Pylant Geneology

Article from "Farm and Factory"; Seneca, SC; December 12, 1911. SKETCH OF HER LIFE Elizabeth McGuffin Ables Bearden was born the 28th of June, 1808 - in South Carolina, not far from the old Stone Church, in what is now Anderson County, but was then Pickens District. Her grandparents, Joseph Andrew McGuffin and wife were of the sturdy Scotch-Irish people, who came to America among the early settlers from Ireland. Her father James McGuffin was a baby of six weeks when they came over, and his two oldest brothers were left behind with grandparents who were to have come the following year, but never made the trip. In America the name became confused with McGuffin and in this section of the country is known as McGuffin still. Her father married Anice Jolly and to them were born thirteen children all of whom have passed away save one daughter, Mrs. Caroline Hull, of Hartwell, Georgia. Her grandfather, Joseph Andrew McGuffin, fought in the Revolutionary War, and she remembers distinctly things that were told her of the Party Bands and other incidents. She remembered the war of 1812, and as a child the little incidents of an affectionate parting between an uncle and his wife as he started to New Orleans in 1815 but hearing that peace was signed, he came back. During the Civil War she helped her husband bore out guns and worked faithfully in every way for the cause. Five sons and one grandson went to the front and one son, Joseph Wesly Bearden, lost his life at Petersburg, Virginia. The girlhood days of Mrs. Bearden were spent in Pickens District, but she later went to Georgia and lived for a while with an aunt of hers near Decatur. Then Atlanta was only a village and spoken of as Peachtree. One of her fondest recollections and one that she enjoyed relating so much was of going to a dance at Decatur where they danced until midnight then went home, ate breakfast and finished. This was one of the good old "Georgia Break-downs". At the age of 18 years she married William Ables and four children were born to them. Her husband died at about the time of the birth of her last child and she was then alone except for her four children, who were too small to help any in work on the farm. But still she was not destined to live alone, for William, commonly known as "Buskie" Bearden, the noted black-smith and rifle maker came into her life and courted the widow and married her. Nine children were born to them, seven of which are living today. Four sons are prosperous farmers of the Oakway section; one son at Royston, Georgia in the old mill business; one daughter at Hughes Springs and one at Tabor, South Carolina. Living in a day when there was very little manufacturing done, she clothed by using the spinning wheel and loom. After marrying William Bearden they lived in the Oakway section, and owned most of the "Nubbin Ridge", as Oakway was then called. Land sold then for 50 cents an acre that will now bring $100 per acre. She knew Oconee county when there were no houses from Old Stone Church to Oconee Station, a distance of about 25 miles. Her grandfather helped build Old Stone Church. Mrs. Bearden lived at the old home place and she and her grand-daughter, Mrs. Fannie Grant, kept house till about ten years ago, when she gave up housekeeping and went to her son's house where he and his family did all that living hands could do for her last days. There was nothing pretentious about her. She spoke freely about what she believed. She was a true believer in the ______ living. She never had to call a physician until her last illness. When whe was 100 years old the descendants gave a great reunion and made a count of her descendants and they numbered somewhere near 400 living. They are scattered over the state of Georgia and South Carolina and Texas. Relatives of this aged lady who live in this vicinity are: Mrs. L. F. Jaynes, Mrs. J. L. Allgood, grand-daughters; Mrs. Isabel Jaynes, a niece; W. P. McGuffin, a nephew; Mrs. Pyland, a grand-daughter; Mrs. Berry Reeder of Hughes Springs is also a relative.