USA > South Carolina > Historic houses of South Carolina > Part 23
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"Stranger, what is this to Thee, Ask not my name, but as I am So shall you be."
The old wooden house at Granby has not only successfully withstood for over one hundred and fifty years the assaults of its natural enemies, time and weather, but has survived the Revolutionary War and escaped in some miraculous way the fate of so many houses in the path of Sherman's army.
COLUMBIA
Columbia is now the capital of the State of South Carolina. Before the Revolutionary War, when the lower part of the State was the most important portion, Charleston occupied
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that position. Just after the Revolutionary War, by an Act of General Assembly, commissioners were authorized and re- quired "to lay off a tract of land of two miles square, near Friday's Ferry, on the Congaree River, including the plane of the hill whereon Thomas and James Taylor, Esquires, now reside, into lots of half an acre, each." The streets were not to be less than sixty feet wide, with two principal streets run- ning through the center of the town. The old compass used by J. S. Guignard, the surveyor, in laying off the town is now in the possession of Mr. Guignard's great-grandson, Mr. James G. Gibbes.
"Thomas Taylor," writes Mr. Sally, "has been called the 'Father of Columbia,' because of the fact that the greater part of the city was built upon his former plantation. He was born in Amelia County, Virginia, September 10th, 1743, and came with his parents to South Carolina, a few years later : married Ann Wyche. He was a member of the Provincial Congress of South Carolina in 1775, and was a captain of militia until 1780, when he was promoted to colonel; was wounded at the battle of Fishing Creek ; was sometime State Senator for the district between the Broad and Catawba Rivers: was a member of the State Convention which adopted the Constitution of the United States; and was one of the Commissioners who laid out Col- umbia for the capital of the State; died November 16, 1833, in his 91st year."
The modern Thomas Taylor house is found at 1112 Bull Street. It is an exceedingly handsome and luxuriant modern home. This house is Georgian and is constructed of brick. Set in the walls of the western porch is an interesting panel built of the brick and mortar from the original Thomas Taylor home, which was the first house built in Columbia, when the city was a great plantation owned by the Taylor family.
SEIBELS HOUSE
One of the oldest, if not the oldest, house in Columbia, which was built before Columbia's streets were laid out, is the J. J. Seibels house on Richland Street. This home is built entirely of hand-hewn timber and was erected by A. M. Hale,
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ONE OF THE KINARD HOUSES. RICHLAND STREET, COLUMBIA Now the seibel residence
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and bought some years later by Captain Benjamin Elmore and later purchased by the grandfather of the present owner, In the cellar of this house was found a beam, hand-hewn, and on it the date, 1796, carved, the evident date of the erection of this mansion. Concerning this place, The State says, in an article written by Miss Alice E. Wilson, a brilliant Columbia writer: "The house is largely colonial and reminds one strongly of Mount Vernon in its general outline, with its wide rambling spaciousness, and its succession of slender white columns. Around three sides of the house, these columns support a low, outstanding roof above a quaint paving of Old English tile laid on a level with the street.
"When Columbia was laid out in streets, it was found that the piazza trespassed on the sidewalk, but Capt. Elmore ap- plied to the town for permission to lower the floors of the piazza to the street level and leave them open. A pavement and colonade connect the quaint little brick kitchen with the house. The porch on the front is of the very wide old-fash- ioned type and is broken at both ends by steps leading to the tile pavement from the rooms which are slightly elevated.
"The rooms are built on the old square plan, two on either end of the hall, 12 by 15. The front rooms, with very high corniced ceilings are about 24 feet square. Upstairs the plan is about the same. The colonial note is adhered to in its furnishings."
The attic of this delightful house has lived up to attic expectations. Three quaint little dormer windows serve to break the line of its "barn roof." In this attic, among various other curios, was hidden for years a sword of General Beaure- gard's presented to an aunt of Mr. Seibels, who was a per- sonal friend of the general. A still more ancient treasure found there was a yellowed document, dated 1786, which was a land deed to Mr. Seibels from Richmond and Wade Hampton, for the sum of four hundred pounds sterling.
The Seibels house. in its perfect state of preservation stands as a landmark in Columbia. It is a wonderfully artistic and beautiful house and one that does credit to both its builder and owner.
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BOYLESTON HOUSE
Another old and interesting house in Columbia is that of S. S. Boyleston, at 829 Richland Street. The date of the build- ing of this home is unknown, but its style indicates that it was built some time in the early eighteen hundreds. Its first owner and builder was Jack Caldwell, a merchant prince of old days, and the father of the well-known Caldwell of Hampton's Cav- alry. The house was bought during the Ku Klux days by the Misses Hampton, and was later acquired by Mrs. Cotton Smith, from whom it was conveyed to the present owner, Mr. S. S. Boyleston.
The house has three floors, including the basement, in which are to be found the billiard and breakfast rooms. The drawing-rooms, a dining-room and a guest-room are found on the second floor, which in common with many other Columbia houses, constitutes the entrance floor. The hall runs the entire length of the house, and is broken at the rear by a rather un- usual stairway, which reverses the stairs found in some houses of its period; these generally start in a double flight and coalesce on the half-way landing and finally reach the floor above in one flight, but the stairway in this house reverses this order; starting in the center of the hall, it branches at the landing and reaches the floor above in two flights.
The cornicings in this house are conventional dentil design, which originated with the Greeks. The chandeliers swing from good specimens of bas-relief moulding on the ceilings. One chandelier worthy of particular mention is in the dining- room, which is finished in white and red velvet and forms a fitting setting for the handsome crystal chandelier and its countless irridescent pendants.
This handsome old home is one of the finest specimens of Greek Renaissance architecture in Columbia, the columns being especially notable.
CRAWFORD HOUSE
Many curious legends and interesting family stories cluster around the Crawford house, which is situated on Blanding
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Street and was saved by faithful guards of soldiers during the burning of Columbia. It was built by John A. Crawford, eighty-three years ago, who was then president of the Com- mercial Bank. The premises formerly occupied a full half square with its gardens and greenhouse famous for rare and foreign plants, of which two South American jujube trees still stand.
The house has a high brick basement and is square. It is famous for its closets, which are built in most unexpected places; the most interesting one is high in the wall over the steps. This is accounted for by the fact that there is no attic to this house, the roof being flat and covered with copper. The house is built of hand-hewn "heart" timber and is reached from the street by a flight of wooden steps. A small entrance is formed by a portico with square columns, the lower half of which are of glass, used for displaying plants.
The hall is a veritable ballroom, 12 by 60, which runs the length of the house, broken only by the ascending stairway to the upper floor. Flanking this hall on the outside and opening from it by large French windows is a piazza running the length of the house and decorated by iron railings with brass knobs. Above are two attractive balconies with similar decorations. On the left side of the house is a succession of three rooms leading one into the other. All are twenty feet square, and have beautiful corniced work and elaborate hand carving above the massive mahogany doors which join these rooms. The original hand-stenciled wall-paper can still be seen on the walls of these large rooms and the bronze chandeliers hang from moisaic decorations in delicate shades. At one end of the center room are tall mirrors, which are so arranged as to give the effect of open windows with panes of glass.
The quaint old-fashioned style of furnishing and decoration is artistically carried out by heavy, richly colored draperies suspended from elaborately carved gilt cornices. Brass and- irons and old-fashioned bellows are found in the fireplaces; these with their handsome black marble mantels carrying out the scheme of dignity and repose. Colonial furniture and china and other possessions are still in the house, over all of
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which look down from the walls portraits of dead and gone Crawfords, among them the original owner, John A. Crawford.
MARSHALL HOUSE
A two-story brick building constructed about 1820 by Jesse DeBruhl, now the Marshall house, was designed, it is believed, by Robert Mills, the architect who is responsible for many handsome buildings in South Carolina. This house was for many years the home of the late Col. J. Q. Marshall, and is now in the hands of his daughter. Mrs. James Hammond. It is situated on the northeast corner of Laurel and Marion Streets and is one of the most imposing residences in the City of Columbia. (See frontispiece).
The wide spacious piazza does not extend the entire length of the house, as it did in many of the houses of that date, but its massive columns that reach to the gabled roof lend an air of dignity to this old brick mansion. An artistic fan-shaped transom above the large front doorway furnishes ample light for the wide hall running the entire length of the house. Un- like the houses of that period, the staircase was hidden from view, being concealed in a small back room, known as the stair- case room, but of late years this staircase has been removed and one is now to be seen in the rear end of the hall. The halls, both upstairs and down, are flanked on either side by two big square rooms, with high ceilings and deeply recessed windows.
It was in this home that the Confederate general, James A. Johnstone, made his headquarters in 1865. When it was vacated by Johnstone, it seemed good to General Sherman's soldiers as fuel for their extensive conflagration and was about to be set in flames when Mrs. Wiley, who was a very young and beautiful woman, appeared on the scene and begged that her home be spared. The soldier's heart softened and he ordered that guards be placed around the house. Thus we have left to-day one of the most artistic productions of the nineteenth century.
MOORE HOUSE
Closely related to the Marshall house because of its sim- ilarity of architecture and because of the date of its con-
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THE "TOM WILSON " HOUSE, COLUMBIA A boyhood home of Ex President Woodrow Wilson
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struction, is the Moore house at 1409 Gervais Street. There have been some modern improvements made on the house in the past few years. The large ell at the back was added for sleeping porches. Charm is given to this old home by its large piazzas, both upstairs and down, in the rear and in front. It was here that LaFayette was entertained and a large ball was given in his honor.
In later years the house was used as Colonel Stone's head- quarters, and because of this fact it was spared from the treacherous flames of General Sherman's army. Prof. Yates Snowden, says that it was from the porches of this house, that he as a little boy watched the progress of Sherman's army as it marched down Gervais Street in February, 1865.
The place has passed through many hands, having at one time been the home of Dr. Leland of the Presbyterian Theo- logical Seminary, and after various other owners was acquired by Governor John Lide Wilson, and is now in possession of R. L. Moore, of Columbia.
DESAUSSURE HOUSE
The residence, 1421 Gervais Street, now owned by W. J. Powers was built over a hundred years ago by Chancellor DeSaussure and was his home for some years. The house has passed through many hands. From Mr. DeSaussure it went to Judge William Martin, who built the little brick house in the yard and used it for his law office. Col. Robert Hart Goodwin then acquired it and later sold it to the Bauskette family, by whom many brilliant balls and other entertainments were given. During the Reconstruction period it was bought by Judge Willard, a Northern lawyer, who lived there for some time in great style. It then passed through the hands of Cap- tain Stamley, the Condit family, and Mr. M. C. Heath, of Col- umbia, and is now occupied by Mr. W. J. Powers.
This home, though simple in style and appearance, has many stories of interest and bits of tradition connected with it. The house stands in the midst of a garden filled with rare plants and shrubs. The little brick structure at the rear is famous in spring for the clambering wisteria that completely
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covers it. The house itself is a typical square colonial build- ing with its long, wide halls from which two rooms open on either side. The lower hall is divided by an arch, behind which a massive square stairway leads to the floor above.
The double verandas are supported by large, square col- umns. These verandas stretch the length of the house and lend an air of hospitality so characteristic of the Southern homes of that period. The massive front doorway is an especially fine piece of architecture.
The most interesting bit of history connected with this home is that when LaFayette made his memorable visit to Columbia and was entertained at the Moore house next door, it is said that the house was not large enough to accommodate his entire suite, so the latter were entertained elaborately at the DeSaussure residence. The fences were taken down be- tween the two premises so as to give convenient access to the two homes.
PRESTON HOUSE
The land upon which Chicora College for Women is now located passed from the commissioners to Judge Thomas Waites, and by him was sold to Ainsley Hall, a prominent Columbia merchant, who came to America from England in 1800, settled in South Carolina and married a Miss Hopkins. Mr. Hall, with the assistance of Robert Mills, the architect, built a handsome home upon his newly purchased property. The exquisite white marble mantel in the east drawing-room and the weather-beaten fountain in the old gardens reflect the talent of one of the greatest sculptors of that day, Hiram Powers.
The house is mostly colonial in style, set on a high brick basement, with a broad marble-tiled porch flanking its entire front. The corniced roof is supported by beautiful Doric col- umns. At either end, as well as in the middle of the porch, steps are found leading into the garden. The entrance faces the middle steps and leads into a walk which enters from the street between massive iron gates.
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The hall within is divided by a beautiful arch, beneath which a fine circular staircase leads to the floor above. On either side of the front hall are the east and west drawing- rooms which are reached by wide swinging doors. These doors, with the large French windows, high ceilings and good floor space, produce an air of spaciousness that characterizes the old Southern homes. The entire front could be thrown into one room, and such a house lends itself readily to mag- nificent entertainments.
In the year 1826 or 1828 the property was bought by Gen- eral Wade Hampton, of Revolutionary fame. General Hamp- ton was the father of Colonel Wade Hampton, who served as aide to General Jackson in the battle of New Orleans, and grandfather of Governor Wade Hampton, who has endeared himself to the hearts of every South Carolinian. General Hampton's wife (his third wife), who was, before her mar- riage, Miss Mary Cantey, devoted the remainder of her life to the maintenance of the property. The beautiful English walks were laid out under her direction, and a landscape gar- dener was employed to beautify the grounds. She imported and planted rare trees of every description; a greenhouse was built and filled with the choicest plants; hedges of boxwood bordered the walks and flowers bloomed at every turn. It was an earthly paradise.
Upon General Hampton's death the property was inherited by Mrs. Sally Hampton Preston, the wife of John S. Preston. In these days the place was a scene of splendid Southern hos- pitality. Fashionable ladies and courtly gentlemen danced in the big parlors, promenaded up and down the broad portico and sipped tea in the garden under the trees. "A Diary from Dixie," telling of one of the balls held at this mansion, gives the following description of the mistress of the house : "Mrs. Preston was resplendent in diamonds, point lace and velvet. There is a gentle dignity about her that is very attractive. Her voice is low and sweet, and her will is iron, quiet, retiring and reserved. She has chiseled regularity of features, a majestic figure, perfectly moulded." Some of those entertained in the
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Preston home were Winfield Scott, Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, Millard Filmore and Franklin Pierce.
During the Federal occupation of Columbia General John A. Logan and his troops used the house for headquarters. In February, 1865, when Sherman was giving orders for the de- struction of the Hampton home, the interview was overheard by a nun, who reported the news to her Mother Superior. In the meantime the convent had been destroyed and the nuns were promised instead any building left standing in the city. As the Hamptons and Prestons had been true friends of the Mother Superior, she immediately resolved to occupy the man- sion. She notified Sherman of her plans, and regardless of the fact that it was Logan's headquarters, moved over imme- diately and took possession. The house owes its preservation to its beauty. When the troops came to set fire to it, one of the Sisters who longed to save the establishment from the merciless flames, caught sight of a face in the crowd, which gave her inspiration. The expression on it provided new courage and urged her to ask: "Is there no lover of beau- tiful architecture, no admirer of Southern furnishings among you?"
The owner of the face, finely cultured and sweet, set on very young shoulders, slipped beside the Sister. He was a mere boy, perhaps a bugler. The Sister never knew. To the guard she said : "Let this boy come with me and see the lovely rooms. He shall tell you if there is anything worth saving. Then you may burn the place."
For some unheard-of reason the men agreed to this sug- gestion, laughing and jeering all the while. They desired to humor the boy. No harm could possibly be done. It was only a matter of time when they should consign the house to flames. Why not let him go in ?
Silently the big door closed. And quite as the Sister ex- pected the boy was entranced. He had never seen so wonder- ful a mantel, as broad a staircase, nor such lofty ceilings.
"My, it is shameful to burn this house, But there's no stop- ping those men; they are determined," he said.
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"If I could only do something, " sighed the desperate Sis- ter; "get word to General Ewing."
A generous impulse filled the boy. Perhaps 'twas pity. Fate guided him. "I'll go," he cried, and shortly afterwards the Sister bolted back the doors again. He was gone. Just how long it took the boy to find General Ewing no one ever guessed. It seemed an eternity.
Then after an age made interminable by shouts and screams and glaring flashes of firelight, a heavy knock was distin- guished above the din. Hesitatingly the Sister reopened the door, and to her surprise there stood General Ewing. To the drunken soldiers who were bent on burning the house he simply said, "General Sherman orders those fires out!" Then he went.
Quietly the men slunk away and shortly the streets were dark again. The gardens grew greyly mysterious once more. But for the golden glimmer of the hall candle, Preston Manse was wrapped in total darkness. The Sister, kneeling, told her beads; and the boy somewhere in his tent compared a veil of darkness to a scarf of flames. "So Preston Manse was saved."
In 1889 the building was sold to Rev. W. R. Atkinson for a Presbyterian College for Women. Afterwards it flourished under the presidency of Dr. Atkinson, Dr. Pell and Miss McClintock, and in 1914 it passed into the hands of the Pres- byterian Synod and was consolidated with Chicora College, Dr. S. C. Byrd becoming president. The building is used as the administration building and is being kept in perfect preser- vation by the authorities of the institution.
KINARD HOUSE
The Kinard house at 1400 Lady Street was the wooden court-house erected about 1716 in Saxe-Gotha, a settlement on the opposite side of the Congaree River from the present city of Columbia. Later this building was taken down, brought to Columbia and erected as a Presbyterian Church. Subse- quently it was moved across the street to the present site, and used as a Theological School.
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When Mr. Niersee came to Columbia, about 1830, to build the State Capitol, he bought and remodeled the old school into a home and lived in this house during the construction of the Capitol. Il was then purchased by Captain John Waites, who in turn sold it to John Kinard, in whose family it has since remained. The exterior of the house is not unusual in appear- ance, being rectangular in shape, with old-type piazzas. The chief characteristic of the interior is its wide, airy hall with square stairway at the rear. This front hall is intersected at its center by a small lengthwise hall, which divides the front and back rooms on one side of the house and opens on the side into a narrow balcony. At the intersection of these halls is a high, very beautiful arch, which with the lofty ceilings, elab- orate and delicate cornice work, give the house an imposing and dignified atmosphere. This inside work is said to have been done by old negro slaves. The hall chandelier is of wrought iron, with a plaster decoration above, in the design of an inverted lily. In olden time many slaves were expert workmen in interior decoration and the cornicing in the two drawing-rooms on either side of the hall is quite heavy. In one room they are in the old Greek design of the oak leaf, but the opposite room contains beautiful bas-reliefs on walls and ceiling, in a garland rose design, bordered with mouldings of gold. Long, old-fashioned, gilt-bordered mirrors and antique furniture complete the harmonious interior of this house.
BLANTON DUNCAN HOUSE
Another Columbia house that escaped the general con- flagration of the Federal Army was the Blanton Duncan house. Information taken from an official deposition of Wm. Tecum- seh Sherman says, "I assisted Mr. Simons, who married a Miss Wragg of my acquaintance, to move his family and effects from the threatened house up to my own, which was the house of Blanton Duncan, then contractor for the manufacture of Con- federate money." Many claim for the DeBruhl house this doubtful honor of having been Mr. Sherman's Headquarters. Mrs. Chestnut in her book, "A Diary from Dixie," calls Blan-
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ton Duncan "A thoroughly free and easy Western man, hand- some and clever, more audacious than either, perhaps."
General Wood's Headquarters were Mrs. Lucy P. Green's house, while General Howard's Headquarters were Mrs. Lonisa S. McCord's house opposite South Carolina Col- lege grounds.
The Federal Army was encamped on the south side of Gervais Street in the fields belonging at that time to Col. Theodore Stark, just opposite to Mrs. Walker's residence, and where "Shandon" is now. The Walkers lived on Gervais Street, just east of the bridge on the Charlotte Railroad that crosses that street, which bridge was popularly known as the "tin bridge."
General Logan's Headquarters, as has already been stated, were established at the Preston house, from which he removed when the Sisters took possession.
CHAPTER XIV THE OLD CHERAWS, LAURENS, LANCASTER, AND NEWBERRY
PRINCIPAL STAGE ROUTES THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA
(According to " The Geography of South Carolina," by William Gilmore Simms, dated 1843.)
From Columbia by Camden to Cheraw, 88 miles, daily. From Columbia by Lexington C. H. to Augusta, Ga., 76 miles, daily.
From Marion C. H. by Leesville to Fayetteville, N. C., 77 miles, daily.
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