Urban legends are strong in any community, particularly in situations where there is limited written and validated material.
“J.C. Long built Byrnes Downs” is one such urban legend.
Some of the particulars of this story are now lost, but occasionally someone comes home and there is at least the chance to piece together another chapter of the real story. Michael and Marie Miller returned home this summer to Michael’s childhood home in Byrnes Downs. His father had maintained all of the original documents outlining the purchase of their home and Michael discovered them while cleaning in the attic. We sat together on Sunday afternoon and I was thrilled to see firsthand recordings of an original owner of a Byrnes Downs home. But first about the possible origins of the urban legend.
J.C. Long was a prominent Charleston attorney with both political and business acumen. He had his fingers in every pie that would benefit the greater Charleston community. According to a short biogrphy written by Thomas R. Waring for www.iLoveIOP.com, Long began his real estate development career shortly after finishing law school. Ashley Forest was one of his first neighborhood projects. He was a public servant, a community leader, a passionate trial lawyer, and the founder of The Beach Company in 1945. It would be natural for people to believe that Long was involved in any housing development based on his community presence.
Nevertheless, what’s written and recorded about the development of Byrnes Downs begins with a charter document for the V Housing Corporation that states the following: On Jan. 8, 1942 a meeting was held of “ the subscribers” of the proposed V Housing Corporation after “due notice” and Vincent Chicco, Gadsden Smith, Alberta S. Long, C. Fletcher Carter Jr., Harry J. O’Neill, L.L. Long, and W. K. Prause were elected directors. On Jan. 10, 1942 M.L. McCrae and M.J. Scott filed with the Secretary of State, W.P. Blackwell,  a “written Declaration” setting forth four points for the Corporation in the charter. At the bottom of the document is written: “Recorded January 12, 1942 at 12:30 o’clock, S.C. Doc. Stamp none affixed. Original delivered to J.C. Long  Julius E.Cogswell, R.M.C per clk E.G.”
According to a March 21, 1943 article in the News and Courier entitled: “2,200 New V Housing Units Here Will Cost $7,000,000”, work was to begin within 30 days on these units for war workers. Five-hundred-and-fifty of these units were planned for the Byrnes Downs subdivision. Scrolling all the way to the end of the article: “Substantial stock holders include Albert Sotille, Leonard D. Long, and J.C. Long.”
One additional piece for the legend, on the plat for Byrnes Downs is written the following: “ Recorded by filing in Plat Book 7 page 128 at 9:25 o’clock February 3, 1944. This tracing furnished by J.C. Long.”
In the end there are three references to J.C.Long in written documents, but conversations with both family members and Beach Company employees put other principals more directly involved with the development and construction of Byrnes Downs. Urban legend dispelled.
Now to the Miller’s original documents: On Aug. 23, 1945, C.Y. Clements, of the V. Housing Corporation, penned a letter, on company letterhead (no listing for J.C. Long) to Wilfred H. Miller accepting his offer to purchase the house located on Lot 13, Block Q of Byrnes Downs.
The letter outlined the preparation of a second mortgage for $600 to the V Housing Corporation. A FHA note for $5,250 detailing the amortization schedule for the 237 payments was also among the documents found with this letter. Miller assumed this note at $5,209.23 from the V Housing Corporation. The first three payments had been made on June 10, July 10, and August 10 of 1945 by the Corporation. The purchase price for their Colleton Drive home, including the down payment, was $6,435.
The Miller family set up housekeeping on the “High Lot,” as they affectionately called their place on Colleton Drive. The home sits on a high spot in the neighborhood. Michael remembers vendors who came through the neighborhood selling vegetables, sitting on the front steps snapping peas with his Mother, the “Pony Guy” who came through the neighborhood to photograph the children on a pony, and the Croghan Branch of the Atlantic Coast Line train that ran through the neighborhood and stopped at the Ashley River.
 
What do you remember about living in St. Andrew’s Parish? Donna would love to know. Contact her at westashleybook@gmail.com

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