PEE DEE QUEUE Excerpts
Vol. 20, No. 2, page 4. Bass Mill
Bass' Mill on Catfish Creek- The old mill site about one and a
half miles
west of Latta, now owned be Mr. Neil Bass- was in 1781 the scene
of a small
skirmish between Whigs and Tories. The mill was at that time known
as Hulin's Mill. Some daring outrages having been committed in
this neighborhood, Col.KOLB came down with the strong party, among
who were Maj. LEMEULBENTON, Capt.JOSEPH DABBS, and JOHN COXE to
redress then. JOHN
DEER was killed just as he reached
the edge of the swamp, and OSBURN LEAN (?) escaped with a broken
arm.
Col. KOLB lived in Marlboro, near what is now Society Hill bridge,
and the
Tories on Catfish, goaded to desperation by his recent success
in scattering and punishing some of their favorite leaders conjecturing
that his force would be scattered to their several homes, determined
to follow at once and surprise him in his home.
About 50 of them accordingly gathered at tart's Mill- now known
as Moody's
Mill- about six miles north of Marion, and from that point they
set out on a foray that resulted in the burning of KOLB's home
and the taking of his life. James in his "Sketch of Marion"
speaks of Gibson as the leader of this band of Tories, but Gregg
say that their leader was unquestionably a Captain JOSEPH JONES,
who lived in the vicinity of Tart's Mill.
Fight in Hillsboro:
Just about the close of the Revolution there was another fight
between the
Whigs and Tories in the fork between the Little Pee Dee and LumberRivers.
It must therefore have been in Hillsboro Township but it's precise
locality is not known. Among the Whigs were JORDAN GIBSON, WILLIAM
and THOMAS NEVILLE,ENOS TART, JOHN BRTHEA. SR., JOHN BETHEA JR.,
and LEVI ODEM. A Torey named COURTNEY was surprised and killed
at a Mr. SHOEMAKER's. A number of Tories were cap but their friends
gathered in sufficient force to retake them and compel the Whigs
to treat with them.
Hope this is some help.
Cindy