City Directories and History: The Beaty-Spivey House is significant as one of the few extant, relatively intact residences in Conway dating from the last half of the nineteenth century as well as for its association with Thomas W. Beaty and D.A. Spivey. The house was constructed in ca. 1870 for Thomas Wilson Beaty and his wife Mary Brookman Beaty. The house is a one-and-one half story, cross-gable roofed frame residence sheathed in weatherboard. Two corbeled, brick, interior ridge line chimneys pierce the roof and the house rests on a brick pier with brick infill foundation. The façade features a projecting gable with a half-story above and three-bay porch with four tapering, octagonal, freestanding posts and recessed porch at the first story. A one-story gable-roofed bay which was built ca. 1902 projects from the rear elevation. This appendage features a one-story hipped-roof porch which wraps three elevations. Beaty was a partner in a naval stores firm, a delegate to the Secession Convention, state representative in 1864-1865, publisher and editor of the Horry Weekly News, and state senator. Beaty died in 1886 and the house operated as a boarding house for some time after his death. Doctor Allen Spivey and R.B. Scarborough bought the house from the Mary Beaty estate in 1902. Spivey was well known as president and director of the Peoples National Bank of Conway. Listed in the National Register August 5, 1986.
View the complete text of the nomination form for this National Register property. In addition, the Historic Resources of Conway, ca. 1850-ca. 1930 includes historical background information for this and other related National Register properties. (Courtesy of South Carolina Department of Archives and History)
Additional information on the owner can be seen at: Find a Grave link.
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“This was the home of Thomas W. Beaty, (The Oaks) a signer of the Ordinance of Secession and State Senator from Horry District. It is believed to have been constructed by shipbuilders from Maine who had initially come to this area to build ships for the lumber industry’ along the Waccamaw River. The small white building on the lawn was once used as quarters for a servant. Former Confederate General Wade Hampton visited here during his historic and successful campaign for governor of South Carolina in 1876. In later years, the house was the home of the Col. D. A. Spivey family.” Information from Conway’s Historical Trail Brochure – Revised by Ben Burroughs, 2011
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