USA > South Carolina > Williamsburg County > History of Williamsburg; something about the people of Williamsburg County, South Carolina, from the first settlement by Europeans about 1705 until 1923. > Part 11
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While a majority of the people realized that the Whigs and Tories were simply, in the beginning, two great poli- tical parties in England and America, and that a colonial citizen, in all good conscience, might have espoused the cause of the "Mother Country," some regarded the Tory taint as ineradicable. In 1787, when a bill to restore the civil rights of a certain Tory was before the General Assembly, the Williamsburg delegation voted as follows: Aye, Robert Paisley, John Dickey, and Benjamin Porter; Nay, John Thompson Green.
From the close of the Revolution in 1783 until South Carolina became a member of the Federal Union in 1788, Williamsburg was concerned primarily in working out its own economic salvation. No other section in South Caro- lina suffered so severely during the Revolution as did Williamsburg. When the War began, Williamsburg had grown rich producing indigo and tobacco and raising cattle and sheep. This indigo that Williamsburg produced was exported to England ; and, when the War of the Revo- lution began in South Carolina, the sale of indigo ceased. The one thing upon which Williamsburg had for so long
134
HISTORY OF WILLIAMSBURG
depended for its economic prosperity failed all at once. Its immense stock of indigo on hand rotted. Its indigo tanks decayed and its indigo fields grew into wild wood. During the Revolution, the large herds of cattle that fed and flourished along the swamps and creeks and rivers emptying into Black River had either been exhausted in supplying Marion's men with beef or wantonly destroyed during the several British campaigns in this district.
After the Revolution, Williamsburg had to come again almost from pioneer conditions. Of course, pessimists preached that the end had come, but this district then evidenced its most striking recuperative powers, which have been evident ever since in the many calamitous con- ditions that have befallen the section. For several years, the men of Williamsburg paid especial attention to cattle raising, and, within a few seasons, many were abundantly rewarded. It is said that Captain John Nelson, whose home was burned, whose plantation was destroyed, and whose cattle were all lost in the Wemyss destruction of 1780, by 1790 was marking more than a thousand calves every season, while in other sections of the district, Major John James, Major John Nesmith, William Wilson, Ben- jamin Screven, Alexander McCrea, and John Snow owned herds as large as Captain Nelson. Ready markets for these cattle were found in Charleston and Georgetown. They were driven by cow boys across Murray's Ferry to Charleston and Brown's Ferry to Georgetown.
Much tobacco was grown in Williamsburg immediately after the War and was a source of great revenue. Some cotton for market was grown on the Santee. Rice for plantation use was grown all over the section, but only along Big Dam Swamp was it produced in marketable quantities.
The State Convention for the purpose of considering and ratifying or rejecting the Constitution framed for the United States by a Convention of Delegates assembled
135
GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE
in Philadelphia in May, 1787, met in Charleston on May 12, 1788. One hundred delegates from the various dis- tricts in South Carolina were present. The members of this Convention from Williamsburg, or Prince Frederick's Parish, as it was then called, were William Wilson, Pat- rick Dollard, Alexander Tweed, William Frierson, Wil- liam Reed, James Pettigrew, and John Burgess, Jr. A temporary organization was effected and the Convention adjourned until the following day. When it reassembled, there were two hundred twenty-four delegates present. General Thomas Sumter moved the postponement of fur- ther consideration of the proposed Constitution, which motion was lost. Ayes, 89, and nays, 135. The delegates from Prince Frederick's Parish voted as follows: Patrick Dollard, William Reed, James Pettigrew, and John Bur- gess, Jr., aye; William Wilson, Alexander Tweed and William Frierson, nay.
This Convention considered in detail every article of the proposed Constitution. William Wilson of Williamsburg was appointed a member of the committee of seven from this South Carolina Convention to suggest to Congress amendments to this Constitution. One of the points most feared was its failure to limit the eligibility of the Presi- dent of the United States to re-election after the expiration of one term of four years. This section was hotly con- tested. It was urged that the failure to limit the Presi- dent to one term of four years was dangerous to the lib- erties of the people and calculated to perpetuate in one person during life the high authority and influence that inheres in the chief magistracy ; and that in a short time unlimited terms of office for the President would termi- nate in a hereditary monarchy. The Convention voted on a resolution to limit the tenure of the President to one term of four years. The final vote stood: ayes, 68, and nays, 139. The delegates from Prince Frederick's Parish voted as follows: William Wilson, William Frierson, and
136
HISTORY OF WILLIAMSBURG
James Pettigrew, nay ; Patrick Dollard, William Reed, and John Burgess, Jr., aye. The following resolution was passed : "This Convention doth declare that no section or paragraph of the said Constitution warrants a construc- tion that the states do not retain all powers not expressly relinquished by them and vested in the General Govern- ment of the Union."
South Carolina ratified the proposed United States Constitution on May 23, 1788, the vote of the Convention being ayes, 149, and nays, 73. The delegates from Wil- liamsburg voted as follows: For ratification, William Wilson, Alexander Tweed, William Frierson, James Pettigrew ; against ratification, Patrick Dollard, William Reed, John Burgess, Jr. Thus it will be seen that four of the seven delegates from Williamsburg in the South Carolina Constitutional Convention of 1788 voted for the ratification of the United States Constitution as adopted by the Thirteen States and three voted against it. The four delegates who voted for ratification were sons of original settlers who came from Ireland to Williamsburg in 1736 and were Scotch-Irish; the three delegates who voted against ratification had themselves come directly from Ireland to Williamsburg about 1770 and were of Irish ancestry. William Wilson was one of the leaders of the Convention for ratification; while Patrick Dollard was especially earnest and eloquent in opposing South Carolina's entering the Union.
In 1788, South Carolina had been a free and indepen- dent republic for twelve years. A very substantial mi- nority of its people most vigorously opposed the surrender of one jot or tittle of its sovereignty.
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CHAPTER XIII.
THE TOWN OF WILLIAMSBURG, 1788.
In 1730, when King George contemplated the estab- lishment of a township on Black River, which afterwards was named Williamsburg, and the others in the colony, he had in mind the townships that he had formed in New England and their development. He believed that he could establish these townships on the rivers in South Carolina and that they would work out their own salva- tion in the same manner and after the same plan as those in New England. The settlers in New England built their pioneer homes close together in little towns. Each householder held a half-acre lot in the town on which he lived and a tract of land in the vicinity of the town whereon he raised his crops. The waste land in these New Eng- land communities formed a commons on which everybody grazed cattle and from which everyone secured the fire wood and lumber required for general purposes.
So, when Williamsburg township on the bank of Black River in South Carolina was laid out and established, the King decreed that each settler should have a one-half acre lot in the proposed town and a grant of land within the township, believing that the settlers who came would dwell in the town and would go out every morning to their plantations in the township. But those settlers who came to Williamsburg between 1730 and 1745 built their homes on their respective plantations in the township and paid practically no attention to their half-acre lots granted them within the town. The fact is that until 1788, within the township of Williamsburg as surveyed, there was practically nothing except a cleared space whereon the Court House now stands, which was used as a parade and muster ground for the Colonial Militia, and a race track in the northeast portion of the town whereon horses
138
HISTORY OF WILLIAMSBURG
and men frequently were tried in athletic games for the amusement and entertainment of the people of the town- ship. The plot of land in the town granted to the Church of England had been cleared of pine trees.
There were in the town in 1788 five small buildings, not one of them more than 20 x 20 feet. Two of them were located about where the Wee Nee Bank now stands. In one of these, William Bracey lived; in the other he kept a mercantile establishment. His stock of merchan- dise usually consisted of one barrel of whiskey, one bag of buckshot, one bag of squirrel shot, one bag of turkey shot, one keg of powder, a few tallow candles, and a few sealing wax wafers. Occasionally, when an especially prosperous season indicated a good trade, he would add five pounds of linen writing paper to his stock of goods. Powder and shot and whiskey were the only salable articles all the year round. On the other side of Broad Street were three little houses. Patrick Cormick lived in one of these. It was located about where the Hammett resi- dence now stands. He had a little store near his home, which store was similar to that of William Bracey across the street. John Brady lived in a little house about where the Court House now is. There were some remains of old indigo vats to the rear of the Court House lot, about where the office of Kelley and Hinds now stands. At that time, the Branch ran through the town a few feet west of where is now located the Atlantic Coast Line station.
Outside of the town as surveyed and on the road to Black Mingo about half way between the King's Tree and the Presbyterian Meeting Houses was the James David- son settlement, where the Harper home now is. This was one of the most pretentious mansion houses in the district. Further east along the Black Mingo road and where it was crossed by the Cheraw-Santee road was located the Williamsburg Presbyterian churchyard. There
139
THE TOWN OF WILLIAMSBURG, 1788
were two Presbyterian Churches on this lot at this time. The road from Darlington to Santee did not then curve eastward as now when it reached the churchyard, but went straight through the lot, passing directly east of the front door of the original Williamsburg Church. On the East side of this road and about fifty yards directly east of the original Williamsburg Church was the other Presbyterian Congregation's house of worship. It will be remembered that the original Williamsburg Presby- terian Congregation had divided in 1786 and these two churches were the meeting houses of the respective fac- tions.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that more than fifty years had not made a town at the King's Tree, as seemed so desirable and necessary. This King's Tree was the central point in Williamsburg. It was on Black River, which was still regarded as a natural outlet to the sea, and all roads in Williamsburg led to the King's Tree. The King's Tree was therefore the logical point in the district for establishing the seat of government.
On March 12, 1785, the General Assembly created "one other county beginning at Lenud's Ferry on Santee River, thence along said river to the parish line, thence along said line to Lynch's Creek, thence along said creek to Great Pee Dee River, thence along said river to Britton's Ferry, thence along the boundary of Winyaw County to the beginning, and shall be known by the name of Williams- burg County."
In 1788, the General Assembly of South Carolina passed an ordinance authorizing and appointing commissioners to resurvey and lay out the town of Williamsburg in the District of Georgetown. "Be it ordained, by the Honor- able, the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Assembly met, and by authority of the same, that the persons herein named, to wit: John Macauley, John Bur- gess, Sr., James Witherspoon, Jr., William Frierson,
140
HISTORY OF WILLIAMSBURG
John Scott, Robert McConnell, Thomas McConnell, James Fleming, Sr., and Robert Frierson, shall be commission- ers, and have authority to cause to be resurveyed and laid out in half-acre lots all that parcel of land allotted by law for the town of Williamsburgh, in Georgetown District, and bounding as follows, viz .: on the southwest, by Black River; on the northwest, by land of John Scott; on the northeast, by lands of James Witherspoon, Jr., and Moses Gordon; and on the southeast by the lands of Thomas Lansdale.
"And as sundry grants of land had passed between the year one thousand seven hundred and thirty, and the year one thousand seven hundred and forty-five, under the name of bounty lands, the proprietors whereof were en- titled to lots in the said town, many of which lots were not laid out or ascertained to the proprietors; be it or- dained by the authority aforesaid that all proprietors of lands under the said description and having a right to a lot or lots in the said town, shall within six months after the passing of the Ordinance, make known to the said commissioners their claims by producing their titles to enable their commissioners to assign each claimant the quantity he is entitled to; and thereupon the commis- sioners shall locate and lay out the same in such manner as shall be reasonable. The said commissioners shall re- serve such lots as they shall deem necessary for two churches, for a public school, market house, and other public purposes, and shall sell or dispose of the residue by public auction or otherwise as they shall deem most ad- vantageous. And the moneys arising therefrom, after paying the surveyor and other necessary charges, shall be appropriated for establishing a public school for the education of youth in the said town, under the direc- tion of the said commissioners.
"And be it further ordained by the authority aforesaid that any five of the said commissioners shall have au-
-
141
THE TOWN OF WILLIAMSBURG, 1788
thority to act under this Ordinance, and to fill any vacan- cies which may happen by the death, refusal, or removal of any of the other commissioners.
"And be it further ordained by the authority aforesaid that if any person shall be sued for anything done by virtue of this Ordinance, he may plead the general issue and give this Ordinance and the special matter in evidence." (In the Senate House, the twenty-seventh day of February, 1788. John Lloyd, President of the Senate. John J. Pringle, Speaker of the House of Representatives. )
This board of commissioners met at the King's Tree on Monday, December 8, 1788. There were present John Burgess, Sr., James Fleming, John Macauley, Robert Mc- Connell, James Witherspoon, Jr., William Frierson, Sr., Thomas McConnell. The first act of the board was to elect John Dickey a commissioner "in the room of John Scott," who had died between the time of his appointment by the General Assembly and the first meeting of the board. The board employed John Burgess, Jr., and Robert Witherspoon, surveyors, to resurvey and lay out the town of Williamsburg according to the plat made by Anthony Williams in 1737, which plat was delivered to them. The board then adjourned to meet at the King's Tree on March 25, 1789, for the purpose of assigning to rightful claimants lots within the town of Williams- burg granted between the years 1730 and 1745, and on the day following to sell all lots not claimed. The com- missioners advertised their action and invited the original grantees of these half-acre lots in the town of Williams- burg to come forward and establish their claims, warning them that all lots not claimed would be sold at public vendue.
Until this time, practically no attention had been paid to these half-acre lots by their owners, but this advertise- ment of the commissioners stirred all Williamsburg from center to circumference. Every original settler in the
142
HISTORY OF WILLIAMSBURG
district immediately searched his home for his grant of land in the township and his half-acre town lot. Most of these old papers had been lost or destroyed, so many men in Williamsburg went to Charleston to see if they could secure a copy of the grants made to them entitling them to these half-acre lots.
When the commissioners met on March 25, 1789, all Williamsburg was there to present claims for these lots. Here follows a list of claims allowed :
Granted
in Persons granted to
Present Proprietors
Lot No.
1735 James Gamble
Heirs Will Gamble
147
1734
James Bradley
. James Bradley
.228
1733 Robert Ervin
Robert Ervin 235
1735 Richard Middleton
. Ebenezer Gibson 99
1735 Robert Young
. Samuel Wilson 320
1735 James Law
. Isaac Barrineau 272
1742 John Borland
. Heirs Will McConnell
205
:1736
Crafton Kerwin
James Blakely, Jr. 353
1736
William Troublefield
Thomas McCants 42
392
1735
Hugh Graham
John McClary
234
1736
William Chambey
70
1735 John Boling
Heirs David Witherspoon
140
1735
Jane McClelland
. Heirs David Witherspoon
288
1736 David Johnston
. Heirs John Scott
.292
1736
John Anderson
Heirs John Scott
253
1736
Nathaniel Drew
Matthew Camlin 139
154
1736
Daniel Mooney
Gavin Witherspoon
294
1738
John Anderson
391
1735
Richard Hall
William Heathley
237
1735
William Hamilton
Samuel Adair
.390
1735 John Whitfield
Robert McConnell
249
1738
William James
James Witherspoon .341
1745
John McBride
John Macauley 280
1739 Francis Goddard
John Burgess
257
1737 John McElveen
. Hugh Mccullough
.373
1734 William Wilson
John Wilson .214
1736 John Porter
John Wilson 260
1734
David Witherspoon William Bracey 236
1734
John Moore
. Sarah Witherspoon
276
1736
Edward Plowden
William Wilson
289
1736
Mary McElroy
1734
David Wilson
143
THE TOWN OF WILLIAMSBURG, 1788
Granted
in Persons granted to
Presents Proprietors
Lot No.
1736 Roger Gordon
255
1739 John Baxter
Heirs,
243
1736 John Jamison
369
1736 Gavin Witherspoon
281
1736
John Witherspoon
Robert Witherspoon
382
1736
James McClelland
48
1736
Margaret Barr
. Joseph Scott
232
1735
Thomas Farrington
John McBride
233
1739
Francis Goddard
. James Fleming, Sr. .307
1736
William James
James Fleming, Sr. 293
1735 William James
James Fleming, Sr. 208
1735 John Fleming
James Fleming, Sr. 247
1741 Archibald Hamilton
.Cong. Williamsburgh 41
1736 James Armstrong
. Heirs Thomas Lansdale 245
1734 James Witherspoon
John M. Kinder 204
1740 Archibald McKee
. John Boyd .225
1735 Crafton Kerwin
William Frierson, Sr. 215
1735 John Baxter
Ruffin Taylor
203
1735 James Fisher
. Thomas McConnell .309
1736 Roger Gibson
. James Witherspoon, Jr. 362
1737 John Pressley
William Frierson, Jr. 259
It was decided to allow until April 16, 1789, to others to present their claims to titles to town lots and on that day to sell those not claimed. Seven lots were claimed under original grants on April 16, 1789, as follows :
Date Granted to
Present Proprietors
Lot No.
1735 William Cochran
210
1734 Jane Ross
Samuel McClelland 302
1735 Theodore Monk
235
1735 Andrew Rutledge
Heirs, Thomas Frierson and
Isaac McKnight
184
1735 James Scott
291
1736 John Blakely
Congregation Williamsburg
297
1736 James Blakely
318
John Dickey was selected vendue master and allowed five per centum commissions. The following lots were sold :
Persons Names
Lot No. £.
S.
P.
Archibald Connor
7
2
10
6
Samuel Kennedy resold
8
2
5
6
Isaac Matthews
10
1
15
7
Robert Fullwood
11
1
5
. .
144
HISTORY OF WILLIAMSBURG
Persons Names
Lot No.
£.
S.
P.
Irvin Dawson
12
1
11
. .
James Heathley to James Gowdy
14
. .
13
. .
Adam Connor
15
1
3
. .
Adam Connor
.16
1
13
. .
Adam Connor
27
1
1
9
Robert Fullwood
30
. .
11
9
Robert Fullwood
.31
1
2
9
James McCullough
.32
2
.
. .
Samuel Kennedy
.34
2
15
. .
Archibald Connor
35
3
6
..
Hugh Mccullough
.36
3
10
. .
Hugh Mccullough
37
3
11
2
John Macauley
43
1
16
6
James McBride
44
2
3
6
John Humphreys
46
3
2
6
James Witherspoon
47
3
2
. .
John Humphreys
49
1
1
2
Andrew Early
50
. .
15
1
Andrew Early
51
. .
15
2
James McConnell
20
3
. .
After this sale, the clerk was ordered to advertise the sale of all vacant lots remaining unclaimed to be held at the King's Tree on Captain James Witherspoon's Muster Day on June 11, 1789. A number of lots were sold on this day as follows:
Persons Names
Lot No.
£.
S.
P.
Isaac Nelson
74
3
11
. .
George McConnell
75
2
10
. .
Samuel Maxwell
76
1
12
..
Samuel Maxwell
77
1
1
. .
John McClary
.79
3
. .
6
John McClary
80
3
2
6
Samuel Maxwell
.82
. .
16
Samuel Maxwell
83
..
13
.
Samuel Maxwell
.84
. .
11
6
Samuel Maxwell
110
. .
10
6
James Bradley
115
. .
..
James Witherspoon, Jr.
114
2
10
. .
Thomas McConnell
105
3
John Wilson
112
2
4
. .
James Witherspoon, Jr.
106
5
16
6
6
Ebenezer Gibson
.33
1
3
2
6
John McClary
.81
2
14
145
THE TOWN OF WILLIAMSBURG, 1788
Persons Names
Lot No.
£.
S.
P.
Samuel Maxwell
98
. .
. .
John Burgess, Jr.
.97
. .
·
John Burgess, Jr.
96
. .
. .
John Burgess, Jr.
95
. .
. .
John Burgess, Jr.
93
. .
5
. .
John Wilson
60
5
6
John Wilson
62
. .
4
6
Samuel Maxwell
63
. .
. .
John Burgess, Jr.
64
. .
4
Samuel Douglass
65
. .
4
8
Samuel Douglass
66
. .
5
. .
John McClary
67
. .
. .
Samuel Maxwell
68
19
. .
Samuel Maxwell
.69
1
10
Thomas McConnell
70
3
. .
.
Robert McConnell
71
3
18
6
Robert McConnell
72
4
2
. .
James Burgess
73
5
17
. .
Robert Gamble
137
4
18
. .
Robert Gamble
.138
.
S
5
Robert Gamble
141
2
10
. .
James Burgess
142
3
2
6
William Law
143
1
1
6
Michael Harding
144
1
2
. .
6
10
5
6
5
7
.
For some time the titles to the town lots that were being sold were questioned and the board adjourned until the advice of attorneys could be secured. In 1790, Major John Macauley, a commissioner, died, and on January 4, 1791, Lieutenant Joseph Scott was elected to succeed him. At the meeting of the commissioners held at the house of James Alexander on August 1, 1791, there were present John Burgess, James Fleming, James Witherspoon, Wil- liam Frierson, Robert Frierson, Robert McConnell, Thomas McConnell, and Joseph Scott. At this meeting, Thomas Williams was elected a commissioner "in the room of" John Dickey. Robert Witherspoon was paid £12. 3s. and 6p. for surveying the town of Williamsburg; John Flem- ing was paid £1. 12s. and Sp. for chain carrying; William Douglass was paid £2. 2p. for chain carrying; William Bracey was paid £2. 5s. and 2p. for sundries (liquors) ;
146
HISTORY OF WILLIAMSBURG
Samuel Douglass was paid 9s. 4p. for serving liquor on two of the sales days. The commissioners voted at this meeting to fine any commissioner £1. sterling for being absent at any meeting of the commissioners.
At the meeting of the commissioners held on September 5, the following men were given titles to certain town lots : Samuel Maxwell, James Witherspoon, John Mc- Clary, John Wilson, James Bradley, Samuel Douglass, James Burgess, John Burgess, John McBride, William Bracey, George Gamble, James Gilbraith, Michael Hardy, Robert McConnell. Robert McConnell was paid £7. 18s. and Sp. for drawing up deeds to the lots sold to the above named men. William Bracey presented an account as follows : To 6 gals. rum at 7s .- £2. 2s. 0p. ; 1 quire of paper, 2s. 0p .; 1 box wafers, 1s. 2p. This bill was paid. After the payment of this bill, Captain William Frierson re- signed and "declined to act as commissioner any more." It is believed that Captain Frierson was a prohibitionist and that he did not approve of the use of liquors at the sale of the town lots nor at the meetings of the com- missioners.
At the next meeting, Robert Frierson and Thomas Wil- liams resigned, and James Witherspoon had died. James Burgess, John McClary, Captain John Fulton, and Robert Witherspoon were duly elected to fill the vacancies. Robert Witherspoon and John McClary were chosen to lay off and stake every lot in the town of Williamsburg, since the former stakes had fallen down. These men were re- quired to lay off one-half acre lots in each corner of the Parade Ground. On the 24th of October, 1792, it being Captain Jones' Muster Day, the commissioners sold the following lots :
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