Early Days

Do the names Joseph West, Dr. Henry Woodward, and Lord Ashley sound familiar to you? They should, for Joseph West had commanded three English ships that left England in order to establish a province less than one hundred miles from here. History tells us that upon arrival these early settlers happened upon Dr. Woodward, who had miraculously escaped from the Spaniards. The West-Woodward party landed on the western side of the Ashley River in April, 1670.

When the first United States census was taken in 1790 only the heads of the family were listed. At the time of the census Williston was included in the Orangeburg Judicial District. Aiken County was subsequently created by an Act of the General Assembly of South Carolina in March, 1871. Its area was comprised of territory taken from Barnwell, Edgefield, Lexington and Orangeburg Counties. For that reason it is difficult to distinguish the origin of some of [the] families….          

Records show that Robed Willis came to this section of Barnwell County from Orangeburg. He had lived in Orangeburg with his two sisters after his mother’s death and his father’s remarriage. His father, John Willis, had come to South Carolina in 1750 from Virginia. It is not certain who his mother was. Robert was born in 1773 and married Keziah Watson from near Ridge Spring in 1795. They had fourteen children. Among their children was Cyrena Willis Perry (1815-1835). Robert (1773-1844) and wife Keziah (1780-1845), daughter Cyrena, and son J. T. (1799-1844) were buried in the family cemetery five miles from Williston, just off the Springfield Road, a short distance from the original Willis home “Wildwood”. The oldest grave in the cemetery is Cyrena’s, who was not quite twenty-one when she died.

Robert Willis became very well-to-do and was well known as a planter. His property was divided among his children at his death and it is possible that the land his son Elijah Willis gave to be used for, a church, depot and school had belonged to his father, but Elijah himself had acquired a great deal of property by purchase. Be that as it may, the land was given, a town was born, and named Willistown in their honor. Their family cemetery is located five miles from town just off the Springfield Road near the original home site (Wildwood).

Another cemetery, the Smith cemetery, is interesting. Many members of the Smith family were also laid to rest in this cemetery near their home. The Smith house has long since vanished but the cemetery is in excellent condition. John Smith (1776-1855) and his wife, Linna Smith (1776-1855), lie buried there with their son J. Terrell (1822-1905) and his wife Martha (1826 - 1904)

Terrell and Martha Smith were childless, but had a great love for children. They were quite active in the effort made by their community in 1891 to get the proposed Baptist Orphanage located here. Mr. Smith made a very generous offer trying to induce the trustees to vote for Williston and was very disappointed when Greenwood was chosen by the Association. However, within a few years they built a cottage for boys at Connie Maxwell which was named the J. Terrell Smith Cottage. Upon Mr. Smith’s death, he made provisions for a companion building for girls to be known as the Martha Smith Home. Also, he bequeathed the greater portion of his estate, which included the family cemetery, in trust for the institution. The only stipulation made was that the family cemetery should be maintained. The trustees of his estate united with the Connie Maxwell trustees in a friendly suit where the courts directed that the property be sold and monies realized reinvested. As a result, this profit afforded an opportunity for the erection of the Smith Industrial Building on the orphanage grounds.

Joshua Ashley (1791-1869), came to this area from Virginia. He bought a great deal of property and farmed extensively. His holdings included the Goose Pond tract which he purchased in 1833. It was here that the picnics, barbecues and horse races took place. These events often attracted statewide interest.

The Ashley cemetery is located about three miles from Williston on the road to Barnwell, just across from the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson Bates.

Nathan Stansell was the first Stansell to arrive in the Barnwell District. He was married in North Carolina in 1799 and had seven children, all born before he came to South Carolina in 1817. During the ensuing twelve months, he acquired fifteen hundred acres of land. In 1838 he bought a house and lot in the town of Williston. Nathan died in 1843 and the lot was sold in 1855 by his daughter-in-law. It was subsequently leased to persons who operated it as a hotel, and, possibly, the first hotel in Williston.

Of the children of Nathan Stansell, Thomas and Arthur played an active part in the life of Williston arid its environs.

The graves of Nathan and perhaps other members of his family have disappeared. The graves of Thomas (1807-1883) and his wife Sarah Amanda Lewis (1823-1873), a twenty year old son, and five infants are to be found about 300 yards off Elko Street, just past the Kelly-Edwards School.

Thomas Stansell planted lands lying between Williston and Elko, and during the 1830’s he and one John P. Walker had an interest in a retail business in Williston.