City Directories and History: Constructed in the early 19th century at Tumbling Shoals on the Reedy River, this is one of Laurens County’s fine vernacular architectural gems. In 1980 when it was surveyed by the team recording older Laurens County homes, it was the residence/owned by Herbert Sullivan.
The Sullivan House was built in 1838 and typifies the first post-pioneer permanent settlement in the lower Carolina Piedmont. It reflects the origin, diffusion, and economic attainment of the folk settlers of the piedmont during the first half of the nineteenth century. In the Piedmont, the folk house type is a two-story structure, two rooms in length, and one room deep with gables to each side. This is usually a rural dwelling and referred to as an “I-House.” The “I-House,” as typified by the Sullivan House, had its origin in the Middle Atlantic area, notably southern Pennsylvania, and was one of the traits that the settlers carried with them over a wide area. Since the original two-over-two unit was built in 1838, the house has undergone a number of periodic modifications, but it has not been remodeled or altered to any appreciable degree. The basic integrity of the original structure has been maintained. The modifications have taken the form of appendages that were added to the house one at a time as the family grew in size. Judging from the interior décor, the last room of the house was built or modified during the early part of the twentieth century. The few ruined outbuildings that survive on the property date from the late nineteenth or the twentieth century. Listed in the National Register May 22, 1973. [Courtesy of the S.C. Dept. of Archives and History]
Additional data: “Eight generations of Sullivans have lived in the old homestead near Tumbling Shoals. The house was built by Joseph Sullivan, son of Charles Sullivan, who came to this area from Virginia. The house was constructed in 1820 for Joseph’s bride, Temperance Arnold, daughter of a Revolutionary soldier. A part of the structure included a log house bearing the date 1773 which marks this spot in Laurens County as one of the earliest outposts in the area.
Presently occupying the house is the Herbert G. Sullivan family. South Carolina Highway 76 skirts the property on which the house is situated.” Information from: The Laurens County Sketchbook, Author – J.S. Bolick, 1973
Sullivan Mill was at Tumbling Shoals. An article in The Greenville News of March 19, 1939, copy of which is in Laurens County Library, mentions the fact that William Dunklin Sullivan in 1838 ran a flour mill, ginnery and general store near the old homestead. A descendant, R. O. Sullivan, was living in the 101-year old house in 1939 and pointed with pride to furnishings bought in Charleston by his father, William D. Sullivan. An antique bed, dresser, and wardrobe were purchased by R. O.’s father around 1859 “for 30 barrels of flour ground at his mill near the Sullivan home and valued at $35.00 per barrel”.
(Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC)
Post Offices via Elmer Parker’s S.C. Post Office History Book, 1989 states: the old Tumbling Shoals Post Office began in 1809 and was operated through the Civil War. Postmaster were: William F. Downes, T. Kirkpatrick, and Joseph Sullivan
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Mary A. "Molly" McLaughlin says
I was very interested in the house and Tumbling Shoals, Laurens Co., SC. I have been researching my husband’s genealogy which goes back to the areas of Lunenburg, and Halifax Co., Va. and where his lineal line is from a Daniel Malone d. 1793 Halifax Co., Va. whose wife was a Sarah Sullivant, d/o John Sullivant d. 1750 in Lunenburg Co., Va. on lands which had been originally in Caroline Co., Va. and where I first found (after many years), the three brothers, John, Owen and Charles Sullivant (with a T, later dropped and used on and off) buying lands from a Terry family.
They were near Terry’s for more than a century if not more. Sarah’s uncle, Charles Sullivant, md. Mary Charlton, widow of a John Johnston who had died not long before she married second, Charles Sullivant (Jr. I am sure). What is more interesting is Daniel and Sarah Sullivant’s son, Drury Malone, md. Sisely Johnston with proven will and proven exchange of lands, by will of her father, to his wife, Mary, which was to go to a daughter, Charity, unless she died, and lands if Mary died, or re-married, the lands were to go to his daughters, then single, requiring a guardian, which they did have, until 1771,. Sisley was d/o of John Johnston and whether Mary was her mother (which I suppose), or her step-mother, is beyond proof at this time. I do find children of Charles and a son George in an 1820 census with mother whose age is over 100 which suggests she is the widow Mary Charlton Johnston Sullivant. I have many wills, etc. and sometimes just going in circles, but there were many finds of this line not only in Laurens Dist., SC but what appear to be the same in Edgefield Co., SC and Greenville Co., SC where most of the records I find. I also have other theories. I hope that someone responds to me. I can document what I am saying with existing records from various couinties and various will books, deeds, etc.
I do think it is very possible that the Terry people of Caroline Co., Va. in 1722 were married to sisters or some other relationship by blood to the Sullivant (later dropping the t. and from old style writing, need to follow Swellivant. It is them without a question. I do have the deed where the two minor daughters of John Johnston (and likely Mary Charlton Johnston =later Sullivant) deeding the precise lands of their father’s will to Mary unless she dies, or marries, which she very quickly did. I can hopefully pull up all the wills you may ask for.
I do know that in census later, Drury Malone and wife, Sisely Johnston Malone, and his brother, Jameson Malone, and wife, lived in Edgefield Co., SC, but the men’s men’s niece, Betsy Cross did live there in that time frame and became a widow, and their brother, Peter Malone was guardian of Nancy, d/o Betsy whose husband was Featherston Cross, and whose child born post mortems of his father, was also Featherston Cross, Jr. of Edgefield Co., SC (later of Greene Co., Georgia.)