State

John C. Terrell llo wiis » iiisiii wlw built many .school lions tvs in Person County but never liesifafecl to foreclose a mortgage «hen it fell clue. By HRS. A. В К FORE I wok old enough logo to school but old enough to get into mischief, I left my fingerprints on the newly plastered walls of a ■John C. Terrell *choolliou*e then in the process of being creeled. I started to school in this каше building and received my first six years of training in this one-t earlier whool. In that . . this was an excellent school building. One very large room, two very good size cloak rooms, and a porch. On the wall of the big room hung the picture of the man that had made possible this building but a man about whom I was taught nothing. Years have intervened and I have seen the walls of several high school? and colleges lined with pictures, but ibis little school and this one picture have not been blotter) from my mem¬ ory. Therefore, aboui two years ago I decided to find out something about John C. Terrell, who had lieen more generous with Person County than any other person to mv knowledge. I first interviewed Mr. Edward \V. Carter, a very intelligent and pleas¬ ing old gentleman of ninety years, who knew John C. Terrell and who now lives in n house creeled by him. From this interview I continued on my journey to the home place of mv sub¬ ject. My interest grew keener. On the walls of this home I found a diploma, •о I wrote to William Pepper, M.I).. Doan of University of Pennsylvania, from where the diploma was i-ssued. Л man may bo historically correct but it takes n woman's insight and vision to get to the inner man. and for this reason 1 go next to the historic village of Milton and interview Mrs. Lewis Walker, formerly Miss Sue Cunningham, near whose home he was born, in whose home he often visited and stayed. With the various thing* told me by these |>ooplo ami several more things by people in general and my visit to bis home I have written this paper. The usual way to start an article is to start with the date of the birth of a person but that 1 have not yet F. MC IIOI.S been abb- to determine definitely, .lulin Columbus Terrell, the son of Thomas Terrell, was born near Ciiuiiiughiiin, Person County, in a one- room house with n half-story above this room and a «bed to the side. As almost all homes built l ack in those days wen* Well built, ibis home was no exception and it still stands. Steps run up in the big room to the lialf-storv above and the big fireplt . is still sheltered with the old and very tall mantle. .Inlin first saw the light of this world in this room through two windows which contain eighteen small panes, and his bare fis-t no doubt soon pattered over the same smooth floor that is now serving the present generation, I felt quite sure little John did not remain in thi* one room many year* and its I go to t ho outdoors I can pic¬ ture him romping and playing with Ills two brothers (and possibly a sis¬ ter nlmiil whom I a in not certain) under the wild loetbt. elms, and a*|4-n which add charm to the moss-covered chimney and unpainted wcalhcr- Imaids. I town a very strep hill, too. we find a lienutiful spring with a solid rock back and rock walls from which lie drank and possibly around which lie often meditated. Tile remains of his mother and father, his brother Tom, of whom he « a* very fond, and the possible sister are enclosed in a rock wall in sight of the old homestead and it is this spot, now thickly covered with periwinkle and overgrown with cedar trees, that makes sacred and ties the past in some way to the present as one visits llm old homestead. At this spot John t '. Terrell was born and lived until he was nineteen years old; but all the while there was an urge in him — an urge that his father did not see fit to satisfy — to ob¬ tain an education. He sought help from the more wealthy and educated of bis community, but was refused (a fact which be did not forgot in later years when be towered head and shoul¬ ders above those who refused to aid him). However, nil people did not have hearts of stone and John W Ctiiiniiighiini sent him to school at b'lishurg to llm great teacher, Solo¬ mon Lea, and as far as wo know tlii* training was all he received before go ing to the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, from which he grad graduated in medicine April ". lsfrt. Returned to Person County l»r. Terrell then returned to his old home place and started the praetii . . medicine. His father was still living but died three years Inter. In the log shed of hi* home, the doctor kept his medicine and I presume the shed also served as hi* office. As John \V. Cim- iiingham was quite a wealthy planter and also quite influential — and after having helped scud I>r. Terrell to school — I imagine bis interest, influ¬ ence. and patronage immediately gave the young physician a good practice in this community. He continued his practice of nadi cine among the poor and also among the wealthy plantation holders in all that section of country and along the Ilyco bills until and during the Civil War. It wa. during the War that l»r. Terrell, with a hit more foresight than the average man. look notes from these wealthy plantation owners. After the Civil War we all know Imw condition* were: people were unable to meet their obligation* or pay their notes. It wa* now I)r. Terrell’* lime to refuse a helping hand. He moved to Philadel¬ phia where he had nieces living and started foreclosure on these big planta¬ tions — such homes and holdings as the Medico homestead and many others equally as large. The suits went through tlm United States court*, lie was a man apparently who did not let bis left hand know what hi* right wa*