy Dam, and there were children. During the Civil War, Durant served as a Chaplain and died with typhoid fever in North Carolina. Two of his daughters finished college in Greenwood and had no place to go. There was a Dr. Johnson who told them of a place that he owned in Round O which was a good place for a day school. The Durant ladies moved here to what is now Gaines Drive at Spring Hill. Soon their mother and siblings were here, and there was a Spring Hill Methodist Church across the branch from Spring Hill Baptist. Tradition indicates that soon the community built a cottage for them, and the day school moved to what is now Cottageville. The Methodist Church at Spring Hill was abandoned, and Round O Methodist Chapel now known as Cottageville Methodist Church was built.

COTTAGEVILLE POST OFFICE

The greater Round O community was growing and was served by a post office at Jacksonberg (Jacksonboro). Smaller communities such as Maple Cane, Rehobeth, Centreville and others wanted their own post office. Stephen Ackerman, Rev. Dr. George Peirce and Captain Ben Willis got together and considered a name for their post office. After considering many names, they selected the name "COTTAGEVILLE" in honor of the Durant cottage. The year was 1878. An application was made to the Postal Service, and in 1879, a post office was authorized for Cottageville and Round O. The Rehobeth/Spring Hill community was served by Sheridan post office located across Highway 651 from the Tillman Bazzel place. Maple Cane was served by "MAPLE" post office located near where Stoney Blanton lives now. These post offices were located in stores. The post masters received no pay. It was enough that people had to visit the store to get mail. The Durant cottage is now a part of the Fraiser home just behind the Methodist Church.

COTTAGEVILLE CEMETERY

In the mid 1880s, the movers and shakers decided that the Cottageville Community needed a Cemetery. On a Sunday afternoon, Rev. Dr. George Peirce, Dr. A. E. Williams and Captain Ben Willis rode over the community on horseback. They selected a spot, and Rev. Dr. Peirce dismounted knelt and prayed a prayer, dedicating this spot for its intended use. The land belonged to Captain Ben's mother. She agreed with the men and gave two acres for white people and two acres for colored people. The colored cemetery is called Fox cemetery and is located across the branch from the Cottageville Methodist Cemetery. The oldest tombstone in the Cottageville Cemetery is not on the oldest grave. Daisy Eleonor Ackerman as an infant was butted to death by a goat. She was buried in the Ackerman Cemetery at Red Oak. Later, her remains and tombstone were moved to Cottageville.

RAILROADS

Once Cottageville was served by regular scheduled passenger rail service. The railroad was the "Hampton and Branchville". The depot was located on Depot Road, about three tenths of a mile from the Cottageville Highway.

DUELS

The grounds of the Methodist Church were spacious and centrally located. They served the school, as well as hitching for mules, etc. My grandfather told me of two men who challenged each other to a duel with walking sticks. Each was beaten bloody on the Church grounds. This is all I know about that.

ELECTRICITY

About 1933, S. C. E&G brought electricity into the town. Early electricians were Jay Campbell and Arnold Hill. Electricity made running water and indoor plumbing feasible. The Methodist Church sold the land where J. W.'s Tire store is now to install plumbing in the parsonage.

INCORPORATION

The town was first incorporated about 1928, but gave the incorporation up in 1933. The light bill was $2.00 a month, was behind and no one would be the Mayor.

EDISTO RIVER

The name "EDISTO" is an Indian word which means "THE PEOPLE WHO SPRINKLE WATER ON THEIR HEADS". The river provides many sites for baptisms, as well as fishing. Baptist Churches that locate too far from the river make other arrangements. Spring Hill Baptist used to baptize in Spring Hill Branch, just on the west side of the bridge on Highway 651. Round O Baptist dug a pool that is still visible alongside the Jacksonboro Highway near the "OLD ROUND O" Baptist cemetery.