The Old Malloy House in historic Cheraw is also known as the Teacherage because it housed unmarried teachers in the mid-twentieth century. Though its first owners are unknown, the home is the oldest residence in the town, dating before 1790. It is named for the Malloy family, cotton brokers who owned the house for much of the nineteenth century.
The Malloys had six sons, all of whom fought in the Civil War and all of whom returned. One died of injuries after his homecoming, however. It is said that the magnolias planted in the yard were to honor the sons as they went to war. The Malloys were friends of President Woodrow Wilson’s father, a chaplain in the Confederate army who was at times a guest in this home. The house remains a private residence.
The Old Malloy House is listed in the National Register as part of the Cheraw Historic District:
Around 1736 Welsh Baptists came to South Carolina and settled in the Pee Dee region. In 1766 Eli Kershaw, who had been given a grant of land along the Pee Dee River, laid out the town of Cheraw. It was incorporated in 1820. Located at a key navigational point, Cheraw began to develop as a commercial center of interior South Carolina; however, the Civil War and Reconstruction temporarily halted this progress. For a time development was impeded and rebuilding was delayed. Although the town eventually prospered, much of its physical character remained unaltered.
The town of Cheraw also played an important role in South Carolina military history. During both the American Revolution and the Civil War, British and Union troops used St. David’s Episcopal Church as a hospital. The meeting house style church still stands today. Additionally in 1825, Revolutionary War figure Marquis de Lafayette stayed in Cheraw during his tour of the United States. Located within the district are a variety of architectural styles that include the early frame homes of the 1800s (often called upcountry farmhouses, or essentially I-House in type), antebellum structures with Classical Revival details and Greek Revival porticos, and Victorian houses from the turn of the century. The district also includes several churches, a cemetery, and the towns’ original boundary markers dating from 1766.
Many thanks to David Sides, Cheraw Director of Tourism and Community Development, for providing the above photo and much of the information.
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