Boykin's Mill Tragedy - AslanJ
Subject: Boykin's Mill Tragedy
From: AslanJ
Date: April 15, 1998

I found an article on line about the Boykin's Mill drownings.  Thought that
someone else may have had family who were lost in this tragedy.  there are
actually 2 articles online, but the second is so worn that it is partially un-
readable.

Our LeGrand gr-gr-gr grandmother, Frances Goodwin Marshall LeGrand, lost 2
sons, and the wife of one of these sons (Hattie McKagen LeGrand) lost her
husband, sister, brother and brother in law all in one day. 

I discovered from the article how this happened.  There was a flatboat at
Boykin's Mill and, after a day of picnicking and fun, several young ladies
decided to take a "cruise" on the flatboat.  Some young men went along
(chivalry, you know) to "protect" the ladies.  The flatboa, being very
overloaded, hung up on something underwater and it poked a hole in the boat.
At first, it was a fun adventure, and then the boat began to sink.  One hero,
a conductor from the railroad (which was close by) saw the thing happening and
he ran to the pond, jumped in and saved one young lady.  It was said that the
whole group went down, clinging to each other, as a mass.  I had reference to
27 people drowning that day, and one of these articles also says that there
were 27.  The other article says there were 25.  Whichever, what a tragic turn
for a fun filled day.

Judy Canant 
click to read the Sumter Watchman account (it takes a long time to load):

About Camden, SC
and Nearby Attractions 

or here is URL:
http://www.tech-tech.com/b&bonlyweb/boymill1.jpg

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