“An historic double door entrance worth entering.”
City Directories and History: The Captain James Alexander Lewis house was built circa 1840. The three hundred acre plantation had been purchased by his father, Samuel Lewis in 1830. The plantation was willed to James when Samuel died in 1832. The land originally granted to Elijah Browne in 1787 came down through several conveyances to “Courthouse” John Walker, who conveyed it to Samuel Lewis.
Lewis Home at Lewis Turnout, Chester Co., S.C. Courtesy of the AFLLC Collection 2012
James A. Lewis had been born in the “Lewis Inn” and served as postmaster for the Chestnut Grove Post Office then operated there at the Inn. He later became a Magistrate for Chester District serving the Lewisville area.
Six generations of the Lewis family have lived in the house and it is still owned today by Thomas Mayhugh son of Catherine Lewis, great-granddaughter of James Alexander Lewis. Justin Mayhugh, son of Thomas occupies the house today – 2016.
The house is built of hand hewed timbers, mortised and pegged together. Prior to assembly each beam was designated with a roman numeral to match each hand crafted joint. The house was covered originally with lap board siding and cedar shingles. Note the wonderful proportions of the “I” house that was so popularly constructed throughout the region in the early 19th century. This house along with many in the Chester area features a double door. This was due to the limited ability of the contractor to remove the central
The historic National Register property, the Lewis Inn at Lewis Turnout could easily be Chester County’s oldest remaining structure. Courtesy of the SCDAH
beam that ran down the center of the house, separating the two front doors. An addition was added onto the back in 1910 by James Joseph, son of James Alexander, and Joseph Harold Lewis, his son. The concrete poured around the old rock well in the back yard is inscribed “J.J. Lewis and son plantation – 1909“.
The house sits on the “old road from the South Fork of the Catawba river to Charleston” and on the dividing ridge between Fishing Creek and Rocky Creek one mile from Lewis Turnout. [Family information written by Thomas Mayhugh]
Informative and connection links: Mills Map of Chester SC also see the Guy Family Home and the Lewis Inn.
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