Young Voncile Hightower at Fishing Hole in Binnicker's Communty, S.C.

Edgar "Voncile" Hightower, Senior, a young boy on his horse in the Binnicker's Community of Bamberg County, S.C. on the banks of the South Edisto River area of Elzey's Landing.
Young "Voncile" Hightower must have been about 10 years of age at the time of this photo.
"Voncile's" father Owen "Riley" Hightower had already left young "Voncile's" mother Julia Gertrude Sandifer Hightower a widow, with four daughters and "Voncile" in the rural home, without a source of income, other than what they could scrape out of the land. And, the man-of-the-house was this 10-year old "Voncile" Hightower.
To make matters much worse, "Voncile" Hightower was involved in a tragic and fatal accident, with his young neighbor friend Thurson Whetstone. They were suffocated in a collapse of a sand embankment, which buried all but their extended legs and feet...both were pronounced "dead" by the attending country doctor.
About a half-dozen hours after being pronounced dead..."Voncile" Hightower sent his fleeing relatives and friends, who had gathered in the Hightower home to comfort "Voncile's" mother -- out the front door and opened windows into the darkness of the night...
"Voncile" Hightower lived another 53 years, after that night of very mixed emotions of the Hightowers at their humble home.