USA > South Carolina > Charleston County > Charleston > The parish church of St. Michael, in Charles Town, in the province of South Carolina. Founded 1752 > Part 1
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Gc 975.702 C38ho 1503635
GENEALOGY COLLECTION M. L
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02301 1262
7
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/parishchurchofst00holm 0
THE PARISH CHURCH
OF -
ST. MICHAEL.
IN
CHARLES TOWN,
Gc
975.702
C38 ho
IN
THE PROVINCE OF
SOUTH CAROLINA.
Founded
1752.
COPYRIGHT BY GEORGE S. HOLMES, 1887.
.
1503635
ST. MICHAEL'S.
The first notice we have of anything appertaining to St. Michael's is, in July, 1672,1 when John Culpepper, Surveyor- General, is directed to lay out a Town at Oyster Point, and the site now occupied by St. Michael's, seems to have been reserved for a church, though none was built on it until some years later, when the first St. Philip's was erected. This view of the early laying out of the church-yard is supported by the fact that December 29, 1886,2 some workmen while repair- ing the foundations found a coffin just under the first land- ing of the stairway to the south gallery and just inside of the southwest pilaster. This coffin was of red-cedar, and the lid was studded with brass tacks which formed the initials J. O. B. and the figures 1678.
With the first St. Philip's we have nothing to do, so let us hurry on to June 14, 1751,3 when an Act of Assembly was passed, directing that "all that part of Charlestown situate and lying to the southward of the middle of Broad Street " is to " be known by the name of the Parish of St. Michael," and a church is to be erected " on or near the place where the old church of the parish of St. Philip Charlestown formerly stood," at a cost to the public of not more than £17,000 proclamation money, equal to about $55,000.
The Hon. Charles Pinckney, Alexander Vander Bussen, Ed. Fenwick, Wm. Bull, Jr., Andrew Rutledge, Isaac Mazyck, Benj. Smith, Jordan Roche and James Irving, were appointed Commissioners to carry out the Act, and the South Carolina Gazette of February 22, 1752, states that " the Commissioners for building the Church of St. Michael in this Town, having waited on His Excellency the Governor (Glen. Ed.) to desire that he would be pleased to lay the first Stone, on Monday last (February 17, 1752, Ed.), His Excellency, attended by several of His Majesty's Honorable Council, with the Commissioners and other Gentlemen, was pleased to proceed to the Spot and lay the same, accord-
1 Rivers, 130. 2 Charleston News and Courier, December 30, 1886,
3 Statutes VII, 79.
4
Appendix to Year Book.
ingly, and thereon a Sum of Money ; a Stone was then laid by each of the Gentlemen, who attended His Excellency, followed by the loud Acclamations of a Numerous Concourse of people, that had assembled to see the Ceremony ; after which the Company proceeded to Mr. Gordon's, where a handsome Entertainment was provided by the Com- missioners. 1
Dinner over, His Majesty's health was drank, followed by a Discharge of the Cannon at Granville's Bastion ; then the Healths of all the Royal Family and other loyal Toasts ; and the Day was concluded with peculiar Pleasure and Satisfac- tion. This Church will be built on the Plan of one of Mr. Gibson's Designs; and ' tis tho't will exhibit a fine Piece of Architecture when compleated. The Steeple being designed much larger than that of St. Philip's, will have a fine set of Bells."
In the above extract there is no mention of the where- abouts of "the first stone," but in an old memorandum book belonging to the church, it is stated that "this day the Gov'r laid the first stone at the So. East Corner of the Church." There is no date, but a little above is an item dated February 17, and just after one dated February 29, 1752. While the repairs of the church, after the earth- quake, were going on, an effort was made to find this stone, and at the southeast corner of the main building, a block of
1 Gordon's was at the N. E. corner of Broad and Church Streets, and the Church still has the following bill:
February 17, 1752 .- The Commisnor of the Church Bill.
Dinner £20: 0:0
To Tody 1:10:0
Punch 5: 0:0
Beer.
5:10:0
.. Wine 5:5:0
Glass Broak.
5:0
8 Magnum bonos of Clarret .. 24: 0:0
61 : 10 :0
JOHN GORDON.
April 13, 1752.
In a different hand is added, "The Comm's agree that the Clerk pay this acct.
5
The Parish Church of St. Michael.
granite, 18 by 15 by 1012 inches, was found, but there was no inscription on it, nor record in it-to the intense disap. pointment of all present, of whom the writer was one.
It will also be noticed that the name of the architect is given as " Gibson"-a name of which we can find no men- tion elsewhere ; but James Gibbs was the designer of St. Martins-in-the-Fields, London, and a legend tells us that our church is a copy of that building. A glance at the pictures of the two shows this to be an error, and one is puzzled to account for the story. If, however, they were planned by the same person, we can see how it arose. Add to this the similarity of Gibbs and Gibson; the fact that the spires of both churches spring through the roof-a blunder never committed by Sir Christopher Wren-and the farther fact that Gibbs lived till 1754, and, we think, there is little doubt that St. Michael's was the work of Gibbs. This, however, is as each pleases. There is no evi- dence, so far as we can learn, that Sir Christopher Wren was the architect, and the fact that he died in 1723 is against the legend which has some hold on our people.
After the above was written, the following extract from a letter dated 17661 by a Mr. Woodmason, who went to England from this Province, to be ordained a minister of the Church of England, was brought to our notice : " St. Michael's is a new-built Church, from the Model of that of Greenwich, being truss'd and roofed and no pillars; is eighty feet by sixty, has a tower and steeple one hundred and ninety-six feet high and a ring of eight bells lately hung." This puts the matter in a new light, and inquiries are being made in England to see if there is still such a church in Greenwich.2
A beginning made, work went on steadily, but not very rapidly, so that we find in the Gazette for Dec. 29, 1758, the following : " Wednesday last (Dec. 27, Ed.) being St. John the Evangelist's Day, the Ancient and Honorable Fra- ternity of Free and Accepted Masons had a grand procession
1 Address J. J. P. Smith, Esq., in St. Philip's, May 13, 1875. App. II.
2 These inquiries have proved that St. Michael's is not a copy of any Church at Greenwich.
6
Appendix to Year Book.
from the Lodge Room, at Brother John Gordon's, to St. Michael's Church, where, besides the usual service, an An- them suitable to the Occasion, set to music by Brother Benjamin Yarnold, was sung and played by several masterly Hands, and an excellent Discourse on Universal Love and Benevolence delivered by their Rev. Brother, Mr. Martyn." Mr. Martyn was Rector of St. Andrew's, and is mentioned by Dalcho.
At the time of this service the church could not have been finished, as the first Vestry was elected on Easter Monday, 1759, and qualified May 25, 1759, taking this oath :
" We, the Church Wardens and Vestry of the Parish of St. Michael, Charlestown, whose names are hereunder written, do declare that We do Believe there is not any Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, or in the Elements of Bread and Wine at or after the Con- secration thereof by any person whatsoever."1
On Wednesday, July 18, 1759,2 a letter was written by the Vestry to James Wright, Esq., of London, begging him to "use your Best Offices and Endeavors to Procure or Invite a Minister to come over to be Rector." He was to be " a Middle-aged Man of a Grave Deportment, suitable to his Sacred Office, and of a good, audible Voice, as the Church is Large." The letter continues: " His Sallary is Fixed by Law at One Hundred and Fifty Pounds Proclamation Money, or Seven Hundred and Fifty Pounds Currency, per Annum and a comfortable house." This " sallary" was about £112 sterling.
There was some trouble in procuring a parson in Eng- land, so on January 9, 1761,3 the Rev. Rob't Cooper, Assistant Minister of St. Philip's, was called, and the first regular service was held by him in the new edifice, Sunday, February 1, 17614-nearly nine years from the laying of the corner stone-with John Braund as Clerk. Through the courtesy of the Hon. W. A. Pringle, we are able to give the following "entry from the family Bible of Rob't
1Old Vestry Book, p. 3. 2Old Vestry Book, p. 3.
3 Old Vestry Book, 7. 4Old Vestry Book, S.
7
The Parish Church of St. Michael.
Pringle, Associate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in the Colony of South Carolina":
" Feb'y 1, 1761 .- This Day being Sunday, Divine Service was performed for the first time in the New Church of St. Michael, in this Town of Charlestown, by the Rev. Mr. Rob't Cooper, who was invited to be Minister thereof, and preached a Sermon suitable to the occasion to a crowded congregation ; David Deas and myself being the Church Wardens ; and on said occasion all my family went to Church and took possession of my Pew there, No. 29, in said Church."1
The building just finished was 130 feet long, including the portico, and 60 feet wide ; it was of brick, with a slate roof, but, curiously enough, the porch seems to have been shingled, for in 1774 we find the vestry ordering the porch to be "new-shingled."2 Later, it was slated like the rest of the roof.
At the west end of the church, a graceful steeple rises to the height of 186 feet from the ground,3 and at the top is a gilt ball, and above that a vane. The ball is of black cypress, covered with copper, 4 and the wood is as sound as the day it was erected, and, strange to say, was little
1See Appendix No. I for List of probable congregation. 2Old Vestry Book, 132. 3 The following is from the; Charleston Courier of December 8, 1835, the measurements having been taken by Mr. John M. Schnierle, in September, 1832 :
FEET.
INCHES.
From point of rod to top of vane.
8
6
Width of Vane.
I
9
From bottom of vane to top of ball.
7
8
From top of ball to eve of rouf over pigeon hole.
5
5
Thence to first velt under pigeon hole
6
9
From first velt to second velt.
I6
7
From second velt to eve of steeple roof.
8
5
Thence to floor of balcony
I7
7
Thence to floor of belfry
22
2
Thence to top of portico roof.
48
3
Thence to pavement .
43
2
Total.
I86
3
Sunk during earthquake, Aug. 31, 1886*
8
Present Height. .
I85
7
The vane is 7 feet, 372 inches long.
*Mr. John Gourdin, Architect in charge of repairs. 4 Personal Examination,
8
Appendix to Year Book.
hurt when it was blown down by the cyclone of August 25, 1885, and fell to the street below ; making a spherical depres- sion in the heavy flagstone of the pavement. It had just been restored to its usual place, when the earthquake of August 31, 1886, shattered the church, but its stability was not affect- ed, though it is now about 8 inches nearer to the ground, owing to the sinking of the steeple. Most of the woodwork of the interior is of red cedar, and in perfect preservation.
The cost of the Church was £53,535-18-9 currency, equal at seven to one in gold, to $32,775.87.1 Of this £21,877 currency was subscribed for pews, and £31,656-18-9 cur- rency was granted by the Assembly. Dalcho states these figures to be from the accounts of Samuel Prioleau, Secre- tary to the Commissioners, and they have been to some ex- tent verified by personal examination of what remains of the original documents. Three times the money would not do the work now, but at the time of building, bricks were about three dollars a thousand and lime six cents per bushel,while white bricklayers and mechanics got about $1.40 a day, and negroes 70 cents.2 Part of the lime used is said to have been made from the shells of an immense mound, near Fort Johnson, evidently of Indian origin.3
No sooner was the congregation settled in their new church than they began to raise the money for "a Ring of Bells," and on January 6, 1762,4 it was ordered that a sub- scription be opened for that purpose.
At the next meeting of the Vestry,5 February 18th, 1762, we find the Wardens " acquainting the Vestry that they had received from His Excellency, Governor Boone, a Service of Altar Plate, consisting of Two Flagons, a Chalice and Cover, and a large Dish, which His Excellency had been pleased to present To and For the use of St. Michael's Church, and that they, the Church Wardens, had thereupon Immediately sent their Thanks to His Excellency in behalf of the Vestry and Parishoners. It was resolved and ordered that on each piece of Plate the following words be engraven, viz : The Gift of His Excellency Thomas Boone, Esqr., Governor of this Pro-
1 Dalcho, p. 187. 2Original Bills. 3 Drayton's Carolina, p. 56.
+Old Vestry Book, 17. 5Old Vestry Book, 17.
9
The Parish Church of St. Michael.
vince, To The Church of St. Michael, Charles Town, So. Car- olina, 1762." At the same meeting, thanks are returned for a " Neat Quarto Common Prayer Book," presented by Richard Lambton, Esqr., a " Neat Folio Bible, one Folio and two Quarto Common Prayer Books, from Jacob Motte, Esqr., Public Treasurer of this Province."
It may be as well to state here that two silver alms dishes were added by George Somers, Esqr., in 1764;1 a chalice similar to the first, by " Elias Horry, Esqr., Intendant of this City," as the inscription states, in 1816;2 and a silver Christening Basin, by Miss Ann McPherson, in September, 1819. This plate was sent to Columbia during the war be- tween the States, and was lost when Sherman burnt that town. 3
After the war the Vestry advertised for it, but without suc- cess, and their pleasure may be imagined, when on the 17th June, 1867,4 they received one of the tankards through the generosity of Hon. Alexander W. Bradford, who noticed it in a pawn broker's shop in New York. The cover of the chalice was bought in Ohio a year or two later,5 but nothing was ever heard of the remainder.
The plate now consists of the two pieces just described ; a paten inscribed "St. George's, Dorchester, S. C., 1755. Presented to St. Michael's Church by Richard Lathers, Esq., Charleston, S. C., April, 1871;" another paten inscribed, " The gift of Henry Middleton, Esq., to St. George's Church, in Dorchester, 1755. Presented to St. Michael's Church by Henry A. Middleton, Esq., Charleston, S. C., April, 1871 ;" a silver alms dish, inscribed, "St. Michael's Church, Charleston, S. C. Glory Be To God In The Highest. Alleluia"-this was a gift of Mr. Eugene P. Jervey-and two silver chalices . inscribed, "St. Michael's Church, Charleston, S. C., 1870."
Thus in recent times as in the past the church has had many friends, and we must not omit from the list the Hon. Edward Fenwick, who in 1763,6 presented crimson velvet
1Old Vestry Book, 42. 2 Dalcho, 188. 3 New Vestry Book, 161.
New Vestry Book, 161. Mr. James M. Wilson. 6Old Vestry Book, 27.
2
IO
Appendix to Year Book.
coverings and curtains, trimmed with gold lace, for the communion table ; and Jacob Motte, Esq., who a year later furnished it with Damask table-cloths and napkins.1
During its entire existence, St. Michael's has been useful to the public at large, as well as to its own congregation, and so even before its clock and bells were there to serve the citizens ; its yard was used to keep the fire engine in ; as is proved by a resolution of the Vestry of April 26, 1762,2 and as late as 1821 we find that the city fire buckets were kept there.3
The original parsonage was in Queen Street, but proving unsuited to its purpose was sold December 10, 1764,4 for £3,300 currency, and September 11, 1765,5 a new glebe was bought for £2,700 currency ;6 and the three story brick house on the west side of Meeting Street, now No. 39, was built ; having been finished towards the end of 1767 at a cost of £4,537-15-0 currency, the outbuildings and well adding £762-5-o currency to the bill, besides £19 " ballance" due on final settlement.7 This house was sold in 1817, and is now owned by Mr. Jas. M. Wilson.
The bells and clock reached Charlestown in the ship Little Carpenter, July 15, 1764,8 and were soon in their present positions, except that the works of the clock were at first above the bells instead of below, as at present.
The clock was built by Aynsworth Thwayts, of London, and was described in his offer as " a strong 30 Hour Clock, to show the Hour Four Ways, to strike the Hour on the Largest Bell and the quarters on four Bells, as the Royal Exchange, London ;"9 to cost with dial plates, &c., £194 sterling in London. It will be noticed that it is " to show the Hour Four Ways" and this is all it showed till 1849, when, with the consent of the Vestry, the City Council added minute hands. The quarters are now struck on three bells, not on four as formerly. The freight both of bells and clock was presented by the owners of the " Little Carpen-
1 Old Vestry Book, 39. 2 Old Vestry Book, p. 19. 3 Old Vestry Book, 508.
4 Old Vestry Book, 51. 5 Old Vestry Book, 42. 6Old Vestry Book, 58.
7Old Vestry Book, 65. 8 S. C. Gazette, Oct. 1, 1764. 9Old Vestry Book, 34.
The Parish Church of St. Michael.
ter,"1 and the putting up cost only a trifle for carpenter's work, the watch-maker who was to take care of the clock directing them without charge.
The first notice we have found of the bells is in the South Carolina Gazette, for July 26, 1760, where we are informed that "St. Michael's Church being now almost finished, we hear that a subscription is set on foot for purchasing a sett of bells for its steeple, the cost of which will be about 4 or 500 £ Sterling ;" but they did not come for four years, ar- riving in the same ship as the clock. They were cast by Lester & Pack, of London, in 1764,2 and are described in founder's offer as "A Peal of 8 bells, the Tenor 18 cwt., the whole will weigh, more or less, 80 cwt., and to cost with clappers, etc., in London, £581-14-4 Sterling." After the order was sent, the Vestry became alarmed at their weight, many thinking them too heavy for the steeple, and so they sent a request that only six bells be cast ; or that the eight be sold and six others bought. For some unexplained cause, the original order was carried out, and thus, by good fortune, we obtained one of the sweetest sets of bells in the world. Putting them up, frames, etc., cost about £700 currency, so that the total cost was £681 sterling.3
For eighteen years they hung peacefully in their tower, but when Charlestown was to be evacuated by the British in December, 1782, Major Traille, of the Royal Artillery, claimed them as a perquisite of his corps, and carried them off on the last fleet that sailed from Charlestown December 14, 1782. The Vestry appealed to Sir Guy Carlton, the British Commander-in-Chief, who was in New York, and he ordered their restoration, but too late ; for the bells had been shipped to London, and were beyond his jurisdic- tion. 4
An appeal was then made "To The Honorable the Sec- retary at War, White Hall, London, but elicited no re- sponse. 5
A Mr. Ryhiner,6 a merchant, formerly of Charlestown, $
1Old Vestry Book, 38. 20. V. B., 34. 3Old Vestry Book, 43.
4Vestry Book, 168. 5Old Vestry Book, 172. 6Old Vestry Book, 184.
#
12
Appendix to Year Book.
bought the bells "as a commercial adventure,"1 and shipped them back to Charlestown in the " Lightning," which ar- rived here November 20, 1783,2 so that the bells were absent only about a year.
In Johnson's Traditions, it is stated that " when landed on the wharf, the overjoyed citizens took possession, and hurried them up to the church and into the steeple, without thinking that they might be violating a private right." Be this as it may, we find Mr. Ryhiner, in June, 1785,3 apply- ing to the Vestry for payment for them, and the Vestry replying : "This Vestry having never interfered in any shape in the matter, Mr. Ryhiner is perfectly at lib- erty to do what he pleases with the bells ;" and in Decem- ber, 1787,4 they order a subscription to pay for them, but with what result we have been unable to learn.
So the bells rang every evening and for all fires, besides calling the people to church on Sundays and Holy days, and playing patriotic airs on the 28th of June and 4th of July, till, in 1832,5 two of them were found to be cracked, and one Amity Bailey undertook to mend them. 6
He never carried out his agreement, however, and in 1838, the two cracked bells were sent to England in the ship Chichora, to be recast, and reached home in August, 1839, the cost being $428.04.7
Their next adventure was soon after the battle of Seces- sionville, in June, 1862,8 when they were sent to Columbia, S. C., for safe keeping, and there burned by Sherman's army in February, 1865.9
As soon as the war was over, the fragments were gathered up, and in the spring of 1866, at least five of the bells were shipped to Mears & Stainbank,10 the successors of the orig- inal founders, who still carried on the business in London, and recast of the same amalgam, and in moulds made with the same trammels.11 They reached Charleston on the
1 Johnson's Traditions, 402. 2 King's Newspaper Press of Chr., 36.
3 Old Vestry Book, 185. 4Old V. B'k, 164. 5N. V. B'k, 40.
6 N. V. Book, 68. 7N. V. Book, 70. 8N. V. B., 137.
'N. V. Book, 146. 1ºN. V. Book, 150. 11N. V. Book, 152.
13
The Parish Church of St. Michael.
Norwegian bark Gladstone, February, 1867,1 when it was found that an import duty of about $2,2002 must be paid upon them. This sum was not forthcoming, so an appeal was made to the public, and was most liberally responded to by the citizens of all denominations, a sacred concert at Citadel Square Baptist Church yielding $361.50,3 so that this difficulty was soon overcome, and on Thursday, March 2 Ist, 1867, the old, familiar music once more floated over the City, and as the bells played 4
" Home again ! Home again ! From a foreign shore,"
not a few eyes were full of grateful tears.
The writer, then a lad, recalls the general joy, and well remembers how the sound of the bells seemed amid those dark days of misrule, an augury of better times to come. People ran out into the street to hear them, and everybody seemed happy that afternoon. The Courier of Saturday, March 23d, 1867, says : " We learn that the ringing of St. Michael's chimes will commence to-morrow, and that the old custom observed before the war will be resumed and continued. The ringing will commence with the large bell, more familiarly known as the 9 o'clock bell. This will be followed by the general summons and a familiar hymn, to conclude with "The Parson's General Call."
The total cost of recasting the bells and restoring them to their place in the steeple, was $7,723.01, currency-gold being at a premium of about 36-of which sum the City Council contributed nearly $3,000.5
It may also be of interest to add that the duty was re- funded, June 8, 1878, by Act of Congress.
In old times they used to ring the bells on all occasions, till at a meeting of the Vestry, September II, 1794, it was " Resolved, unanimously, That the bells of St. Michael's Church shall not in future be rung but for the usual services of the Church on Sundays, prayer days, &c. ; also the warn- ing evening bell, by desire of the City Council; also, in case of fire, and in no other case whatsoever, excepting by per-
1 King's Newspaper Press, 36. 2Files of Courier. &N. V. Book, 176.
4 Courier, March 22, 1867. 5N. V. B., 176.
14
Appendix to Year Book.
mission regularly obtained from a majority of the Vestry."1
The " evening bell " was rung, save during the war, at seven and nine o'clock in winter, and at eight and ten o'clock in summer, up to September 7th, 1882.2
Timrod's " Christmas "-written during the late war-so well expresses the feelings of most Charleston people for the old bells, that we use part of it without apology :
" How grace this hallowed day ? Shall happy bells, from yonder ancient spire, Send their glad greetings to each Christmas fire, Round which the children play ?
Alas ! for many a moon, That tongueless tower hath cleaved the Sabbath air, Mute as an obelisk of ice, aglare Beneath an Arctic noon.
Shame to the foes that drown Our psalms of worship with their impious drum, The sweetest chimes in all the land lie dumb In some far rustic town.
There, let us think, they keep, Of the dead Yules which here beside the sea. They've ushered in with old-world, English glee, Some echoes in their sleep."
Hardly less joyful than the first ringing of the bells after the war was the striking of the clock at two P. M. on Wednesday September 8th,3 just about a week after it was silenced by the earthquake. For days the hands on the dial had pointed to the fateful hour of 9.54, and no sound had come from the dear old steeple. But at last Mr. John Beesley, the sexton bravely ventured up to the clock room and set the ancient time piece going, so that presently, its well known sound rang out, carrying joy and renewed hope to many a terror stricken heart. It seemed as if things had returned to their normal condition, and that now life might flow on in its accustomed channels.
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