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Edmund H. Deas House

Introduction

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This small but historic home is named after African American politician Edmund H. Deas, who was one of the most influential figures in Darlington during the late the 19th and early 20th centuries. He lived in the house from 1905 until he died in 1915. Deas served as Chairman of the Darlington Republican Party and was a delegate to four national Republican conventions. He ran for Congress twice, served as Deputy Collector of the Internal Revenue Service in South Carolina, and held a number of other political positions. Built in 1890, the home is a good example of the Eastlake style, featuring two projecting polygonal bays topped by gable roofs. It is a contributing property of the City of Darlington Multiple Resource Area, which is listed the National Register of Historic Places.

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Influential African American politician Edmund H. Deas lived in this house from 1905 to 1915. Known as the "Duke of Darlington," Deas was one of the leading Republican politicians in the state in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Plant, Window, Property, Building

Backstory and Context

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Edmund H. Deas was born on June 10, 1855 in Georgetown, South Carolina. Information about his childhood and education is not readily available but he did, apparently, study law but never became a lawyer. He relocated to Darlington in 1875 from Statesburg, South Carolina and quickly became involved in politics. He served as Deputy Sheriff in 1877 and the next year became Secretary of the Darlington Republican Party and was appointed as a delegate to the Republican National Convention. Deas became Chairman of the Darlington Republican Party and ran for Congress in 1884. Four years later he served as Chairman once more. In 1890, he ran for Congress again. From 1889 to 1896, Deas served as Deputy Collector of the Internal Revenue Service and then again from 1897 to 1901. He passed away on August 1, 1915. His wife, Beulah, lived in the house for the rest of her life. It remains a private residence.

Sources

"Darlington County Republican Party Chairman Edmund Deas." Darlington County Cultural Realism Complex, Inc. Accessed March 4, 2021. http://www.culturalrealismvision.com/Reconstruction%201865-1877%20Series%20Chairman%20Edmund%20Deas.htm.

"Edmund H. Deas." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed March 4, 2021. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=38097.

"Edmund H. Deas House." Discover South Carolina. Accessed March 4, 2021. https://discoversouthcarolina.com/products/3576.

"Edmund H. Deas House." South Carolina Inventory Form for Historic Districts and Individual Properties in a Multiple Property Submission. February 10, 1988. http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/darlington/S10817716019/S10817716019.pdf.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Jud McCranie, via Wikmedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edmund_Deas_house,_Darlington,_SC,_US.jpg

Additional Information