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Ashtabula was built in the 1820s by Lewis Ladson Gibbes of Charleston, a direct descendant of Colonial Governor Gibbes and of Dr. Henry Woodward, first English settler in South Carolina. Mr. Gibbes' wife was Maria Henrietta Drayton, daughter of Dr. Charles Drayton of Drayton Hall and Esther Middleton of Middleton Place, a sister of Arthur Middleton, Signer of the Declaration of Independence. In 1837 the Gibbes' home was advertised for sale as "the most beautiful farm in the up-country" and was bought by Dr. O.R. Broyles, agriculturalist and inventor. His wife Sarah was one of the four beautiful daughters of Zacharias Taliaferro, a wealthy settler from Virginia.
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In 1851 Mr. James T. Latta of York brought the property. His wife was Angela Lott of New Jersey. Mr. Latta enlarged the house and brought to the farm from England one of the earliest herds of Hereford cattle. Then in 1862 Ashtabula was sold to Mr. Robert Adger, of the "Sword Gate House" of Charleston. His wife was Jane Eliza Fleming. The Robert Adgers' daughter Clarissa, with her husband O.A. Bowen and son Allan lived in the house through 1865. Mrs. Bowen kept a diary in 1865, which has been published by the Foundation as "The Diary of Clarissa Adger Bowen -- Ashtabula Plantation, 1865." It is a valuable record of happenings at Ashtabula, including a visit from a group of Union Cavalry which were a part of the famous "Stoneman's Raiders." The Diary brings out facts and events concerning other families and plantations of the Pendleton Area. Mrs. Bowen also kept a scrapbook which is displayed at Ashtabula.
The Robert Adgers' daughter Sallie and her husband William D. Warren were the next family to live at Ashtabula. There Mr. Warren, and later Mr. Francis J. Pelzer, owned and developed "The Pioneer Jersey Stock Farm in the State." Mr. Pelzer also started the great Pelzer Mills and built the town of Pelzer. Another later owner was Mr. John Linley of Anderson.
Mr. Frederick W. Symmes of Greenville who had roots in Pendleton was the last individual owner. After his death, Ashtabula Plantation was bought by the Mead Corporation for a tree farm. In 1961 the Corporation gave the house and ten acres of land to the Foundation for Historical Restoration in the Pendleton Area.
The beginning of the restoration of the place was made possible by a gift of $7,500 from the Bowen Foundation of Macon, Georgia. Since that time other substantial gifts, various projects and memberships in the Foundation, plus a lot of hard work by many volunteers, have made it possible to restore and furnish Ashtabula as it could have been from the time it was built until about 1865; representing the earlier families and giving the feel of a home that was loved and cared for over the years. There are many oustanding furnishings and a few smaller items which belonged to the early families. Some of the furnishings are much earlier than the house; but these are used on the premise that the builders of the house would not have brought all new furnishings when they came to live in it.
The Foundation for Historic Restoration in the Pendleton Area was founded in 1960 "to preserve, restore and display again some of our cultural heritage ... that we and those who come after us may experience again the virtues and greatness of those who lived here before us." All workers are volunteers. All gifts to the Foundation of funds or items are tax deductible. Volunteer hostesses open Ashtabula April - December: Sunday (2-6PM) also Thurs & Fri, (10AM - 4PM) & Sat ( 1-5 PM); other times by special arrngement. Admission is $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for children ages 6 to 14. For more information, contact:
Pendleton Historic Foundation
P.O. Box 444
Pendleton, S.C. 29670
1-864-646-7249
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City of Clemson
Phone: 864-653-2030 or email.
1250 Tiger Blvd. Suite 1
Clemson, SC 29631
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