Downtown Chesterfield Fires 121 years apart.

25 February 1896 – 123 Year ago

NINETEEN BUILDING BURNED.
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A Serious Loss to the Village of Chesterfield.

Special to The State.
Cheraw, Feb 24 – Chesterfield was visited by a most disastrous fire yesterday. It broke out about 11 O’clock in the office of Dr. D. T. Teal and spread until 19 buildings were consumed, some of them containing stocks of goods. The following are the principal buildings destroyed:

Dr. Teal’s office, S. J. Sellers’ store, with $300 or $400 worth of goods; D. H. Laney’s drug store and two-thirds of his stock; a large dwelling house belonging to Mr. Allen Chairman; W. W. Davis’ photograph gallery; W. F. Pate’s store, the old “Country House” and a house belonging to A. W. Davis in rear of the courthouse.

The entire loss by the fire is placed at $13,000 or $14, 000, with no insurance. The town has certainly been hit hard, and it will take hard work and grit to make good the loss. Chesterfield has the sympathy of her neighbor Cheraw in this her severe trial. 

21 November 2017 - Massive fire destroys 6 buildings in downtown Chesterfield – 1 1/2 year ago

The fire started in a business known as the Pink Door Store. Some of the business’ suffering damages such as fire, smoke and/or water were:

• The Pink Door Boutique
• Long's Pharmacy,
• a barber and beauty shop.
• Connie's Creative Cuts

I could find no mention of a Dollar value in loss for this fire.

The effectiveness of modern firefighting equipment and the training of our firefighters made a significant difference in these two fires.

• S. J. Sellers is a 2nd Cousin 3 times removed
• W. W. Davis is a 3rd Cousin twice removed.
• A. W. Davis is a 1st Cousin 4 times removed.

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[1] The State, Columbia, SC, 25 February 1896, page 2 and local internet coverage of the November 2017 fire.

Chesterfield Jail Consumed by Fire, 8 Lives Lost

 

 

From the Cheraw Gazette

Awful Calamity.

The startling intelligence renched this place yesterday morning about 10 o’clock that the jail of the District was consumed by fire, together with all the prisoners confined within its walls. This report was soon after confirmed by the following letter, to which we refer for particulars:

Chesterfield, C. H.

March 29, 1853

James Powell, Esq.,
Dear Sir:
The Chesterfield Jail was consumed by fire this morning about 3 O’clock, destroying the lives of eight prisoners. The fire was first discovered in one of the front rooms, used as a cook room. When first discovered it was then too late to render assistance, to the prisoner’s up stairs, sufficient to enable them to make their escape.
The names of those consumed are:
Mandavile H. Hall,
Robert Dickson,
John Parr,
Frances M. Hall,
Wm. Grooms,
Malcom Martin,
Mrs. Martin, wife of Malcolm Martin,
John Martin, brother of Malcolm Martin.
The last two were on a visit to Malcom Martin. James W. Jowers and Richard Dickson, were discharged yesterday, so they escaped. W. W. Campbell was in the debtors’ room and was turned out in time to be saved. –
Every exertion was used to save the lives of the prisoners and building, but all failed. Yours &c.

                                                                                            J. C. Craig

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[1] "Awful Calamity.," The Sumter Banner. (Sumterville, S.C.), April 05, 1853, Image 4, Chesterfield Jail Fire, 8 Lives Lost; on-line images, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : viewed, copied, extracted, 31 July 2013), Historic American Newspaper; From the Cheraw Gazette.