Gaffney in Cherokee County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Michael Gaffney Home

1804

Photographed by Mike Stroud, April 2008

1. Michael Gaffney Home Marker

Inscription.

Michael Gaffney was born in Granard Ireland and immigrated to the United States in 1797. After a short period in New York, he set sail for Charleston, South Carolina. He departed Charleston for the upstate and arrived at Smith's Ford on the Broad River on December 17, 1800. There he met and married Mary "Polly" Smith, daughter of John Smith, on July 21, 1803.

Gaffney purchased 805 acres of land from John McKie on January 20, 1804 for $600.00. He then constructed this home, store and trading post at the corner of present day N. Granard Street and Baker Boulevard. This intersection was a Native American trail and wagon road. It became known as Gaffney's Crossroads, later Gaffney's Old Field.

Michael and Polly's first child was born June 1, 1804, most likely in this log home.

This hand hewed log home is donated to the City of Gaffney by the Gaffney Bicentennial Commission and Committees on this day June 23, 2006.

Erected 2006 by Gaffney Bicentennial Commission and Committees.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Agriculture • Colonial Era • Disasters. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1862.

Location. 35° 4.431′ N, 81° 38.908′ W. Marker is

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in Gaffney, South Carolina, in Cherokee County. It is at the intersection of North Limestone Street (State Highway 150) and West Street, on the right when traveling north on North Limestone Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gaffney SC 29340, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Upstate

and in the Foothills. It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

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: 09.11.2001 (within shouting distance of this marker); Cherokee County Veterans Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Cherokee County WW I Rememberence (within shouting distance of this marker); Carnegie Library (within shouting distance of this marker); Col. James Williams (within shouting distance of this marker); Capri Theater (within shouting distance of this marker); Mr. Clarence Lawrence Glymph, Sr. (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Dr. Clarence L. Norris 1888-1946 (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gaffney.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. Gaffney Marker stands where Gaffney's Tavern was located.

Also see . . . Gaffney, South Carolina. Gaffney is a city located in the Upstate of South Carolina. (Submitted on November 1, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)

Additional commentary.
1. History of Gaffney - Michael Gaffney
"In his journal, Michael

Michael Gaffney Home image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brian Scott, October 3, 2009

2. Michael Gaffney Home

Gaffney records the following remarks about this settlement: I expected to see a fine country, but was surprised to find it poor, sandy, rocky and hilly. The people are poor. Their dress generally is a hunting shirt and trousers of coarse cotton yarn. Every farmer or planter is his own shoemaker, tanner, tailor, carpenter, brassier, and in fact, everything else. Everything comes by the farmer or his family. It is the business of the wife and daughter to pick cotton and have it brought home, pick it from the seed, spin it, weave it, and make it ready for your back. Some of the girls make very handsome cloth. He further says, any people in the world. Here they must do everything from cooking to plowing, and after that they have no more life than Indian squaws. They hardly ever sit down to the table with there husbands, but wait on them like menial servants." (From the History of Gaffney web site, now shut down.)

— Submitted June 20, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.

2. Michael Gaffney Day
The city of Gaffney celebrates her founder on the fourth Saturday of September. The celebretation takes place at the Gaffney Cabin from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

— Submitted November 1, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South
Photographed by Mike Stroud, 2008

3. Michael Gaffney Home and Marker
Carolina.

3. Gaffney
Gaffney, seat of Cherokee County, is a textile manufacturing town and marketing center for farmers. On "Sales Monday" the town resembles an Eastern bazaar; people gather from the surrounding countryside to trade eggs, butter, and livestock for brogans, coffee, and snuff. Held the first Monday in each month, the occasion was known for years as "swap day," "trade day," or "bone yard day." Like poor Jack in the old fairy story, some farmers bring a cow to the market and go home with things less useful than a handful of beans.

Previously called Gaffney's Old Field, the town was named for an Irishman, Michael Gaffney, who settled here in 1804. Hardly had the first little frame shacks been grouped together around the crossroads, than promoters took over Limestone Springs, which they ballyhooed as the South's Saratoga. It was the heyday of mineral therapeutic treatment and plantation owners in the Low Country, plagued every summer by malaria, which they called "country fever" and believed was caused by "miasmas," flocked here to drink the water. A $75,000 hotel was built in 1835, and the town assumed the characteristics of a gay resort. Wealthy patients paid through the nose for the sumptuousness to which they were accustomed at home; the corks of champagne bottles popped at night and race tracks were crowded

Photographed by Mike Stroud, 2008

4. Michael Gaffney Home

in the afternoon. the town also became noted for its tilting tournaments, cockfights, and gander pullings, the last a cruel sport in which a plucked and greased gander was suspended mid-air and exposed to competing horsemen who tried to snatch off its head while riding past at a hard gallop. (Source: South Carolina: A Guide to the Palmetto State by the Federal Writers' Project (1949) pg 349.)

— Submitted November 1, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.

4. Captain Michael Gaffney’s 3rd Great Grandson
I'm Calvin Makupson introducing myself as his living relative and 3rd great grandson, blood related with DNA hits to Captain Michael Gaffney. I love you Papa and look like you even though I’m darker and you were Irish. I can prove this to all who need to know.
An editor can put you in contact with Mr. Makupson. Note To Editor only visible by Contributor and editor

— Submitted April 7, 2025, by Calvin Makupson of Gaffney, South Carolina.

Interior of Gaffney Home image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Anna Inbody, August 26, 2012

5. Interior of Gaffney Home

Photographed by Anna Inbody, August 26, 2012

6. Interior of Gaffney Home

Front Door with Plaque image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mike Stroud, April 2008

7. Front Door with Plaque

Plaque on Door image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Wes Cox, June 9, 2019

8. Plaque on Door

“Most of these hand hewed logs are from the house of Michael Gaffney built in 1804 just two blocks south of here. The City of Gaffney evolved from the crossroads of his stagecoach stop and his name. The cemetery is near the site of his house.”

Gaffney Family Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brian Scott, October 3, 2009

9. Gaffney Family Cemetery

Michael Gaffney Tombstone image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brian Scott, October 3, 2009

10. Michael Gaffney Tombstone

Captain Michael Gaffney image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Calvin Makupson

11. Captain Michael Gaffney

Father of Michael Gaffney. Photo contributed by Calvin Makupson, 3rd great grandson of Captain Michael Gaffney.

Calvin Makupson image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Calvin Makupson

12. Calvin Makupson

3rd great grandson to Captain Michael Gaffney, Henry Gaffney - 2nd great grandfather, Annie Gaffney - great grandmother, Holland Makupson - great grandfather, all Rest in Heavenly peace.

Henry G Gaffney image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Calvin Makupson, May 6, 2025

13. Henry G Gaffney

My 2nd great grandfather. Captain Michael Gaffney’s son.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 23, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 8,274 times since then and 368 times this year. Last updated on November 25, 2025, by Calvin Makupson of Gaffney, South Carolina. Photos: 1. submitted on April 23, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 2. submitted on November 1, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 3, 4. submitted on April 23, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 5, 6. submitted on September 3, 2012, by Anna Inbody of Columbia, South Carolina. 7. submitted on April 23, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 8. submitted on June 19, 2009, by Wes Cox of Union, South Carolina. 9, 10. submitted on November 1, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 11, 12, 13. submitted on May 6, 2025, by Calvin Makupson of Gaffney, South Carolina. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.