the history of Shady Oaks Plantation

The main house has been intermittently expanded. The main kitchen, was once housed in one of the servants' houses, where the cooking was done in massive stone fireplaces. Two of the houses still have these fireplaces in them. Around the turn of the century, the kitchen was ultimately moved to the right wing of the main house just beside the General's office. Later it was moved to the opposite wing of the main house, where it remains today. These later additions were built of stone quarried in the vicinity.

What sort of town was Ansonville and who were the people who lived in the vicinity?

Shady Oaks Plantation Bed and Breakfast provides a rich venue for visitors to step back in time -- almost 200 years. It was a prime time in the history of Piedmont North Carolina, a time when Ansonvillle offered many amenities: a college for women, a major north-south road and a railroad and depot, prosperous cotton and tobacco plantations, grand columned houses, and a population of thriving farmers and the people who worked for them.

Who was General Smith?

General W. A. Smith started the construction of the plantation, originally called "The Oaks," back in 1834. His honorary military rank was bestowed upon him, some say, by General Robert E. Lee himself, as a tribute to his allegiance and commitment to the Southern cause.

General Smith served only a very short stint as a private in the Civil War before he was wounded seriously and returned home. His wife, over several months, slowly nursed him back to health, but he always walked with the assistance of a half crutch and was usually attended by his "Black" retainer. After the death of his first wife and his beloved daughter, Smith was married possibly two other times to wealthy widows, who no doubt contributed financially to his solvency.

General Smith's generosity is well documented. He left money in trust to fund the upkeep of the local Episcopal Church, which still holds services regularly. His picture is proudly displayed in the main hall of the big house.

In addition, he contributed money to the support of a female academy in Ansonville and even left money to support a "junior" college in the town, later named Anson Technical Institute. Both these educational institutions are now defunct, the female academy having closed after a mere five years. The junior college was moved to Polkton, thereby losing the general's endowment, which was to be spent only if the school remained in Ansonville.

Shady Oaks Plantation has a wondrous history. Undergoing many changes and additions, the plantation remained until rather recently in the family of "General " W.A. Smith, the patron of Shady Oaks. He was a prosperous farmer as well as a businessman with various business endeavors. He adopted two children who bore the name Nelms in order to perpetuate the maiden name of his mother who had no heirs. Apparently he left no direct blood kin since his beloved daughter died in the house.

Who are the heirs to this historical monument?

Many of Ansonville's citizens' names are chiseled on the grave markers in Bethlehem Cemetery, just across the street from Shady Oaks. Noteworthy is the fact that the family names on the tomb stones bear no distinction as to race other than the fact that the Blacks resting there had their own separate section of the burial ground (usually in unmarked graves) but occasionally bore the names of their "owners." Even today, Black and White deceased who rest in that cemetery share family names as is the case with the general citizenry.

The remains of an itinerant free Black preacher (Ralf Freeman) are enshrined in Bethlehem Cemetery. He was singled out by a legislative act that forbade him from preaching to Black congregations.

What about the main house?

The main house started around 1834 as a basic four-over-four structure with the kitchen originally located in an outside servant house that still stands along with the other dependencies. Later two wings were added to the main house accommodating an office and a library, a kitchen, and a bedroom and bathroom. Four additional bathrooms for the upstairs bedrooms were only recently constructed. The kitchen was relocated around the turn of the century from the south wing to the north.

Various photographs attest to the plantation's illustrious history as the location of the last three reunions of Civil War veterans that were held until well into the twentieth century. These aging veterans encamped on the grounds and the general fed them with food prepared in the large fireplaces and water from the many wells on the property.

Once a thriving farm covering over 900 acres stretching from the main north-south highway (highway 52) to the Pee Dee River, Shady Oaks was a pivotal domicile in the historic town of Ansonville, where many other old structures once stood. Many of these structures unfortunately have fallen into disrepair or have been destroyed.