The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-03-30
HISTORIC WHITE HOUSE
DESTROYED BY FLAMES
Stored South Carolina Mansion
Burned Recently Was Connected
With Many Famous Names and
Events in States Glorious
Days-Located Near
Beaufort.
Atlanta Journal.

The White House was destroyed by
IRE on December %, last-not the
one in Washington, but famous one
in GEORGETOWN county, South Caro-
lima. The place was the property OF
Mrs. Elizabeth w. Pringle, daughter
of R. F. W. Allston. the last OF the
aDte-bellum governors of South Caro-
lima. He was the most distinguished
member of family whose wealth and
culture was once proverbial in the
Carolinss. Mrs. Pringle had long
contributed articles for the New York
Sun under the non de plume OF
"patience Pennington, which were
later put into book form under the
title of "The Woman Rice Planter.
White House was one of the most
famous colonial mansions in the state.
1t was at one time the residence OF
Joel r. Poinsett, an eminent pubic
man of South Carolina, in the dlplo-
matte service, who discovered the
beautiful tropic flower, "poinsetta,N y
and who adorned the estate with
trophies of his travels. In the hands
of the Allston family it was the CEN
ter of social life and a landmark
along the Pee Dee river.
Largest Slave Owner.
Mrs. Pringle's father is said to have
been the largest slave owner IN the
country at one time 1t is note
worthy that he married sister of the
eminent lawyer of Charleston, James
l.. Petigru who was the strongest
union man in the state, and an oppo-
nent of secession, while her cousin,
James Petigru of North Carolina,
was opposed to slavery and tried to
limit it when he moved to South Caro-
lima and was elected to the leglsla-
ture of that state He subsequently
became brigadier in the Confeder-
ate army and was killed at Gettys-
burg, having been in Pickett's charge.
Mrs. Allston survived the governor
MANY years, living most of the time
with Mrs. Pringle at the old Allston
home, "Chicora," an even more fam
GUS estate ON the Waccamaw river IN
Georgetown county. President Cleve-
land visited Mrs. Allston at her home
and said some complimentary things
or the occasion. so greatly was ne i'm
pressed with the noble character of
the splendid old lady, who was one
O. the great women of the country all
hey life.
The Allston family is known in the
history of the country also In connec-
-tion with the tragic story of Theodo-
sia Burr, wife of Aaron Burr, who
was lost at sea while en- route to join
her husband in New York. But she
was the daughter of another COVER
no- Aston, of a century ago, whose
name is spelled with one 3d. dis
tAction of Importance in the two fam
lies, as they are now only very dis
tantly related.
One of Sad Tragedies.
One of the saddest tragedies in the
history of the Allston's was the muir
der of the oldest grandson en- the
.paternal side, and the namesake OF
Governor Allston. after he had made
a fight for his health only comparable
to that of young Theodore Roosevelt,
and had got in fair way to mend the
family fortunes by personal exertion
as splendid as that of any New Eng
land pioneer, and in marked contrast
to the way in which the original
wealth of his forefathers was ac-
:cumulated. The story of Mrs.
Pringle's nephew, whose home as a
boy had often been at the White
House, is one of the unwritten eplcs
of the South-the post -bellum South.
Robert Allston was the son OF the
Rev. Benjamin Allston, colonel IN
tha Confederate army, who took or
ders in the Episcopal church after the
war. The paternal estates in George
town had become practically unprof-
liable. The labor went away to the
railways and industrial centers, the
neglect of the fields increased the ma
TARA, incidence. and soon nearly all
thA1 remained of their former grand
Sur were the two magnificent homes
at Chicora and White House
filled with portraits, handsome
furniture imported in the old
DAYS from London and Parls'
and a wealth of family treasures
of all sorts The two widowed
ladies, mother and daughter, kept the
places with the help of few faith
., ,,I soryapts and their families and