McDaniel Cemetery
McDaniel Cemetery entrance from Finley Court.
Located on Finley Court in Knollwood sits the oldest cemetery in Mauldin. It is the final resting place of Benjamin Griffith Sr., the first known settler in the area in 1784.
Originally known as the Benjamin Griffith Burial Ground, the cemetery later became known as McDaniel Cemetery. Keziah McDaniel, the widowed daughter of Benjamin Griffith Sr., moved to the area with her son, James McDaniel.
Benjamin Griffith Sr.
A man of Welsch descent, Benjamin Griffith Sr. served as a private in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. At the time of his passing in 1811, the family owned two tracts of land totaling 300 acres in the Mauldin area.
He and his wife, Mary "Polly" Daniel, had three boys and two girls, not including Keziah, whose mother passed away when she was young. Benjamin Griffith Sr.'s headstone is the oldest marked grave in the cemetery, which consists of about 40 marked graves and an undetermined number of unmarked graves. Descendants of the Griffith family placed a revolutionary marker at the grave of Benjamin Griffith Sr. in 1988.
While Benjamin Griffith Sr. had no slaves when he came to Mauldin in 1784, his son, William Griffith, did. It is believed the walls of the cemetery were built by slaves of the Griffith and McDaniel farms. Some of the graves within the cemetery may also belong to former slaves.
Originally known as the Benjamin Griffith Burial Ground, the cemetery later became known as McDaniel Cemetery. Keziah McDaniel, the widowed daughter of Benjamin Griffith Sr., moved to the area with her son, James McDaniel.
Benjamin Griffith Sr.
A man of Welsch descent, Benjamin Griffith Sr. served as a private in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. At the time of his passing in 1811, the family owned two tracts of land totaling 300 acres in the Mauldin area.
He and his wife, Mary "Polly" Daniel, had three boys and two girls, not including Keziah, whose mother passed away when she was young. Benjamin Griffith Sr.'s headstone is the oldest marked grave in the cemetery, which consists of about 40 marked graves and an undetermined number of unmarked graves. Descendants of the Griffith family placed a revolutionary marker at the grave of Benjamin Griffith Sr. in 1988.
While Benjamin Griffith Sr. had no slaves when he came to Mauldin in 1784, his son, William Griffith, did. It is believed the walls of the cemetery were built by slaves of the Griffith and McDaniel farms. Some of the graves within the cemetery may also belong to former slaves.
James McDaniel
A new marker was added to Benjamin Griffith's grave.
James McDaniel, grandson to Benjamin Griffith Sr., made a name for himself in Greenville County. He married Mary Austin on Dec. 27, 1808, a family with a noted history during the revolution. James McDaniel served under his father-in-law, Col. William Austin, during the War of 1812.
He was elected sheriff of Greenville County in 1830 and later served as Clerk of Court. James and Mary had eight children, one, James A., who succeeded him as Clerk of Court, and then later his grandson, W.B. Over his lifetime James McDaniel acquired about 3,000 acres of land between Mauldin and Greenville and throughout the county.
Mary Austin McDaniel, who died April 15, 1833, has the next oldest marked grave. James McDaniel died March 19, 1853.
Other Surnames
ASHMORE: The third most popular surname in the cemetery is Ashmore. One of James McDaniel and Mary Austin's eight children, Keziah Louisa McDaniel (1813-1861), married Major James Henry Ashmore (1813-1883) on March 6, 1834. They had nine children, many of whom are buried in the cemetery.
BANNISTER: Hannah Griffith (1857-1926), daughter of Stephen Griffith (1811-1898), married Robert Bannister (died 1937) in about 1870. Stephen Griffith was one of 10 children to William Griffith, second son of Benjamin Griffith Sr.
TAYLOR: Elizabeth Griffith (1855-1934), daughter of Stephen Griffith (1811-1898), married Wes R. Taylor (1855-1903) in about 1875. Stephen Griffith was one of 10 children to William Griffith, second son of Benjamin Griffith Sr.
LONG, SULLIVAN: There are graves for Lewis Long (1871-1875), Alexander Sullivan (1869-1870) and Luther Sullivan (1877-1879). Noting that all three died before the age of 5, it is presumed that these were children of nearby families in need of a grave site.
COBB, FORRESTER: There are graves for David Cobb (1821-1887) and Kate G. Forrester (1854-1926). It is unclear how these people are linked to the family cemetery.
He was elected sheriff of Greenville County in 1830 and later served as Clerk of Court. James and Mary had eight children, one, James A., who succeeded him as Clerk of Court, and then later his grandson, W.B. Over his lifetime James McDaniel acquired about 3,000 acres of land between Mauldin and Greenville and throughout the county.
Mary Austin McDaniel, who died April 15, 1833, has the next oldest marked grave. James McDaniel died March 19, 1853.
Other Surnames
ASHMORE: The third most popular surname in the cemetery is Ashmore. One of James McDaniel and Mary Austin's eight children, Keziah Louisa McDaniel (1813-1861), married Major James Henry Ashmore (1813-1883) on March 6, 1834. They had nine children, many of whom are buried in the cemetery.
BANNISTER: Hannah Griffith (1857-1926), daughter of Stephen Griffith (1811-1898), married Robert Bannister (died 1937) in about 1870. Stephen Griffith was one of 10 children to William Griffith, second son of Benjamin Griffith Sr.
TAYLOR: Elizabeth Griffith (1855-1934), daughter of Stephen Griffith (1811-1898), married Wes R. Taylor (1855-1903) in about 1875. Stephen Griffith was one of 10 children to William Griffith, second son of Benjamin Griffith Sr.
LONG, SULLIVAN: There are graves for Lewis Long (1871-1875), Alexander Sullivan (1869-1870) and Luther Sullivan (1877-1879). Noting that all three died before the age of 5, it is presumed that these were children of nearby families in need of a grave site.
COBB, FORRESTER: There are graves for David Cobb (1821-1887) and Kate G. Forrester (1854-1926). It is unclear how these people are linked to the family cemetery.
So Why Not Griffith Town?
The Blakely (Keziah Louise McDaniel) home near the McDaniel Cemetery.
While the origin of Mauldin can be traced back to Benjamin Griffith Sr., the town wasn't incorporated until Dec. 24, 1890. By then, there were many families living in the area, including the Butler and Cox families.
In 1882, the Greenville Laurens Railroad Co. began to survey a railroad from Greenville to Laurens, and had planned to bypass what was then called Butler's Crossroads, named after settler Willis W. Butler. Addie Hyde Cox reached out to her friend, William L. Mauldin, for support. Mauldin was president of the Greenville Laurens Railroad (1881-1885), a state representative and senator, and lieutenant governor from 1886-1890.
As a result, a frame passenger and freight depot was constructed on Jenkins Street in 1886 – property owned by the Cox family. In exchange for the deed, Addie Hyde Cox asked that the depot be named after Lieutenant Governor Mauldin. Addie Hyde Cox's husband, Riley, opened a small postoffice near the depot and named it Mauldin, too.
In 1890, the town of Mauldin was chartered with its limits a half-mile radius from the depot. The depot was torn down in 1953. Today, the city of Mauldin is 12.07 square miles with an estimated population approaching 29,000.
Sources:
1) Griffith, Charles A. 1990. Benjamin Griffith, Sr.: First Settler of Mauldin, South Carolina. Village Press Inc. and Copies Ltd.
2) Walker, Mae ... et al. 1984. Mauldin's Legacy and It's People. Inter-Collegiate Press.
3) http://www.findagrave.com
4) http://www.ancestry.com
5) http://www.scaet.org
6) http://www.cityofmauldin.org
In 1882, the Greenville Laurens Railroad Co. began to survey a railroad from Greenville to Laurens, and had planned to bypass what was then called Butler's Crossroads, named after settler Willis W. Butler. Addie Hyde Cox reached out to her friend, William L. Mauldin, for support. Mauldin was president of the Greenville Laurens Railroad (1881-1885), a state representative and senator, and lieutenant governor from 1886-1890.
As a result, a frame passenger and freight depot was constructed on Jenkins Street in 1886 – property owned by the Cox family. In exchange for the deed, Addie Hyde Cox asked that the depot be named after Lieutenant Governor Mauldin. Addie Hyde Cox's husband, Riley, opened a small postoffice near the depot and named it Mauldin, too.
In 1890, the town of Mauldin was chartered with its limits a half-mile radius from the depot. The depot was torn down in 1953. Today, the city of Mauldin is 12.07 square miles with an estimated population approaching 29,000.
Sources:
1) Griffith, Charles A. 1990. Benjamin Griffith, Sr.: First Settler of Mauldin, South Carolina. Village Press Inc. and Copies Ltd.
2) Walker, Mae ... et al. 1984. Mauldin's Legacy and It's People. Inter-Collegiate Press.
3) http://www.findagrave.com
4) http://www.ancestry.com
5) http://www.scaet.org
6) http://www.cityofmauldin.org
