City Directories and History: “The Ruins, the birthplace of John Mayrant, was first owned by General Sumter, it being a part of a much larger tract owned by him before the Revolution. Gen. Sumter moved there from the Low Country in 1784. While on a stop there during the war he was surprised by the British and Tories and nearly captured, but he escaped to the Waxhaw country. The house was partly burned and was thereafter called The Ruins by subsequent owners. It was sold in 1802 to Mr. John Mayrant, who is probably the one who restored it to its present proportions, although it has gone through a number of ownerships: Alston, Colclugh, DeVeaux and Pinckney. It is now owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. St. Julien Barnwell, whose father was a long-time rector of the Church of the Holy Cross. The house is comprised of three stories: the basement constructed of brick made locally, and two upper stories added at different times.
Mr. Barnwell told me that the basement is the only pre-Revolutionary part. The other stories are similar in construction and architecture to other houses of that period. Broad steep steps lead to a wide porch extending all across the front and a similar porch is on the next story. Large columns extend up to both stories. This is another house that is pictured in Dr. Anne Gregorie’s History of Sumter County. Oddly enough both General Sumter and General Marion were connected in some way with this place. It was through the DeVeauxs, kinsmen of General Marion, that the present owners are in possession of what is spoken of as the “Marion china” and other antiques. Mr. Barnwell spoke of their having moved most of the china to a bank vault in Sumter, because of the fire hazard. This recalled to my mind a day when they seemed to be not so concerned! Always glad to “show off” Stateburg I accompanied some friends from Summerton to see some of the old houses, The Ruins. We come now to among them. I had told Mrs. Barnwell (Bess Ryan) that we were coming. When we arrived we found a note to me in the door saying that regrettably no-one would be at home, but that the door was not locked and we were to walk in! This gracious gesture was typical of Stateburg hospitality.”
Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC
Home of Mr. and Mrs.* St. Julian Barnwell, owned by Gen. Thomas Sumter In 1784. From 1835-1837 served as Hawthorn Dean Seminary for Young Ladies. Original locks and keys, window panes, plaster moldings; marble baseboards, large double sliding doors, fan-shaped skylight, many antiques and collectors’ items. (SC Dept. of Archives and History)
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