Sans Souci Plantation – Stateburg – Sumter County

— Barn at Sans Souci Plantation © Kevin Travis, 2010 —
(Do Not Use Without Written Consent)

Basic Information

• Location – Sumter County, St. Mark's Parish

  1935 San Souci Road near Stateburg

• Origin of name – French for "without care" or "carefree" (2)
  

• Other names – ?

• Current status – Privately owned and operated as a farm and special events venue (2)
  

Timeline

• Circa 1730 to 1740 – Earliest known date of existence (2)
  

  Originally deeded to Edward, John, and Hugh Rutledge (2)
  

  John served as South Carolina's first governor and was a signer of the United States Constitution. Edward served later as governor and signed the Declaration of Independence. Hugh was a lawyer and judge. Sans Souci was their summer residence.
  

• ? – House built

• Early 1900s – George L. and Alberta Stuckey Mabry, Sr. owned Sans Souci Plantation (3).
  

• 1934 – The original house was lost to fire (4).
  

• 1970 – Katie and Wendell M. Levi, Jr. purchased the plantation (4).
  

Land

• Number of acres – 640 (1 square-mile), both historically and in 2012 (2)
  

• Primary crop – Cattle and hay in 2012 (2)
  

Owners

• Chronological list – Edward, John and Hugh Rutledge (Circa 1730 or 1740-?); George L. and Alberta Stuckey Mabry, Sr. (Early 1900s-?); Katie and Wendell M. Levi, Jr. (1970-present, 2013)
  

Slaves

• Number of slaves – 12 slave families lived at San Souci and remained at the plantation for a short period after emancipation (2).
  

Buildings

• In 2012, Dr. and Mrs. Wendell M. Levi, Jr. shared the following: "Modern farm buildings and homes are the only standing structures. There is a ruins site of the original plantation home." (2)
  

References & Resources

1. Claude Henry Neuffer, editor, Names in South Carolina, Volume I through 30 (Columbia, SC: The State Printing Company)
    Order Names in South Carolina, Volumes I-XII, 1954-1965
    Order Names in South Carolina, Index XIII-XVIII
   

2. Information contributed by Dr. and Mrs. Wendell M. Levi, Jr.
   

3. Joe Perry, Buford Mabry Sr.: 1915-2011 (Sumter, SC: The Item Newspaper, 2011)
   

4. Information contributed by Heath Hoover.