“An iconic Chester plantation with strong historic ties to the Fishing Creek community.”
City Directories and History: This antebellum mansion, called Millwood, was constructed for Edwin R. Mills in circa 1848. He lived here for many years and in August
R&R HISTORY LINK: MILLS HOME IN ROCK HILL SC
of 1859 had won the award from the Chester Agricultural Society for the “Best Peach” grown in the society. However, after the Civil War, he sold the property to his brother, Julius Mills and moved to Rock Hill, S.C. He along with vast numbers of Chester’s citizens began looking to the future in Rock Hill. It was viewed as the place to invest and create expanded educational and banking opportunities for the region.
His original home on Fishing Creek was typical of many mid 19th century houses that reflected a need for expanded living quarters to accommodate the new ability of local planters to easily acquire materials goods from all over the world. With the coming of the railroad from Augusta to Charlotte, new businesses opened offering a increasingly large number of finished goods. Homes being constructed by planters and businessmen throughout the region increased in size to fully accommodate these large pieces of furniture, carpets, draperies and elegant housewares. It was reported by one source that the materials such as finished flooring and windows, etc. were shipped by rail to Smith’s Turnout and then hauled to the building site to complete the home. The frame of the house was constructed with large hewn timbers.
Wm. Cloud Hicklin (1841 – 1917), image taken in circa 1860. He was the son of James C. Hicklin and Rebecca N. Poag Hicklin. Courtesy of the Pettus Archives at Winthrop University
Following the Civil War, Edwin R. Mills moved to Rock Hill and purchased a large parcel of downtown property across the street from many of the Roddey family members also from Chester. His new home was constructed on what is today (2012) the municipal parking lot, the Arnold Friedheim home, next to the First Presbyterian Church at the corner of Saluda Street and East Main Street. His home in Rock Hill was sold to Arnold Friedheim who lived in the Mills house for many years until it burned in the late 19th century. The site in 2014 is being created as a public fountain for community functions.
Hicklin family member Meg Walker contributed the following information: “I have in my possession (via Harry Hicklin IV) a copy of the deed wherein Julius Mills conveyed to W. Cloud Hicklin, his heirs and assigns, dated March 13, 1875, recorded with the RMC for Chester County, SC March 26, 1875 “that tract or plantation herein ….known and designated as “Millwood”. Under will of W. C. Hicklin probated with the Probate Court of York County, said property passed in life estate to his son, Frank Hicklin, then to his (Franks) widow Martha Mary Kee Hicklin and children, Margaret Hicklin (Porter), Esther Hicklin (Frew), and Martha Hicklin (Sudol). I purchased the house and 15 acres from Esther Hicklin Frew in 2009 after some years of negotiations following the settlement of the Estate of Martha Mary Kee Hicklin who had never fully settled the Estate of Frank Hicklin. (The Rock Hill development on Herlong Ave., is named Millwood in memory of this home.)
Also, under said Will of William Cloud Hicklin and Codicils filed with the Probate Court of York County, his widow, Anna Poag Hicklin, inherited the property he had purchased in Ebenezer, referred to in his Will as “the Bass Place” which included a home on Ebenezer Road (occupied by W. Cloud Hicklin and his then wife Anna Poag Hicklin until his death in 1917) now occupied by an interior design shop (located between the corner of Herlong and Ebenezer and Sterling House) as well as that area no known as Millwood consisting of shopping centers, office buildings and a subdivision.
William Cloud Hicklin was married, first, in 1866 to Christina Backstrom and they produced either 7 or 9 children from that union, James Cloud Hicklin (named for his Grandfather), Burnett Hicklin, Clarence Hicklin and Christina Hicklin that I know of, one child that died as a toddler by falling in the kitchen fireplace. After the death of Christina, he later married in 1881 Mary Esther Poag, from which union produced John William Hicklin, Frank Hicklin, and Harry August Hicklin. After the death of Esther Poag Hicklin, he married Anna Poag and that union produced one child, William Cloud Hicklin whose heirs inherited the Rock Hill property.” – 2.17.14
The Rock Hill Record carried news from Edgemoor in its March 16, 1908 addition, it reported, “Edmond Moore, also known Edmond Eaves, died at Mrs. Robinson’s place. He was born in 1824 and was bought by Starr Moore of Yorkville at at the age of one year. He was later sold to Major Eaves of Chester when he was fifteen. He went to the Mexican War with Major Eaves and also in the Confederate army with Major Eaves. He was sent home from the war to run the (grist) mill at Fishing Creek, where Lando stands at present. He also ran a mill near Smith’s Turnout on the South Fork of Fishing Creek, for the late widow of Mr. Julius Mills. Edmond was a great mill and an honest and straight forward man. He turned his work over to his son, William, several years ago.”
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R&R HISTORY LINK: The Mills owned a grist mill in York Co., near Smith’s Turnout.
R&R HISTORY LINK: The Fishing Creek and Hicklin Area Plat – Mayhugh
R&R HISTORY LINK: GILL FARMSTEAD @ LEWIS TURNOUT SC
R&R HISTORY LINK: SIMPSON FARMSTEAD @ RODMAN SC
R&R HISTORY LINK: HISTORIC FISHING CREEK PRES CHURCH
An historic area of Chester County, the heart of a heavily settled Scots – Irish area. The Hicklin house sits just East of the church location on this 1912 Soil Map. Fishing Creek’s Agricultural Society was one of the regions’ strongest antebellum social organizations.
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