A Word Edgewise by Mary Joe Clendenin

Last Updated 01/20/06

For more literature go to Clendenin Books
Email: mjclen@our-town.com

MY ANCESTOR WAS HANGED WHEN HE WAS 14 YEARS OLD

         When Charles Allen III, born in Charlotte Virginia, in 1764, was just a young boy, his father Charles Allen II, was killed by the Tories. The Allen family had moved to what is now Laurens County, South Carolina, and were farming there when the death occurred. Mrs. Allen and her son, with the help of a few slaves, were trying to carry on with the farm as the heat of the Revolutionary War built around them in 1778.It was cotton-picking time that summer. Because everyone else was busy with the cotton and they were in need of cornmeal, Charles was sent to the grist mill about two miles by a narrow lane through a dense wood. Mrs. Allen was reluctant to send the boy carrying a twenty-five pound bag of corn over his shoulder, but he assured his mother that he was man enough to take care of the job.

It was dark and scary deep in the wood when he had followed the crooked path through a few turns so that neither end of the lane was visible. When Charles heard horses thundering around a bend, he quickly hid his sack in the brush and climbed up a big tree which had limbs that stretched out over the lane. He flattened himself out on a limb, like butter on a roasting ear, completely hidden by the leaves.Charles froze as the horses and riders, led by Tory General William “Bloody Bill” Cunningham, stopped right underneath the limb on which he lay. He scarcely dared to breath. The men talked over their plans to kill Patriot Officer William Hubbs, at his farm on the other side of the wood. Because they could not ride through the dense wood where no path had been cleared, they would have to go on to the junction near the mill and then around the wood. As soon as the Tories rode on to complete their bloody task, Charles climbed down from his hiding place and set off through the wood to warn Mr. Hubbs. He fought his way through the brush, finding some animal trails to speed the way, praying with each breath that he would be in time. That was the same bunch of Tories that had killed his own father.

Finally, scratched, torn, panting and shouting to the Hubbs family, he broke into the clearing of the farm. “Hide, Mr. Hubbs! Quick! Hide. The Tories are coming. Bloody Bill Cunningham is coming.” Mr. Hubbs knew they would search the house and barn. Where could he hide. His son and wife were too scared to think. Hubbs quickly lay down in the barnyard and told the boys to cover him with hay. He told his wife to get her egg bucket and go to the hen house.Soon they could hear the horses, but the haystack was pretty big by then. The boys tossed some hay over the fence to the two cows to make it look like they had just been feeding as the Tories rode into the yard.

First, the general questioned Mrs. Hubbs.

“Woman, where is your husband?”

Mrs. Hubbs managed, in spite of her fear, to say, “He’s back at camp with the men.”

“I know he’s home on leave. Tell me were he is,” demanded Cunningham.

“He was home last week, but he went back.”

Bloody Bill demanded answers from the son, too. But he gave the same answers his mother did.

Seeing how scratched and torn Charles was, he turned his questions to him.

“Did you warn them we were coming? Where is Hubbs?”

“I wouldn’t tell you. You are the one that killed my dad!”

“You had better tell me or I’ll string you to yon tree!”

“No!”

The general ordered his men to put a noose around Charles’ neck and hang him to the big tree in the yard. The did so. They hanged Charles and immediately rode off. The Hubbs family quickly ran to the tree. Mrs. Hubbs grabbed the end of the limb that was bending under the weight of the boy and swung with all of her weight. The Hubbs boy got his knife, but couldn’t reach high enough. Mr. Hubbs plunged out of the hay and ran to cut Charles down. He was still alive and soon revived.

Later in life, Charles Allen III became a well known judge. He helped survey and establish Laurens County and the town of Laurens.

Judge Allen lived to be 92 years of age and died January 5, 1856. Daughters of the American Revolution erected a marker at his grave in 1974.

The story of his bravery and other deeds was published in the papers and celebrated at his funeral.

This is the line of descendents:

              Charles Allen III

               Sophia Allen Lewers

                Mary Lewers Love

                Wirt Adams Love Womack

                Mary Lucy Womack Fitzgerald

                Mary Joe Fitzgerald Clendenin.

So, my Great-great-great grandfather was hanged when he was 14 years old.

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