Johnsonville South Carolina History

Johnsonville didn’t drift into the modern era—it was jolted there. In the space of a few short years, a riverfront tract north of downtown became the engine that redefined local work, stitched the town to global markets, and spun off a clubhouse, a gas station, and whole new lines of product. What began with wool would evolve into advanced resins and large-scale recycling, drawing families, payrolls, and headlines to the south bank of Lynches River. The full story that follows traces how the deal came together, how the plant rose, and how its momentum reshaped Johnsonville for decades. Arthur Ogden "Arch" Wellman (1894-1987) Senior Year at Newton High School, 1913 Wellman traces its history to the Massachusetts wool combing company Hill & Nichols (later renamed Nichols & Company), established in 1927. But, we have to go back even further than that - to Arthur Wellman. Arthur "Arch" Wellman was born on Halloween day 1895 in Brookline, Massachusetts to Arthur ...

For more on S. B. Poston, visit Johnsonville SC History on the web Sylvester Briley "S. B." Poston (1867-1933) When I come home to Johnsonville and stop to photograph or admire the vacant but still proud storefronts, I can’t help but think of Sylvester Briley “S.B.” Poston. Every brick and beam of the old business district owes its existence to him. He didn’t just help build Johnsonville—he literally owned much of it, from the bank that held residents’ savings to the hardware store where farmers bought their plows. To appreciate just how deeply this one man shaped a town, it helps to start at the beginning. From Half Moon to the Pee Dee Poston was born on May 20, 1867 (some sources say 1869) in the Half Moon community along the Lynches River, the son of turpentine and farm operators Simon P. Poston and Sarah Frances Bartell. He grew up learning how to tap pines for sap, plant cotton and handle customers. By the turn of the 20th century he’d launched the S.B. Poston Compa...