Squire Farmer
/Throughout any reading of Flat Rock history, one name comes up repeatedly as having had a literal hand in the creation of the nascent mountain community which served as a summer refuge for many of Charleston’s most prominent citizens. Although, historians have tended to reserve the lion’s share of their accounts of Flat Rock’s earliest history for families with the familiar names of King, Baring, Memminger, and Lowndes, a young Charleston boy orphaned at age 11 also found his way to Flat Rock and over time and with great energy and skill built a legacy that can still be seen throughout Flat Rock today.
His name was Henry Tudor “Squire” Farmer.
Susan Baring
Introduction
Young Henry shared his name with his father, Dr. Henry Tudor Farmer, Sr. The elder Henry was born in England in 1782 but emigrated to Charleston, SC when he was quite young. Dr. Farmer married Anne Coates in 1808 and Henry, Jr. was born in 1817.
Dr. Farmer was claimed as a nephew by Flat Rock’s earliest and perhaps most prominent matriarch, Susan Heywood Baring, who along with her husband Charles Baring, built one of Flat Rock’s earliest estates, Mountain Lodge. The Barings also built a small chapel on their property that was later expanded and established as St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church.
Flat Rock historian Sadie Smathers Patton wrote of Dr. Farmer:
“Following Susan's marriage to Charles Baring, three of her relatives appeared in America. Mrs. Baring claimed Dr. Henry Tudor Farmer as her nephew. He had studied medicine in England, and late in this country developed an interest in writing and theatre, which took him to New York and an association with a cosmopolitan group of writers and intellectuals, Washington Irving among them.” (The Little Charleston of the Mountains, Patton, p.4)
During his time in New York, Dr. Farmer published a small volume of poems entitled ‘Imagination, the Maniac’s Dream, and Other Poems’ (1819), and an ‘Essay on Taste.’
Patton’s use of the word “claimed” when describing the relationship between Susan Baring and Dr. Farmer was echoed in a later account written by Louise Howe Bailey in her book, St. John in the Wilderness.
“…Sadie Patton noted that, when Susan came to America, she was accompanied by several relatives whose exact kinship to her remains somewhat of a mystery.” (St. John in the Wilderness, Bailey, p.9)
Stories of Susan Baring’s life before her marriage to Baring are “colorful” and it seems that Patton and Bailey are intimating that perhaps Dr. Farmer was not a nephew, but possibly a child from either a previous marriage or “illegitimate” union. Perhaps Dr. Farmer was of no relation at all and was a “nephew” in the familiar as opposed to familial sense. It appears, however, that the exact answer to this question has been lost to history.
Tragically, Dr. Farmer was widowed in 1824 and then he died in 1828, leaving 11-year-old Henry and his siblings orphaned. Accounts suggest that following the death of Dr. Farmer, Susan Baring took responsibility for the care of the children. From an article published by the Charleston Mercury:
“Henry T. Farmer, familiarly known as “Squire,” was … one of four nephews who became the wards of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Baring after their father died in 1828.
During his early life, Squire spent his summers at Mountain Lodge … and after reaching maturity made Henderson County his permanent residence. Although Squire studied to become a lawyer, his interests in the promising development of Henderson County led to the formation of his construction business, furniture factory and woodworking plant. He built many of the buildings and houses in Flat Rock including the hotel and the Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville.” (The Farmer Hotel/Woodfield Inn, The Mercury, Missy Craver Izard)
Patton also references the children as “fosters” and includes three daughters in the equation. Mountain Lodge was completed in 1828 and there would have been ample room to house the children of Dr. Farmer.
“Mrs. Baring had with her from the time she began her seasonal visit to Flat Rock her four foster sons and three foster daughters, the motherless children of her (late) nephew Dr. Henry Tudor Farmer.
These foster sons of the Barings were John, Charles Baring who became a judge, Dr. Hoosac Farmer, and Henry Tudor Farmer, a lawyer, though he never practiced. This latter was the only member of the original Lowcountry group among the Flat Rock settlers who ever severed his ties with Charleston to become a resident and citizen of North Carolina.” (Patton, p.28)
Building a Life in Flat Rock
Having committed his life and career to Flat Rock, Squire Farmer soon became a leading citizen in the growing summer colony. How and why young Henry acquired the moniker “Squire” is not recorded but it seems safe to assume that his growing influence in Flat Rock played a role in the creation of a name befitting his stature in the community.
Mountain Lodge, the Marsh Photograph Collection, housed at South Caroliniana Library, U. of South Carolina.(Photo: Courtesy photo
Patton adds some details to his early days in Flat Rock:
“During his early life, (Squire) spent his summers at Mountain Lodge, and after reaching maturity, and as he became more and more interested in its promising future development, he made Henderson County his permanent residence, severing any ties he might have formed with the business world in Charleston.
While he was still a very young man, this nephew of Mrs. Baring was married to Miss Carolina Graham, of the pre-revolutionary family of Cleveland County, who came with him to Flat Rock where they made their home and reared a family.
Mr. Farmer, within a short time after Henderson County was organized, became chairman of the county court, and was Hendersonville’s second postmaster, resigning to go to the state legislature in 1848 where he served two terms.
As a construction contractor, Squire Farmer erected many of the early buildings at Flat Rock, as well as historic old Judson College and the Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville. That he did at least part of the construction work when the Count de Choiseul built his castle (Saluda Cottages) is evidenced by the fact that he was one of the creditors at the time the property was sold.” (Patton, p.60)
Having earned the trust of his fellow Flat Rock residents – both seasonal and permanent – Squire Farmer provided a number of valuable services for area residents. The narrative included in the Flat Rock Historic District, Boundary Increase, Boundary Decrease, and Additional Documentation (Historic Renomination) of 2015 provides a glimpse into how a young Squire spent his time in Flat Rock.
“Henry Farmer … established himself as one of the most competent builders and was responsible for constructing a number of substantial houses and buildings in the area. In addition to construction, the estates, both large and small, required a caretaker to look after the property and tend to farms and gardens during the family’s absence. Due to their scale and seasonal use, the typical summer estate required more than an extensive cleaning to open the house in the spring and close it up at the end of the summer.
Wind and ice storms often devastated the winter landscape, and it took considerable manpower each spring to prepare for the arrival of the Low Country families. In addition to general maintenance, renovations and improvements to the houses, construction of new outbuildings and road work required the attention of the local caretaker, who also oversaw specific seasonal activities such as cutting ice for the icehouse or planting gardens.
An excellent builder, Farmer constructed many of the early buildings in Flat Rock and Hendersonville. He built many private homes in Flat Rock, including Many Pines, ca. 1859, and Dunroy, built in 1862.” (Historic Renomination, Flat Rock, NC, 2015)
Judson College, Third Avenue & West Flemming Street, Hendersonville, Henderson County, NC
Louise Howe Bailey also credits Squire Farmer with the construction of the dam that created Front Lake at the Rock Hill estate (now Connemara):
“Memminger made his last major addition to the estate when he paid $300 to Henry Farmer to build the dam for the lake at the foot of the hill from the Main House, “which dam I [Farmer] guaranty [sic] to stand without injury from freshets or otherwise for three years from this date.”” Louise Howe Bailey, “Rock Hill” to“Connemara”: The Story Before Carl Sandburg. (National Park Service, 1980), p. 18.
Building Farmer’s Hotel/Woodfield Inn/Mansouri Mansion
In 1852, Squire Famer built one of the most iconic buildings in the long history of Flat Rock and the structure most closely aligned with his Flat Rock legacy:
“Travel to western North Carolina increased after the Buncombe Turnpike opened in 1827. The taverns and inns along the turnpike route were full to overflowing, but not terribly comfortable for those who were not drovers. In 1847, a group of investors led by Andrew Johnstone and Judge Mitchell King received a deed from Alexander Ramseur for four hundred acres of land located near the center of the community and stated the need for “a good commodious tavern.”
In 1850, Mitchell King and Andrew Johnstone commissioned Charleston architect Edward C. Jones to design a comfortable tavern for visitors. The hotel (was) built in 1852 and originally known as the “Flat Rock Hotel.”’ (Historic Renomination, Flat Rock, NC, 2015)
Squire Farmer subsequently acquired the Inn in 1853 and operated it until his death in 1883. In her article about the inn, Missy Craver Izard lists the original stockholders of Flat Rock Hotel and their investment in the enterprise:
“In 1847, a corporation was formed of ten estate owners to serve as the stockholders in the company that built the Flat Rock Hotel. The ten men, Charles Baring, Judge Mitchell King, Andrew Johnstone, Edmund Molyneaux, William Young, Richard H. Lowndes, Matthew R. Singleton, Dr. Mitchell King, William Aiken (governor of South Carolina) and Henry T. Farmer each contributed $1,000 to build a comfortable inn at a moderate cost, to be managed by one of their number, Henry Tudor Farmer. “ (The Farmer Hotel/Woodfield Inn/Mansouri Mansion. Missy Craver Izard)
Farmer’s Hotel / Woodfield Inn
The Historic Renomination Document of 2015 adds that after the sale the structure became known as Farmer’s Hotel:
“In October 1853, the shareholders of the Flat Rock Hotel agreed to sell the inn and property to Henry Farmer, and it was afterward known as the Farmer Hotel, or Farmer’s Hotel. For the recreation of the guests, a billiard house and a small, spring-fed lake were located on the property … Farmer ran the hotel until his death in 1883, when he was succeeded by his son, Matthew Singleton Farmer.” (Historic Renomination, Flat Rock, NC, 2015)
Per Sadie Patton:
“Many amusing stories have been told through the years of the Squire’s unique methods of running a hotel, but to those who knew him well and were liked by him, he was always a kind and generous friend. Driving his well-matched four-in-hand, hitched to his gleaming stage coach, he brought and carried many borders to and from Greenville to spend the summers as guests at his hotel which was always filled with Charleston people.” (Patton, p.63)
Farmer’s Hotel was later renamed Woodfield Inn by Annie D. Martin and served as a community and social hub for residents and visitors alike for many decades. The name was changed again to Mansouri Mansion in 2009 when the estate was purchased by Hasan Mansouri, a native of Bahrain. Mansouri died in 2020 and the property is owned by Mansouri’s sons and has been unoccupied and dormant for several years.
Furniture Builder
In addition to being a successful contractor, Squire was something of an entrepreneur and when furniture was required for his hotel or other area residents, he was ready to supply that as well:
“He owned a machine shop and small brickyard on a portion of the hotel tract and operated Peter Summey’s old mill on King Creek (Earl’s Creek). Farmer converted the mill into a furniture factory where they crafted chairs, tables, wardrobes, and other pieces to supplement the original furniture made for the hotel by J. & J. Hildebrand of Asheville.” (Historic Renomination, Flat Rock, NC, 2015)
—
“Though a part of the original furniture for the hotel was made by J&J Hildebrand of Asheville, this was supplemented during the years that followed by chairs, tables, wardrobes and many other pieces which Squire Farmer had made at a furniture factory he operated in the community. This factory was situated on Earl's Creek, on the present road leading from Flat Rock to the railroad depot (West Blue Ridge Rd), and the yearly output for a long time was large.” (Patton, p.62)
Squire Farmer is also credited with convincing one of Flat Rock’s most famous black families to relocate to Flat Rock from nearby Naples.
“In 1877, at the intersection of what is now West Blue Ridge Road and Highland Park Road, the John Markley family purchased land and established a small farm complex that was centered on a successful blacksmith shop. John Markley (1848-1921) and his wife Sally Darity Markley (1859-1959) were both born in slavery. They met working on a farm in Naples, north of Hendersonville, and the couple were later married and moved to Flat Rock.
Henry (Squire) Farmer persuaded John Markley to settle in Flat Rock after hiring him as a craftsman at his furniture mill and as a blacksmith. Markley, with his sons Garfield and Jim, opened the main blacksmith shop in Flat Rock, operating from the late nineteenth century until Jim Markley’s retirement in the mid-1960s. John Markley also had a reputation as a veterinarian and a wheelwright. Sally Markley, known locally as Aunt Sally, was a midwife, who was renowned as a storyteller and historian.” (Historic Renomination, Flat Rock, NC, 2015)
Community Leader
Squire Farmer’s Flat Rock legacy was well documented in the letters of residents to family and friends in Charleston and beyond. In Robert B. Cuthbert’s analogy of those letters, Flat Rock of the Old Times, summer residents of Flat Rock frequently referenced Mr. Henry Squire Farmer whom Cuthbert concludes “was something of an ombudsman in the community.” He was obviously instrumental in helping hold the community together during the Civil War and immediately after as the summer residents from Charleston slowly rebuilt their lives and homes that suffered from the depredations of war.
During the latter stages of the Civil War, Harriott Middleton wrote to her cousin Susan Middleton on March 4, 1864:
We are in a present state of disagreeable corn uncertainty. Mr. Farmer sends us his word he cannot send us another ear! And what are we to do! As I tell Mama I have never heard of genteel people starving, so I suppose something will turn up, and we have sent to ask Mr. Farmer’s advice on the subject. (Cuthbert, p.48)
From the reminiscences of Captain Thomas Pinckney of turbulent times in 1865:
One day on returning from a ride in search of household goods, I met at the Flat Rock Post Office, Squire Farmer and Davis, their horses in a blown out condition from fast riding. They reported the deserters were “cleaning out Hendersonville” and they had to ride for their lives. (Cuthbert, p.54)
In a letter from James B. Gordon to Henry Middleton in Charleston, 3 April 1870:
In consequence of Mr. Farmer’s protracted absence in Raleigh, I have not been able to visit Mrs. Cheves’ residence (Acton Briars) and report its condition, as I promised, until today. Mr. Farmer took me thro’ the house this morning and I write you the result of my observations. The fences are in very bad condition, in some places blown down, leaving gaps, the garden fence completely gone. The house itself is a good deal out of repair...The papering in many places is detached from the walls and in one of the rooms the plastering has fallen. The furniture appears to be intact. The china and bedding Mr. Farmer informs me has been removed to Mr. R.I. Middleton’s house; I presume during the disturbance here, for better protection. (Cuthbert, p.75)
Squire Farmer’s Death
Henry Tudor “Squire Farmer died on September 16th, 1883. He was 66 years old and, as his friend C.G. Memminger wrote in his obituary, still “in the midst of his usefulness.” Memminger’s remembrance of Squire appeared in the Charleston News and Courier of October 12, 1883.
“FARMER ___ Departed this life at Flat Rock, N.C., on Sunday, the 16th of September, Henry Tudor Farmer, a native of Charleston S.C. and the 66th year of his age after the short illness of a week and in the midst of his usefulness. For more than 40 years he has been so completely identified with all the interests of the Flat Rock neighborhood that the mention of the one brings with the remembrance of the other. It seemed as though nothing could go on there without his assistance. The estimation in which he was held by his fellow citizens was evinced in their repeated calls on him to serve them in the Legislature of the State, and his own public spirit was shown by his earnest and continued efforts to connect the mountain region with the seaboard.
For many years he was the director of the Greenville and Columbia Railroad and exerted himself to promote its success during its severe early struggles to support its existence. When the Spartanburg and Asheville railroad was projected he turned his energies in that direction and made the Flat Rock station an important contributory to that enterprise.
In private life, Mr. Farmer could always be relied on as kind and charitable to his neighbors and hospitable to all who were brought within his reach; as a kind and affectionate parent his children will have call to mourn his loss, and the poor in his neighborhood will regret the removal of a friend who encouraged their labors and assisted them in their need. In truth, it may be said that the entire surroundings at Flat Rock will feel the loss of one upon whom they depended to carry forward every work which was required for the comfort and convenience of the neighborhood. His sound judgment and ready invention made his counsels of value to all who asked them; and of the many beautiful residences around there was perhaps none which had not been benefited by his labors or his suggestions.”
A FRIEND
The News and Courier
Friday, October 12, 1883
(Patton, p. 65)
Conclusion
Squire Farmer’s gravestone at St. John in the Wilderness
Henry Tudor “Squire” Farmer was largely a self-made man who carved out a life and legacy in the rugged hills of western North Carolina by virtue of skill, hard work, and persistence. Although his name is not as prominent in the history of Flat Rock – even his grave marker at St. John in the Wilderness is remarkably humbly compared to those of the Barings, Memmingers, Kings, et. al., - the fingerprints of his life and work are all over the origin story of Flat Rock.
Ultimately, Squire Farmer was an exceptional man who proved to be a foundational figure upon which much of Flat Rock history was built and a man whose legacy deserves to be honored in the bright light of our collective memory.
References used in this article.
A Condensed History of Flat Rock (The Little Charleston of the Mountains), Sadie Smathers Patton, Hickory Printing Group in collaboration with Historic Flat Rock, Inc., 1961
Flat Rock Historic District, Boundary Increase, Boundary Decrease, and Additional Documentation, Flat Rock, Henderson County, HN1352, Listed 2/27/2015
Flat Rock of Old Time, Robert B. Cuthbert, University of South Carolina Press, 2016.
The Farmer Hotel/Woodfield Inn/Mansouri Mansion. Missy Craver Izard, Charleston Mercury https://www.charlestonmercury.com/single-post/the-farmer-hotel-woodfield-inn-mansouri-mansion
St. John in the Wilderness, Louise Howe Baily, Biltmore Press Asheville, 1995.
“Rock Hill” to“Connemara”: The Story Before Carl Sandburg. Louise Howe Bailey, (National Park Service, 1980)
