Lucius Robert LEGRANDE

1828 - 1860  (31 years)

• Name	Lucius Robert LEGRANDE  [1, 2]
  Birth	12 Dec 1828	Anson, North Carolina
  Gender	Male
  HIST	Died in Boykin Mill Pond accident. 1860 tragedy took 27 lives at Boykin's Mill Pond Print Posted: Sunday, July 18, 2010 6:00 am | Updated: 11:52 pm, Sun Jul 18, 2010. By SAMMY WAY Boykin's Mill remains one of the favorite stopping points for those traveling on highway 261. Currently located in Boykin are several buildings including eating establishments a broom shop a grist mill, The Swift Creek Baptist Church and a several private homes. This once bustling community where "farmers brought logs to be sawed into lumber, corn to be ground into meal and grist, cotton to be ginned, and sugar cane to be prepared for making syrup" (Cassie Nicholes), was the scene of much activity for a number of years. One of the central features of the town is the expansive mill pond that powered the mill and provided a scenic and placid recreational outlet for the community's residents. The pond was also the location of a tragic event that occurred on a late spring day in May of 1860 and, after 150 years, still resounds in the psyches of numerous local residents. The authors of Reflections have chosen to reprint in its entirety the article first published in 1860 providing the Sumter Watchman readers with an account of the tragic drowning at Boykin's Mill. TERRIBLE ACCIDENT Through the courtesy, attention and kindness of the telegraphic operator at Camden, Mr. Witherspoon, the telegraphic operator at Kingsville, Mr. Dean, and J. J. Evans, the gentlemanly and accommodating conductor of the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad, we are permitted to lay before our readers at this early hour, in advance of the mail, the following particulars of one of the most heart rending and afflictive accidents it has been our melancholy duty to chronicle, as having transpired within the limits of our state. The startling rumor which reached our town on yesterday morning, and which agitated with painful and excited suspense the minds of our citizens, has been proven to be but too true. On Saturday morning last, a most happy company, composed of young ladies and gentlemen, children and parents, left their homes in Camden for a day of recreative pleasure and amusement at Boykin's Mill Pond about ten miles this side of that place , and upon the line of the railroad. These were joined by others from the neighborhood, forming a party of considerable size. The fore part of the day (the distressing accident occurred late in the afternoon) was spent most happily and pleasantly by the excursionists. The picnic and fishing excursion, for such as it was, had fully met, thus far, the buoyant anticipations of those concerned. But what a finale! The heart droops and is weighed down by the most pungent sorrow at its recital. A flat boat of considerable size had, a short time previous, been built and placed upon the pond for purposes of pleasure. A goodly number (thirty or more) of the company embarked upon this first boat, intending to pass over and around the pond. These consisted chiefly of young ladies, there being but a sufficient number of gentlemen, as was supposed, to manage the boat and afford company and protection for the ladies. They had been out some time, and were near the centre of the pond, when the boat ran on a snag. This excited little or no fears, as it was supposed that a speedy extrication could be affected. All was life and spirit - all was hope and happiness! Soon it was perceived that the great pressure of the boat upon the snag (in consequence of the number it contained) was puncturing its bottom and that the water was making its way inside. Now the excitement began. Now fear began to picture its sad traces upon those just now happy countenances. Now the tender and timid ladies called upon their protectors for that assistance and deliverance, which, painful to say, they were unable to afford. Momentarily the danger became greater, and momentarily the excitement of those on board, as well as those on shore, became more intense. It seems that deliverance would have come, and that the boat would have probably been pushed off and run near enough to shore for many if not all to have escaped, had it not been that those that stood at each end, (a white man and a negro,) with their poles, laboring with all their power, shoved each in the same direction, thus mutually destroying the effect of their efforts. Soon, in a few moments, she began to sink! When this was seen, and the fact that she could not be moved became too apparent, the scene became frightful indeed. The wildest excitement and fear seemed to seize every heart, and but few, if any, were sufficiently collected to enable them to employ their efforts for a rescue advantageously. In a few moments, now, she sank, when the scene may be better imagined than described. Piercing cries and shrieks and calls for help, both from those on shore and those on the unfortunate boat filled the air. Sisters and brothers, parents and children, relatives and friends, whose hearts were bound together by the nearest and dearest of earthly ties, and animated by the warmest and most tender affection were there - some on the sinking boat and some on the shore. Oh how rudely were those confiding hearts torn asunder and ravished with wild and aching grief! The boat seems to have committed them to the bosom of the water, huddled together, mainly, in a mass. The water is supposed to have been about 20 feet in depth. Thus thrown together, one clinging to another, with that grasp which belongs only to those in a drowning condition, there was little opportunity for the males in the company to rescue the ladies, or even to save themselves. But a few, we have not been apprised of the exact number, were saved, of those upon the boat. One act of daring, manly and gallant rescue, which has been reported to us, and which we believe true, demands special notice at our hands, and should be rewarded by the life time gratitude by those immediately concerned, as well as the relatives and friends of the same. Mr. Jones, a fireman upon the Camden train, (this train, was as well as we can learn, at the time of the awful occurrence near the same spot,) rushed to the spot, and by almost super human efforts coupled with most cool and manly courage brought three of the drowning persons to the shore. We have not learned the names of these. The following are the names of those telegraphed to us from Camden as the lost, being the number stated, 25 with one exception; Miss Lizzie McKagen (a lovely sister of Mr. Isaac McKagen of our town) Willy McKagen, a younger brother of the same, Luke and William LeGrande, brothers, one of them a brother in law of Mr. McKagen above mentioned, Miss Sarah Nettles, two Mrs. McCownes, Miss Minnie Alexander (daughter of Mr. Isaac Alexander, of Camden), Miss Howell, Miss Crosby, Miss Henson, two Misses Young, and one brother, Miss Mary Jenkins, Mr. Hocott, Mr. Huggins, Mr. Jerry McLeod, Mr. John Oaks, Miss Kelley, another Miss Kelley, little Alice Robinson (a sweet little girl), Mr. S.S. Richburg (surveyor, formerly of this place.) Mr. Richburg, with noble devotion, lost his lost his life as we understand, attempting to save another. These, with two Negroes, complete the melancholy list. Two ladies, Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Steakel, the wives of engineers upon the Wilmington and Manchester railroad, got upon the boat when about to start, as we learned, but thinking the crowd was too great, determined not to remain, thus, no doubt, narrowly escaping death. Efforts to rescue the bodies of the unfortunate drowned were immediately employed. Some were taken from the waters. Others could not be found. The flood gates of the pond were soon hoisted, but the body of water was great and could not be soon run off. It was thought that it would be sufficiently dry on Saturday night to admit of all the bodies being found. We have not learned the number that have been found, when our dispatch was sent. Camden is shrouded in gloom and many of its citizens overwhelmed by the most severe affliction and bereavement. At half past three on yesterday, eight bodies were at the Methodist church where funeral services were being performed in the presence of a large congregation. Almost every eye was moistened by the tear of grief or sympathy. Mr. Billings, one of those on the boat and saved, said that 27 persons were drowned. This conflicts with the above report as to number, but may be correct. We expect more information by telegraph from Kingsville, and will hasten to place all information to our readers received of this regard of this truly terrible accident. THE VILLAGE OF BOYKIN The historic village of Boykin was begun through the efforts of Alexander Hamilton Boykin, often described as a "well-traveled and wealthy planter," who became the owner of the mill at Boykin possibly in the late 1700s. He organized and led the "Boykin Rangers" during the Civil War and later represenedt his community in the State Senate. History notes that the Boykin post office was placed near the original location of the old mill, which was destroyed sometime after it was abandoned. The building housing the post office was said to be moved to Boykin from the Camden to Kingville road in 1840. The community was partially destroyed by Union troops during the Civil War, having one of the last battles of the conflict fought there on April 18, 1865. General Potter's force of 2,700 troops was engaged by a smaller group of Confederate regulars and the local National Guard, resulting in a defeat of the southern soldiers and the burning of a large number of the village's buildings. The Boykin community continues to live today as several families have chosen to live in its proximity including several descendants of Alexander Hamilton and Sarah Jones DeSaussure Boykin. The community is well known for breeding and producing quality race horses and is the home of the Boykin Spaniel. The community has recently attracted an added amount of attention for creating and hosting South Carolina's most unique Christmas parade. This small southern community has endured both war and tragedy, yet it remains one our state's most historic and frequently visited sites. Reach Item archivist Sammy Way at (803) 774-1294. Posted in Looking back, Reflections on Sunday, July 18, 2010  [2, 3]
  _UID	7603B30507CC4311954DE3A52702253C4C5D
  Death	5 May 1860
  Burial	Quaker Cemetery-Camden, South Carolina   [3]
  Person ID	I52802	Singleton and Related Families
  Last Modified	28 Nov 2010

  
  

  Father	Col. James LEGRANDE
  _UID	A1CA1F577A04405B94A06952920C095EEE86
  _UID	A1CA1F577A04405B94A06952920C095EEE86
  Family ID	F37643	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Harriette “Hattie” Thornton McKAGEN,   b. 20 Feb 1833, Sumter County, South Carolina d. 1 Feb 1923 (Age 89 years)
  Marriage	25 Jan 1854	Camden, SC by Rev. Capers   [1]
  _UID	51760E044A5E4D0097160E8B18AB6D125620
  _UID	51760E044A5E4D0097160E8B18AB6D125620
  Children	1. Catherine Goodwyn LEGRANDE,   b. 26 Oct 1854, Anson, North Carolina d. 18 Mar 1942 (Age 87 years)   2. Walter Junius LEGRANDE,   b. 22 Jul 1856, Camden, South Carolina d. Dec 1860 (Age 4 years)   3. Lula Fannie LEGRANDE,   b. 5 Aug 1858, Camden, South Carolina d. 17 Jan 1896 (Age 37 years)
  Family ID	F37623	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	28 Feb 2001

  
  

• Sources

  [S506] George Phillip McKagen Jr. Family, page 2. [S15148] 1860 tragedy took 27 lives at Boykin’s Mill Pond. [S506] George Phillip McKagen Jr. Family, page 8.