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ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST MCMILLAN REUNION


 
The following story of the first Reunion of the McMillan family was written
15 July 1892 to the Editor of the BLACKVILLE HARP, Blackville, South
Carolina, a newspaper printed at that time, by one of those present:  The
story was reprinted in 1937 and 1 September 1977 in the BAMBERG HERALD,
Bamberg, South Carolina.  The original documentary was furnished by Mrs.
George Marion "Mamie" McMillan McMillan, of the Springtown Community,
Bamberg County, South Carolina.

The original document had the paper listed just as THE HARP.   The Harp was
published at Blackville, Barnwell County, S.C.   I spent several months
trying to find out what town this paper was published in.  I found the
information in a book at the Orangeburg County Library, "JENNINGS-MCMILLAN-FAUL LING-WHALEY-BLUER AND OTHER EARLY FAMILIES OF SC" by Carnice Jennings Groves.

To the editor of THE HARP: - Forest Home, 15 July 1892 - Away down here, a
place so remote from any point along the railroads that the shrill cry of the whistle from the iron horse is never heard; away down here surrounded by the beautiful oak and pine forest in the heart of peaceful and progressive Old Three Mile; here situated on the hillside of historic Colston, a tributary of the Saltkehatchie, in the midst of a happy, contented, and prosperous people is Forest Home -- the homestead of the McMillan family. Tender memories crowd and cluster around this dear old home its history, since it was first founded more than sixty years ago, is associated with
true love and joy and peace.  The dear old place has ever been the fount
from which true friendship, Christian love and charity have had a perpetual
flow.

Forest Home was settled by Captain Henry William McMillan some sixty years,
(1832), ago, where he lived most happily, accumulating considerable property
(14,000 acres it is rumored - not a proven fact) and rearing to maturity a
large and interesting family, eight sons and seven daughters, till his death
in 1871.  Five sons, and five daughters and widow Mrs. Sophia Delilah Faust
McMillan still survive him.

The first bitter sorrow this happy family experienced was in the death of
Miss Addie McMillan, who had just developed into a young womanhood, (18
years of age), before the war.  A few years later a married daughter, Mrs.
Julia Jennings, paid the debt she owed to Christ.  Then came the  Civil War
and a son Lieut. Pinckney McMillan fell in the defence of his country in the
front ranks of the army in northern Virginia in the fall of 1864. Hostilities had scarcely ceased when William Franklin "Frank" McMillan went down into a premature grave the victim of yellow fever contracted while in the discharge of his duty for the Confederate Government.  In the summer of 1866, Dr Francis Marion "Barney" McMillan, who had been assistant surgeon in the western army for four years, died of broken health no doubt caused from the exposures of war.

The war was over -- Sherman had done his worst -- but again the family was
reunited and prospering -- the past was almost forgotten.  But the bitterest
trial was yet to befall them, it was in June, about the year 1871.  Captain
McMillan, who was always jovial, was in a pleasant mood this June morning.
He called the family together at the breakfast table and ate heartly. Arising from the table he went out into the cotton field, about a half mile from the house and issuing some orders to some hands, he turned and fell. He never spoke again and was dead in three minutes.  His death was not only a blow of leaden weight to the family, but it cast gloom over the entire neighborhood for miles around.  Captain McMillan was a good man, a pillar in the (Springtown) Baptist church, and he was greatly missed.

Twenty two years have gone by.  The family of seventeen was reduced by death
to twelve, and by marriage it has been reduced to the number three.  The youngest son, Julius, and the youngest daughter, Letitia, with their mother, Mrs Sopha Delilah Faust McMillan, at the advanced age of 83 are the only occupants of Forest Home.

A desire to see all of her living descendents gathered together, who are scattered over three counties, has been the foremost thought in Mrs. McMillan's mind for a long time.  So it was decided that a family reunion should be had, and the twelfth of July, 1892 was named as the day for holding it.  It was the first call ever made for a family reunion and the very thought of the pleasure and happiness such a day would bring forth caused the hearts of all interested to throb with delight.  On Tuesday the
arrivals commenced at an early hour and by eleven o'clock 184 persons had
gathered together, 132 of who were relatives and descendents of the McMillan
family.  The balance were invited guest.

The day was cloudy but through the broken rifts the sunbeams now and then
peeped flooding the surroundings with rays of brilliant light.  A more pleasant day has never been spent at Forest Home.  It was a reunion indeed. The glad faces made more bright and cheerful with pleasant smiles bespoke the pleasures of the overflowing heart.  The morning hours were spent in friendly greetings and pleasant conversation.  Many who had never met before were afforded the pleasant and delightful opportunity on that day.

At one o'clock the signal was sounded and the dinner table, 80 feet in
length was spread with the most tempting viands of every description in
plenty for all present and to spare.

The evening hours were spent in playing different games, such as the ministers present, five in number, would engage in.  The at intervals between the showers of rain (rain fell in the evening), while in the house we listened to as sweet music as we ever heard.

Then late in the evening a resolution was unanimously passed to have an annual reunion each year; and as we finished and looked out the rainbow spanned the eastern horizon which seemed to all present the bow of promise. A short while afterwards we were wending our way homeward happy to overflowing with pleasant recollections of the day.

FOOTNOTE:

We are gratefully indebted to Mrs. George Marion "Mamie" McMillan McMillan
of the Springtown Community, Bamberg County, Bamberg, South Carolina for the
above article.  With her permission we are requesting THE ADVERTIZER HERALD to again publish it believing that many of the present generation of the
McMillan family will be delighted as we are to find such interesting documentary.  Can't you just picture the carriages and buggies as they arrived at the lovely colonial home with their passengers attired in clothing of antebellum days?  Can't you just hear the laughter and joyful greetings as kin greeted kin?  Just to think that in "horse and buggy" days to have 184 persons attend a family reunion!!!  And to have arrived by 11 0'clock.  We rejoice that "Forest Home" continues in McMillan hands, Mr.
George Marion McMillan, grandson of the founder and son of Julius Augustus
McMillan.

"Shady Rest" was the name given to the family burying ground (we think it most appropriate).  Miss Mary Adaline McMillan, being the first  interred there on 27 June 1856.  Coming on over the branch is "Solitude" (also very appropriately named by our ancestors), a bit farther on "Hollywood" so named because of the many holly trees.  This portion of the McMillan property was purchased some years ago by the late Guy S. Sanders, Sr. from Eleanor Virginia "Nell" McMillan Pate, a descendent of Captain Henry William McMillan.  This property was recently purchased by "Joe" McMillan, son of Perry Lee McMillan and Hermene Beard.  (1996)

The lord and master of Forest Home has had a namesake continue through the
succeeding generations;  he, Captain Henry William McMillan was succeeded by
Henry Zachary McMillan, succeeded by Henry James Alfred McMillan, succeeded
by Henry Valentine McMillan, succeeded by Henry Clyde "Hank" McMillan who in
turn has been succeeded by his son Henry Scott McMillan,who in turn has been
succeeded by his son Henry Tyler McMillan born 12 October 2001.  We now have
3 namesakes living - 10 July 2002

In researching the "ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST MCMILLAN REUNION", I saw an article printed 26 August 1937, in THE BAMBERG HERALD telling of a Second Annual McMillan Reunion, with 11 grandchildren of Captain Henry William and Sophia Delilah Faust McMillan in attendance.  The article stated, that only three
family reunions were held, and that after the death of Mrs. Sophia Deliah Faust McMillan, the older generation decided they would let the younger generation carry on the reunions.  If there were any reunions held after 1895 to 1936, I am not aware of them.  By researching the first reunion, I became aware of  the second reunion.  Aunt Minna Clyde O'Neal McMillan said, "that she remembers Uncle "Tine" and she attended a McMillan reunion, held at Cousin "Sudie" McMillan's house in 1936 or 1937, which probably was the Second Annual McMillan Reunion.  She went on to say, "that the reunions were held at Cousin "Sudie" McMillan's home for a while and then Aunt Florrie McMillan Varn, mother of Jasper Brabham "Easter" Varn, Jr., tried to keep the reunions going".  I can remember going to several of these reunions that
were held at Uncle Jasper and Aunt Florrie Varn's home.  I do know that
there was a McMillan Reunion held there in 1969.



This file was contributed for use by the Bamberg County SCGenWeb Project  by:

Sybile McMillan Pierce

 

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