Wilkins House (Greenville, South Carolina)

The Wilkins House is a historic house in Greenville, South Carolina, built in 1878 by Jacob W. Cagle (1832–1910) for merchant and capitalist William T. Wilkins (1825–1895). It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 19, 2016. Wilkins, a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, engaged in the hardware business in Charleston and New York City prior to the Civil War, though he returned to South Carolina to fight for the Confederacy. By his death in 1895, Wilkins was "a large stockholder in nearly every manufacturing enterprise in Greenville." In 1867, Wilkins married Harriet Dawkins Cleveland (1843–1930) of Greenville, a woman wealthy in her own right; and in 1875 they settled in her hometown. On 93 acres Wilkins built a two-story brick mansion in the Italianate style, reflecting their prominence in the business and social life of the community. An 1898 publication described the house as "the finest home of any man in northern South Carolina." The elegant interior, decorated in high Victorian style, included large crystal chandeliers, bas-relief carvings, and an impressive curved staircase. A conservatory on the north side was crowded with plants and flowers. Even after the death of her husband and only son, Mrs. Wilkins (thereafter always dressed in black) continued to play the grand lady, hosting luxurious dinner parties and being driven to social appoint

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