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Additional Sketches Illustrating the services of officers and Privates and patriotic citizens of South Carolina.
Joel R. Abney, of
Greenwood county, S. C., was born in that portion of
Edgefield county now called
Saluda, September 12, 1836.
His parents were Joel and Martha (
Coleman)
Abney.
His great-grandfather,
Nathaniel Abney, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, as was also his maternal grandfather,
John Coleman.
Mr. Abney was reared in
Edgefield county on a farm, and farming has been the chief business of his life.
During the excitement incident to the bombardment of
Fort Sumter he volunteered in
Edgefield county and went to
Charleston as a member of Company E, Seventh South Carolina regiment.
The fort surrendered, however, before his company reached
Charleston.
Young
Abney was then in very poor health and had been for some time.
Because of this, after the brief stay at
Charleston, he was given an honorable discharge.
Though his health continued feeble, his patriotic ardor could not be restrained, and in June, 1863, he volunteered again, and going to
Charleston, joined Company K, Second regiment, South Carolina artillery, which, under
Colonel Lamar, was stationed at
Secessionville, on
James island.
Here he served until the evacuation of
Charleston.
The life of a soldier proved of great benefit to him, for the sea breeze which he so constantly inhaled improved his health to such a degree that by the time he left the coast he was a well man. He shared with the
Charleston garrison in the retreat through
South and
North Carolina and fought in the battles of
Averasboro and
Bentonville, surrendering with
General Johnston, April 26, 1865.
He entered Company K as a private, but upon the first vacancy was promoted to corporal and served to the end as a non-commissioned officer.
After the war he resided in
Edgefield county, carrying on large plantation interests, which he still owns, until 1889, since which time he has resided on his farm near
Greenwood, S. C., a considerable portion of which is in the corporate limits of the city.
He is a
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member of
D. Wyatt Aiken Camp,
United Confederate Veterans, a member of the
Greenwood city council, a director of the bank of
Greenwood, and of the
Greenwood cotton mills; he is also a stockholder in the large cooperative store of
J. K. Durst & Co., and a trustee of the
Connie Maxwell orphanage.
He was married, March 12, 1882, to
Miss Nannie M. Clark.
They have four living children, two sons and two daughters.
Major Joseph Manning Adams, born in
Charleston, S. C., December 17, 1836, was the son of
the Rev. Jasper Adams, an Episcopal clergyman and once president of Charleston college.
Major Adams entered the cadet military academy at the age of fourteen and graduated from it at twenty.
He then became principal of the
Anderson (S. C.) military academy and was thus engaged when the war began.
He became quartermaster of the Fourth South Carolina regiment, commanded by
Col. J. B. E. Sloan, the first regiment organized in the up-country.
On reaching
Virginia he was made quartermaster of
Jenkins' brigade with the rank of major.
Having a military education, and seeing no chance for promotion in the line while serving as quartermaster, he resigned, returned home and joined
Capt. Whit Kilpatrick's company as a lieutenant.
While with it, in the
battle of Chickamauga, he was wounded and captured and taken to
Nashville, and finally to
Johnson's island, where he was imprisoned for eighteen months, or until the close of the war. He read law while in prison, was admitted to the bar shortly after his release, and entered upon the practice of law at old
Pickens Court House.
He was married, December 18, 1866, to
Eugenia Postelle Earle, daughter of
John Baylis Earle, a prominent citizen and son of
Hon. Elias Earle,
ex-congressman.
Shortly after his marriage
Major Adams located on a large plantation which he owned in the southern part of
Oconee county, and during the rest of his life gave his attention to farming.
He died December 18, 1878, leaving a widow and one son. The widow of
Major Adams subsequently married
William Anderson Lowery, who was born in
Anderson county, S. C., May 12, 1839.
Just as he entered upon the threshold of manhood the tocsin of war sounded and the sons of the
South rallied with enthusiasm around the banner of State sovereignty.
The patriotic contagion
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which seized upon the youth of
South Carolina soon stirred the spirit of young
Lowery.
In August, 1861, he enlisted in Company A,
Orr's regiment of rifles.
With this gallant command he served and was once wounded.
Recovering he was soon in the field again, to do battle for the cause of his beloved South.
He shared the fortunes of his regiment until April, 1865, when he was captured and carried to
Hart's island.
There he remained until the following July, when he was released.
The war being ended he returned to his home and gave his attention to farming.
In this pursuit he has been engaged most of the time since the close of the gigantic struggle which for four years tested the valor and patriotic devotion of the sons of
Carolina.
John Ahrens, of
Charleston, was born at that city January 1, 1844.
His father,
John Ahrens, enlisted in 1862, in the company of
Capt. Thomas Pinckney and was killed April 18th, the same year, in a railroad collision.
Young
Ahrens enlisted as a private in the Butler rifles, Company G, of the Ninth South Carolina infantry,
Col. William C. Hayward commanding.
In 1864 he was promoted to corporal and at the surrender at
Greensboro was in command of the company.
Among the engagements in which he participated were
Coosawhatchie, S. C.;
Olustee, Fla.;
Pocotaligo, and in
Virginia, Port Walthall Junction,
Swift Creek,
White Oak Swamp,
Drewry's Bluff,
Bermuda Hundred,
Gaines' Mill, Cold Harbor, Harrison's Farm, fifty-five days and nights in front of
Petersburg, Reams' Station and the
Darbytown Road.
He was with the forces near
