Kings of the Mountain

•July 29, 2026•

by Janey Roney 

Some of the bratty boys at Jonathan Creek country school used to play “King of the Hill” on a large grass covered mound in the corner of the huge playground. Their shoving matches didn’t impress us girls much for their reign lasted only until noon or the next recess when another “king” claimed the title.

“I’ll be King of the mountain!” shouted British Major Patrick Ferguson to his British loyalist militia gathered at the top of Kings Mountain, South Carolina in October of 1780. Likewise, the patriot militia surrounding Kings Mountain were not impressed either. James Patterson, one of our county’s Revolutionary War veterans, was among those patriot militiamen.  

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