City Directories and History: 1908 – John W. Dunovant, Post Master, (Mary – student)
According to a deed in the Chester courthouse from W. H. Gill, to A.P. Wylie, the “Agurs House” now the Pine street apartments, was in existence in 1841. An article in the Chester paper dated, Sept. 13, 1859 states, “Mr. W.H. Gill, has a fine building almost completed, some half-mile North East of the Court House, on the York Road.” (House move to 104 Pine Street at the rear of the original lot location.) The property included the lots on York Street now occupied by the Pryor hospital, the home of W. H. W. Baker, and the vacant lot on the corner of Pine street and extended back to what is now Academy street. Captain John L. Agurs bough this property at public outcry in 1875 for $2,500. and extensively remodeled it.
As I recollect this square house in 1882, there were eight large rooms about 20×20 and cross halls bisecting the house in both directions. All the ways across the front downstairs there was a broad veranda and there were porches on each of the other three exposures. Well do I remember the night games of blind man’s bluff we had in the upstairs hall and hide-and-seek in the enormous dark rooms. After the death of Capt and Mrs. Agurs the house was rolled to to face Pine street and was the home of George W. Byars and family for a number of years. Old Home in Chester, SC by Mrs. John G. White.
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