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South Carolina (1750 - 1818) South Carolina was another of the original 13 colonies, then states. Edgefield District was organized on March 2, 1785 out of the Ninety-Six District, and did not become Edgefield County until 80 years later, in 1865. It is here in the Edgefield District that the Walkers, Murrays and Bushes probably met. The Murrays, upon arriving in the colony of South Carolina, about 1750, were among its early settlers. South Carolina was only divided from North Carolina in 1710. They were known to have lived in settlements on Indian, Gliders, and King Creeks. By 1775 the total population of South Carolina was 100,000 with only 25,000 being white, the remainder -- slaves. The cultivation of rice and indigo on large plantations using slave labor was the basis of a prosperous economy at that time, with cotton becoming the dominant crop after 1776. We assume that the Murrays were involved in that portion of the economy. Some of them were Baptist, Presbyterians, and, subsequent to the Revolutionary War, Methodists. Andrew MURRAY I was born in the Ninety Sixth District (later to be know as Newberry County) in 1755. All three of his children were born in Edgefield District, James in 1792, Andrew II in 1795, and Alexander in 1808. To be technically correct the Edgefield District was not created until 1795 from part of the Ninety-Six District, so James was really born in the Ninety-Six District.
Richard BUSH and Mary (Prescott) BUSH while living in South Carolina had a total of eight children of whom, besides Charity Elizabeth, we know very little. We do know most of their names (listed earlier) and that one of his sons, Prescott Bush, was a private in the Revolutionary War. From the Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution, we learn that he served under Captains Turner, Mitchell and Butler, and was still living in South Carolina in 1820. Unfortunately we have no more information about Mary Prescott, except that her father’s name was Moses PRESCOTT. Linda Faye Walker Mason, wrote in her biography of the Walker family, Our Walker Heritage, (Oct. 1987) p.5 "It appears that Francis Walker and one of his brothers, Joel or Ezekiel ran away from home after the 1776 census, and soon thereafter the third brother joined them in South Carolina." There, about 1790, Frances Walker married Charity Elizabeth BUSH who was 19 years old, and 13 years younger than Frances. All of the Frances and Charity (Bush) Walker children were born in Edgefield District, South Carolina. From the South Carolina State Archives we learned that Francis owned several pieces of land bought between 1787 and 1816. Francis Walker was ordained a minister in 1805 while living in South Carolina. There is a reference to the Flat rock Church being organized in 1810 with F. Walker as its pastor. In the History of Edgefield Baptist Association 1808-1957, the church was originally known as the Tyger River Church, and was established in 1765-66. It later became known as the Bethel Church. In 1818 Andrew Murray I and his family, with the Bushes, Walkers and the McCartys left for Mississippi.
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