A Brief History of the Mann-Simons Site:

 

1403 Richland Street. Courtesy of Historic Columbia Foundation.

 

Located at 1403 Richland Street in downtown Columbia, the area now known as the Mann-Simons site was part of a larger collection of properties in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The history of the Mann-Simons family in Columbia begins circa 1825, when Ben DeLane, a free African American from Charleston, bought or constructed the house at 1403 Richland Street (Figure 1). Although documents are scarce relating to this period, available evidence indicates that sometime after moving into the house, his wife, Celia Mann (b. 1799), moved from Charleston to live in Columbia (Burr 1977). While Celia was free by at least 1850, it is unclear if DeLane purchased Celia's freedom or if she purchased it herself.

 

Backyard. Courtesy of Historic Columbia Foundation.

 

Little evidence exists relating directly to the details of Ben DeLane or Celia Mann's life. The Seventh Federal Census, taken in 1850, lists Celia Mann as "mulatto," born in 1799, and the owner of a single slave: a seventy-year old woman. Although the census does not name the slave, it seems likely, given the age of the woman, that Celia's motivations for slave ownership were benevolent and that she was either Celia's mother or a relative.

It remains unknown when Ben DeLane left the household. We do know that, working as a midwife throughout her life in Columbia, Celia became a respected member of Columbia's antebellum middle and upper-middle class. As a prominent midwife and a "respected colored nurse, who was present at the birth of many of our citizens" (Daily Phoenix, September 8, 1867), Celia undoubtedly enjoyed benefits and increased opportunities unavailable to the majority of African Americans in antebellum South Carolina.

Remembered today as the site of the Confederate Secession Convention of 1860, Celia worshiped at the First Baptist Church of Columbia along side an African American congregation of nearly 360 in 1841 (Burr 1977). Likely the result of this Convention, the African American congregation soon abandoned the First Baptist Church and sought refuge in the basement of Celia's house. These basement meetings soon led to the formation of the First Calvary Baptist Church of Columbia. When the congregation grew too large for the basement, Celia offered the shelter of her stable for the meetings. "Celia… wanted to be free and non-inhibited in worshiping," explains Robbie Atkinson, great-great-granddaughter of Celia,

"… when these people met in this basement and later in the stable and in the church, they were able to do what they would not been able to do when they went to the white church … they were able to communicate, form ideas, make a contribution" (1998:3-4).

While Celia's considerable achievements are themselves worthy of respect and remembrance, equally significant are the achievements of her daughter Agnes Jackson (1831-1907) and her descendents during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Property owners, entrepreneurs, and committed participants in Columbia's African American community, the descendents of Celia Mann established a tradition of achieving a diverse range of business and social aspirations and gaining access to the material privileges of citizenship.

Celia passed away in 1867. Her last Will and Testament reads:

"To my daughter Agnes Jackson who has always lived with me, I give and bequeath the House and lot in which I now dwell with the appearances whereto, together with all the rest and residue of my estate both, real and personal, to her and her heir forever."

Agnes Jackson.
Courtesy of Historic Columbia Foundation.

 

Agnes inherited the 1403 Richland Street house and estate, which included the lots at 1407 Richland, 1904 Marion, and 1906 Marion (Figure 2). Agnes stands as the matriarchal figure of the family throughout the second half of the nineteenth century. Unfortunately, records relating to Agnes are scarce, and as such, the details of Agnes' life remain clouded. Her occupations are recorded as "baker" (Columbia City Directory 1885) and "cook" (Columbia City Directory 1903). The 1879 Columbia City Directory lists Agnes as the widow of Thomas Jackson, although based on the surnames of her children, her relationship with Thomas ended sometime between 1853 and 1858.

 

The name 'Simons' reflects Agnes' relationship with William ('Bill') Simons, a member of the successful Joe Randall band, although Agnes seemingly never took the Simons name for herself. Agnes undoubtedly benefited from the social connections her mother Celia established as a prominent midwife. Her social network surely must have expanded even further through her relationship with Bill Simons. Joe Randall was one of the wealthiest free African Americans in antebellum Columbia (Clement et al. 1999:11), and as a member of his band, Bill Simons certainly enjoyed social connections unavailable to most African Americans at the time. There is no record of when, or for what reason, Bill Simons left the 1403 Richland Street house.

 

1904 Sanborn Map. Courtesy of the South Caroliniana Library.

Agnes passed away in 1907, sparking a number of interesting events. In 1907, Agnes appointed her son, Charles H. Simons, as executor of her estate, with instructions to sell the properties upon her death at auction (Burr 1977). Apparently, Harriet Richardson, Agnes' first child, purchased the estate for $1,500.00. The next day, Harriet sold the estate to Charles for $1,000.00, which included the 1403 Richland, 1407 Richland, 1904 Marion, and 1906 Marion Street lots (Figure 2). Additionally, he appears to have purchased the remaining lots to the north, up to Calhoun Street. In 1914, Charles deeded his estate to his second wife, Amanda.

Charles H. Simons. Courtesy of Historic Columbia Foundation.

The building directly east of the Mann-Simons house at 1407 Richland Street was constructed sometime between 1872 and 1899 (Figure 3). By 1899, Allen Williams, a shoemaker, and J. B. Carroll, a furniture repairperson, both African American, lived and operated a shop in the building (Columbia City Directory 1899). In 1904, John L. Simons (b. 1859), Charles' older brother who lived just around the corner at 1904 Marion Street, ran a grocery store at 1407 Richland Street (Columbia City Directory 1904-1905). According to the Columbia City Directories, Charles had taken over the grocery by 1906 and would continue to operate it until his death in 1932. From at least 1891 until 1909, John owned and operated a small business on the other side of the Mann-Simons house, at 1401 Richland Street (Figure 4). From 1899 until 1909, the Columbia City Directories variously described the building as a "Lunch Room" (1904-1905) and a "Confectionery" (1906-1908), while the 1904 Sanborn Insurance map describes it as a "Grocery."

1407 Richland Street. Courtesy of Historic Columbia Foundation.

Significantly, the ownership of a grocery store would have directly tied the Mann-Simons family to the emerging mass market, increased food availability during financially difficult times, offered an escape from local retailer surveillance, and expanded the variety of material goods available to the family by increasing access to, and potentially decreasing the costs of, those material goods. Although the structure at 1407 Richland Street remained in the hands of Amanda until her death in 1960, by the 1940s Amanda had closed the grocery and rented the property to various small business owners, the longest being to an electrician.

 

1904 Marion Street. Courtesy of Historic Columbia Foundation.

 

In 1912, Charles demolished and rebuilt all the houses north of 1904 Marion Street, up to Calhoun Street. According to Columbia City Directories, before 1912, individuals of African American decent occupied all of the houses along Marion Street between Calhoun and Richland Streets. However, from 1913 onward, only White individuals and families occupied these houses. Considering that Charles owned and rented these properties, and was involved in their rebuilding, it is likely that the choice of tenant was intentional, although Charles' motivations are unknown. This intriguing shift in demographics is likely related to broader social changes - evidence of a restructuring of physical and social boundaries between Black and White individuals occurring in Columbia and South Carolina during the early years of the twentieth century.

Amanda Green Simons. Courtesy of Historic Columbia Foundation.

 

In 1912, Charles and Amanda adopted Bernice Connors (1908-1998), the daughter of Amanda's sister Emma Franklin. Following Charles' death, in 1933 Amanda sold the lot at 1908 Marion Street to Lula Kelly, the wife of a White couple that had been renting the house since 1915. Although there is little evidence, it seems likely that during this time Amanda sold all the property north of 1904 Marion Street. When Amanda died in 1960, Bernice Connors inherited the 1403 Richland Street lot, valued at $20,000, the 1407 Richland Street lot, valued at $5,000, and the 1904 Marion Street lot valued at $5,000.

1919 Sanborn Map. Courtesy of South Caroliniana Library.

 

Bernice remained at 1403 Richland Street until 1970, when she sold the lots to the Columbia Housing Authority. Upon hearing of the City's plans to raze the structures, public outcry and the Wisteria Garden Club saved the Mann-Simons house (Clement et al. 1999). Regrettably, all remaining structures that once belonged to the Mann-Simons family were destroyed between 1970 and 1977 to make way for an apartment building to the north and a parking lot to the east and northeast. Today, Historic Columbia Foundation manages the site, which functions as a historic house museum interpreting African American life circa 1890-1910.

-Jakob D. Crockett