Gaffney in Cherokee County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Whig Hill
Photographed By Brian Scott, October 3, 2009
1. Whig Hill Marker
This plantation, 1.5 mi. S. near Thicketty Creek, was settled about 1767 by John Nuckolls, Sr. (1732-1780), a native of Virginia. During the American Revolution, as the war in the backcountry became a vicious civil war, the plantation became known as "Whig Hill" for Nuckolls's support of the patriot cause. He was murdered by Tories in December 1780 and is buried on his plantation.
Erected 1998 by Cherokee County Historical and Preservation Society. (Marker Number 11-5.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Heroes • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1780.
Location. 34° 58.838′ N, 81° 38.87′ W. Marker is in Gaffney, South Carolina, in Cherokee County. Marker is on Union Highway (State Highway 18) south of Round Tree Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gaffney SC 29340, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Mulberry Chapel Methodist Church (approx. 3˝ miles away); Goucher Baptist Church (approx. 3˝ miles away); Nuckolls-Jefferies House (approx. 3˝ miles away); Littlejohn Family Reunion
this page online
Also see . . .
1. Biographical Sketch of John Nuckolls by Phil Norfleet. John Nuckolls was born on 23 October 1732 in Louisa County, Virginia (VA). (Submitted on November 1, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
2. Thicketty, South Carolina. The village of Thicketty (also spelled Thickety) is an unincorporated community in Cherokee County between Gaffney and Cowpens, South Carolina along US Highway 29. (Submitted on November 1, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
Additional commentary.
1. McKown's Mill, South Carolina (December 11, 1870 - Murder)
John Nuckolls was a partisan who lived near Thicketty Creek. Early in December he had returned home to visit his home at Whig Hill. He took his young son, John, to McKown's mill on Broad River to get more mean for his family. McKown was a Tory, but Nuckoll's
Photographed By Brian Scott, October 3, 2009
2. Whig Hill Marker -
Looking South Along SC 18
Looking South Along SC 18
McKown told Nuckolls that he would not be able to grind any mean for him until the next day, and then gave him a room at the mill for the night. What Nuckolls did not know was that McKown could not be trusted and he had just been trapped. McKown sent for some other Loyalists and they went to Nuckolls' room. They woke him up saying, "We've come for you."
Nuckolls realized the deadly mistake he had made, and asked if he could wake up his son so he could give some messages for his people at home. The Loyalists told him that it they woke the boy, they would kill him too. They walked Nuckolls a short distance from the mill and he asked if they would give him five minutes to pray. They told him to go ahead and pray, but one of the Loyalists named Davis said, "If he continues praying that way much longer we will not be able to kill him," and shot him through the head.
They threw the body into a hole where a tree had blown over, and covered the hole with brush. His family gathered them up and buried him at Whig Hill, his home.
A few months later, the Loyalist Davis and several of the other men that murdered Nuckolls were captured by a Whig patrol, and executed the same way they killed John Nuckolls. The Whigs went to the house of Mrs. Nuckolls and asked if they could have a pick and a shovel because "they were going to settle
Photographed By Brian Scott, October 3, 2009
3. Whig Hill Marker
— Submitted November 1, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 23, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 1, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 3,278 times since then and 225 times this year. Last updated on December 16, 2010, by David Bullard of Seneca, South Carolina. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 1, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
