Manse Jolly - Facts And Fiction

By Ed Sanders¹

A two part series about Manse Jolly was written in 1981 by Steve Biondo and published by the Anderson Independent. The articles consist of a mix of part fact and part fiction. At first glance it would seem that the article is divided into two parts, the legend and the factual account about Manse. But unfortunately this is not what we find. The way the articles are written it is unclear where fact ends and fiction begins.

The first and most prominent deficiency in this story is the photo, it is not Manse Jolly² This is one of many articles written about Manse that have contributed to the confusion over his true story.

Those who are interested in the the historical facts about Manse should consult "The South Carolina Upcountry: Historical and Biographical Sketches (Vol. 2), by Elmer Don Herd. The chapter on Manse Jolly "Unreconstructed Rebel" is about 50 pages of well researched material. Many consider it to be the most historically accurate account available. For those who enjoy great 'historical-fiction' there is also an excellent book recently published by Wilton Earle⁴.

Note: The articles were scanned from the newspaper archives at the Anderson County Library and are of poor quality. If you have a better copy of the articles please let us know, we would like to have a better copy to publish.

Part I - The Legend Of Manse Jolly (April 12, 1981, Anderson Independent-Mail)

Part II - Manse Jolly The Man (April 19, 1981, Anderson Independent-Mail)

Notes:

1. Information compiled by Ed Sanders from the Anderson County Library (2005).

2. See this web page to view an authentic picture of Manse based on a daguerreotype that belonged to the Jolly family.

3. Don Heard is a noted S.C. history professor and scholar and his books are well written.

4. The book is titled: Manse: One Mans War by Wilton Earle (highly recommended for anyone with an interest in Manse Jolly!). Visit the authors website www.adeptbooks.com where you can read the first chapter and purchase the book! A previous book by the same author Manse Jolly: A Story Based On Fact is out of print and hard to find.