In 1929, Rock Hill's first optician, Dr. Joseph J. Hagins, was interview about his Civil War experiences. Dr. Hagins was one of the oldest veterans around, then 98 years of age but with an alert mind and "characteristic jovial frankness."

Hagins said he was born in Lancaster County, "where all great men were born" (a reference to Andrew Jackson, Dr. J. Marion Sims, and his great-grandfather, Col. William Hagins, a Revolutionary War hero). Col. William Hagins had come to Carolina in 1745 and settled in what he thought to be North Carolina (the boundary line wasn't drawn until 1772) but later turned out to be South Carolina. This was, according to Dr. Hagins, in Belair of Lancaster County where William Hagins, a staunch Presbyterian, built a church (Six Mile Creek Presbyterian).

In the Draper Manuscripts there is a description of Col. William Hagins which said that in the Six Mile settlement he set up "manufacturing mills for the consumption of the cotton and wool which were grown by the early settlers. Also a distillery in which spirits were made and trade in that and other lines was carried on with the Indians - the Catawbas... [Hagins was] tall, well-built, 6 feet, red-complected, blue eyes, light hair; married 175- (3 or 8), 3 sons, 2 daughters. Oldest 2 sons were at Battle of Hanging Rock. Joseph wounded. 3rd son was John. Col. Hagins commanded the Six Mile Creek and Mecklenburg Co. Settlement militia under Sumter."

Dr. Hagins said that the wound of his grandfather Joseph Hagins occurred when his collar bone was split by a British saber.

Several years before the Civil War, around 1858, when J.J. Hagins was around 17 years of age, his family doctor, T.L. Johnston told him, "If we go into a war our Southland will be devastated, our lands will be ruined and the northern alien will flock here to pick the carcass." Hagins said that Dr. Johnston was a true prophet. Dr. Johnston also said that the Northern people "are from the same stock as you," meaning that they also knew how to fight. Dr. Hagins said he learned that was true. He still remembered row upon row of Confederate graves at Manassas.

Hagins joined the Confederate Army on June 20, 1861, and was sent to Ridgeville, S.C. for basic training. When he got to a Virginia camp near Washington he contracted measles. His doctor was Dr. Thomas Lynn Johnston of Belair who had also joined the army (and later would practice medicine in Rock Hill.)

Later Hagins was ill for a long time from a severe case of typhoid fever. Before he completely recovered he ate some persimmons "including the seeds" and had a relapse. Dr. Johnston saw to it that Hagins got a medical discharge.

Free to return home, Hagins, instead "went sightseeing." He visited Washington, D.C. the enemy capital. Although he didn't say, surely he was in civilian clothes. He also visited Richmond, Va., the Confederate capital, and other unnamed places before returning to Belair.

Then Hagins found that he was conscripted (drafted) into the Lancaster Greys. He didn't protest and went back into service. Military records show that Hagins was listed missing on 27th June 1862 and was captured by Union troops. He was apparently exchanged for he was soon back in action in many battles. He was wounded at Wills Valley near Lookout Mountain in Tennessee and surrendered at Appomatox Court House.

Dr. Hagins got his training in Baltimore and came to Rock Hill in 1870. He said when he got to Rock Hill that there was one street and if you looked away from it all you saw were corn fields.