Field trip : Horry County

Today myself, along with my parents, traveled to Horry County.  My Dad is the family historian, so anytime we head to Horry County I instantly ask for a Suggs/Miller field trip.  My Granma and Granpa were from Horry County & I love seeing the places where they grew up and hearing the stories that were passed down from my Grandparents to my Dad and now to me.  I quickly learned to pack my camera, notebook, and pen and to wear shoes that I didn't mind getting dirty since these field trips have required some off-road activities and I maybe might have jumped a fence a two!  We started our day trip off by heading to Longs, South Carolina to eat the best seafood in the state...yes I said in the STATE at Horry's (pronounced Oh-Ree's).

Horry's is a favorite place to eat in my family.  The flounder (a personal favorite) is amazing!  The oyster roast is awesome (according to my Dad)!  & have I mentioned the homemade cakes!  There will normally be anywhere from 3 to 5 homemade cakes to choose from for dessert.  We are too full to eat dessert in the restaurant so cake slices (huge slices which is the norm) are plated to go.  This is the first time that I can recall that we have visited Horry's during the Christmas holidays.  I was chatting (of course) with my parents as we walked in only to see a very festive Christmas tree.

This tree was too cool & very fitting for Horry's (yes those are oyster shells).  After we filled our bellies we said so long to Horry's and headed to Bayboro, my Granma's neck of the woods!

(Photo credit : my mom)

My Granma grew up in Bayboro, South Carolina.  I adored my Granma (Suggs) and any chance I get to hear stories of her and see places associated with her, I am there.  (I feel the same about my Granpa...that man was a dream & I miss him dearly!)  We left Longs and headed through Loris to Bayboro, passing through Allsbrook (trust me these are all real places!).  Our first stop was the house where my Granma grew up.

This house, still standing, is where my Granma grew up.  While some additions have been added to the original house, the fact that it is still there for me to see was great!  Next stop, the original Suggs Plantation, Cedar Lane.

Cedar Lane was the Suggs Plantation in Bayboro.  The Suggs, through a King's Land Grant, had 3,000 acres in this area.  This large tract of land would be 1 of 2 land tracts in the Suggs family.  However, after the Civil War, some land was sold in order to regain monies lost due to the War.  The plantation house at Cedar Lane has since burned but this is part of the original lane.  I have read that Dow Suggs, my ancestor and last person to live in the plantation house, planted fields of amaryllis at Cedar Lane. 

The original cedar trees that lined the lane.

The foundation from the plantation house.

(Photo credit : my dad)
Overjoyed to be able to stand on part of the original Cedar Lane where my Granma, along with several generations before me, stood.  Family history is amazing!  Next stop, a swamp!

Today this area of water is called Pleasant Meadow Swamp.  However, when my Granma lived in Bayboro this was a millpond.  The millpond was used by Live Oak Baptist Church for baptizing.

This is the millpond (now swamp) where my Granma was baptized.  My Granma told my Dad that the millpond was always flooded due to the gristmill. 

Live Oak Baptist Church, right down from the millpond, is where my Granma attended church.  My Great-Granpa Suggs was the choir director at Live Oak.  Last stop, a cemetery!

Our last stop is Pleasant View Baptist Church.  This church was founded in 1875.  Some of my Granpa's ancestors attended this church and are buried in the church cemetery.

One of my ancestors on my Granpa's side of the family is James T. Shelley...

James T. Shelley was in the 10th SC during the Civil War.  He was captured at Missionary Ridge in TN and was a POW until he was paroled in New Orleans in May 1865.  I am very honored to have 13 direct line ancestors that fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. 

Learning my family history is important to me!  I am extremely grateful that my Dad was interested in his family history years ago.  Through talks with my grandparents and endless hours of research and travel, my Dad is a walking/talking history book on our family.  Hearing the stories and seeing the places makes me feel like my Grandparents are still with me and for that I am truly blessed.

*For more information about Horry County and some of my ancestors, check out Horry County, SC by Catherine H. Lewis*

Happy Travels
-A