“A splendid Carolina I House with all the hallmarks of Laurens County antebellum contractor, Mr. Thomas L. Badgett.” – Martin Meek, Preservation Architect
City Directories and History: The Young house is one of the oldest in Clinton and dates to the 1840’s if not earlier. The owners of this historic home had contributed much of the land to Presbyterian College and were considered primary contributors and founders of the college. This fine old home was demolished in 2014.
“Probably the oldest house in Clinton still in the same location and continuously owned by the same family is located at 508 South Broad Street.
Robert Newton Spires Young in 1848 built his family home on what is now South Broad Street and then gave land for the location of the new college with a request that the main building be so constructed that it would face the front door of his home. Robert Young was married to Nancy Stroud, and all of their children were born in the house on South Broad. Additions were made to the house in later years.
A daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Young, married John Calhoun (Callie) Copeland and was the owner of the house at her death. Her daughter, Lana Copeland, married Doctor Jack Holland Young (not related to the Robert Young family) and became owner of the house after the death of her mother. Elizabeth Young Dick (Mrs. J. M. Dick), only daughter of Doctor and Mrs. Jack Young, was the next owner of the property. Mrs. Dick deeded the property to her daughter, the present owner, Lana Copeland Dick.
Two granddaughters of Robert Newton Spires Young are still living. They are Mrs. Ola Young Henry of High Point, North Carolina, and Mrs. Emmie Young Godfrey (Mrs. Ansel Godfrey) of Clinton. There are a number of great-grandchildren living today.”
Information from: The Laurens County Sketchbook, Author – J.S. Bolick, 1973
“The rumor of the arrival of the Laurens & Newberry Railroad through Five Points spurred growth in the area, leading residents to formally organize a town. In August 1852, 52 acres of land were parceled into 29 lots of varying size and dimension. In addition, five streets bounding the lots were laid out. It was decided that the new town would be named Clinton, in honor of Henry Clinton Young, a local attorney and representative in the South Carolina Legislature, who had helped to lay out the new town boundaries. On 8 September 1852, an auction was held in the small town of Clinton. Twenty-eight lots were sold; creating the core of what would become the second-largest community in the county. In 1853, a railroad depot was constructed at the intersection of South Broad Street and West Carolina Avenue, at the center of the newly created community.”
Eastern Laurens County Historical and Architectural Survey, SCDAH – 2003, p. 15
R&R Note: The historic house was demolished in 2015.
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