Page 87 - Florence County, SC Florence County 2032: Connecting Our Past, Defining Our Future

Existing County | Cultural Resources

William Henry Johnson (1901-1970), one of
the most important African-American artists
of the 20th century, was born nearby on
Cox Street. His family later lived on the
William H. Johnson 34° 11.673′ N, corner of Cheves and Kemp Streets. In 1918,
21-21
Birthplace 79° 45.183′ W at the age of 17, Johnson moved to New
York City. Johnson studied at the National
Academy of Design and the Cape Cod
School of Art, won several prizes, and
studied art in Europe 1926-29.
This African American community, which
flourished here for 70 years, has its origins
in a 105-acre tract bought in 1870 by former
slave Ervin James (1815-1872). James,
34° 12.831′ N, determined to own his own farm instead of
21-22 Jamestown
79° 36.725′ W being dependent on sharecropping or
tenant farming, bought the tract from Eli
McKissick and Mary Poston. His five sons
and a son-in-law later divided the tract into
individual farms.
This church, founded in 1806 in what was
Darlington District until Florence County
was founded in 1888, grew out of an early
Methodist “Society.” Rev. Thomas
Pisgah Methodist 34° 12.686′ N, Humphries (d. 1820), who served this and
21-23
Church 79° 50.369′ W other area circuits, conducted the first
service. In 1813 Dempsey Russell donated
an acre to the congregation, which soon
built a frame building here as its first
permanent church.
Alfred Rush (d. 1876), a black state
representative for two terms during
Reconstruction, was assassinated near here,
The Assassination of 34° 5.073′ N, about 1/2 mi. from his home, on May 13,
21-24
Rep. Alfred Rush 79° 50.923′ W 1876. Rush, who represented what was
then Darlington County in the S.C. House
1868-70 and 1874-76, was also a deacon at
Savannah Grove Baptist Church.

Florence County, SC | Comprehensive Plan pg. 86