USA > South Carolina > Orangeburg County > The history of Orangeburg County, South Carolina : from its first settlement to the close of the Revolutionary War > Part 3
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About 1730 Moses Thomson, with his family and his connections, the Maxwells and Powells, moved into Amelia Township from Pennsylvania. Dr. Joseph Johnson, in his "Traditions of the Revolution", says that the Thomsons were Irish people from Pennsyl- vania. A member of this family, William Thomson, married Eugenia, daughter of Capt. Charles Russell. and John McCord, a member of another of the families early settled in this section, married her sister, Sophi- anisha Russell. From these three early Orangeburgh families, Russells. Thomsons and McCords, descended many people who have become prominent in the his- tory of South Carolina. Among their descendants we find the names Thomson, McCord. Heatly, Hart, Ta- ber. Rhett, Haskell, Cheves, Darby, Sinkler, Goodwyn,
24
THE HISTORY OF
Hayne, Michel, Stuart, and many others equally we.l known.
A leading spirit in this section about 1737 was Major Christian Motte. He is mentioned in old records of that day as being present at marriage ceremonies at Orangeburgh, and the Statutes show that he was. in 1738, an Inquirer and Collector of taxes for the parish of St. John's, Berkeley. He probably collected the taxes for the townships of Amelia and Orangeburgh. as those townships were nearest to St. John's. It is not likely that he remained in this section, as no re- cords have been found to show that he became a per- manent settler in this section, and an extract from the South Carolina Gazette of January 25-29, 1741, seems to indicate that he then lived in Charlestown. The extract referred to is an advertisement of a wonderful medicine that was "guaranteed to cure or no money taken", and reads as follows: "To be had of John Lax Indian Doctor at Col: Saunders plantation at Cypress swamp or of Major Christian Mote in Charles Town a Decoction" &c., &c. This name must not be confounded with Ft. Motte, for that place obtained its name from Col. Isaac Motte and his heroic wife, Re- becca, who were well known in Charlestown subse- quent to this, and who owned a plantation in St. Mat- thew's Parish, the house of which was seized and gar- risoned as a fort by the British during the Revolu- tion, and hence the name Fort Motte.
Probably the first settler in the vicinity of where the present town of Orangeburg is located was John Hearn, (pronounced Harn) who lived just below where Orangeburg now stands as early as 1732. His planta- tion contained five hundred acres of land and em- braced lands now or lately belonging to Messrs John H. Dukes. A. L. Dukes. G. W. Brunson. and Mrs. Mary Hughes. The following certificate of admeasurement.
25
ORANGEBURG COUNTY.
which accompanies the plat to the above lands, is re- corded in the office of the Secretary of State at Co- lumbia.
"South Carolina.
"By virtue of a warrant from his Excel- lency, Robert Johnson, Esqr. Governor. &c., Bearing date the 28th, day of November 1732, and a precept thereon to me directed by James St. John Esqr. his Majesties Surveyor General of the said province of South Carolina bearing date the 18th, day of Decem- ber 1732, I have admeasured and sett out unto John Hearne of Colleton County Planter a Plantation or Tract of Land Containing five Hundred acres where he now lives Situate in Colleton lying and being part of the land reserved for the Inhabitants within the Township of Edisto Butting and Bounding to the South Westward on pon pon river to the Northwest on twenty thousand acres of land laid out for the said Township to the Northeastward and Southeastward on land reserved for the Inhabitants of the said Town- ship and hath such form and marks as are represented in the above delineated plat certified the twentieth Day of September anno domini 1733 Per me.
"George Haig Depty. Surveyor."
The following is a copy of the grant which was made to Mr. Hearn, of the lands so laid out: "South Carolina.
"GEORGE THE SECOND by the grace. of God of Great Brittain, France and Ireland King De- fender of the Faith &c.
"TO ALL to whom these presents shall come Greet- ing, Know Ye that we of our special grace certain knowledge and meer motion Have given and granted and by the presents for Us Our Heirs and Successors Do give and grant unto Mr. John Hearn his Heirs and assigns all that parcel or tract of land containing five
26
THE HISTORY OF
hundred acres sitnate lying and being in Colleton County in the province aforesaid butting and bound- ing to the South Westward on pon pon River to the North westward on twenty thousand acres of land laid out for the said Township to the North eastward and South eastward on land reserved for the Inhabi- tants of the said Township and hath such shape form and marks as appears by a plat thereof bereunto an- nexed together with all woods underwoods timber and timber Trees lakes ponds fishings waters water courses profits commodities appurtenances and heredi- taments whatsoever thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining together with privileges of bunting hawking and fowling in and upon the same and all mines and minerals whatsoever saving and reserving nevertheless to us our heirs and successors all white pine trees if any there should be found growing there- on and also saving and reserving to us our heirs and Successors one tenth part of mines of silver and gold onely TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said tract of five hundred acres of land and all and singular other the premises hereby granted with the appurtenances unto the said John Hearn bis heirs and assigns for ever an free and Common Soccage he the said John Hearn his heirs and assigns Yielding And Paying therefore unto us Our heirs and Successors or to our Receiver General for the time being or to his Deputy or Deputies for the time being Yearly that is to say ou every twenty fifth day of March at the rate of three Shillings sterling or four shillings Proclamation money for every hundred acres and so in proportion accord- ing to the quantity of acres contained herein the same to grow due and be accounted for from the date here- of Provided Always and this present Grant is upon condition Nevertheless that he the said John Hearn his heirs and assigns shall and do within three years
27
ORANGEBURG COUNTY.
next after the date of these presents clear and culti- vate at the rate of one acre for every five hundred acres of land and so in proportion according to the quantity of acres herein contained or build a dwelling House thereon, and keep a Stock of five head of cattle for every five hundred acres upon the same and in proportion for a greater or lesser quantity.
AND UPON CONDITION that if the said rent here- by reserved shall happen to be in arrear and unpaid for the space of three years from the time it became due and no distress can be found on the said lands tenements and hereditaments hereby granted that then and in such case the said lands tenements and hereditaments hereby granted and every part and par- cel thereof shall revert to us Our heirs and Successors as fully and absolutely as if the same had never been granted.
"Given under the Great Seal of Our Said Province Witness Thomas Broughton Esqr. Our Lieutenant Governor of our said Province of South Carolina the twelfth day of May in the Eighth year of Our Reign and in the year of Our Lord One Thousand seven hun- dred and thirty-five.
"And hath thereunto annexed a plat Representing the same tract of land certified by James St. John Surveyr. Genl the 20th. September 1733.
"Thomas (Seal) Broughton." Signed by the Hon- ble. Thomas Brough- ton Esqr. Lieut. Govr. in Council.
J. Badenhop,
C. C."
The foregoing deed was recorded May 28th. 1735. In the South Carolina Gazette of June 25, 1753 this place is advertised for sale as follows:
"John Hearne's place is offered for sale. 500 acres lying & being in Colleton county: butting & bounding to S. W. on Ponpon River, N. W. on Edisto Township
28
THE HISTORY OF
to N. E. & S. E. on lands reserved for the Inhabitants of said Township.
"100 acres in the limits of Orangeburgh Township, b. & b. to N. E. on lands laid out to John Strutzeneck- er, to N. W. on land belonging to John Hearne S. W. on Ponpon S. E. on land laid out to Henry Wuester, one town-lot N. 253."
Another of the early settlers of Orangeburgh Town- ship was Henry Salley, who settled in the township about 1735, as will be seen by the following certificate of measurement for a grant of land, and a subsequent conveyance of the same:
"So. Carolina.
"Pursuant to a precept under the hand & seal of James St. John Esq His Majesty's Sur. Gen1 I have admeasured & laid out unto Henry Zaley a tract of Land in Orangeburgh Township in Berkeley County containing Two hundred acres Butting & Bounding to the S. W. on Pon Pon River to the N. E. on land not laid out; to the S. E. on land laid out un- to Jacob Twyther & to the N. W. on land laid out to Barbara Hatcher & also one Town Lot in Orangeburgh, containing one half of an acre; Known on the grand plat of the sd Town by the number one hundred & 68: Butting & Bounding to the S. W. on 165 laid out to Hans Deitricks Junr to the N. E. on a Street; to the S. E. on N 169 Laid out to Jacob Miller; to the N. W. on N 167. Land laid out to Henry Rickenbaker, & each hath such shape & marks as are represented by the above plat, Certified the 20 Sept 1735.
"Geo. Haig D. S."
It will be observed that in the foregoing certificate the name is given "Zaley," but that must have been the way Mr. Salley's German neighbors called it. for the name has always been Salley, and the following extract from a later deed of the same tract of land.
ALEXANDER S. SALLEY, M. D. Born April 26th, 1818-Died April 1st, 1895.
29
ORANGEBURG COUNTY.
from John Salley, Jr., to John Salley, Sen., clearly shows Mr. Haig to have been in error in beginning the name with the letter Z: "All that plantation or Tract of Land-Original Bounty-containing two Hundred acres Situate in (the former) Berkly County, & in Orangeburgh Township." "The * said Tract of Two Hundred acres of Land and Town Lott aforesaid, was Originally Granted to Henry Zaley (more properly Salley) on the Seventeenth day of Sep- tember One thousand Seven Hundred and thirty Six" "Which said Tract of Land & Town Lott aforesaid Devolved in a Lineal Decent to the aforesaid John Salley, Junr as being Heir at Law to the said Tract of Land & Town Lott." This last deed was made August 26, 1790. As early as 1741 the name oc- curs on Giessendanner's record book spelt "Sähly", and a few years later the same authority records it "Sally"; but the name has obtained in Yorkshire, En- gland, and vicinity, for centuries; and the bearers of the name have always spelt it as the bearers of it in Orangeburg spell it to-day-"Salley." The name Sal- ley signifies "the field of sallows, and was so named undoubtedly", says Whitaker, in his History of the Deanery of Craven, "from real salix and leza ager". (Species of willow.) There is a village of the same name in the parish of Gisburne (in the Deanery of Craven) in Yorkshire.
For some years previous to 1735 John Peter Purry, a Swiss gentleman, had been trying to establish Swiss colonies in South Carolina, and had actually establish- ed one on the Savannah river at a place called Purrys- burg. He gave such a glowing account of the coun- try in a pamphlet, (See Carroll's Historical Collections of South Carolina, Vol. II.) which he freely distributed throughout Switzerland, Holland, North Germany and the Provinces of the Rhine, that a great many set-
30
THE HISTORY OF
tlers were induced to come to Carolina. The first ship load for Orangeburgh Township arrived in Char- lestown in July 1735, and immediately set out for the township on the Edisto, which was thereafter named Orangeburgh. The next year another installment of settlers arrived, and in 1737 a third arrived, bringing with them a Lutheran minister, the Rev. John Ulrick Giessendanner. Others arrived later. Dr. David Ram- say in his "History of South Carolina", page 11, says that the vessels which brought them over usually re- turned with loads of rice, and made profitable voy- ages. Rev. J. U. Giessendanner and his nephew and successor, Rev. John Giessendanner, kept a record of the marriage, baptismal and burial ceremonies per- formed by them, and from the burial record we are able to learn where many of these settlers came from in the old country. From Switzerland came Peter Hugg (Canton Bern, 1735): Anna. wife of Peter Roth: Rev. John U. Giessendanner and his wife; John Gies- sendanner, Jr .; Jacob Giessendanner; Hans Henry Felder (1735); Jacob Kuhnen and wife (1736): Ann. wife of Jacob Bossart; Melchior Ott (1735); Anna Negely, widow; Magdalena, wife of Hans Imdorff: Martin Kooner; Peter Moorer; Zibilla Wolf (Grisons); John Friday (1735); John Dietrick (1735); Barbara Fund; Henry Wurtzer (1735); Henry Horger; Jacob Stauber (Canton Zurich, 1750); Henry Haym and John Myers. From Germany came John George Barr: David Runtgenauer; Lewis Linder and Elias Snell (1735). From Holland came William Young. These are all whose places of nativity are given. but it is reasonable to presume that the many other settlers bearing the same family names as the above. came from the same places.
Besides the above there are many more names on the Giessendanner record that are unmistakably Ger-
31
ORANGEBURG COUNTY.
man; among them the names: Stroman, Stouden- mire, Shaumlöffel. Geiger, Holman, Hessy, Kuhn, Yutsey (Utsey), Yssenhut (Whisenhunt), Kreyter (Cri- der), Huber, Shuler. Rumph, Zimmerman, Rickenbac- ker, Köhler (Culler), Hungerbüller (Hungerpiller), Wannamaker, Amaker, Keller, Inabinet, Zeigler, Ley- saht, Golson, Joyner, Ferstner. Tilly, Hartzog, Whet- stone, Balziger, Brunzon, Stehely (Staley), Starekey (Sturkie), and Theus-names nearly all of which ob- tain in this section to-day.
There are many names to be found on the Giessen- danner record that are evidently not German names. These settlers came in about the time of the German settlements or a little later. In some instances the Giessendanner record tells where the settler came from. This was the case with Gideon Jennings, who came in to Orangeburgh Township, with his wife and two sons, Philip and John, in 1736. In recording his death the Rev. Mr. Giessendanner states that he was an "Italian protestant," and in recording the death of his wife, Ursula, a few years later, he speaks of her as the "widow of Gideon Zanini alias Jennings". Wheth- er Jennings is the English for Zanini, or whether Gideon Jennings was an Englishman who went to Italy, (seeing that he was a protestant) and there as- sumed the name Zanini and changed back to the En- glish name Jennings upon resuming habitation among English people, or whether he changed his name to Jennings because he fancied that name, or for other cause, is only a matter of conjecture, but, at any rate, the Jennings family has long been a large and influ- ential one in this section and members of it have in- termarried with many of the oldest families in the County.
William Barrie, another of the early settlers, is re- corded by Giessendanner as having been a native of
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THE HISTORY OF
Scotland, and Seth Hatcher as a native of Virginia. The Larry. or Larey. family frequently mentioned by Giessendanner was an Irish family .* Other names not German to be found on the record are: Martin, Gard- ner. Bunch. Powell. Oliver. Brown, Curtis. Robinson. Robison, Barber, Bright. Weekly, Gibson, Barker, Sul- livant, Haig. Holmes. McGraw, McFashion. Reece. Cheavy. Potts, Good, Fitzpatrick, Carter. Tate, Jones. Tap, Hickie, Smith, Gossling, Murphy. Clements, Whiteford, Hill, Mercier. Partridge, and Wright. Some of them have a decidedly Hibernian smack, others sound English, others Scotch, and one or two sound somewhat Frenchy. It is likely that some of these settlers came from the colonies to the north- ward, while others of them doubtless came from the lower parishes of South Carolina.
Another prominent man among the early settlers of Orangeburgh was John Chevillette, who had formerly been an officer under Frederick the Great-probably before Frederick became King of Prussia. That he had been a friend of that king is shown by the let- ters that that monarch wrote to him (which letters were long in possession of the late Mrs. William Gil- more Simms) telling him how to cultivate the vine to make wine in Carolina. Col. Chevillette married in Orangeburgh Township. in 1745. Mrs. Susannah Hep- perditzel, a widow, by whom he had one son. John Chevillete, who married the widow of Donald Govan. and was the step-father of Eliza Govan,+ who married Nash Roach, and not the father. as Trent puts it on page 96 of his Life of Simms.
The defeat of the revolutionary efforts in England and Scotland in behalf of Charles Edward. the "Young
*It was a descendant of this family that established the first news- paper in the District.
+The mother of Mrs. Wm. Gilmore Simms.
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ORANGEBURG COMNTY.
Pretender", in 1745, caused many of the defeated re- volters to flee to America; and among these was An- drew Govan, who settled in Orangeburgh Township, where he and his descendants became prominent. The late Wm. Gilmore Simms used to relate a very pretty little tradition to the effect that the rebel Go- van was condemned and about to be executed, when his friends wrecked the scaffold upon which he was about to be executed. In the fall of the scaffold Go- van had a leg broken, but in the confusion he escaped and hid in a London sewer for a day or two, when he made his escape and embarked for America. John Govan was a kinsman who also came to Orangeburgh about the same time, but he afterwards moved to Granville County. Christopher, Henry and Samuel Rowe. and Gavin Pou were also Scotchmen who set- tled in Orangeburgh Township about 1740.
After the English conquest of Acadia (Nova Scotia) in 1755, it will be remembered that the French Aca- dians then captured were cruelly carried off and dis- tributed among the British Colonies to the South. South Carolina got a portion of these Acadians, and some of these were settled in Orangeburgh, Amelia and Saxe-Gotha Townships, as we find in Volume IV., p. 72, of the Statutes of South Carolina, the following items of account showing that certain persons living in those townships had been paid for maintaining them:
"Stephen Crell, of Saxe-Gotha township, £54.00.00. Henry Gallman, 66 66 53.00.00.
Henry Hertel, 66
66
24.00.00.
Henry Serstrunk,
66
66
12.00,00.
Henry Heartley, of Amelia 66 26.00.00. William Heatly, 66 171.10.00.
Christopher Rowe, of Orangeburgh, (to be
paid when duly certified.)
64.00.00."
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THE HISTORY OF
The name Dukes occurs frequently in the Giessen- danner record. (Sometimes it is written Dukes and sometimes Duke.) In Hotton's "List of Persons who went from Great Britain to the American Planta- tions," on p. 362, William Dukes is mentioned as hav- ing embarked from Barbadoes on the Barque Adven- ture for Carolina on April 7th, 1679. The Dukeses on the Giessendanner record are doubtless descendants of his. and the large and influential Dukes family now in Orangeburg County are undoubtedly the descend- ants of the persons mentioned by Giessendanner.
The lower section of the Province, which had been previously settled, also furnished a share of the set- tlers for Amelia and Orangeburgh Townships. Among these we find the names Porcher, Richardson, Sabb, Gaillard, and Huger-names which shed lustre on the early history of old St. Matthew's Parish.
Section 2. The German settlers of Orangeburgh Town- ship; their church and their pastor.
The following account of the settling of Orange- burgh by the Germans and Swiss is given by Rev. George Howe, D. D., in his History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. I., pp. 216 and 217: "A trader, Henry Sterling, had located himself, and obtained a grant of land on Lyon's Creek, in 1704. But it was not until 1735 that this portion of the province had any considerable number of whites. The arrival of the settlers who found their way thither is thus mentioned in the South Carolina Gazette, under date of July 26th :- 'On Sunday last arrived two hundred Palatines: most of them being poor. they were obliged to sell themselves and their children for their passage (which is six pistoles in gold per head) within a fortnight of the time of their arrival, or else
J. W. H. DUKES, Mayor of Orangeburg, 1891-1898.
A. F. H. DUKES, Member S. C. House of Representatives, Orangeburg County, 1896-1898.
J. H. DUKES, Sheriff Orangeburg County, 1892-1898.
W. HAMPTON DUKES. Deputy Sheriff Orangeburg County, 1892-1898.
COL. D. E. DUKES, Coroner Orangeburg County. 1888-1898.
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ORANGEBURG COUNTY.
to pay one pistole more to be carried to Philadelphia. The most of them are farmers, and some tradesmen. About two hundred and twenty of the Switzers that have paid all their passages are now going up the Edisto to settle a township there. The government defrays them on their jurney, provides them pro- visions for one year, and gives them fifty acres ahead. The quantity of corn bought for them had made the price rise from fifteen shillings, as it was last week. to twenty shillings.'
1142193
"These persons became the first settlers in Orange- burg township, which had been laid out in a parrelle- logram of fifteen miles by five on the North Edisto, and was called Orangeburg in honor of the Prince of Orange .* Germans of the [ Lower] Palatinate settled in the township, but some portion of the settlers were from Switzerland, from the Cantons of Berne, Zurich, and the Grisons, and were Calvinists we suppose of the Helvetic confession, and Presbyterian in their views of Church government. Their minister, John Ulrich Giessendanner, came with them, and the regis- ter of marriages, baptisms, and burials, commenced by him in the German language, was continued by his nephew and successor, John Giessendanner, down to the year 1760. John Ulrich Giessendanner died in the year 1738. His nephew John, by the request of the congregation, went to Charleston for the purpose of 'obtaining orders' from Rev. Alexander Garden, the Bishop of London's commissary, but was persuaded by Major Christian Mote, whom he met, that he ought
*William Charles Henry Friso, who had married Anne, daughter of George II., in 1734 ;- afterwards William IV., "stadtholder, cap- tain, and admiral-general of Zealand", and later "captain and admi- ral-general of the whole union, and stadtholder of the Seven Provin- ces." (Holland, Zealand, Friesland, Guelderland, Utrecht, Overys- sel and Groningen.)
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THE HISTORY OF
not to apply to him, but to other gentlemen to whom he would conduct him, who, if they found him quali- fied, would give him authority to preach. Major Mote made him acquainted with the Presbytery of South Carolina, who in 1738 gave him authority to preach the gospel among his German neighbors. This he continued to do, and thus kept up the Church of their fathers unchanged for a season, though he after- wards went to London and took Episcopal ordination. -(Journal of Upper House of Assembly, Vol. X., 1743 -1744.)"
Dr. Howe in Chapter II., pp. 250-251 further says: "In the same year 1743, the German and Swiss settlers of Orangeburg were interfered with in their religious worship by an attempt made by Rev. Bartholomew Zauberbuhler to oust their pastor, John Giessendan- ner. Mr. Zauberbuhler was himself a native of the canton of either St. Gall or Appenzel, one of the Pro- testant cantons of Switzerland, and was therefore in his own country an adherent of the Helvetic Confes- sion, setting forth the doctrines of the Reformation as proclaimed by Zwingle, Bullinger and Calvin. He had been engaged in the settlement of a colony of Swiss Protestants in the newly-constituted township of New Windsor, opposite Augusta. He had resolved to seek Episcopal ordination, and had petitioned coun- cil that he might be sent to preach to the Germans in Orangeburg and on the Santee, and that he might re- ceive a competent salary till such time as he could be consecrated by the Bishop of London, after which he proposed to visit Germany and to bring over others of his countrymen, 'it being a great encouragement to them to know that they may have the gospel not only on their passage, but after their arrival.' Council grants him £500 out of the township fund, provided he could obtain Commissary Garden's certificate of his
37
ORANGEBURG COUNTY.
qualifications for ordination. Armed now with a sup- posed authority from Governor Bull and Commissary Garden, he came into the pastoral charge of Giessen- danner, and sought to expel him and occupy his place. A petition signed by about fourscore of the inhabi- tants of Orangeburg is spread out on the journals of the governor and council, detailing the facts, and praying for redress. Mr. Zauberbuhler was summon- ed by the governor, reprimanded for his interference, and curtailed of half the salary allowed him, unless he should bring over the foreign Protestants as he had stipulated. The petition is an interesting historic document, apologetic that their pastor is not rectus in ecclesia, according to the established religion of the province. It states that Mr. Giessendanner had been introduced in Charleston 'to an Asssembly of Presby- tery, who, upon examination, furnished him with or- ders to preach'; that he hath done this in Dutch (Ger- man) constantly for the space of five years, to the in- expressible satisfaction of the congregation at Orange- burg; that 'two years ago, the petitioners being full sixty miles from any other place of worship, some of whom he had not been favored with a sermon for seven years. observing said Mr. John Giessendanner to be a man of learning, piety, and knowledge in the Holy Scriptures, prevailed on him to officiate in Eng- lish every fortnight, which he hath since performed very articulate and intelligible, to the entire satisfac- tion of the English petitioners, and always behaves himself with sobriety, honesty, and justice, encourag- ing virtue and reproving vice.'-(MS. Records of Gov. and Council, March 6th, 1743, State Archives, Colum- bia.) This document reveals to us the existence and action of the Presbytery in Charleston in 1738, and is of interest otherwise. Mr. Giessendanner continued his ministry some time longer, until, to meet the state
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