Pickens County Tour, Rocky Bottom

Rocky Bottom

DIRECTIONS: From Main St Pickens take Ann St, US 178 north, out of town and drive up the Mountain Highway for about 17 miles. You'll pass by Hagood Mill, Holly Springs School and Church, cross over Scenic Highway 11 which is a nice ride too, and on up the twisting turning road into the mountains. Along the way you'll pass an old country store, Bob's Place now but use to be called scatterbrain Johnson's Place, it's at a sharp, steep curve and the road on the left goes down into Eastatoe Valley but keep on US 178. After you get over Beasley Mountain you'll get to some flat land, that's Reedy Cove area then it's over and around another mountain and down the curving road into Rocky Bottom. Turn right just after you cross the bridge over Rocky Bottom Creek.

There's another one of them country stores on the left, I dont know who and all owned and operated it over the years, several people and families have to serve the Rocky Bottom commnity. The early 1980's was the last time I remember it being open, the old store was a gathering place on Saturday nights for country music and clog dancing. It was good to hang out there, listening to the music from outside while drinking a little beer, hearing the dancing on the inside and the water over rocks from the creek. Clog dancing along with other hill and mountain folk dancing is of Irish decent. We did "Lord of the Dance" long time before it was on video tape. Of course that's just what I remember, there's a lot of stories about Rocky Bottom I dont know but I just imagine what's go on there through the decades and centuries.

Up the road across from the old store a little ways is the Pickens Jaycee's Camp for the Blind. They do good work providing a Summer camp for the blind kids. There's been some kind of camp in Rocky Bottom for long time. In June 1932, according to a PICKENS SENTINELL article, there was an "... encampment for Boys and Girls, new matteress and folding cots were provided in a new bunk house... Girl Club of Anderson, 4 H Club, Ware Shoals Girl Scouts where there..."

Follow the road on up to top of Sassafrass Mountian, it's the highest point in South Carolina. There use to be a fire lookout tower on top, it was taken down during 1980's. Still the place where it use to stand makes a good campout site. A hiking trail passes across the top, it's the Foothills Trail that runs from Table Rock and Ceasar's Head State Parks in the East to Oconee State Park in the West. There's a place just hundred yards from the camping area along the trial that let's you see the mountains in North Carolina. That's the only view since the fire tower was taken down.

Rocky Bottom has been a community since a long time ago. It's about half way between Pickens, SC and Rosman, NC so when traveling was slow and easy by horse and wagon or foot it was the place to stop overnight. The coves and hollows made for nice homesteads with a little farming. Maybe a little moonshining too, which lead to revenuers lower than a snakes belly. There was a homemade Historical Marker in front of the old store beside the road once; it stated, "... on this spot nothing much happened." But the sign was wrong. Some of this story may have happened in Rocky Bottom, other parts elsewhere at night on lower slopes of Sassafrass, or on the top, or the other side in North Carolina.

Historical Marker "On the weekend of 8 and 9 June 1878, the affair of the revenue officials' zealous search for Redmond [a supposedly notorious moonshiner and outlaw] reached it's fatally serious climax. It was the critical point on which the 'official view' turned from 'the common folk of Pickens and Oconee counties are mostly illicit whiskey distillers and supporters of an outlaw' to 'maybe it is true the revenue officials are themselves violators of law and order.' It was on this weekend that the killing of Amos Ladd took place.
     "Adeline Ladd was living in or near Rocky Bottom during the summer of 1878. Adeline and Redmond had developed a romantic interest over the months since he moved into the area during the winter of 1876 and 1877. Amos and Solathiel lived with their sister along with mother, Millie, who moved there from Sunset after Thile Ladd died.
     "Redmond made visits to the house as best he could with the revenue officials, lawmen and bonty hunters constantly hunting for him.
     "U S Deputy Marsheals Hugh P Kane, William Durham, and revenue officers George W Moose and Robert P Scruggs knew of this and on Saturday afternoon rode to the Rocky Bottom area. By that evening they had hidden themselves in the neighborhood near the Lad home and setup watch, 'to see what passed at that house.'
     "About late duck, just before getting really dar, they saw a man come out of the woods and up to a fence neat the house. He whistled and rapped on the fence. This was answered by a woman in the house who came out to meet him. They talked for some time but the man left to return to the woods and she to the house.
     "The officers did nothing but continued in their hiding for the night. Sunday morning they saw a man return to the house and was soon joined by a second.
     "Amos had just returned from a neighbor's house where he had either delivered or picked up something. Like most men of the time he had taken his squirrel rifle along just in case some squirrel, rabbit or other game crossed his path. He put the rifle in a corner near the door. His brother Solathiel was busy around the home with other chores and they went into the house. Solathiel sat in a corner to shuck corn. Amos got a cow bell, one or two plough points and put them in a haversack which he slung over his shoulder and headed for the door. He was on his way back out to the neighboring blacksmith shop to have them mended.
     "Just as he reached the door he stopped to get his rifle; he may have dropped something which he bent to pick up. The officers by this time were charging the house from four directions. Without warnig or command to halt or identifying himself Kane fired upon the figure in the doorway. Durham just rounded the corner of the house to see Amos fall, but in his mind 'he rushed towards me' and fired two more shots into Amos.
     Solathiel, upon hearing the gunfire, rushed out the back door but was met by another of the officers who had a cocked gun in hand and ordered him back. This he did and they returned to the front of the house.
     "Mrs Milly Ladd saw the officer shoot 'as soon as he could' and while she was crying to him 'don't shoot.' Amos had an arm upon the door as he fell.
     "Adeline, seeing Kane's approach, called out to him "Don't shoot! Don't shoot for it is my brother." He made no halt but fired on him immediately.
     "As they gathered around Amos, he was killed instantly, Solathiel said to the captain, "You ought not to have killed him, he was my brother." The captain replyed, "I couldn't help it." The mother had Amos in her arms weeping, the officers of the law made no effort to take the body inside or offer any remorse.
     "Instead, as soon as it dawned on them what had happened, they turned and left the house. They retreated to a small hill where htey concealed themselves in the brush for the afternoon and consulted among themselve what they would do. They then went to Mr King's store some four miles south where they tried to hire him to take them to Easley Station. Mr King told them he could not carry them that evening but could the nextmorning. They said, "that they had pressing business to attend to and could nto wait." They hired one mule which Kane took and rod on to Easley that evening. The others made their way on foot to Greenville. ...."

Historical Marker ".... When the news of the Amos Ladd killing reached Charleston, the NEW and COURIER dispatched Mr C McKinley with the commission "to go and find Redmond." He arrived in Pickens about 20 June 1878 and spent the first few days making inquires and contacts. After two days he was compelled to abandon this method of search since "the good people of Pickens have learned to be suspicious of strangers." He also learned "that no man knew of his where abouts and that it changed with every sun."
     "Through the gentleman who had helped him around the mountains, he was placed in contact with two of Redmond's most trusted friends. He prepared a note explaining his purpose in seeking an interview with him, "at any time and under any restrictions he should choose to impose." Redmond's verbal reply granting the request was recieved Monday 24 June 1878. He was directed to accompany Probate Judge W G Fields of Pickens CourtHouse "wheresoever he might lead." He found Mr Field without delay and they made their plans to leave that night.
     "About dusk he walked quietly out of town, alone and by circuitous route, reaching the first redezvous point appointed for the night and where Mr Field joined him. There they rested the few remaning hours of darkness. At the light of dawn on Tuesday morning they started northward for the mountains which could dimmly be seen. Again they avoided the town and the more frequented roads and drove rapidly until the afternoon hours.
     "Mr McKinley's words, 'The road was all that a road, even a mountain road, ought not to be. At the end of it we stopped at a cottage in the hills and after a kind reception and excellent dinner we were joind by another guide. We resumed the journey on foot with little knowledge of where we were going. Even the guide only knew that we were to follow a certain trail until halted by 'the Major' at such point as he might choose.
     "'The trail seemed to lead directly upward to some vertable land of the sky. At times it took a direct 'cut' as it were in direction by 'leading up a tree,' such paths are sid to do when they disappear in the undergrowth or at the foot of a cliff.... Mr Field and I pause to rest while the guide pushed on ahead to find Redmond and inform him of our near presence.'
     "They rested for a short while then moved on themselves. They were nearly "broken down again" by the climb when Mr Field whispered back to Mr McKinley, 'Yonder he is. He always keeps his word.' A hundred yards beyond sat two men at the base of a pine, one was the guide, the other Major Redmond.
     "McKinely's words, 'The dreaded outlaw rose up to meet me with extended hand and pleasant smile as I advanced. A cheery 'Good morning' let me know I had nothing to fear. Of that I was well assured from his friends. Saking my hand cordially, he invited me to sit beside him on the rock. Mr Field introduced me 'as the gentleman who had come three hundred miles to give you an opportunity to say something in your own behalf.' He replied, 'I am very glad to se you but I am afraid it was hardly worth the trouble for you to come so far to see me.' The response was with modest speech and modestly delivered.'
     "Mr Mckinley described the Major as little more than a boy though he was twenty-three. He was of slender build and one of the handsomest men he ever saw, 'graceful, active form,' coal black hair, long flowing moustache and samll goatee. He had a frank and open manner, innocent looking eyes, honest sun-browned face and pleasant smile, 'which no man could wear and yet be a villian.' It was claimed for him that he could always discern between a friend and a foe at sight by looking in one's eyes. Mr McKinley did not hesitate to let him study his face and look into his eyes. He was able to gaze deeply and see 'a friend.'
     "Mr McKinley was confident now to comment, 'You don't look like a very bad man, sir.' He replied, 'I don't believe I am one. I have only been badly treated and accused of many things which I never did.' 'He is one of the very best fellows in the world,' said the quide.
     "'After a few minutes rest we climbed around the mountain side until we came to a particular steep place down which we stumbled and fel and scrambled and slid. We reached the bottom of a glen where foot of man or beast hath never or rarely been. And where certainly deputies cease from troubling and even a moonshiner may be at rest. We halted on the brink of a falling, foaming stream.... It was singulary wild and beautiful spot even for a mountain glen. The element of romance was fully supplied by the presence of the outlaw in our midst. Whose somewhat picturesque garb was not out of keeping with the character of the scene... Admist such surroundings the hunted outlaw told his story while we sat and listened until the setting of the sun behind the mountain's crest. The approach of darkenss admonished us to return to the outer world while yet the devious path might be safely tracted.
     "Leaning his gun against a tree, but retaining his formidable sidearms, and keeping a bright eye on guard the while, he began his story: "I was born in Georgia and I will be twenty-four on the 24th of next October, if I live," he added with a smile that was sadder than a sigh and reminded us that the speaker's life was at the mercy of any man who chooses to take it..."
     "McKinley described the scence at a later meeting that night, "... We sat within a narrow circle of dim light, hedged in by a thick darkness that might have concealed a hundred enemies. The trees seemed to be whispering secrets to each other or warning to us. The leaves looked strangely as they reflected the light from their undre sides. The air was heavey and oppresive and seemed to fraught with dange. We looked in each other's faces with feelings not unlike what we might have experienced had all, instead of only one, been under ban and expecting betrayal and a death-dealing volley out of the night at any moment...."