This house was erected in 1820 by Jesse DeBruhl a low country planter and broker. and is locally attributed to Robert Mills. While it has a good many of Mill's characteristics, it does not have quite the scale in details that would identify it as such. So far as the known records indicate, there is no basis to attribute the work to Mills. DeBruhl family legends state that Jesse knew Robert Mills
The house was built for the DeBruhl family, a family long prominent in South Carolina political life, and the date of erection suggests it was built for Jesse DeBruhl, Jesse was very active in the public life of the city, and during the Harrison vs Van Buren presidential campaign was the leader of The Democrats in Richland County. The DeBruhl family intermarried with another prominent local family named Marshall, and the house has for years been known as the DeBruhl-Marshall house. In the early pert of the 20th century the property was purchased by James H. Sams, for years a prominent Columbia architect. Sams died about 1938. The house was operated as a rooming house until 1947 and had gotten in a very poor state of repair.
In 1947 the property was purchased by Mrs. George H. Rhodes and restored as a residence. Mrs. Rhodes made so many interior changes that little remains of the original plan except the center hall and major rooms. The stair, which was originally in a room at the rear of the house, is now in the center hall.
Mr. DeBruhl was twice married. His widow married a Mr. Wylie, and Mrs. E. G. Coker, of Columbia, says that during Mrs. Wylie's lifetime, between 1885 and 1895, the following changes were made: the small rear porch was removed and the present rear porches added; the bath was removed from the first floor to the basement; a window bay was added to the rear of the east room of the first floor; the stairs were removed from what is now the kitchen to their present position in the main hall.
Mrs. Wylie died in 1905, John Quitman Marshall, Esq., who next owned the house, added electricity and one bath. He also added the staircase from the old Court House. He installed a new roof and removed the old gutters, that may have contained the initials of the Architect Robert Mills.
The Confederate general, James A. Johnston, made the residence his headquarters in 1865. When General Sherman's army captured Columbia in February 1865 the City was surrendered but on the second night of the occupation the troops started to systematically burn the City. The fire reached the DeBruhl house the troops started fires in the attic. Mrs Wylie Jesse DeBruhl's widow appealed directly to General Sherman to save her home. General Sherman ordered guards to be placed around the house. Thus was saved this magnificent mansion. When workers were doing some roofing work
in recent years they discovered the scorched roof rafters from that terrible night when an entire army
of 60,000 men took their revenge on the capital city of South Carolina, the State that led the
Secessionist Movement. John Quitman Marshall was Secretary of State of South Carolina.
He completed the State Capitol Building, brought electric power to the City, brought the electric street car system to the City. He bought the DeBruhl Marshall mansion and remodeled it around 1900. Jesse DeBruhl was John Quitman Marshall's grandfather. His mother was Elizabeth DeBruhl
Marshall. Mrs Wylies only son was William Jesse DeBruhl. John Quitman Marshall as Secretary
of State administered the oath of office to Governor Wade Hampton a democrat his victory broke the
Carpet Bag rule over South Carolina in 1880 officially ended the occupation since 1865. John Quitman Marshall left a lasting legacy on Columbia. He insisted on the wide streets modern transportation system, paved streets, electric street lights, landscaped capitol grounds,
finished the capitol building. Not a bad legacy for one native son of Columbia.
s
Saturday, April 27, 2019
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Mr Boatwright letter to William C DeBruhl September 2, 1852
September 2, 1852
Columbia, SC
Columbia, SC
Friend William,
We have just been blank with one of the most terrific floods
that ever visited these parts. Nothing
in the annuals of our county; has ever been known to equal it. And the loss of life and property is
incalculable. All our bridges with
exception of Congaree, has been carved off.
Western Bridge, Broad Rive, etc.
Charleston R. R. Bridge. Both the
Augusta Bridge all cut off. We have as
yet not heard of the extent of damage done, but fear the result. Wm Spencer Brown and a few of McCollum’s were
swept away and drowned. Since all the
Negroes on the Plantations below saved their lives by seeking shelter up the
house tops and the fear a good many of them is lost. All the stock on the River
Plantation are all gone. None left as
many plantations. Your
friend Jesse DeBruhl has lost his entire crop.
Every foot of his Plantation is under water. And his family escaped with their life, remained
in a tree for a number of hours before rescued.
The Greenville R.R. is wrecked all to pieces. They have had no mails for the last your days
and all communication is cut off. There is
no knowing when we will receive any goods from Charleston few train tracks work
as track or their Bridge is gone. And
what are we to do. God only knows. Corn and flour may run up amazingly and
communication is every ones concern.
I must
try to arrange some way to get our goods or fear we are in a bad way for many
articles but our neighbors are in like predicaments. And it cannot be arranged. I have not time to tell you all the
particulars. It was a fearful time last
Sunday. Nearly all Columbia was torn
about. The Bridge, looking every moment
to see it give away. The water was
running through. The water was running through the town and the current of
drift wood and pressure against it was alarming. But this noble structure stood the mighty
torrent and was only a little injured.
All the houses and Fred Green, hills were swept away. The hill under the Bridge entirely gone and
we never entirely gave way in foundation it has ruined. Fred W. Green and may a plantation and the
news here today is that Augusta is infinitely worse off that we. It was 8 feet water in the road. Augusta and Hamburg completely enveloped in
water. All that plant are water comes
here but their crop there has been a good many lives lost in Augusta and
Hamburg. It will make the county very
sickly; and it will require medicine.
For my impression is there will be really sale for them. I will order Opium and Morphine from Porvey & Whitman. As he cannot wait. I have them longer. There is none in town. We wish Pumice Stone, Umbilical Trusses about
½ dz and some Oil of Wintergreen. 1 pt of Sarsaparilla. There you can fill at your leisure.
B. L. MacLauchlan dead. Alma Adam Edgar and we have heard
today Wm C. Preston is dead. Wm L.
Brown’s lady has not yet been found.
McCollum farm was today.
Greenville
R. R. Bridge, Camden R. R. Bridge both gone and the house at junction of the
true ready, bedded in water.
Featen and Welsh & Mr Curry at Aston have but all their homes with
everything in them entirely swept away and they respect in beat. The rise of the River was awfully sudden all in one night and part of a
day. No one had any idea of it. Stanley on coming home had not passed over
the R. R. Bridge but 5 minutes before it was swept off. Saw it go. Well this is
bad new blank for a letter, I will stop for the present. We are all doing well. Your friend’s all
well.
My best respects to My B and all you family.
Regards closing to be remembered.
Thy blank, blank
Mr. W. Boatwright
|
1852
|
Aug 27-28
|
|
Landfall near the AL/MS border as a Cat 3 hurricane. Moved northeast
across central GA and SC as a TS before moving off the coast near the NC/SC
border.
|
Letter from Stephen C DeBruhl to Brother William DeBruhl July 8, 1858
Abbeville, SC
July 8, 1858
July 8, 1858
Brother
William
I received yours of the 2nd the day before
yesterday and would have answered yesterday had not Parker been out of town.
I have just seen him and got the desired information. He says he paid you six hundred and sixty
91/100 Dollars ($664.91) on the 4th August 1857. You are mistaken as to my owing you a
letter. I wrote to you some months ago
and have never heard from you until now.
I expected to meet you in Columbia on the 4th May at the
Quitman calibration but was disappointed. I was down
applying for Equity and was admitted without difficulty. By the by I am rising in the world, I now
boast the title of Major in the Abbeville squadron of Calvary having been
elected last Friday. My friends
however came nearer having to having bury one than vote for one in that
day. I was practicing for our tilt
(which came off on Friday) on Thursday evening and the horse I was riding ran
against the post which held the head for us at striking me full against it
& consequently knocking me off. My sword, I think, stuck my chin
cutting it very severely and also tow of my fingers. The blow came very near dislocating my jaw
bone which is still quite sore. My hip
was also badly bruised. I have
not been able to eat anything except hominy & such soft things as do not
require chewing until a day or two past.
I am now getting better tough. I
suffer a good deal still. The rest of
the family are all well. Willie is
getting on finely. Col Marshall’s family are all well
at present. Cousins Mary came up
yesterday and is looking I think as well as I have seen her for a number of
years.
I wish you could get off for a while and come spend some
time with us as we are all very anxious to see you. Don Mc Laughlin is established here in the
Drug business with Dr. Gordon. They are
doing a very fine business. The
remainder of the town is pretty much as you left it with the exception of Bob
White who ‘tis said intends talking to himself a wife in the person of Miss
Sallie Belcher.
I believe that our dull town affords nothing that will
interest you especially as it is now if possible more so than usual. Write to us soon & often. All send their love.
Yours truly,
Stephen
C DeBruhl
J Foster Marshall letter to Capt Wm Barkuloo July 7, 1859
Abbeville, C. H., SC
7th July, 1859
7th July, 1859
Capt Wm
Barkuloo,
Dear Sir,
Stephen
informed my yesterday that you desired me to send you out the balance due to
you as guardian of your son from the Estate of Sc. DeBruhl.
It will be out of my power to do so for some time to come as
it is now a season when we
planters never have any money. I
may come across some one who may have some money to loan, and in that event I will cheerfully avail myself
of the means to furnish you with the balance.
I had made no preparation to meet this balance, supposing
you intended to draw on me as you have done hereto before for William’s
support; but as I have above said, I will avail myself of first chance to raise
the funds and send it to you. Little Susan has gone up to Williamston for her
health which is some better than it has been.
Aunt Susan is not well, and I fear her disease is a deep
seated one, which no physician can cure.
Stephen’s habits of
late have distressed her and Susan very much and I fear will be the cause of
both their deaths if he does not learn this place. If you can do anything to get him out where
you are, or to Florida you will confer a lasting blessing on his family. I a going to make one more effort with him;
and if I fail, I am done with him until he reforms. This is not the place for him/ His
association must be broken up or he is a lost man. What I have written is in confidence.
Respectfully yours,
J. Foster Marshall
Answered Sept 5, 1859
Stephan C DeBruhl letter to his brother William DeBruhl Jan 11 1858
Abbeville
Jan 11, 1858
Jan 11, 1858
Brother
William
I was very much gratified by the receipt of your letter of
December, 25 and pleased
to hear that you anticipated a Merry Christmas.
I hope that all your pleasant anticipation were more than realized and
that you found Miss Herman both pretty and agreeable.
I would have answered your letter immediately but was so much engaged enjoying myself
that I really had not time. We
had the merriest Christmas that I have
ever spent. I will give you an account
if it & let you judge for yourself.
In the first place Alex
Weir invited some six or seven young ladies from Pendleton & Anderson to
spend Christmas holiday at his house, all of whom came down; as of
course such an I influx pretty young ladies created quite an excitement in our
usually quiet town.
These ladies having arrived On Monday before Christmas,
Weir, gave then a party the next night (Tuesday). At said party I was glad to see our friends,
Don Mc Laughlin who came up to see about forming a partnership with Dave Gordon,
in the Drug Store. I do not know what
was the result of his visit. The next
night (Wednesday) there was a very pleasant party at Mrs. White’s at which Don
was also present.
The
next Thursday night there was a hot supper given by the ladies of the Episcopal
Church. On Friday night a party
at Mrs Miller’s which I did not attend, having been invited to another in the
county before her invitations were sent out.
On Friday morning, Dolph Williams and myself started for Ros Tatum’s to
attend an affair at Capt Portlow’s about half a mile from Tatum’s, John Portlow,
whom I expect you recollect having seen at Tatum’s when we were there, having
married the night before. We arrived at Tatum’s about fifteen minutes
after four, having driven over about as muddy roads as you can and found him
& five other young men disposed as follows, two in bed, one on the lounge
& the other three over a pitcher of delicious punch which you may well
suppose was very refreshing to we way worn travelers.
Having incorporated
ourselves with a few glasses of the fragrant beverage rested awhile, we
put ourselves in readiness for the party.
On our arrival at the party we found quite a number of the bright eyed rose cheeked lasses of
the country interspersed with a few jewels from Georgia. Having passed
the evening in conversation, music & dancing we broke up at a late hour
every seeming much pleased. Our party
reached Tatum’s again between 1 & 2 o’clock when we again called the pitcher into requisition &
soon had ½ gallon of steaming, fragrant care dispelling punch to which I assume
you (if assurance be needed) we did ample justice. Having restore the waste caused by the
exertions at the party we all retired at an early hour (5 ½ o’clock) to our
virtuous couches. We rose the next day bright as
larks & went over to Portlow’s for breakfast & after having thoroughly
discussed the Turkey hash we adjourned to the parlor for a game of Euchre whist
was kept up till we began to feel quite sleepy & thirsty when we again returned
to Tatum’s & satisfied thirst, hunger & drowsiness. Sunday we
spent very pleasantly in Georgia & started bright & early Monday
morning for home in order to be there Monday night to a party given by the
young men & of whom we were managers.
After again trapping through the mud all day we arrived at home about
sun down. Having with some difficulty
removed the mud from us & put on clean shirts we once more felt right side
up & proceeded to the Marshall House when we had one of the finest parties
it has ever been my fortune to attend. The next day I was at a dining
party till after sun down & a party again at night which wound up my
Christmas festivities & as you may imagine pretty nearly wound me up. I am very sorry that I will be unable to come
to Brunswick during the “Grand Regattas” as I will be as busy as bee until
May. Fraser Livingston marries the day
after tomorrow so that he will alas be unable to come. He marries Miss Fannie McCain. Bill is worse off than either of us being
over head & ears in love & I think will only get out by a kick. He is after Miss Clara Kilpatrick & is
now I think gone to Pendleton. Jim
Martin marries Miss Abrams on the 26th this month. Eph Power was to have been married tomorrow
morning to Miss Kate Giles but
the Old Squire has “over sot the whole affair”.
It seems that the Squire objected at first but finally gave his consent
(being told by his daughter that she was determined to marry him), to their
marriage but would not give them a party. The consequently determined to marry tomorrow
morning & proceed immediately to Cokesbury where his mother was to give
them a party. The arrangements were all
made accordingly, the party in course of preparation, invitations went out
& when alas the Old Squire calls the whole family together, Sons &
sons-in-law, daughters & daughters-in-law to consult upon the matter the
result of whose deliberations were that it could not be, Poor Eph I am sorry
for him but he has the consolation
that he not the only man who has been treated in that way. I believe I have given you all the news
afloat about our muddy town.
We are all well at present & have been so except myself. I was quite sick the week before Christmas
with fever & have been suffering very much for a week past with a
large boil on my neck produced by a blister which the Dr. applied when I was
sick. It has got a great deal better but
not entirely well yet. I wish you would
write to Wallace about the hire of Lewis for the two months that he was with Drummond. It would be very acceptable at this time when money is as scarce as
hen’s teeth.
Col
Marshall made a final settlement of father’s personal Estate on Friday least. It resulted better than he anticipated having
amounted to a thousand dollars more than he expected. The share
of each distributer is $2,067.10 hence there is to you deducting your note
& interest ($1552.68) which amounts (514.42). We had a very heavy rain last night which
continued with some abatement nearly all the but the sun has at least come
forth & is now shining quite warmly,
too much so I am afraid to keep clear.
Write soon & tell me how you enjoyed your Christmas visit.
Yours truly
Stephen
C. DeBruhl
Saturday, December 8, 2018
Major Paul Kiffen DeBruhl USA World War ll
Major Paul Kiffen DeBruhl USA WWll
|
4:12 PM (44 minutes ago)
|
| |||
Paul Kiffin DeBruhl served his country in the U.S. Army in the European theatre during the Second World War. he was medically retired due to severe injuries and loss of one lung which gave him problems his life time.
Major DeBruhl landed in Normandy June 19, nine days after D-Day, with the 79th Division and first saw action at Cherbourg. The battle for the city itself was terrific, he recalled. After Cherbourg, he moved to St.Lo where he took part in the Famous Breakthrough. The 79th was moving ahead along the Seine near Paris August 10 and Maj.DeBruhl,commanding several advance patrols was ordered to take one of two hills that surrounded the division. The Germans retreating were moving so fast they bypassed Maj.DeBruhl and a communications Sgt. who had hidden in a ditch. Units of Maj.DeBruhls battalion were the first American forces to cross the Seine at Paris.On August 15, he was wounded in the back by shell fragments and on October 23 he was wounded a second time seriously.
Reference;Personal conversations with Paul and an account of an interview with Clarence Gantt of the Asheville Times,Asheville,N.C. Major DeBruhl was awarded the Silver Star.
Major DeBruhl landed in Normandy June 19, nine days after D-Day, with the 79th Division and first saw action at Cherbourg. The battle for the city itself was terrific, he recalled. After Cherbourg, he moved to St.Lo where he took part in the Famous Breakthrough. The 79th was moving ahead along the Seine near Paris August 10 and Maj.DeBruhl,commanding several advance patrols was ordered to take one of two hills that surrounded the division. The Germans retreating were moving so fast they bypassed Maj.DeBruhl and a communications Sgt. who had hidden in a ditch. Units of Maj.DeBruhls battalion were the first American forces to cross the Seine at Paris.On August 15, he was wounded in the back by shell fragments and on October 23 he was wounded a second time seriously.
Reference;Personal conversations with Paul and an account of an interview with Clarence Gantt of the Asheville Times,Asheville,N.C. Major DeBruhl was awarded the Silver Star.
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
William Jesse DeBruhl
see 1860 Richland Co (July 16)., census; there is also a Jessie in FL at this time (July 6) - may be same person just counted twice?? Yes, see Abbeville SC Equity Records Father: Edward Cornwallis DeBruhl b: 10 Dec 1749 in Halifax,,Nova Scotia, Canada c: 16 Dec 1749 Mother: Patience Stevens b: ABT 1772 in ,,VA Marriage 1 Eliza Donavan b: 1799/1800 in ,,SC
Marriage 2 Mary Cornelia Huson b: 13 Apr 1834/1836 in VA
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)