Existing Homeplaces of the Sixth SC Volunteers

The Graham Family Home

This log house was the ancestral home of the world's most famous evangelist, Billy Graham. It was the home of his grandfather, W. Crook Graham, a well known Fort Mill citizen and Confederate veteran.

In his autobiography, Just As I Am, Billy Graham describes his grandfather, William Crook Graham, as "a hard-drinking, hard-cursing veteran whose service with the Sixth South Carolina Volunteers left him with a Yankee bullet in his leg for the rest of his life." But he was an honest man. Billy Graham continues; "They (his eleven children) all grew up to be deeply religious, and a number of (his) grandchildren became preachers - I being the first."

Billy's great Uncle, Robert Graham, also a Confederate veteran who lost his leg in the war, earned the name "Peg-Leg" Graham. He was known in this area as a colorful character.

This log House built around 1780 from American chestnut trees, was moved to the Greenway in 1999 from it's original location on Hwy 160 about two miles from this spot.

It was lived in with many modifications for about 200 years.

Information form the Fort Mill Times (1955) and Just As I am; The Autobiography of Billy Graham (1977)

The Graham Family home is located within the Anne Close Greenway in Fort Mill, SC.

The Faires/Coltharpe Home

This cabin was originally built by Jesse Faris* about 1810 three miles from this location. Jesse's parents Alexander and Jenet Faris traveled here on horseback on the Great Philadelphia Wagon Road or Nation Ford Road from Pennsylvania in 1776. From the front door, you can see Nation Ford Road just a few hundred feet away.

Jesse Faris's son, John, a Sergeant in Co H of the 6th SC Volunteers, marched off to the Civil War from this cabin and died in Virginia, leaving his wife Jane. After the war, Jane married a neighbor, Josiah Coltharpe, who during the war was a private in Co B of the 6th SC Volunteers. Coltharpe walked the Nation Ford Road home from the Confederate surrender at Appomattox.

The cabin was moved to this spot in 1997. At one time it had four rooms. You can still see the original downstairs room, the upstairs loft and staircase next to the Chimney.

(*Also spelled Faires or Fairis)

Adapted from research by Louise Pettus.

The Faires/Coltharpe home is located within the Anne Close Greenway in Fort Mill, SC.

Gen. John Bratton Home - Wynn Dee

Wynn Dee is one of Winnsboro's historic homes with associations to most of its famous figures. The land on which it stands was a grant from King George to Joseph Owen, who came to Fairfield in 1768. The land was surveyed by Richard Winn, the man for whom Winnsborough was named. Winn later acquired the property and gave it to his daughter Christina as a wedding gift when she married Colonel William Bratton of York County.

At the time of the Civil War, Wynn Dee was the home of General John Bratton, Fairfield's highest ranking Confederate officer, who had married the former Betty DuBose of Roseland Plantation.

John Bratton was born in Winnsboro, Fairfield County, S.C., March 7, 1831. He attended the Academy of Mount Zion Institute in Winnsboro. Bratton graduated from South Carolina College at Columbia in 1850 and from South Carolina Medical College at Charleston in 1853. He engaged in the practice of medicine in Winnsboro from 1853 to 1861 and also invested much of his time as a planter.

Bratton volunteered in the Confederate Army as a private within the Sixth SC Volunteers and served throughout the war, rising to the rank of Brigadier General. After the war he became a member of the State constitutional convention in 1865, served in the State senate in 1866, was chairman of the South Carolina delegation in the Democratic National Convention in 1876 and a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1880. He was elected Comptroller General of South Carolina by the legislature, to fill a vacancy, in 1881 and elected to the Forty-eighth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John H. Evins. Bratton served from December 8, 1884, to March 3, 1885 and was not a candidate for renomination in 1884. He retired from active politics and again engaged in planting at “Farmington,” near Winnsboro. Bratton died in Winnsboro, January 12, 1898. He was interned to eternal rest in the Episcopal Cemetery of Winnsboro.

The Cathcart family, which now owns and occupies Wynn Dee, are direct descendants of the three families associated with the home, the Winns, Brattons and DuBoses.

The John Bratton home of Wynn Dee is located in Winnsboro, SC.

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