Charles Woodmason facts for kids

Charles Woodmason (around 1720 – March 1789) was a writer, poet, and a priest in the Church of England. He was also an American loyalist, meaning he supported Britain during the American Revolution. He was known for his church music, especially psalms.

Woodmason is best remembered for his journal. This journal describes life on the frontier of South Carolina in the late 1760s. He was also a leader in the South Carolina Regulator movement. This movement aimed to bring more law and order to the backcountry.

Early Life and Beginnings

Charles Woodmason was born in Gosport, England, likely in 1720. His father, Benjamin Woodmason, was a ship's carpenter. Charles was baptized on November 3, 1720.

When he was 15, Charles finished a seven-year apprenticeship. He trained to be a mercer, which is a fabric dealer. In 1745, he married Hannah Page. They had two children, but only their son, James, lived to be an adult.

Charles was also interested in music. In 1747, he helped move an organ used by the famous composer George Frederick Handel to Holy Trinity Church. This organ is still used today. In 1748, he published a book of psalm tunes for church singing.

Life in America

In 1752, Charles Woodmason moved from England to South Carolina. He became a successful planter (farm owner) and store owner. He sold many books, showing his love for reading.

Even while living in America, Woodmason continued to write. He published several poems in The Gentleman's Magazine. Some people at the time called him "South Carolina's brightest literary light."

Scientific Interests and Writings

Woodmason was also curious about science. He was one of many "parson-naturalists" who studied the world around them. He wrote a detailed guide on how to produce indigo in South Carolina. Indigo was a plant used to make blue dye. His guide included drawings and a budget plan.

He also wrote a poem praising Benjamin Franklin's experiments with electricity. This poem was printed in many places. Woodmason was a correspondent for the Royal Society of Arts in London. He continued his scientific observations even in the South Carolina backcountry. He once wrote about smelling a barbecue from six miles away!

Missionary Work in South Carolina

After some difficulties, Woodmason returned to England. He became a minister in the Church of England in 1766. He was first ordained as a deacon, then as a priest.

Woodmason was sent to St. Mark's Parish in South Carolina. This area was on the frontier and had a growing population. There were few roads and not many services. Woodmason had 26 regular stops in his parish. He traveled about 6,000 miles in two years.

He found life in the backcountry very challenging. People lived in simple cabins with few belongings. Their food was basic, and many cabins lacked even forks and knives. He also disliked the way people sang psalms in church.

Challenges and Conflicts

Woodmason faced strong opposition from non-Anglicans, especially Presbyterians and Baptists. He strongly believed in the importance of the Church of England. He tried to keep its special position in South Carolina.

During this time, Woodmason started his famous journal. It describes the tough conditions on the colonial American frontier. His writings are very detailed, though they show his strong opinions. In 1953, his journal was published as The Carolina Backcountry on the Eve of the Revolution.

Woodmason was also involved in the Regulator Movement. He wrote a document called the Remonstrance. This document complained about the lack of law and order in the backcountry.

As an Englishman, Woodmason did not support the growing American Revolution. In 1769, he wrote an article criticizing Patriot leaders. He pointed out that they complained about "no taxation without representation" from Britain. Yet, they denied backcountry people representation in South Carolina's own assembly. He asked why these powerful men expected backcountry people to pay taxes passed by that assembly.

In 1772, Woodmason moved to Virginia for a new church job. However, the church leaders there wanted to hire only American-born ministers. He then worked near Baltimore, Maryland. In 1774, he angered local Patriots by performing a special church service. This service celebrated the king and stressed obedience to authority. He also refused to collect money for Boston, which he believed was for buying ammunition. Because of this, he was advised to leave for his own safety. He returned to England.

Later Life in England

Back in England, Woodmason was an American Loyalist refugee. He served as a curate (assistant priest) in Somerset from 1776 to 1777. He also preached in other churches.

In 1782, a terrible fire destroyed his son James Woodmason's home and business in London. Seven of James's children died in the fire. Only James's wife, Mary, survived. A special plaque in a London church remembers the children.

Charles Woodmason died in March 1789. He was buried at St. Andrew's Church in Sedbergh, England. His grave is not marked.

Works by Woodmason

• A Poetical Epistle to Benjamin Franklin, Esq., of Philadelphia on His Experiments and Discoveries in Electricity. Written at Cooper River, South Carolina, in 1753. (Published in 1954)
• The Carolina Backcountry on the Eve of the Revolution: The Journal and Other Writings of Charles Woodmason, Anglican Itinerant, 1953. ISBN: 978-0-8078-4035-1
• A Collection of Psalm Tunes with Basses fitted for the Voice and Figured for the Organ for the Use of Gosport in Hampshire. (Published around 1748)
• A Letter from a Gentleman of South-Carolina, on the Cultivation of Indico. (Published in 1754)

See also

• American Loyalists
• St Andrew's Church, Sedbergh
• John Dooly (1740-1780)
• Little Fork Church, a Culpeper County, Virginia parish served by Woodmason