City Directories and History: This home was built circa 1911/12 by Dr. R.C. Hamilton, Dr. Hamilton was a native of Union County and was a member of the first graduating class from Clemson College in 1896. He also played on the first Clemson football team and tradition holds that he was the captain of that team. He purchased the land for the home from John Daniel Leitner on May 9, 1911. While living there he was the community doctor and had an office separate from the house. The office was torn down in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. When World War I broke out, Dr. Hamilton went into the United
States Army, and served in France where he was honored with many awards for his service. He then sold the property with the house to William J. Leitner for $1,500 in November of 1917. After that time the property was used for rental purpose and a number of people lived there. Among these were Dr. A.C. Estes, Willie Franklin and Mary Powell Mann, Ola Mae Bundrick, John and Katie Leitner, and numerous school teachers who taught at the Bethel School, which was directly across the highway. Frankie Mann was born in the house while his parents were living there. In 1945 Ben F. Hornsby, Sr. and Esther Leitner Hornsby, who had recently married, purchased the property for $2,000.00. Mr. Hornsby was a regional sales manager for Stanley Hospital Company of New York. The Hornsbys extensively remodeled the property and removed several of the many porches. Here they reared their family consisting of Ben F. Hornsby, Jr., Esther Annette Hornsby, and Roland (Ronnie) Leitner Hornsby. The Hornsbys were active in the community, Bethel Methodist Church, and the county. The citizens of Fairfield county elected Ben F. Hornsby, Sr. to the SC State Senate, the South Carolina House of Representatives, and the Fairfield County Council. Ben F. Hornsby, Sr., died in 1995 and Esther Leitner Hornsby died in 2009. The house today (2013) is owned by the family.
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