William Deaver Purchases Land From Allison

William Deaver was born September 9, 1794.  As a teenager he was apprenticed to his grandfather, Andrew Miller, after the death of his parents.  He also inherited property in Tennessee from his father.  In 1830 he began purchasing property in the Davidson River area, including three tracts from Benjamin Allison.

He married Margaret Patton in 1833 and over the next 15 years the Deavers had seven children.   As the Deaver family grew so did the family home. 

Floor plan of the main floor of the home during the Deaver era. 
Plan drawn by Angela Patane.

Following a fire in the 1830s Deaver undertook repairs and soon enlarged the home to 2200 square feet, doubling its size.  A cellar was dug under the house, lowering the grade on the west side, and a stone foundation was laid beneath the entire house.

The original porch across the west side of the house was extended and enclosed on each end, creating two additional rooms with an open porch between them.  The east side porch was extended across the house on five stone piers.

Floor plan of the second floor of the Deaver home.  
Plan drawn by Angela Patane.

The final major alteration was the addition of a two-story porch on the east side.  When this porch was added, the roof of the house was also raised and extended to cover the porch.  A flight of external stairs joins the upper and lower levels of the porch.  The porch style and construction were influenced by South Carolina low country architecture and plantation owners who were building summer homes in this area.  The Boylston Turnpike had been relocated and now ran on the east side of the home.   The new, large double-porch now faced east and the nearby road.

Although exact dates of the additions and renovation are not known they occurred prior to the Civil War.

Deaver was a leader in the local community and amassed a large estate.  According to the 1860 U.S. Census Deaver’s real estate was valued at $18,000 and his personal property at $10,000.  Deaver also owner eight slaves, including a male and female in their 40s and six children.

William Deaver’s son, James was a Captain in the Confederate Army responsible for arresting armed Confederate deserters and Union supporters who were hiding in the mountains.  On February 24, 1865 an outlaw band looking to kill Captain James Deaver came to the Deaver home.  James was not there but William was shot and killed.

 

Deaver family at the “Old Deaver House”.

By 1878, Deaver’s son William E. owned the house and property.  His daughters, William and Margaret’s granddaughters, lived in the house until 1938.  Three generations of the Deaver family called the house home.  It was sold to Carl and Mae Smith in 1952. 

Although electricity, heating and air conditioning have been added, the house is basically preserved as it was in 1865.  The Transylvania County Historical Society restored the home and maintains it as an example of mountain-crafted architecture and as a gift to present and future generations.  The House is open on Saturdays (10-4) and Sundays (1-4) from May 16 through October, 2015.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-3151 X242.