Located about five miles southeast of Clinton, Joanna is the largest unincorporated community in Laurens County. The community was once called Goldville but changed its name to Joanna in 1948 in recognition of Joanna Manufacturing Company.
Wendy Willingham, 2013 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent
Photographer Wendy Willingham remarks on her photo above, “I love the look of the hayfield on a sunny summer day!”
For Patricia Oldfield: Martin’s Depot was named for a German immigrant, Martin Kynnard, who Anglicised his name to Martin Kinard. He was instrumental in bringing the railroad to lower Laurens County, specifically to what is now Joanna. Joanna, previously Goldville, and originally Martin’s Depot, was named for him. As was what is presently named Kinards. The original name for Kindards was Kinard’s Turnout, a turnout being a rail siding. Although a Lutheran, he is buried at Sharon United Methodist Church cemetery there at Kindards. The original road from Martin’s Depot to Kinard’s Turnout is the narrow road paralleling US76, on which Norbord is situated. US76 was built the mid-1920s.
I was born in Joanna, did not know about Martins depot, thanks for the info. There is a cemetery next to the school, sorry not sure of the street name, it has been awhile, most people were buried in the church cemetery out in the country way back.
I wonder how many Joannians know (or care) that the president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, and his cabinet, in their flight from Richmond near the end of the Civil War, passed through Joanna (which at that time was named Martin’s Depot) with 1300 soldiers on April 30, 1865. Their route, from Charlotte, took them through Union and Cross Keys. They arrived at Riser’s Brick House (on SC66, 7 miles NE of Joanna) in the afternoon, passed through Martin’s Depot, and spent the night at the Lafayette Young house 5 miles SW of the town. Davis and his cabinet with its escort then proceeded to Abbeville, then on into Georgia, and was captured near Irwinville, GA, on May 10, 1865.
Very interesting. Wish we had more history of Joanna. We wonder why Joanna has no community cemetery.