Visit Windy Hill – Pelzer Heritage Commission Members recently traveled to Flat Rock, NC for a visit with relatives of Pelzer Mills founder Captain Ellison Smyth. Pictured are: (l-r) Diane Burroughs, Shirley Pace, Pat Kelly, John Kelly, Charles Chastain, Billie Jo Chastain, Great-Great Granddaughter of Captain Smyth, Kate Hudgens, Joyce and Larry Coker, Kelly Arthur and Dianne Lollis.
Several members of the Pelzer Heritage Commission traveled to NC for a visit with Captain Ellison Smyth’s great great granddaughter, Julie Heoggy, her brother Tom Hudgens, his friend Carla and Cousin Kate Hudgens.
While there they stayed at Windy Hill Retreat, once the home of Captain Smyth’s daughter, Sue Smyth Hudgens and now the home of Mrs. Hudgens’ granddaughter, Julie Heoggy.
On Saturday morning Mrs. Heoggy and family provided breakfast for the members and later in the afternoon took them on tour of Connemara.
Captain Smyth purchased Connemara as a summer home in 1925 after selling his real estate holdings including the Greenville News and moved to the 380 acre estate located on a mountain in Flat Rock, NC. He passed away there in 1942 just short of his 95th birthday.
As a SC Military Academy Cadet (The Citadel) Captain Smyth joined the Confederate Army in 1864 at age 16 and remained until the surrender of General Johnson in 1865. He was a part of the Cadets who participated in the last skirmish of the War Between the States which was fought near the town of Williamston.
