City Directories and History: “Buck, Captain Henry of “Bucksville” plantation. Born Apr. 3, 1800 (Me.) ; married Mary Clark (1804-May 7, 1892), divorced, and May 26, 1838, married Frances Norton Norman (Feb. 9, 1817-Oct. 1, 1885); died Oct. 1, 1870. Church: Methodist. Public Service: Captain; [State Senator, postwar]. Other: Largest lumber and sawmill operations in the South. Slaves: 311 (Horry District).”
The Last Foray, C. Gaston Davidson, SC Press – 1971
Henry Buck, of Bucksville Plantation, the grandson of a sawmill operator and ship builder, was born on April 3, 1800, in Bucksport, Maine. By 1832 he had settled in Horry County, South Carolina. Buck was a pioneer in the lumber industry in Horry County. A family historian, Eugenia Buck Cutts, states that he had built the steam powered lumber mill, which came to be called Buck’s Upper Mill, by 1835. Records of the Clerk of Court of Horry County reveal that “Buck’s Mill” had been established by 1838. Buck Married in 1838; according to family tradition, he and his wife lived at Buck’s Upper Mill Farm.-‘ Since Buck lived in a “log shanty” when he first built his mill (ca. 1835), it is probable that the Henry Buck House was constructed ca. 1838, around the time of his marriage. This date is supported by structural and stylistic evidence. The larger timbers in the Henry Buck House are hewn, according to standard antebellum practice. The lathing and the smaller framing members are circular-sawn. Circular saw blades were not common in South Carolina until after the Civil War; their use in the state prior to 1850 is extremely rare. Henry Buck, however, was a native of Maine and a shipbuilder and lumber mill operator. He was a descendant of shipbuilders. He was familiar with the advanced technology of the New England states, where circular saws had been in use since 1820. His use of steam power for his upper mill indicates his technical competence. It is proper to assume that Henry Buck would use the efficient circular saw blades at his South Carolina lumber mill, and that this mill provided the smaller lumber for his adjacent home. Buck’s lumber production grew steadily, and he purchased and developed large tracts of land in Horry County. By 1838 Buck had established a second lumber mill, Buck’s Middle Mill; the town of Bucksville grew up around it. The federal census of 1850 listed Henry Buck as the owner of over 10,000 acres of land and 133 slaves; he operated “Steam Saw Mills” in Horry District with an annual product of 6,500,000 feet of lumber. Buck’s saw mills were the only saw mills listed in the census under industries in Horry District at that time. By the mid-1850s, in addition to lumber production, Buck had built a number of sailing vessels which helped carry his lumber to northern states, the West Indies, and South America. After his death in 1870 shipbuilding and lumber production continued under the direction of his sons.
The Buck family also was engaged in farming; the federal census of 1860 listed 42,000 pounds of rice grown by Henry Buck. According to the census 1,000 of the 9,000 acres owned by Buck were “improved” and his farm was valued at $100,000. n In addition, Buck was prominent in the political and religious affairs of the area. He represented Horry County in the Senate of South Carolina from 1868-1870, and he was instrumental in the construction ca. 1848 of Hebron Church in Bucksville (listed in the National Register May 16, 1977). According to oral tradition, one-half of the construction cost of Hebron Church was financed by Henry Buck, and on the day the church was to be raised the Bucksville mill was closed in order that all hands could be used in building the church. MR File Data / SC Dept. of Archives and History
Stay Connected
Explore history, houses, and stories across S.C. Your membership provides you with updates on regional topics, information on historic research, preservation, and monthly feature articles. But remember R&R wants to hear from you and assist in preserving your own family genealogy and memorabilia.
Visit the Southern Queries – Forum to receive assistance in answering questions, discuss genealogy, and enjoy exploring preservation topics with other members. Also listed are several history and genealogical researchers for hire.
User comments welcome — post at the bottom of this page.
Please enjoy this structure and all those listed in Roots and Recall. But remember each is private property. So view them from a distance or from a public area such as the sidewalk or public road.
Do you have information to share and preserve? Family, school, church, or other older photos and stories are welcome. Send them digitally through the “Share Your Story” link, so they too might be posted on Roots and Recall.
Thanks!