Historical Markers
in Darlington County, South Carolina
View an interactive map of Darlington County with Marker locations & text.
Portable Document Format .pdf - size 640 kb
darlington.pdf
Markers are listed below in chrnological order as erected
with links to the marker text, photos, etc.
1. Major Robert Lide
2. David Rogerson Williams
3. Long Bluff
4. Evan Pugh
5. La[e]muel Benton
6. George W. Dargan
7. Darlington District Agricultural Society
The Mineral Spring
8. Jacob Kelley House
9. St. David's Academy
10. Thomas E. Hart House
11. Samuel Bacot 1745-1795
12. Attempted Ambush
13. Welsh Neck Church
14. Augustin Wilson
15. Macedonia Church
16. St. James Church
17. Gum Branch Church
18. Edmund H. Deas
19. Wilson Crossroads
Dr. Peter A. Wilson
20. William Andrew Dowling
21. Zachariah W. Wines
22. At the Court House in Darlington
23. John L. Hart
John Hart House
24. Wesley Chapel
25. Lawrence Faulkner
Simon Brown
26. Society Hill Library Society
27. James Lide Coker
28. David Robert Coker
29. Carolina Fiber Co.
Sonoco Products Company
30. Trinity Church
31. Eastern Carolina Silver Company
32. Welsh Neck High School
Coker College
33. Laurie M. Lawson
34. First Baptist Church
35. Butler School
36. Society Hill Presbyterian Church
37. Darlington Raceway
38. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
39. JAPONICA HALL
40. WILLIAMSON'S BRIDGE
41. CALEB COKER HOUSE
42. HARTSVILLE OIL MILL
43. HENRY "DAD" BROWN
44. FAIR HOPE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
45. LAWRENCE REESE
46. DAMASCUS METHODIST CHURCH
47. EXECUTION OF ADAM CUSACK
48. WILDS-EDWARDS HOUSE
49. DARLINGTON MEMORIAL CENTER
50. ANDREW HUNTER
51. “YANKEE HILL”
16-1 Major Robert Lide
On SC 34 near intersection of Road 495
Born May 19, 1734. Died March 12, 1802. Major Robert Lide served in the S.C. militia
under General Francis Marion during the Revolutionary War and was for many years
deacon of Cashaway Baptist Church. He is buried in Lowders Hill Cemetery .2 mile E.
Erected by Major Robert Lide Chapter, D.A.R. and the County of Darlington-1960
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16-2 David Rogerson Williams
Road 133, 3 miles S of Society Hill
March 8, 1776-November 17, 1830. Statesman, educator, pioneer manufacturer,
scientific farmer, State Senator, Congressman, Governor 1814-1816, Brigadier General
in the War of 1812. His residence, "Center Hall," was 1/2 mile east. His grave is in the
family cemetery 2 1/2 miles east. Erected by Darlington County Historical Society-1962
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16-3
US 15-401 at Welsh Neck Baptist Church, Society Hill
(Front) Long Bluff
Long Bluff, 3/4 mile east on Great Pee Dee River, was the site of the first courthouse
and jail for old Cheraws District in 1772. The town was known as Greeneville after the
Revolution and remained the seat of justice until the formation of Darlington, Marlboro
and Chesterfield Districts. Circuit courts and elections were conducted for a while longer.
(Reverse) Long Bluff
At a Circuit Court held here on November 15, 1774, more than a year before the
Declaration of Independence, the Grand Jury of Cheraws District denied the right of
Parliament to levy taxes on them and declared themselves ready to defend with their
lives and fortunes the right to obey only those laws made by their own elected
representatives. Erected by Darlington County Historical Society-1965
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16-4 Evan Pugh
Near intersection of Road 29 & Road 892
Evan Pugh (1729-1802) is buried near his homesite at Pugh Field one half mile E of this
site. He moved to this Pee Dee section in 1762 from Pennsylvania and served as a
Minister for the Welsh Neck, Cashaway, and Mount Pleasant Churches of the
Charleston Baptist Association, 1766-1802. He was an American Revolutionary patriot.
Erected by Darlington County Historical Society-1967
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16-5 La[e]muel Benton
On SC 34 near intersection of Road 495
Owner of many acres north of here, Lemuel Benton was prominent in the Revolution as
Colonel of the Cheraws militia under Francis Marion and as forager for Greene's
Continental Army. Member S.C. House of Representatives, 1781-87; Delegate to the
S.C. Constitutional Convention of 1790; Sheriff of Cheraws District, 1798 and 1791;
Member of Congress, 1793-1799. Erected by Darlington County Historical Commission-
1968
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16-6 George W. Dargan 1802-1859
Weaver Street at Smith Avenue, Darlington
Near this site stood the home of George W. Dargan, ante-bellum leader of this area, who
served as State Senator, 1842-1847 and Chancellor of the S.C. Court of Equity, 1847-
1859. He was a trustee of the S.C. College and a member of the Southern Rights
Convention of 1852. The mansion burned down on May 14, 1898. Erected by Darlington
County Historical Commission-1968
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16-7
Just N of Darlington on Road 177, N side
(Front) Darlington District Agricultural Society
On May 5, 1846, a society was organized for "mutual improvement in agriculture and to
promote the planting interest of the country." Most of the annual meetings since that time
have been held at this spring. The first officers were W. E. James, Rev. J. M. Timmons,
Isaac W. Wilson, Robert Rogers, and Rev. Robert Campbell.
(Reverse) The Mineral Spring
On July 17, 1819, this spring and the surrounding lands were purchased from Henry
King by the Darlington Mineral Springs Company, intent upon developing the site as a
beneficial spa. The enterprise was abandoned soon after the death of the chief
promoter. Erected by Darlington County Historical Commission-1969
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16-8 Jacob Kelley House
S of SC 12 in Kelleytown, 3 miles W of Hartsville
This house, home of Jacob Kelley (1780-1874), was used as a Union headquarters on
March 2-3, 1865 by Major-General John E. Smith, Commander of the Third Division,
Fifteenth Army Corps. During the encampment by Federal forces, the mills near Kelley
Town were run for the benefit of the Third Division and foraging parties roamed the area.
Erected by Darlington County Historical Commission-1969
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16-9 St. David's Academy
US 401, at present St. David's Academy, Society Hill
The St. David's Society, organized in 1777 and chartered in 1778, built the first public
academy in St. David's Parish 3/4 mile northeast in 1786. Alexander McIntosh, George
Hicks, Abel Kolb, William Pegues, and Thomas Evans were early officers. The academy
was removed to this site about 1840 and the present building was erected in 1957.
Erected by Darlington County Historical Commission-1970
St. David's Academy Photos & Map
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16-10 Thomas E. Hart House
Road 10 (W. Carolina Ave. extension), near Hartsville city limits
This house was the residence of Captain Thomas Edwards Hart, who settled on these
lands in 1817, and for whom Hartsville was named. He was a Justice of the Peace,
Chairman of the Board of Free Schools, planter, merchant, and was appointed first
Postmaster when the Hartsville Post Office was established in 1838. He died in 1842 at
the age of 46. Erected by Darlington County Historical Commission-1970
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16-11 Samuel Bacot 1745-1795
Road 179, 2 miles SE of Darlington
Early land records indicate that Samuel Bacot settled in the back country of S.C. about
1770. He served in the state militia during the Revolution, was taken prisoner by the
British in 1780, but with his companions made his escape, avoiding confinement in a
Charles Town prison. His grave is one half mile northeast. Erected by Darlington County
Historical Commission and Samuel Bacot Chapter, Daughters of the American
Revolution-1972
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16-12 Attempted Ambush
Road 49, about 0.5 miles from US 52, S of Darlington
On March 5, 1865, near the point where the Ebenezer Road crossed the Cheraw and
Darlington Railroad, the 29th Missouri Mounted Infantry of Col. Reuben Williams's
command deployed on either side of the tracks to capture a Confederate train
approaching from Florence. The attempt failed when the engineer, discovering the trap,
reversed his engine and escaped. Erected by Darlington County Historical Commission-
1975
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16-13
US 401, in front of church, Society Hill
(Front) Welsh Neck Church
This church, the pioneer center of Baptist influence in the area, was constituted January
1738 by Welsh from Pennsylvania and was originally located about two miles northeast
of here. The first pastor was Philip James. It was incorporated March 17, 1785, as the
"Baptist Church at the Welsh Neck on Pedee River."
(Reverse) Welsh Neck Church
Seat of worship of this Baptist church was relocated here about 1799 on land acquired
from Capt. William DeWitt. The second meeting house on this spot, dedicated in 1843,
was destroyed by lightning July 5, 1928 and was replaced by the present structure in
1938. Erected by Welsh Neck Baptist Church and the Darlington County Historical
Commission-1976
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16-14 Augustin Wilson
SC 403 in front of Lake Swamp Baptist Church cemetery
Augustin Wilson, whose grave is about 150 ft. E. and marked by a partially embedded
cannon barrel, was born 1755 in Va. During the American Revolution, he served with N.
C. troops protecting S. C. against Tories and Indians and as an ensign at the 1779 Battle
of Brier Creek, Ga. He moved to South Carolina before 1820, where he died in 1848.
Erected by Darlington County Historical Society-1976
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16-15
South Main Street, Darlington
(Front) Macedonia Church
Tradition says first meetings of this Baptist Church were held in the home of Laura
Brown. A house of worship was constructed on the N.E. corner of present S. Main and
Hampton streets on land purchased during 1866-1874. The present site was acquired in
1922 and the building occupied Feb. 3, 1935.
(Reverse) Macedonia Church
This Baptist Church was constituted when a group of black members led by Rev. Isaac
Brockenton withdrew from the Darlington Baptist Church on Feb. 11, 1866. Brockenton
became the first pastor and served until his death in 1908. The first trustees were Evans
Bell, Peter Dargan, Lazarus Ervin, Antrum McIver, Samuel McIver, Samuel Orr, and
Samuel Parnell. Erected by Darlington County Bicentennial Commission for Ethnic
Participation-1977
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16-16 St. James Church
Pearl Street, Darlington
This United Methodist Church was originally named Pearl Street Methodist Episcopal
Church. The first trustees were Henry Brown, Abner Black, Wesley Dargan, Zeddidiah
Dargan, January Felder, Randolph Hart and Rev. B. Frank Whittemore. Tradition says
Federal occupation troops supplied the church bell, which they had taken from nearby
St. John's Academy. Erected by The Congregation-1976
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16-17
Road 53 near its intersection with Road 23
(Front) Gum Branch Church
In 1797, David Kelly was deacon and Cornelius Keith was clerk of Lower Fork of
Lynches Creek Church. Originally in the Charleston Association and later the Moriah
Association, the church joined the Welsh Neck Association in 1837. The name was
changed to Gum Branch in 1844, and the present sanctuary was completed in 1955.
(Reverse) Lower Fork Of Lynches Creek Baptist Church
This church, which probably evolved from a branch meeting house built nearby in 1770
by First Lynches Creek Church, was constituted in 1789; Joshua Palmer became
minister in the same year. The church held early meetings at Lower Fork of Lynches
Creek, Boggy Swamp and Witherinton's Mill. By 1798, the church was located here.
Erected by The Congregation-1977
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16-18 Edmund H. Deas
2nd block of Ave. E, off South Main Street, Darlington
After moving to Darlington County in the 1870s, Edmund H. Deas served as county
chairman of the Republican Party for a number of years and was a delegate to four
national conventions. A black candidate for Congress in 1884 and 1890, Deas was
Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue in S. C., 1889-94 and 1897-1901. This house was
his residence at his death in 1915. Erected by Darlington County Bicentennial
Committee for Ethnic Participation-1977
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16-19
About 4 miles S. of Darlington at crossroads of S. C. 340 and road 19
(Front) Wilson Crossroads
At this point the Camden-Mars Bluff road intersected the road to Darlington on property
granted to the Reverend John Wilson (1790-1869) by the state of South Carolina in
1837. Wilson, a North Carolinian, settled here, and after his death his grandson, Dr.
Peter A. Wilson, lived on a portion of the land and practiced medicine.
(Reverse) Dr. Peter A. Wilson
Peter Wilson (1846-1913) was born in Darlington County and served in the Confederate
Army. He graduated from Washington University School of Medicine in Maryland (1869)
and upon the death of his grandfather, the Reverend John Wilson, settled near here and
practiced medicine. Dr. Wilson is buried in High Hills Baptist Church Cemetery, about
one mile north of here. Erected by The Dr. Henry Woodward Chapter S.C. State Society,
Daughters of the American Colonists-1979
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16-20 William Andrew Dowling
SW of Darlington on Road 19, about 1.5 miles west of Dubose Crossroads
Born in Darlington County in 1859, William Dowling was a descendant of Robert
Dowling, who had settled in S.C. in the Parish of St. David by 1773. William served as a
member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, 1899-1900, and was
Darlington County Supervisor when the 1902-1903 courthouse was built. Dowling's
home stood about one-half mile east of here. Erected by The Dr. Henry Woodward
Chapter S.C. State Society, Daughters of American Colonists-1979
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16-21 Zachariah W. Wines
Cheraw Street, Society Hill
Black merchant and educator Zachariah
Wines, was born in 1847 in Society Hill, represented Darlington County in the S.C.
House 1876-78, and was commissioned captain in the National Guard by Gov. Wade
Hampton in 1877. He taught at nearby Waddell School and later served as Society Hill
Postmaster, 1897-1904. He died in 1920 and is buried about 1/3 mile northeast. Erected
by Darlington County Bicentennial Committee for Ethnic Participation-1979
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16-22
At the Court House in Darlington
(Front) Darlington County
This area become part of St. David's Parish in 1768, Cheraws District in 1769, and then
Darlington County on March 12, 1785. In 1800 Darlington became a circuit court district,
and again a county in 1868. Extensive territory was lost in 1888 and 1902 with the
creation of new counties.
(Reverse) Darlington County Courthouse
The first courthouse at this site was destroyed by fire March 19, 1806. A later building,
thought to have been designed by architect Robert Mills, burned in 1866 and was rebuilt
in 1873. The subsequent courthouse, built 1903-1904, was in use until 1964 when the
present structure was completed. Erected by Darlington County Bicentennial
Commission-1985
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16-23
East Home Avenue, Hartsville
(Front) John L. Hart
In 1845, John Lide Hart (1825-1864) bought a 491-acre plantation here. Along what is
now Home Avenue, he built a carriage factory, a store, a steam-powered sawmill and
grist-mill, and houses for himself and his workers. Hart also donated land for the First
Baptist Church, which he helped establish. The property here left his ownership in 1854.
Hart, a Confederate lieutenant, died in action near Petersburg, Virginia.
(Reverse) John Hart House
This example of regional vernacular architecture of the mid-19th century is the last
antebellum structure known to remain on the site of John Hart's plantation and carriage
factory. Many of Hartsville's leading citizens have owned or lived in the house since it left
Hart's ownership in 1854. In 1981, the house was acquired by the Hartsville Heritage
Foundation. Erected by Hartsville Heritage Foundation-1986
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16-24 Wesley Chapel
On Road 28 about 1.3 miles SE of Lydia
Said to be Darlington County's oldest Methodist church, Wesley Chapel, thought to be
founded in 1789, was the site of early camp meetings. By 1802, the church was known
as Gully Meetinghouse and was located about 11/2 miles N. The site here was obtained
from Jesse & John Clements in 1832; the church renamed Wesley Chapel in 1834; and
the present sanctuary built in 1908. Erected by The Congregation-1989
Photo
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16-25
Main Street, Society Hill
(Front) Lawrence Faulkner
Born c.1840 and a resident of Darlington County by 1871, Lawrence Faulkner was a
black school teacher, later merchant, and Society Hill's postmaster from 1877 to 1889. A
trustee of nearby Union Baptist Church, Faulkner died in 1898. His store and dwelling
were located on this site.
(Reverse) Simon Brown
A former slave from Virginia, Brown lived in Society Hill around 1900 and for years was
employed by Lawrence Faulkner's widow to work on her farm. His small house was
adjacent to the Faulkner house on this site. A gifted story-teller of black folk tales,
Brown's allegories were posthumously recorded by the Smithsonian Institution. Erected
by Darlington County Historical Commission-1989
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16-26
On Academy Street off Main Street, Society Hill
(Front) Society Hill Library Society
On June 5, 1822, twelve men paid $20 each to purchase books for a library. These men
were J. J. Evans; David and Elias Gregg; D. R. W., J. K. and T. E. McIver; Thomas
Smith; Alexander Sparks; D. R. and J. N. Williams; J. F. Wilson; and J. D. Witherspoon.
On December 7, 1822 the men formed the Society Hill Library Society.
(Reverse) Society Hill Library Society
This society was incorporated Dec. 20, 1823 and by 1826 was located in a structure
about 900 ft. N. on land given by John D. Witherspoon. Elias Gregg is thought to have
been the first librarian, serving until 1844. The library building was moved from its
original site on Main St. to the St. David's Academy lot here about 1932. It was taken
into the county library system in 1971. Erected by South Carolina Society of Colonial
Dames XVII Century-1990
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16-27
On Home Avenue at 4th Street, Hartsville
(Front) James Lide Coker
James L. Coker (1837-1918) came here from Society Hill ca. 1858 as a planter. While
serving in the Civil War as a captain in Co. E, 6th Regiment SC Volunteers, he was
seriously wounded. Promoted to major in 1864, he was a member of the SC House
1865-66. In 1865 he founded J. L. Coker & Co. and was a founder of the Bank of
Darlington (1881); Darlington Manufacturing
(Reverse) James Lide Coker
Co. (1881); Hartsville Railroad (1884); Carolina Fiber (1890) and Southern Novelty
(1899), both now Sonoco; Hartsville Oil Mill (1900); Hartsville Cotton Mill (1900); Coker's
Pedigreed Seed Co. (1902); and the Bank of Hartsville (1903). Major Coker's generosity
resulted in the founding of Coker College in 1908. His home, which burned in 1922, was
located here. Erected by Hartsville Heritage Foundation-1991
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16-28 David Robert Coker
Home Ave. between Third and Fourth streets, Hartsville
Known world-wide for developing new varieties and for perfecting superior strains of
agricultural crops (including cotton), Coker, for years was pres. Pedigreed Seed Co.,
chartered 1918. He was intendant (mayor) of Hartsville 1900-1901; member National
Agricultural Advisory Commission; trustee of University SC and Coker College. His 1916
home here is now part of Coker College. Erected by Hartsville Centennial Commission-
1992
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16-29
Home Avenue at Third St., Hartsville
(Front) Carolina Fiber Co.
One of the first methods for producing paper from native pine wood pulp was developed
by J. L. Coker, Jr. As a result, he with Maj. J. L. Coker and C. J. Woodruff formed the
Carolina Fiber company, March 20, 1890, to manufacture and market wood pulp and
paper. Their mill was on nearby Black Creek. In 1941 the entire operation merged with
adjacent Sonoco Products Company. Erected by Hartsville Centennial Commission-
1993
(Reverse) Sonoco Products Company
This enterprise was chartered as Southern Novelty Company in 1899; first directors
were: Maj. J. L. Coker, J. L. Coker Jr., D. R. Coker, J. J. Lawton, and W. F. Smith. The
name was changed to Sonoco Products Company in 1923. Today Sonoco is a leading
global manufacturer of packaging products for major industries and employs
approximately 16,000 people in 22 countries. Erected by Hartsville Centennial
Commission-1993
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16-30
Trinity Church
Main and Burns streets, Society Hill
This Episcopal church, located about 800 ft. N., was incorporated 1833. Early members
associated with the church are said to have been from the Dewitt, Edwards, Evans,
Hanford, Hawes, McCollough, Williams and Witherspoon families. In 1834 the present
structure was consecrated by Bishop Nathaniel Bowen. After many years, the church
became inactive and was officially listed as dormant 1931. The building is now
maintained by private benefactors. Erected by Pee Dee Committee National Society of
Colonial Dames of America in the State of SC-1993
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16-31
Eastern Carolina Silver Company
Hartsville, at intersection of Home Avenue and Second Street
This silver co., chartered March 5, 1907, manufactured and sold coffee and tea sets,
bread trays, bowls, candelabra, and cups. J. L. Coker served as pres., W. F. Smith as
vice pres., and C. W. Coker as sec. & treas. By 1908 the company had begun to
manufacture classically-designed quadruple plate, some ornamented with cotton
blossom motifs. The enterprise, located 3 blocks NE, dissolved Nov. 25, 1909. Erected
by Hartsville Centennial Commission-1994
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16-32
Facing Coker College property in front of Allston House, near intersection of E. Home
Ave. and Campus Drive, Hartsville
(Front) Welsh Neck High School
The Welsh Neck Baptist Association initiated this institution as a coeducational boarding
school. It opened Sept. 17, 1894, through the generosity of Maj. James Lide Coker, Civil
War veteran, local industrialist, and the school's first chairman of the board of trustees.
Enrollment peaked at 267 in 1902. When the 1907 public high school act reduced the
need for this school, it became a four-year college for women.
(Reverse) Coker College
The trustees of Welsh Neck High School converted their institution into a non-sectarian
Baptist college. It opened Sept. 30, 1908, as "Coker College for Women, founded by
James L. Coker." Baptist control ended in 1944, and in 1969, the college became
coeducational. The Governor's school for Science and Mathematics opened on the
campus in 1988. Throughout its history, Coker has emphasized liberal arts. Erected by
Hartsville Centennial Commission-1995
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16-33
Laurie M. Lawson
SW corner of roads 19 and 360, about 1.8 miles east of Oats
Birthplace of L. M. Lawson (1873-1943), attorney, farmer, Methodist layman. Served in
SC House 1905-10, SC Senate 1911-14, Pres. Darlington Agricultural Soc. 1938-39.
Erected by Darlington County Historical Commission-1995
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16-34
In front of church, 104 E. Home Ave., Hartsville
First Baptist Church
(Front) Members of New Providence and Gum Branch Baptist churches under John L.
Hart's leadership began Hartsville Baptist, the first church in town, 16 November 1850. A
union Sunday school met on the site as early as July 1849. John L. Hart donated land on
which the congregation built a sanctuary in 1851. Rev. J. W. Burn served as first pastor
for many years. The church joined Welsh Neck Association in 1851, and the SC General
(Reverse) Assembly chartered the congregation in 1853. By 1906 name changed to First
Baptist Church. Dr. E. V. Baldy, pastor in 1909, served as first president of Coker
College. New congregations established by this church are: Fourth Street 1906;
Eastside (now Emmanuel) 1926; Lakeview 1944; South Hartsville 1951; West Hartsville
1952; and North Hartsville 1959. The congregation
completed the present sanctuary 1964. Erected by Hartsville Centennial Commission-
1995
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16-35
Butler School
In front of the school, Sixth Street, Hartsville
Butler School, located on this site since 1921, was the second public school to
serve Hartsville's black community and operated for over sixty years. Known as
the Darlington Co. Training School until 1939, it was renamed for Rev. Henry H.
Butler, its principal 1909-1946. The first building on this site burned in 1961;
extant buildings date from 1936 to the mid-1960s. Butler School was a junior
high and high school when it closed in 1982. Erected by Hartsville Centennial
Commission-1996
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16-36
3/10 mi. north of the church, Society Hill
Society Hill Presbyterian Church
(Front) Was organized August 12, 1891 with 17 charter members, by a commission of
the Pee Dee Presbytery under Revs. J. G. Law, J. G. Richards, and W. B. Corbett.
Elders H. A. Womack and J. S. McCall and deacon L .M. Crosswell were appointed
church officers. Services were held in the school until the sanctuary was built 1892-93; a
manse was built 1922. Rev. J. P. Marion, the first full-time minister, served 1892-1902.
(Reverse) For several years in the early twentieth century the church also sponsored
seminary students preaching at as many as six mission stations in the Pee Dee region
without financial aid from the Presbytery. Society Hill Presbyterian Church is in the
Welsh Neck-Long Bluff-Society Hill Historic District, listed in the National Register of
Historic Places in 1974. Erected by the congregation-1996
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16-37
At Raceway, 2 mi. W of Darlington on Hwy. 151-34
Darlington Raceway
(Front) Darlington Raceway, the first superspeedway in NASCAR history, was
constructed in 1950 by Harold Brasington, a local race promoter who saw an asphalt-
paved track as an advance over the standard dirt tracks and wanted a 500-mile stock
car race to rival the Indianapolis 500. On September 4, 1950 the new mile-and-a quarter
raceway hosted the first Southern 500, a 400-lap race in which 75 cars raced at top
speeds of 80 m.p.h.
(Reverse) The egg-shaped track at Darlington quickly gained a reputation as "the track
too tough to tame" and the Southern 500 became one of racing's most important events.
The Plymouth which Johnny Mantz drove to win the first race is one of several historic
cars on display with other racing memorabilia at the NMPA Stock Car Hall of Fame/Joe
Weatherly Museum, which opened here in 1965 to honor the pioneers of NASCAR.
Erected by Darlington Raceway-1997
Darlington Raceway Website
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16-38
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH [ DARLINGTON ]
at the church, 246 S. Main St., Darlington
(Front) Established in 1831 as Darlington Baptist Church of Christ, with Rev. W.Q. Beattie as its first
minister; joined the Welsh Neck Association in 1832. The first sanctuary, built in 1830 just before the
church was formally organized, was replaced in 1859 by a second building. During the Civil War the
church offered its bell to be melted down to cast cannon for the Confederacy.
(Reverse) This church, which has licensed or ordained 14 clergymen since 1831, was renamed First
Baptist Church of Darlington in 1912; the present brick sanctuary was dedicated that December. The
Hardin Building was built in 1924; the Jones Building in 1956, the Illy McFall Memorial Building in
1975, and the E.S. Howle Fellowship Hall in 1983. Additional renovations were completed in 1997.
Erected by the Congregation, 1998
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16-39
JAPONICA HALL
S. Main St., Society Hill
(Front) This house, built in 1896-97 and designed in the Beaux Arts style by noted S.C. architect
Charles Coker Wilson, was the home of Maj. James Jonathan Lucas (1831-1914). An earlier house
here, which burned in 1892, had been the home of Dr. Thomas Smith (d. 1875), who married the
widow of Judge Samuel Wilds. Lucas served Charleston District as a state representative 1856-1862.
(Reverse) MAJ. J.J. LUCAS
In 1862, Lucas, a Citadel graduate, organized and became major of Lucas' Battalion of Heavy
Artillery, which spent most of the Civil War on James Island near Charleston. Maj. Lucas moved to
Society Hill in 1865, and later served as a director of the Cheraw & Darlington RR and Atlantic Coast
Line RR. Japonica Hall was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
Erected by the Darlington County Historical Commission, 1999
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16-40
WILLIAMSON'S BRIDGE
S.C. Co. Rd. S-16-35, at Williamson's Bridge on Black Creek
Williamson's Bridge was built over Black Creek by 1771. In 1780 a part of Brig. Gen. Francis
Marion's S.C. militia brigade – the "Pee Dee Regiment" or "Cheraws Militia" under Lt. Col. Lamuel
Benton (1754-1818) – clashed with Loyalists here. Benton's militiamen forced the Tories from the
bridge, pursued them for some distance, and finally routed them in hand-to-hand combat.
Erected by the Darlington County Historical Commission, 2000
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16-41
CALEB COKER HOUSE
Main St., Society Hill
This house, built ca. 1832, was the home of Caleb Coker (1802-1869) and the birthplace of his son
Maj. James Lide Coker (1837-1918), Confederate officer, industrialist, and founder of Coker College.
Caleb Coker, a merchant, was also a director of the Cheraw & Darlington RR, librarian of the Society
Hill Library Society, and a charter member of the Darlington Agricultural Society.
Erected by the Darlington County Historical Commission, 2000
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16-42
HARTSVILLE OIL MILL
at the mill office, South Fifth Street, Hartsville
(Front) The Hartsville Oil Mill, founded in 1900 by J.L. Coker, D.R. Coker, and J.J. Lawton, stood here
until 1993. A cotton oil mill, it crushed cottonseed to produce cooking oil; meal and cake for feed and
fertilizer; and lint for stuffing and explosives. It was chartered in 1909 with Lawton as president,
treasurer, and general manager; Albert Jordan as secretary; and C.G. Timberlake as superintendent.
(Reverse) The mill office, still standing at this site, was built in 1915. Under the leadership of president
E.H. Lawton, Sr., the mill was converted from hydraulic presses to screw presses in 1954. The mill
began extracting oil and meal from soybeans by 1957. The company sold the Hartsville mill in 1981
and moved its headquarters to Darlington. In 2000 it was the last cotton oil mill still operating in S.C.
Erected by the Hartsville Museum, 2000
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16-43
HENRY "DAD" BROWN
corner of U.S. Hwy. 52 & Brockington Rd., Darlington
(Front) Henry "Dad" Brown (1830-1907), a black veteran of the Mexican, Civil, and Spanish-American
Wars, is buried 75' N with his wife Laura. Variously said to have been born free or born as a slave
who purchased his and Laura's freedom, he was born near Camden. Brown, a brickmason, joined the
Confederate army in May 1861 as a drummer in the "Darlington Grays," Co. F, 8th S.C. Infantry.
(Reverse) Brown enlisted as a drummer in Co. H, 21st S.C. Infantry in July 1861 and served for the
rest of the war. He "captured" a pair of Union drumsticks in battle. He was also a member of the
"Darlington Guards" 1878-1907. Described as "a man of rare true worth" at his death in 1907, Brown
was honored shortly afterwards by Darlington citizens who erected the monument nearby.
Erected by the City of Darlington Historical Landmarks Commission, 2000
Florence Morning News Artilce about dedication.
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16-44
FAIR HOPE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
at the church, Lamar
This church was organized in 1872 by Harmony Presbytery with Capt. Joseph Commander (1800-
1883) as its first elder. This sanctuary, built on land donated by Commander, was moved here and
remodeled about 1909. Fair Hope, a founding member of the Pee Dee Presbytery in 1889, withdrew
in 1969 to become an independent church.
Erected by the Darlington County Historical Commission, 2001
Photo
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16-45
LAWRENCE REESE (1865-1914)
in front of the Belk Funeral Home, 229 W. Broad St., Darlington
(Front) West Broad Street features several late-19th to early-20th century residences designed and
built by Lawrence Reese (1865-1914), a native of Marlboro County who came to Darlington as a
merchant by 1887. Reese, who had no formal training in architecture, was a self-taught master
craftsman and designer. The Belk Funeral Home, at 229 West Broad, was built ca. 1900 as a
residence for Abraham Hyman and was Reese's own favorite of the several houses he designed
here.
(Reverse) The West Broad Street Historic District, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in
1988, features 14 houses designed and built by Lawrence Reese between ca. 1890 and ca. 1910,
most of them with elaborate Eastlake, Queen Anne, and other Victorian era architectural elements.
Reese also designed and built the South Carolina Western Railway Station on Russell Street, built in
1911 and also listed in the National Register in 1988.
Erected by the St. John's Heritage Foundation, 2000
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16-46
DAMASCUS METHODIST CHURCH
at the site of the church, East Home Ave., Hartsville
The church organized as early as 1817 and known as "Wright's Meeting House, Black Creek" was the
first Methodist congregation in the area. James D. Wright, an elder who was appointed "Exhorter" in
1826, preached here until his death in 1862. Damascus Methodist Church declined after 1893, when
Wesley Methodist Church was founded in Hartsville; it disbanded by 1901.
Erected by the Darlington County Historical Commission, 2001
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16-47
EXECUTION OF ADAM CUSACK
intersection of Main St. extension and S.C. Hwy. 464, Society Hill
In August or September 1780 Major James Wemyss’s 63rd Regiment of Foot marched from
Georgetown to Cheraw burning and looting Patriot houses and farms. When Adam Cusack, who ran
a ferry over Black Creek, refused to take some British officers across he was arrested. Convicted in
an extralegal court martial, he was hanged nearby as his wife and children pleaded with Wemyss for
mercy.
Erected by the Darlington County Historical Commission, 2002
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16-48
WILDS-EDWARDS HOUSE
Edwards Ave., Darlington
(Front) This Italianate house, designed by J.L. Clickner, was built 1856-57 for planter Samuel H.
Wilds (1819-1867). According to tradition Clickner returned in early 1865 as a Union soldier and
persuaded his superiors not to burn the house during a raid in the area. In 1870 attorney B.W.
Edwards (1824-1890), later a state senator, acquired the house; it remained in the family until 1999.
(Reverse) SAMUEL HUGH WILDS
Samuel H. Wilds was a member of the Darlington Agricultural Society, a colonel in the antebellum
militia, and a state representative 1856-57 and again in 1864. He organized the "Wilds Rifles" (later
Co. B, 21st S.C. Infantry) at the outbreak of the Civil War as its captain and rose to major by war's
end. This house was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Erected by the City of Darlington Historical Landmarks Commission, 2001
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16-49
DARLINGTON MEMORIAL CENTER
Pearl St., Darlington
This house was built in 1889 by Charles McCullough (1853-1908), who served as town councilman
and later as mayor. It was for many years a recreation center for local youth. The Darlington Memorial
Center, chartered in 1946 as a memorial to Darlington men who died in World War II, was funded
primarily by area civic clubs. It was acquired by the city of Darlington in 1950.
Erected by the Darlington Landmarks Commission, 2002
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16-50
ANDREW HUNTER
Darlington County
(Front) Andrew Hunter (d. 1823), planter, state representative, and county official, is buried in the
Hunter family cemetery about 400 ft. south. During the American Revolution he ran a grist mill several
miles south on High Hill Creek, supplying meal and corn to the Patriots in the Southern Department.
He also served as a scout in the state militia under Gen. Francis Marion.
(Reverse) In 1782 Hunter, scouting in N.C., was captured by Col. David Fanning, a prominent
Loyalist. He escaped on Fanning’s horse, taking his saddle, holsters, pistols, and papers. After the
war he represented St. David’s Parish (1787-88) and Darlington County (1796-97) in the S.C. House
of Representatives and served on commissions for roads, navigation, and a new courthouse and jail.
Erected by the Darlington County Historical Commission, 2002
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16-51
“YANKEE HILL”
U.S. Hwy. 52 near N. Main St., Darlington
(Front) In the summer of 1865, just after the end of the Civil War, Federal troops began their
occupation of many cities and towns in S.C. Units in Darlington in 1865-66 included the 15th Maine
Infantry, 29th Maine Veteran Volunteers, 1st Maine Battalion, and 30th Massachusetts Veteran
Volunteers. They camped on the grounds of the nearby St. John’s Academy and used it as a hospital.
(Reverse) Four Federal privates (Patrick Gately and Ira J. Newhall of the 15th Maine and George
Kinney and John Maloney of the 29th Maine) who died of disease while stationed in Darlington in
1865-66 were originally buried nearby. This area was called “Yankee Hill” for many years. Their
remains were later removed and reburied at Florence National Cemetery.
Erected by the Darlington County Historical Commission, 2002
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The South Carolina Department of Archives and History
site contains basic information
about the S.C. Historical Marker Program and
not texts, photographs, or other information
about individual markers.
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Pee Dee Resource Conservation and Development Council
2002 Pee Dee Resource Conservation and Development Council.
This page was last updated on september 18, 2002
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