Kingstree in Williamsburg County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Epps-McGill Farmhouse
Photographed by J. J. Prats, March 25, 2025
1. Epps-McGill Farmhouse Marker, Side One
This two-story house dates to 1907 and is a fine local example of Folk Victorian architecture. It was built on land owned by the Epps family to serve as the newlywed home of local farmer Silas Wightman Epps and teacher Caroline Monroe. They lived here until circa 1910. By the 1930s, the family began renting the house to tenant farmers who worked the surrounding 52-acre property.
In circa 1953, African American members of the McGill family moved into the farmhouse and began working the land as sharecroppers. They continued to farm here as tenants until 1976, when an Epps descendant deeded the house to Weaver and Margaret McGill. It is still owned by McGill descendants and is unusual for coming into the possession of a Black family who first lived there as sharecroppers.
Erected 2022 by South Carolina Department of Archives and History; sponsored by Lambda Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha. (Marker Number 45-27.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Agriculture • Architecture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1907.
Location. 33° 40.468′ N, 79° 48.932′ W.
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Regionally, this marker is in South Carolina’s Pee Dee. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: "Let Us March on Ballot Boxes" (approx. 0.4 miles away); Tomlinson School (approx. half a mile away); Benevolent Societies Hospital (approx. half a mile away); John Witherspoon (approx. half a mile away); Captain Roger Gordon (approx. half a mile away); Stephen A. Swails House (approx.
Photographed by J. J. Prats, March 25, 2025
2. Epps-McGill Farmhouse Marker, Side Two
Also see . . .
1. The history of the Epps-McGill Farmhouse. Excerpt:
The Epps-McGill Farmhouse and a portion of the surrounding historical farmland was among that property that, in spite of those broader trends, ultimately came into legal possession of African Americans who first settled there as sharecroppers. Among the factors that helped make that possible was changing ownership of the land and the interpersonal relationships that developed between the Epps and McGill families. On August 13, 1953, Eula Epps Wilcox, who since 1925 had owned the farmhouse and surrounding fifty-one acres, sold the property to her nephew, Adolphus Epps Frierson, and his wife, Myrtle Frierson, for $10,000. Over the next twenty years, the now-Frierson farm was subdivided into several lots and sold off, gradually reducing the total size of the farmstead down to two acres.24 As recalled by a McGill descendant, over this same period, Adolphus Frierson and Weaver(Submitted on April 20, 2025.)McGill developed a strong friendship, and Frierson spent many evenings in the McGill home, i.e. the Epps-McGill Farmhouse. During his ownership, Dr. Frierson moved into a small building to the south of the house that served as an office and a personal retreat for the two men. After years of friendship, Frierson deeded 0.86 acres of land including the historic farmhouse to Weaver and Margaret McGill in 1976 prior to his death in 1980.Photographed by J. J. Prats, March 25, 20253. Epps-McGill Farmhouse Marker
2. The architecture of the Epps-McGill Farmhouse. Excerpt:
The Epps-McGill farmhouse is a rural vernacular example of the Victorian style that is distinct in form and design from the contemporary structures downtown. The Epps-McGill Farmhouse adheres to characteristics and features associated with Folk Victorian architecture, including the front-and-wing plan, clapboard exterior, gabled roofline, and two-story Queen Anne-inspired projecting bay with pendants on the north facade. As Folk Victorian houses are vernacular in nature, the Epps-McGill Farmhouse features transitional details borrowed from and combined with different forms and styles of architecture. Large(Submitted on April 20, 2025.)two-story porches on the north and south facades incorporate typical Folk Victorian wide porch and vernacular two-story porch forms common in South Carolina. Chamfered porch columns with a second floor coved beadboard ceiling add decorative detailing indicative of the style. The exterior window and door casing are simple in style while the double wood paneled doors on the front east elevation contain subdued applied mass-produced Victorian molding and corner blocks. The remaining original six over six double hung windows were likely produced outside of the area and easily transported to the site via the nearby railroads. Matching soffit corner pendants below the east gable further illustrate the use of the restrained Victorian elements to decorate the rural structure.Photographed by J. J. Prats, March 25, 20254. Epps-McGill Farmhouse and Marker
Photographed by J. J. Prats, March 25, 2025
5. Epps-McGill Farmhouse
Credits. This page was last revised on May 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 20, 2025, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 304 times since then and 69 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 20, 2025, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.
