The Yorkville Enquirer reported on April 28, 1870 – “A meeting of the stock holders of the Charlotte, Augusta and Columbia RR was held recently in Augusta. Board members from S.C. are: Lexington Co., – Paul Quattlebaum, Richland Co., – C.D. Melton, John Fisher, Edward Hope, and F.W. McMaster, Fairfield Co. – J.H. Rion, W.R. Robertson, Chester Co. – G.J. Patterson, J.J. McClure, York Co. – A. B. Springs.”
City Directories and History: (Robertson House also known as Blink Bonnie) This home is significant as one of the oldest remaining antebellum homes in the Longtown area of Fairfield County. Built in 1822, (by Darling Jones) the one and one-half story clapboard frame house rests on a brick foundation. The house has a side gabled roof and two outside chimneys on each end. A one-story hipped roof covers the front porch and is supported by six double capped square columns which have separate foundation piers standing free of the
porch (a “rain porch”). There are matching details in the banisters around the porch, roof deck, and step railings. An extra large central dormer contains a door with three-paneled sidelights. Both front entrances are surrounded by an unusual triangular architrave. There are wide central halls on each floor. The interior has impressive mantels, flooring, door and window casings. The house has a one-story addition and to the left of the house. It also has a one story two-room brick kitchen with large open fireplaces, ovens and warmers at the rear of the dwelling. Listed in the National Register April 13, 1972. [SCDAH]
Blink Bonnie remains high on the old Longtown-Camden Road, now overlooking the waters backed up by the huge hydroelectric dams of the Wateree River. This splendid house was built by Darling Jones, a Camden banker, in 1822 as his summer residence. After the Confederate War, Blink Bonnie was bought by W. O. Robertson and occupied by his family for many years. In 1950 it was purchased by the M. A. Kirklands and handsomely restored. In addition to the fine woodwork and elegant chandelier rosettes in the ceilings of the main house, there is a unique old brick kitchen in the yard. The present-day Mistress of Blink Bonnie now puts up many hundreds of jars of Blink Bonnie artichoke pickle, relish, and spiced tomatoes here, which are found in delicatessen shops throughout the area. The view of the Wateree River and adjoining lakes from the front piazza of Blink Bonnie is one of the grandest in the state. The origin of the name Blink Bonnie is explained in a letter (August 9, 1965) from Mrs. Marion Adickes Kirkland to the author:
“This name was suggested to us many years ago by Bedford Moore (the late W. Bedford Moore of York and Columbia). He and Liz had picnic lunch with us one Sunday long before we moved out here and he was so impressed with the view that he thought Blink Bonnie, Scotch for beautiful view, would be an ideal name. So when we retired and decided to make this our home we began searching for a suitable name and remembered his suggestion.” —CHARLES E. THOMAS
(Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC)
The use of a rain porch, or one with columns extending beyond the porch to the ground, was a style used extensively throughout the Catawba Valley area of South Carolina. There are excellent examples of this style recorded in Kershaw, Chester, Lancaster and Fairfield Counties, South Carolina. Mr. Jones, the owner, and his contractor must have been well aware of this style since they were each from Camden, SC.
After the death of Darling Jones the place passed to his son, Abram Jones, who continued to use it as a summer home. At the end of the Civil War, the fortune of the Jones family was greatly diminished and and the property was sold at auction to W.O. Robertson, who used it as a station house and later rented to a long succession of tenants. In 1950, a native of Camden purchased the house, M.A. Kirklands. Following the Kirkland’s the house was poorly used until the house was purchased by the Harwood family who are the owner-occupants in 2012.
C.G. Davidson’s book, The Last Foray records, Jones, Abraham Darling of “Summer Retreat.” Longtown, plantation and Camden. Born 1793 (S.C.); married Mary Caroline Goodwyn (1796-Dec. 28, 1867); died Jan. 17, 1868. Church; Baptist (gave land to Longtown church). Service: Director, Bank of the State of S.C. (Camden Branch), Slaves: 150 (Fairfield and Kershaw Counties)
The Last Foray, C. Gaston Davidson, SC Press – 1971
Click on the More Information / PDF HISTORY > link to find additional data – A Fairfield County Sketchbook, by J.S. Bolick, 2000 (Courtesy of the FCHS)
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