“Historic Clanmore Plantation – a rural piece of fine Italianate architecture in Fairfield’s dark corner.”
City Directories and History: “Clanmore”, the home of the Faucette family, in Fairfield County, was built about 1844, by contractor, (James) A. Lonergan (MESDA Artisan Record) of Charlotte,
N. C., for John Christopher Columbus Feaster. John C. C. Feaster and his wife lived there until 1866, at which time it was sold. Major Charles W. Faucette, Sr., coming home from the Confederate War and finding his home in Winnsboro burned, bought the house and plantation, and later, with his family, moved into this community, and gave the name “Clanmore” to his new estate. Since that time it has been the ancestral home of the Faucette family in Fairfield.

Postal Map from 1896, showing the locations of the P.O. sites in western Fairfield County. Courtesy of the Un. of N.C.
The house is built in the Italianate style. It is a two story brick structure of eight rooms, with halls extending the entire length of the house, both upstairs and down. Both house and kitchen were built of material mostly from the plantation, and the work was done by hand. The bricks were furnished from the owner’s brick mill, also lumber of heart pine came from the estate’s forests, and door-facings and trimmings were hand carved. All frame work of the roof is fastened together with wooden pegs, and wall partitions are of solid double sized brick. Probably the most interesting feature of this old house is the quaint staircase and burned spot. The burned spot marks the place where a detachment of Northern soldiers made an attempt to burn the house during Sherman’s march through South Carolina.
In 1866, Major Faucette and family moved into his new home, where they spent the remainder of their lives. The house and land were inherited by his only son, Charles Faucette, Jr., who lived his entire life there. Clanmore is now in possession of his widow and children. [Our Heritage Book]
R&R Note: Mr. William (James) A. Lonergan (Lonergran), a N.C. contractor, was chosen to build Clanmore because he was a well known mason. He is also listed, as having purchased construction items for improvements to the home of George and Ann White, circa 1849 in Rock Hill, SC. MESDA’s Artisan Database lists one James A. Lonergan as a mason contractor, not William.
It is worth noting, that simultaneously, Mr. Berryman Withers of Lincoln Co., NC was also living in the community and building a frame boarding house for the Feaster’s just down the road from Clanmore. He reportedly stayed in the area building several additional houses upon completion of the Feaster house. ***Was there a professional link between himself and the NC brick contractor, Mr. James A. Lonergan?
Upon very close examination in 2019, it appears Clanmore was not only damaged by a local storm, as reported by Bolick, but could have sustained added “major” damage, via the Charleston Earthquake of 1886; damaging the brick walls, foundation, and perhaps original porches. This damage resulted in the addition of iron earthquake rods and stucco being applied to the house to cover brick damage. A common factor in earthquake damage is that to the ceilings, resulting in the removal of plastered ceilings within much of the historic home.
Click on the More Information > link to find additional data – A Fairfield County Sketchbook, by J.S. Bolick, 2000 (Courtesy of the FCHS)
Also see link: Fairfield County History / Sites and Structures
“Clanmore was built about 1845 by John C. Feaster, whose family gave the area its name—Feasterville. After the Confederate War in 1868, it was purchased by Major Charles Washington Faucette, who gave the place its present name. This fine Georgian style home is on the old main road between Columbia, Union, and Spartanburg—now Highway 215 and known as the Monticello Road. The house is still owned by the Faucette family and furnished with family antiques. There is furniture here from White Hall, since the families of Clanmore and Whitehall were kinsmen.”
Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC
IMAGE GALLERY
- Note the earthquake rods were added subsequent to the stucco finish.
- Evidence of the original shutter lock.
- Large hewn beams were used to tie the roof and boxing of the historic house.
- Note the roof frame, besides the joists, are all sash sawn and nailed to a central plank. A common feature of mid 19th century construction.
- The lock used to tighten the earthquake rods throughout the house.
- One of the original door locks.
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We purchased some property just North of the Clanmore Plantation some years ago. Each time I was up deer hunting, I’d stop in and chat with the owner/occupant Mr. Marion Ogburn. He told me of the Union occupation and, what I thought to be a logging road through our property, as the ‘Old Road to Shelton’.
I never gave it much thought, but recently got addicted to metal detecting. So, with that, I took a day and did some detecting along that road only to confirm what Mr. Ogburn had told me. I pulled an entire horseshoe and a few ½’s of others, as well as passed up on what I’m sure was more due to the signals I received on my detector. Too, pulled out something that looks like the brass cap to a bottle/can and a 1915 Buffalo Nickel. I’m sure to go back and hit that road again as I only detected in the shady spots due to the heat that day!
Sure wish I had been into detecting back then as Mr. Ogburn might have let me see what history might be laying just below the surface!
Thanks for the article as it brings back those memories of our chats!
Thank you for the information on Clanmore. My uncle by marriage, Donald Feaster, was a descendant of John Feaster, so even though Uncle Donald and I were born in Arkansas, I delight in reading about his SC roots!