Singleton and Related Genealogy Pages
A history of many families.
1799 - 1835 (35 years)| Name | Harriet DINGLE [2] | |
| Birth | 29 Sep 1799 [3] | |
| Gender | Female | |
| HIST | Reflections by Sammy Way: Second Mill became a center for sports and entertainment When the long, hot days of summer became too much, Sumterites would head for Pocalla Springs or "Sunset Lake" for a refreshing swim or a day of boating. The lake's pavilion was the scene of many festive summer dances and social events. Even before the pavilion was built, this area was the site of much activity. As early as the 18th century, Richard Bradford erected a grist mill. Soon after, the lake became known as Second Mill. On the site of what is now Swan Lake Iris G SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO Posted Saturday, January 29, 2022 6:00 am By SAMMY WAY Sumter Item archivist and historian Reflections remembers Second Mill, which was one of two mill ponds constructed on the Bradford plantation. The mill pond, also referred to as Sunset Lake, was located near the Wedgefield Highway and played a varied role in the history of the Sumter District. In order to complete this research, the author used The Sumter Item archives, the writings of Cassie Nicholes and numerous documents and maps. According to Nicholes, "Robert Bradford, the son of Matthew and Harriet Dingle Bradford and grandson of Richard and Elizabeth Singleton Bradford, came to South Carolina from Virginia and purchased land on Green Swamp circa 1789." On his plantation, Richard authorized the construction of a grist mill and a sawmill. The grist mill was located on a stream, now known as Second Mill, and on the pond, now known as Swan Lake Iris Gardens, he built a sawmill. A canal connected the two streams; there was not enough water entering First Mill, thus the canal permitted the migration of water from Second to First Mill, enabling operation of the sawmill. According to an article published in The Sumter Daily Item on Sept. 1, 1909, W. E. and John I. Brunson of Sumter formed a partnership leading to an important enterprise resulting in the manufacturing of several commercial products. Dr. John I. Brunson proposed to move his flour roller mills from Sumter to the waterpower channeled at Second Mill Pond, located two miles from Sumter. His mill would utilize the waterpower to grind bolted (separate good from bad) meal and a fine grade of patent (plain) flour. The mill would continue to grind ordinary corn for the accommodation of the local farmers. It was expected that a 600-foot-long siding would be run from the Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta Railroad in order to provide an exchange point for receiving wheat from Western markets and for shipping the products from the mill. Some unexpected, yet welcomed changes followed the development of this mill. "In connection with the commercial features of this enterprise, work on a dance pavilion and a club house was to be started shortly thereafter. The new owners also planned to clear the large pond of snags and stumps, making it a beautiful pleasure lake on which motor launches and other boats could be placed in the future." Plans also included making the pond attractive and safe for swimmers following the removal of sludge and other hazardous matter. "A magnificent new bridge with concrete pillars was proposed to cross the causeway. J. M. Minnus, who was the superintendent of construction of the Sumter sewage system, was placed in charge of the concrete work. An electric light plant was to be constructed to light the grounds when the site became ready for public use. Some delays briefly deprived Sumter of a magnificent pleasure park, but it would not be long before Sumter would have a delightful entertainment venue near the city. The arrival of 1924 saw Second Mill's first two dances having taken place, and it was the opinion of the general populace that "if the first two dances were to be taken as indications of the future, Second Mill would have a very successful season for dancing, and before the end of the summer. Its already popular resort would become even more popular with Sumter's citizens." Disaster strikes The dance pavilion at Second Mill (Sunset Lake), "popular summer resort, located two miles from Sumter on the Pinewood road, was burned to the ground shortly before four o'clock the morning of Jan. 2, 1930, by a fire of an undetermined origin. The wooden structure was a mass of flames within a few minutes after it was discovered, and all efforts to extinguish it proved futile. All that remained of the building that was the scene of numerous dances during the last five or six years was a smoldering mass of embers. Several boats near the pavilion were ignited and burned; the soft drink stand was slightly damaged by the heat." "The pavilion was built by G. W. Bradford at a cost of approximately $17,000 and carried insurance of $10,000. Bradford had not announced whether the structure would be rebuilt, but it is assumed that it will be." [1] | |
| _UID | EB683A4BDD964BA3A25C4A956FC34DFA8F0C | |
| Death | 17 Aug 1835 [3] | |
| Person ID | I382 | Singleton and Related Families |
| Last Modified | 29 Jan 2022 | |
| Father | Robert DINGLE, b. 1760 d. 1820 (Age 60 years) | |
| Mother | Mary McCARTNEY, b. 1765 d. 1837 (Age 72 years) | |
| _UID | CACDC7821D4946DBA19A1380F630ADE3EBE2 | |
| _UID | CACDC7821D4946DBA19A1380F630ADE3EBE2 | |
| Family ID | F2823 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family | Matthew BRADFORD, b. 19 Jun 1789, Sumter Distirct, South Carolina  d. 15 Sep 1846/55, Sumter County, South Carolina (Age 66 years) | |||||||
| Marriage | 3 Jun 1816/7 Mar 1816 [4, 5] | |||||||
| _UID | 77C7B51E460C4EDA995BA2DFF134B83C197F | |||||||
| _UID | 77C7B51E460C4EDA995BA2DFF134B83C197F | |||||||
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| Family ID | F145 | Group Sheet | Family Chart | ||||||
| Last Modified | 2 Oct 2001 | |||||||
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