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 6
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"But to our great concern, we have found the land in this township a common unrestrained range to all per- sons, and the best land therein taken up by persons, who have not at this time settled the same nor, in all probabil- ity, will at any time reside thereon. Some of us have been sued for trespass on land pointed out to us by the Deputy Surveyor and have been caused considerable damage and others have become tenants rather than remove their fam- ilies. Some time past, we presented our humble petition to the Governor's Council setting forth our said griev- ances and praying, but we could obtain no answer. We, therefore, take leave to trouble you with a copy of the same, wherein the hardships we have labored under here are, which we humbly submit to your consideration.
"The river, by which we can have any convenience of our goods to a market, is rendered difficult in the navi- gation, by reason of great trees, which fall therein and which the General Assembly should pass a law for clear- ing same. Now the whole burden of that work falls on us, the residenters, while those who are possessed of large
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tracts of the most valuable lands contribute nothing to it.
"We have letters from our friends in Ireland, acquaint- ing us of their desire to come here, if we could in any shape encourage them, which we have to decline because of the lands being run and possessed by others. We take leave, Sir, to assure you that every tract alleged in our said petition and in this, our humble representation, shall be effectually proved, with the addition of many more particulars, when you will please to require it.
"We pray, therefore, you will take the premises into consideration and that you will relieve us of the many op- pressions and hardships we labor under, in relation to our possessions in the said Township of Williamsburgh. And we shall ever pray.
"Williamsburg Township, the 19th day of January, 1742. (Signed) James Bradley, Thomas McCrea, Alexander Scott, John Fleming, James Scott, John Bradley, Wil- liam Bradley, Thomas Bradley, Samuel Bradley, William Dick, Thomas Scott, Patrick Lindsay, William McCormick, Joseph Anderson, James Armstrong, John Moore, Henry Montgomery, William Pressley, John James, John Flem- ing, John Hamilton, Robert Witherspoon, John Dick, Robert Wilson, Roger Gibson, George Burrows, Adam Strain, John Watson, Avagbel Campbell, David Wither- spoon, John McCullough, James Gamble, George Mont- gomery, John McKnight, William James, Alexander Mc- Crea, Robert Wilson, John Pressley, Hugh McGill, John Matthews, John Anderson, James Dick, John Lemon, Robert McCottry, John McFadden, John Anderson, Jr., James McClelland, John Blakeley, James Law, Roger Gordon, William McKnight, David Wilson, Thomas Mc- Crea, John Scott, John Leviston, John Porter, Gavin Witherspoon, John Ervin."
The following is a copy of first petition in the same mat- ters.
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"To the Honorable William Bull, Esq., Lieutenant Gov- ernor, and Commander-in-chief in and over His Majesty's Honorable Council.
"The humble petition of several subscribing persons, in- habitants of Williamsburg Township, showing that your petitioners and the rest of the inhabitants of the said Township are chiefly Irish Protestants, who came over from their native country to this province at their own expense, to settle in the said Township, encouraged by an account they received that the lands in the said township were for the most part good and fertile, and the same wholly reserved for such distant Protestants as should come here from Europe to settle same and particularly for Irish Protestants.
"That your petitioners were informed and apprehended a scheme of settling as well the said Township as other townships; were strictly enjoined by His Majesty's Royal Instructions to His Late Excellency, Governor Johnson, with the view of encouraging back inhabitants who would make no great use of slaves in these parts but from their own labor that they might have a competent maintenance and, upon any occasion, be the more ready to unite for the public safety, for the said instructions, as your peti- tioners are informed, have been not altered from their first frame in that particular, since the demise of the said Government, but continues still in force as His Majesty's stated plan for the settling of the said Township; that several of the said inhabitants, who first arrived in the said Township, were obliged by the Deputy Surveyor to settle on contiguous tracts of land laid out for them in square forms beginning at a certain place there called the King's Tree, which your petitioners thought a great hard- ship, to be debarred from making any choice, for rather the said lands were for the most part infertile, pine bear- ing lands, and not likely to afford any produce or profit to compensate the trouble of cultivating same, but as
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they were given to understand that the said Deputy Sur- veyor was instructed by the Government to settle them in such a manner, that a square of land six miles round the township line was reserved for the further accommodating of the said Township inhabitants, the said inhabitants proceeded to improve and settle the said squares in tracts to the best of their power in hopes of being afterwards better provided for out of the said reserved lands.
"That the second set of people who arrived in the sec- ond ship to settle the said township were subject to the same strictness and hardships, but were nevertheless en- couraged with the same hopes of having better lands in the parish line, as well for themselves as for their relatives and countrymen who they expected would follow them.
"But, your petitioners cannot but represent to your Honor how greatly disappointed in finding the lands of the said Township afterwards become a common unrestrained range for other people. All of the good lands of both are taken up by gentlemen residing in other parts of the prov- ince who were better able to pay surveyors, and were resid- ing at Charleston, to get their grants passed for them so that only these first families who came over last to settle with their countrymen in the said Township were greatly disappointed.
"Many of them have been obliged to become tenants in the said Township to gentlemen who had lands there granted them in great tracts, who were directed by the Township Surveyor to settle with their families in par- ticular places, and had the misfortune to find their posses- sions granted others and so became subject to actions at law attended with great expenses, and others obliged to struggle into other parts of the province.
"Your petitioners cannot but further represent your Honor that, notwithstanding the many discouragements they have labored under, yet they have adhered to each other and the said Township still consists of about one
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hundred and fifty able male persons willing and ready to furnish their assistance in defense of the province against any of His Majesty's enemies, but must at the same time, humbly desire that the scheme for settling them directed by His Majesty be fulfilled to have that said Township lands rendered wholly for the Township inhabitants and that the township be made a parish with the privileges of sending representatives to the Assembly as His Majesty has most graciously directed ; otherwise, most of your peti- tioners must think it prudent to remove to some other of His Majesty's provinces where they may hope to meet with less danger and more encouragement.
"Your petitioners take leave to set forth the names of several persons who have had lands granted to them in the said township, but who reside in other parts of the province, viz. : George Hunter, John Ballentine, Captain John Cleland, the Reverend John Baxter, Charles Starnes, Andrew Rutledge, Esq., Thomas Monk, Bridget Hughes, Samuel Pontovine, Captain James Fisher, John Scott (of Charleston), Elisha Screven, Captain John Whitfield, Sarah Blakeway, Jane Eldridge, John Wilson, Lieutenant Thomas Farrington, and Captain James Atkins, and many others, upon the view of which list your petitioners have reason to hope your Honor will take the premises into consideration and grant such relief as your Honor in your great wisdom, shall think most meet. And your peti- tioners will ever pray."
In 1742, when a number of citizens of Williamsburg petitioned the King for the redress of certain grievances, among other things, they stated that they stood ready at all times to serve His Majesty and to fight his battles. Not many years after this time France and England began the final war which determined that England should con- trol this continent. The French enlisted the services of the Indians in this war and the Cherokee tribe threatened South Carolina. It is very interesting to note that in
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1759, when the King called for volunteers to serve in this French and Indian War, two companies from Williams- burg immediately responded. The first company : Captain William Scott; Sergeant Alexander Scott; privates, George Davis, Thomas Davis, Matt Young, John Anderson, John Garrison, James Barr, George Whitby, Robert Wilson, George Crawford, John McNally, Samuel Ervin, Hugh Ervin, Samuel Ford. The second company : Captain David Anderson ; Ensign Robert Lewis; Sergeant Thomas Hume; privates, Peter Mellett, William Grimes, Thomas Dial, Joseph Chandler, Roger McGill, Charles McCoy, Thomas Player, Thomas Newman, John Rowell, John Kennedy, James Ferdon, John McIntosh, John DuBose, John Lloyd, Thomas Commander, Daniel Butler, John Bradley, Aaron Frierson, James Armstrong, William Westberry, Sylvester Dunn, Nathaniel Pygott, Stephen Motte, James Berwick, James Gordon, Henry Price, Daniel Bluset, Alexander Chosewood, John Dubush.
Since one of the reasons expressed by the King for the creation of Williamsburg Township was the protection of Charleston and Beaufort from the incursions of the Indians from the West, it was natural that those colonists, who first came to the Township, feared the Red Men. The first colony elected Roger Gordon as Captain of the Militia Company at the King's Tree and all able bodied men in the township immediately enlisted. They built a stock- ade fort on Roger Gordon's land near where the Williams- burg cemetery stands at present. It was planned that all the colonists in this vicinity should take refuge within this stockade whenever an Indian attack was impending, but the Indians never disturbed the Williamsburg colony.
As the territory of Craven County was settled from time to time, other communities organized militia com- panies and these were mustered into the regiment. Roger Gordon became the first colonel of this Regiment, which
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played a distinguished part in the history of South Caro- lina so long as the territory belonged to Great Britain.
The first regimental mustering ground in Craven County was on the spot where the Williamsburg Court House now stands. Later, the Regiment sometimes was mustered near Willtown on Black Mingo. Sometimes the various companies gathered at Murray's Ferry on the Santee. Among the colonels of this Craven County Regiment were Roger Gordon, George Pawley, John White, Anthony White, and Richard Richardson; Captains, Abram Mich- aux, John Waites, William Scott, John McDonald, David Anderson, William Nelson, John McDaniel, Isaac Brun- son, John Jannerett, John James, Daniel Horry, Henry O'Neal, James McGirt, and James Crockett; and the lieu- tenants, William Frierson, Peter Robertson, John Levis- ton, Daniel McDaniel, Samuel Cantey, Abraham Lenud, Paul Bonneau, Edward German, Charles Woodmason and Robert Lewis.
Long before the Scotch-Irish came to Williamsburg, the Indians had abandoned the section as a place for per- manent residence. Sometimes, however, they came to fish and hunt in the swamps of Black River and the Santee. They did not like these parts during mosquito season.
Tradition says that there were three small tribes of Indians that had their headquarters within the territory now known as Williamsburg County, and there is yet some evidence visible to sustain it. It is said that the Mingoes had their camp ground in the fork made by the junction of Indiantown Swamp and Black Mingo Creek. Their burying ground on the bluff at this point has yielded many relics of the time of their occupation. The word "Mingo", in one Indian language, means black; in another, a kind of officer. Possibly, the Mingoes were Indian chiefs who spent their vacations in the Indiantown-Black Mingo country and hoped to find there after death the "happy hunting ground." The Americans who dwell in this sec-
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tion now will tell you that it is the favored spot on earth and give reasons from the past and present to prove their statement.
The Wee Nee Indian camp was located in the forks of Black River near the present Williamsburg-Clarendon line. Many war clubs, arrow heads, and other Indian im- plements of battle may be found in this community. Marion's Men fought many skirmishes in this section dur- ing the War of the Revolution. Perhaps this might be called the "dark and bloody" ground of Williamsburg. Wee Nee is a favorite name for associations in Williams- burg, all the way from sewing societies to banking corpor- ations.
The Wee Tee Indians lived once in the vicinity of Lenud's Ferry and several miles westward along the San- tee. They built mounds all over this section. Excavations in these mounds have brought to light many things that Indians loved and treasured. B. E. Clarkson says when he was a boy, about 1875, he dug into one of those mounds. Among the interesting things he found was a baby skele- ton enmeshed in beads. This was contained within two pieces of pottery attached.
It is said that these three bands of Indians, the Wee Nees, the Wee Tees, and the Mingoes, belonged to the five great nations that had their headquarters along the Great Lakes. It is believed, however, that these Indian camping grounds in Williamsburg were not places of permanent residence, but that they were occupied from time to time by hunting and fishing parties from the North and the West.
CHAPTER VIII.
COLONIAL WILLS.
The wills of the people of Williamsburg who died dur- ing the Colonial period are recorded in the office of the Judge of Probate, Charleston. To those who can see, these wills contain a vast amount of historical material. One reads in them that the average man of Williamsburg who came about 1735, without a material possession, amassed a considerable estate within a score of years. When he died, his will and inventory of his goods show that he owned many broad acres of land, a number of valuable slaves, droves of horses, and herds of cattle. It shows, too, that sometimes he wore silver shoe buckles and a "Wigg," and was ready to furnish a "pair of pistols" whenever the code duello demanded. The rapid recuperation of these Scotch-Irish of Williamsburg under these pioneer condi- tions proves what manner of men they were. Their sus- tained strength under further development is simply ad- ditional evidence.
In these old wills, the women, wives and daughters and sisters, are called by name. And well may they be re- membered, for women have borne the burdens of the day since the curse was pronounced in Eden. When one looks into the first life of these "Poor Protestants" in Williams- burg and regards the women, he draws on all his virtuous manhood to salute them. These ancient women of Wil- liamsburg were the real "Colonial Dames of America." Whether or not their fathers had been commissioned by the King for service in the colonies, their sons were called by God Almighty for the accomplishment of American freedom and for the establishment of the American Com- monwealth. And right worthily did these sons fulfill their high calling!
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Here follow some statements taken from these ancient wills, and a few comments. All are described as planters unless otherwise specified.
William Anderson married Ann Baxter, a widow. He left a son, Alexander Anderson, and a daughter, Ann Anderson. Charles Baxter was his stepson. William Anderson died in 1746.
John Avant died in 1750 leaving two sons, Francis and John; and three daughters, Lydia, Hannah, and Rebecca. One of his daughters married a Green, for he left two grandsons, William and Francis Green.
James Bradley died in 1775. He left an annuity of one hundred pounds to be paid to his mother, Jane, who, when a widow, married William Burrows. His sister, Mary, married Robert McConnell. He had three half-brothers, George, Samuel, and Joseph Burrows; and one half-sister, Jane Burrows. He had a cousin named James Bradley, who was the son of his uncle, Samuel Bradley.
Moses Britton died in 1773. His will shows that he left a widow named Ann; two sons, Daniel Lane and Ben- jamin; and a daughter, Rebecca. He had three brothers, Philip, Henry, and Francis.
Joseph Britton died in 1773. His wife was named Ann. He left eight children, Elizabeth, Philip, Thomas, Martha, Mary, Moses, Joseph, and John.
William Barr died in 1764. His wife was named Esther. His children were James, Margaret, Isaac, Nathaniel, Rachael, Caleb, Jacob, Silas, Esther, John, and William. He instructed his executors to have each one of his chil- dren taught a trade.
William Brockinton died in 1741. He and his wife, Sarah, lived on the South side of Black Mingo Creek. His sons were William, John, and Richard ; his daughters, Elizabeth, afterwards wife of James Hepburn; Mary, married Joshua Jolly; Hannah, married James Hoole; and Sarah Jane. Sarah, wife of William, died in 1759,
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leaving a will in which she made her son Richard executor. William and Sarah Brockinton were ancestors of all the South Carolina Brockintons.
William Brockinton, Jr., married Rachel Commander in 1742 and died in 1743. He left all of his property to his wife, providing for an unborn child. This "unborn child" became, in all probability, the Joseph Brockinton of whom Bishop Gregg writes in his "History of the Old Cheraws."
William Borland died in 1741. His wife was named Mary. He left two sons, William and Archibald; and three daughters, Mary, Jean, and Elizabeth.
Timothy Britton died in 1749. He divided his prop- erty between his wife, Mary, and his child, who was not named. His executors were his wife, Mary, his brother, Joseph, and his brother-in-law, Francis Goddard.
Philip Britton died in 1749. He left a wife named Jane, but no child. He bequeathed property to his broth- ers, Joseph, Moses, Francis, and Timothy Britton; his nephew, John Rae; his nieces, Ann and Rachel ; and, also, gives some property to Walter Martin's two children and to William and Francis Goddard.
Daniel Britton died in 1748. He left property to his wife, Elizabeth, and to his unborn child.
John Blakeley died in 1747. He left a wife, who was born Elizabeth Fleming, and four children who were not named in his will. He designated James Armstrong, Wil- liam Pressley, and James McClelland, and his brother James, executors, and ordered that if his wife, Elizabeth, remarried, his brother James was to have control of his children and of his estate. He left fifty acres of land to the Williamsburg Presbyterian Congregation.
Elizabeth Clapp died in 1751. She was the daughter of Gibson Clapp, for whom Clapp Swamp was named. In her will, she mentions her grandfather, Colonel Thomas Lynch ; her uncle, the Honorable Joseph Blake; her beloved
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sister, Mary Clapp; her mother, Sarah Hopton, wife of William Hopton; her aunt, Sarah Blake, half-sister to her father; and her aunt, Mary Acheson, daughter of her grandfather, Thomas Lynch.
Isaac Chandler died in 1748. He left a widow named Elizabeth; two sons, Samuel and Isaac; and a daughter, Ann. He was an Antipaedo Baptist minister and was trained under the Reverend William Screven, the elder. Mr. Chandler was a member of the Baptist colony which came with Reverend William Screven from Kittery, Maine, and settled at Somerton. He was at his death a man of considerable wealth, much learning, and liberal culture. His will indicates that he owned one of the largest private libraries of his day, and many heirlooms of silver and gold.
John Dick died in 1749. His will names his wife, Jane ; his sons, Robert, John, and William ; his daughter, Jannet, who married Packer ; his daughter, Elizabeth, who married John Leviston ; his daughter, Margaret, who married John Scott; his daughter, Mary, who married Runnels; and his daughter, Susannah, who married Wirter. He names two of his grandchildren, John and Samuel Leviston.
Nathaniel Drew died in 1750. His wife was born Mar- garet Barr. He mentions in his will his son, Samuel Drew; his brother, David Drew; and his sister, Mary Drew, who married Thomas Ervin, of Fog's Manor, Pa .; and his son-in-law, John Barr. He left some money for the education of his two grandsons, John and Samuel Nesmith, sons of John Nesmith, deceased. After specific bequests, he instructed his executors to sell the remainder of his estate and place one-third thereof in the hands of Reverend John Baxter, Thomas Carne, and Alexander Mc- Cants, trustees, for the use and benefit of the Presbyterian Congregation at Black Mingo Creek. The remaining two- thirds he gives to James McClelland and John Leviston, trustees, for the benefit of the Presbyterian Congregation
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at Williamsburg. He provides that these trustees shall give security for this money and that none of it shall be paid to any minister but one who preached and taught the doctrines and submitted to the rules and discipline of the Church of Scotland and who was of moral conduct.
Margaret Drew died in 1762. She was the widow and relict of Nathaniel Drew. She mentions her son, Samuel Drew, and makes her trusty and well beloved sons-in-law, John Brockinton and Samuel Nesmith, her executors.
John Frierson died in 1760. He left four sons, Aaron, Moses, John, James, and a daughter, Mary.
John Fleming died in 1750. He left three sons, John, James, and William; and three daughters, Elizabeth, who married Blakeley; and Jannet, who married James; and Isabella, who married John Pressley.
David Fulton died in 1745. In his will, he mentions his wife, Rebecca, and his son, Samuel. After making spe- cific bequests to them, he leaves the remainder of his prop- erty to his son, Samuel Fulton, subject to the payment of one hundred pounds to Jean Fulton, only daughter of his son, Paul Fulton, deceased, when she attains the age of fifteen years.
Paul Fulton died in 1742. He mentions his wife, Mary ; his daughter, Jean; his nephew, David Fulton; and his brother, Samuel Fulton.
Roger Gordon died in 1750. His wife was named Mary. He had three sons, James, John, and Moses; and four daughters, Sarah, who married Hugh McGill; Margaret, who married Robert Wilson; Elizabeth and Mary. He mentions his granddaughter, Mary, and his grandsons, Roger Wilson and Roger McGill.
Peter Gourdin died in 1774. He gives his son, Peter Gourdin, all of his property when he shall arrive at the age of nineteen years. He instructed that his son should have as good an education as could be had in the province of South Carolina. He directed that his negro man,
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Billy, should not be put to any field work but to be kept jobbing on the plantation and, in proper seasons, to tend the indigo works about the vats, and further that Billy should not be under the power or authority of any over- seer which should be put on his plantation after his de- cease. His first wife was named Esther Sullivan. He wills, if his son, Peter, die before he arrives at the age of nineteen years, that the property coming to him from his wife, Esther, shall return to his brother-in-law, John Sul- livan, and to his sister-in-law, Margaret Richbourgh. If his son, Peter, die before reaching the age of nineteen, the property which came to him from his late wife, who was Ann Lester, should return to his brother-in-law, John Les- ter, and to his sister-in-law, Martha Lester. He mentions his niece, Mary Ann Finley; his nephews, Theodore and Samuel Gourdin; and his brother, Isaac Gourdin.
Elizabeth Jaudon died in 1743. She left three young children, Paul, David, and Elisha. Paul was the oldest and yet a minor. She waived his age and made him her sole executor.
John Hamilton died in 1744. His wife was Christian McClelland. They left no children. He bequeathed three hundred acres of land in Williamsburg Township for the support of the Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, then under the management of Reverend John Rae.
William James died in 1750. His widow was named Elizabeth. He had four sons, John, William, Robert, and Samuel; and four daughters, Jannet, Elizabeth, Esther, and Sarah. He mentions his sons-in-law, David Wilson, Gavin Witherspoon, James McCullough, and Nathaniel Mccullough.
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