Fort Mill Times

This week in Fort Mill history, in 1918: Fort Mill sees first victim of Great War

By Chip Heemsoth

October 22, 2018 9:45 AM

FORT MILL

What happened this week in Fort Mill, South Carolina history, according to the archives of the Fort Mill Times.

The Fort Mill High School marching band won the Class AAA Upper State Championship at Clover High School. The Indian Land High School marching band won the Class A State Championship, also at Clover.
Five players quit the Indian land High School football team saying that head coach Bill Mott had quit on them. The Warriors record was 2-7.
Coach Greg Taylor’s Fort Mill Yellow Jackets defeated York 35-7, upping their record to 7-2, 4-2 in the region. Indian Land lost to Buford by a 40-0 score.
Fort Mill Rotary Club president Frankie Campbell presented a $1,000 check to Fort Mill Care Center president Hugh Mullis on World Hunger Day.

A case before the South Carolina Supreme Court delayed Indian Land school officials in seeking bids for new construction at the high school complex.
An ad for Elmer’s Little Mart on Spratt Street stated that “Elmer stands behind his used cars… that’s why he’s never been run over.”
Staff Sgt. Gary Plyler, a 1971 Fort Mill High graduate, graduated from the Tactical Air Command Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership School in Hulbert Field, Fla.
The senior citizens of Sisk Memorial Baptist Church made a highly enjoyable trip to the mountains of western North Carolina to view the autumn foliage.

Rhonda Ramsey was chosen by the Fort Mill High School majorettes to serve as head majorette for the coming year. Rhonda, a sophomore, was a fancy twirler.
Fort Mill’s football team defeated York twice in one week, 25-15 and 26-12. Warren Brown, a seventh grader, returned a kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown in the second game.

The Honor Roll at Fort Mill High School included Lunsford McFadden, Doris Cranford, Godfrey Nims, Sara Belle Smythe, Esther Broome, Robert Bradford and Oneal Shumpert.
Work was progressing rapidly on the surface treatment of the new Steel Creek road between Fort Mill and the North Carolina line.

Word was received that Sgt. Eli Bailes was killed and Capt. S. W. Parks wounded during a battle in France. Sgt. Bailes was Fort Mill’s first announced victim of the Great War.
Mr. W. P. Harris of Waxhaw, N. C., announced the opening of a heavy and fancy grocery store in the Ardrey building at No. 24 Trade Street.

Chip Heemsoth is a lifelong resident of Fort Mill.