“An historic log house and site nearly forgotten.”
4253 Highway 215 North
City Directories and History: Located at one of Fairfield County’s early land grants circa 1752, this house of log construction has been heavily remodeled over the decades leaving little evidence of it’s earliest construction history. The two story log house began as a one story structure, made of pine logs, with matching end chimneys and what appears to be two first floor rooms and a shed section off the rear. Architectural features from the Empire period abound in the rear section of the house and an early door lock was uncovered while investigating. It is likely that the second floor of the house, also of smaller logs, was added in the second half of the 19th century, in the post Civil War era.
End view of the structure in ca. 2013
The location is believed to be near the pre-Revolutionary site of Fort Wagner, an early stockade for protection of settlers in western Fairfield County, S.C. and the location is known to as Little Egypt.
Samuel Moberley “Mobley” 1739-1802, was my 5th great grandfather. He settled in Fairfield County and married Mary Polly Wagner (daughter of Hans Wagner who built Fort Wagner). M.B. Bussell, 2.19
Note comments-historic contributions and images further down the page.
Mr. Steve White wrote; ” It may be that Governor Means was born there or that prima facie evidence can be found that he was born there. I don’t know exactly when Thomas Means moved there but it was after he bought the property in the latter part of 1809 and before 1820. Its probably a good conjecture that he built some version of the existing house then. I suppose its possible, though, that there was an earlier house that was torn down.” He also commented that, “I found some more information about the introduction of the Means (aka Gypsum, Gypsy, or Johnson) Grass. It was said to have been imported accidentally in some hemp seeds Major Means ordered from Egypt. It all fits together – the fact that the place is called Little Egypt, the grass is called Gypsy or Gypsum Grass, and that Sandy Fork was formerly called Hemp Patch Fork.” (11/1/13)
Old Buckhead was located in the general area between Highway 215 and secondary road 18 and may have started as Means P.O. Means P.O., appears in the records, as the earliest post office in northwestern Fairfield District. The post office was probably located in the store of Thomas Means, frequently referred to as a merchant of Old Buckhead. (Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC)
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The property upon which this old cabin sits is shown by John Allen Tharp’s 1820 map for Mill’s 1825 Atlas of SC, to be the domicile for the Major Thomas Means (1767-1828) of Buckhead District. Major Means was the father of Col. John Hugh Means (1812-1862), the 64th governor of South Carolina & the only Fairfield native thus far to hold that position. Col. Means also was President of the 1852 Secession Convention and signer of the Ordinance of Succession in 1860. He was a Brigadier General in the South Carolina Militia and a Colonel in the Confederate States Army.
Records indicate Maj. Means purchased this property from the Kennemur family in Oct. 1807. Could these same Egypt grounds be the birth place for the Gov. Means?
This property later passed into the hands of the Feaster family, currently owned by the Ragsdale family of Blair, S.C.
Actually, Major Thomas Means acquired the property from Wade Hampton (probably either I or II) in 1809. I have the deed and plat which shows part of the property aqcquired to be in the fork of Beaver Creek and Sandy Fork, right where this house stands.
I am in the process of researching Governor Means’s birthplace. The 1820 map of Fairfield County shows his father Major Thomas Means living at the site of this house. Governor Means was born in 1812. The historical marker over near the Means cemetery about 2-3 miles away just says he was born near there. But how near is near. I hope to find some more definite evidence of exactly where Governor Means was born or when Major Means moved to this property.
I just love these pictures. This is where my great grandparents lived.
William James Crowder and Mary Jessima (Dye) Crowder are my second great grandparents. Their daughter, Sarah Frances Crowder, married Samuel Rion Crawford, my great grandfather. Most of my Crawford and Crowder ancestors are buried at Salem Presbyterian Cemetery except for my grandparents, James David Crawford and Lillie Belle (Miter) Crawford who are buried in Sion Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Winnsboro.
William D and Jessima are in my family line as well. Amazing to see these pictures.
Ruth
The top photo lists the man seated as William D. Crowder. I believe that should be William J. Crowder (for James). He is a g-g grandfather. He served in the Confederate army in the 17th SCV, Co. B. Family has told me that his wife, Jemima, was part Indian on her mother’s side. If I recall correctly, two of her sons recorded both White and Indian as their race when they filled out the World War I draft card.
William and Mary are my great great great grandparents. Their daughter Sevilla Crowder married John Templeton Pressley and their daughter is my great grandmother Mable Pressley Turner. My great grandfather was Joseph Carol Turner Senior. Their son Joseph Car Turner Junior, married my grandmother, Juanita Douglas. I am Juanita‘s grandson, Derrell Rice Junior