City Directories and History: A mid 19th century home in the Cook’s Cross Roads area.
“A few miles east of Fountain Inn on the Laurens County side of the Indian Boundary line, on State Highway 418 leading to Woodruff, stands a house in front of which is a marker erected by the Laurens County Historical Commission. The marker reads: “Westmoreland House, built about 1840, was the boy-hood home of the father and grandfather of General William Childs Westmoreland, chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
The Westmoreland family came from England in 1732 and settled in Pennsylvania, where a county was named in honor of the family. Some time later Thomas Westmoreland migrated to South Carolina, transporting his few household possessions on a sled. Since the records show that the property was Westmoreland lands until it was sold in the early 1900’s, the house that Thomas built was possibly on the site where later the 1840 structure was erected.
Tradition says that Thomas met his death as the result of a severe thrashing by British soldiers during an encounter of the Revolutionary War period because he refused to disclose the hiding place of supposed treasures. In the early 1870’s the family home was owned by John Andy Westmoreland, a country doctor and family physician of the old school. He rode horseback over the countryside on his errands of mercy. Toy Patton, born on Christmas Eve night in 1897 and now living in the community of Cook’s Crossroad, states that he was one of the babies delivered by the good doctor.
A two-room log cabin, surrounded by old fashioned perennials, roses, crepe myrtles and shade trees, stood at the rear of the dwelling house. The cabin, called “Lucy’s house,” served as the home of a faithful servant. The cabin and the doctor’s office building, which was across the country road from the main house, were torn down several years ago. James Ripley Westmoreland, father of General William Childs Westmoreland, spent his boyhood in the country place but moved later with the family to
Woodruff. The home then became the property of Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Cooper. From the Cooper estate Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Thackston bought the Westmoreland farm in 1940. It is still owned by the Thackston family.
Only one room in the original building has been left intact. This is the large bedroom with its 14-foot ceiling and two double-door storage closets, which are reached by means of a stepladder. The two windows in the room have the original panes. The wide boards used on the walls and ceiling have remained unimpaired with time and use.
It is said that Thomas Westmoreland crafted a cedar keg perfect in every line, an article which he designated should be handed down to the eldest son in each family. Doctor John Andy inherited the cedar keg, which later went to his son, James Ripley. Possibly, “Rip’s” son, the General, now owns it.”
Information from: The Laurens County Sketchbook, Author – J.S. Bolick, 1973
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