City Directories and History: “A King Street hat merchant built this two-story, late-Greek Revival house soon after he bought the vacant lot from planter William Bell. Bell, who lived on Society Street, had bought the lot from Thomas Radcliffe Shepherd, a nephew of Thomas Radcliffe. Charles H. Simonton, attorney, judge, and Confederate soldier, apparently bought the property with a completed house in 1858. Mrs. Elizabeth Knobeloch bought the
C.H. Simonton served on the Board of Directors of the Stono Phosphate Company at Vanderhorst’s Wharf – Sholes’ Directory of the City of Charleston – 1882
dwelling in 1872, and her family lived here until the mid-twentieth century. On both the front and rear elevations French doors open onto the double-tiered piazzas, which have Ionic columns on the first floor and Tower of the Winds Corinthian columns on the second. Although much of this section of the neighborhood lost its character after World War II, particularly with the demolition of the Orphan House and its chapel across the street, the Steele-Knobeloch House has remained a splendidly maintained residence to the present day.”
Information from: The Buildings of Charleston – J.H. Poston – Author, for the Historic Charleston Foundation, 1997
“This dwelling was probably built soon after 1855 by Walter Steele, a King Street hat merchant. He sold the property with the house on it in 1858 to Charles H. Simonton, the distinguished lawyer, judge and Confederate hero. Simonton sold it in 1872 to the Knobeloch family, who retained it for several generations. It was the home of Gustave J. Knobeloch, a member of city council and the S.C. House of Representatives. More recently, it was the home of the late city councilman Harry von Glahn Butt. The house has an L-shaped plan and shows the high vitality of the 1850s, when the classical was beginning to blend with the first signs of Victorian taste. The deep front piazza has ionic columns on the first level and Corinthian capitals of the Tower of the Winds variety on the second.” (Thomas, DYKYC, Feb. 3, 1969, and Dec. 9, 1968; Stoney, This is Charleston , p. 107.) – CCPL
Other sources: Charleston Tax Payers of Charleston, SC in 1860-61, Dwelling Houses of Charleston by Alice R.H. Smith – 1917, Charleston 1861 Census Schedule, and a 1872 Bird’s Eye View of Charleston, S.C. The Hist. Charleston Foundation may also have additional data at: Past Perfect
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