“The first lady of the Confederacy, Mrs. Varina Davis, is reported to have been a guest here in April of 1865.”
City Directories and History: 1908 – Standard Pharmacy, (126.5) Life Insurance Company of Virginia, 1940 – Aetna Casualty, C.C. Edwards and Company, Orkin Exterminating, 1958 – Duke Power Company, 1978 – Strickland, Short and Keels
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on March 20, 1879 – “The work of repairing Dr. A.H. Davega’s Drug Store, recently damaged by fire, has been commenced. He is currently occupying a room in the same building.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on Jan. 30, 1880 – “Last Thursday in Chester the drug store of Davega and Howze, situated on the public square, was found to be in flames. Both the Stonewall Fire Engine Co., (white), and the Champion Hook and Ladder Co., (colored), were prompt in responding and did good work. The entire stock was destroyed and the loss is estimated to be $7,000. Others damaged by the fire were W.T. Robison who had damage to stock, C. Whitus a furniture store, Mrs. Annie T. Dunn a confectionary damaged by water and removal of goods. The Merchants Hotel was also damaged.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on May 13, 1880 – “Dr. A.H. Davega is having the storefront repainted.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on July 28, 1886 – “Chester has a beautiful PO. Mr. A.H. Davega, who is the owner of the building in which it is located, has purchased a splendid postal outfit with all the appointments of a city post office.”
This is one of Chester’s early buildings constructed about 1843 by Nathaniel Ridley Eaves. Mr. Eaves served as the Senator from the county from 1844-1852. During the Civil War the property
passed on to A.H. DaVega who built his large brick store at this location. A druggist, Mr. DeVega owned and operated the Chester Drug Store here for many years. Rumor has also suggested that both Mrs. Jefferson Davis, the wife of the Confederate President, Jefferson Davis also visited here (meaning Chester, S.C.), as did the important author, Mary Boykin Chesnut from Camden, S.C. Her Diary from Dixie, and notes from her travels state she come to Chester for a short-time at the close of the Civil War.
Chester Court House – March 15, 1865
My dear Mary, I have also at Dr. DaVega’s a room furnished to which you are invited. You may take your choice (of rooms). (1) Mrs. DeVega is young, handsome, agreeable, a kind, a perfect, hostess… my room is all that I have seen… leaves nothing to be desired. (2)
R&R can not verify this information but believes there is validity to the data! One writer reported on her travels: “Mrs. President Davis….. had left Richmond a week before the evacuation. I called upon her, represented the danger of capture, and persuaded her to put herself under our protection. A company of uniformed men, under Captain Tabb, volunteered to accompany me. These men were attached to the navy-yard in Charlotte. Most of them belonged to the game little town of Portsmouth, Va., and a better set of men never shouldered a musket. They were as true as steel.
Having laid in, from the naval storehouse
The first night we encamped at a crossroads “meeting-house.” (Woodward Baptist) I here published orders regulating our march, and made every man carry a musket. The Treasury clerks, bank officers, and others made up a third company, and we mustered some one hundred and fifty fighting men. Supposing that General Stoneman would follow, we held ourselves ready to repel an attack by day and night.
At sunset of the second day we went into camp about thirty miles from Newberry, S. C., and breaking camp very early the next morning, we crossed the beautiful Broad river on a pontoon bridge at noon, and about 4 P. M. arrived at Newberry. The quartermaster immediately prepared a train of cars, and we started for Abbeville, S. C.” Wm. H. Parker, Author – https://southernsentinel.wordpress.com/the-lost-confederate-treasure/
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Source: Mary Chesnut’s Civil War, C. Vann Woodward, Yales Press, 1981, p. 762 and 765
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