Early history of Williamsburg, South Carolina facts for kids
The early history of Williamsburg County, South Carolina is a fascinating story of brave settlers, hard work, and fighting for freedom. This area was named after William of Orange, a king of England.
Contents
How Williamsburg Began
In 1730, King George II of Great Britain wanted to develop the "back country" of the Carolina Province. So, he ordered the creation of eleven new townships. Williamsburg was one of them. It was a large area, about 20,000 acres (80 square kilometers), located near the Black River. Over time, this big township was divided into several counties, including what we now know as Williamsburg County, South Carolina.
A special white pine tree by the Black River became the center of this new township. Early surveyors marked it with the King's Arrow, claiming it for the King. People called it "The King's Tree." Eventually, the town of Kingstree grew up around this tree and became the main town of Williamsburg.
In 1732, a group of about forty Scots-Irish settlers arrived. They were led by Roger Gordon. These poor Protestants came from northern Ireland, seeking a better life in America. They traveled up the river by boat and settled near the King's Tree.
Life was very tough for these first settlers. They had to build everything from scratch. They tried to farm in areas where several American Indian groups lived, including the Wee Nee, Wee Tee, Chickasaw, Creek, Waccamaw, and Pedee tribes. At first, there was a lot of trade with the Native Americans. However, their populations sadly dropped because they caught new diseases from the Europeans. The settlers also faced dangers like venomous snakes and wolves, which were common back then.
Faith and Community
The official church in the colony was Anglican. This meant that new churches or schools needed permission from the Lord Bishop. However, the Scots-Irish settlers had faced difficulties with the Church of England before. So, they quickly set up their own religious group, which later became known as Presbyterian.
In 1736, they invited The Rev. John Willison from Scotland to be their minister. They built a meeting house, which became the Williamsburg Presbyterian Church. Soon, new churches were started in nearby places like Indiantown and Black Mingo.
In 1780, John Witherspoon, whose grandparents were among the first settlers, wrote about them. He said they were very religious, knew the Bible well, prayed often, and respected the Sabbath (Sunday). He described them as people who cared deeply about living a good and pure life.
Growing and Prospering
The settlers worked hard and became successful. The wilderness was full of deer, wild turkeys, fish, and muscadine grapes. As the colony grew, they established plantations. Wheat from Europe didn't grow well, but corn grew in large amounts. They grew Flax to make cloth, but later, cotton became more popular.
They brought cattle and hogs with them. These animals found plenty of food in the swamps and forests. The settlers would let them roam free, identifying them only by the owner's mark. Around 1750, settlers started growing indigo, a plant used to make blue dye. Many plantation owners became wealthy from this crop. They also grew rice in wet areas along the river. Later, a large industry developed around naval stores (products from pine trees like tar and pitch), followed by timbering, which continues even today.
Times of Conflict
French and Indian War
In 1759, during the French and Indian War, the French allied with the large Cherokee tribe. Even though the Cherokee lived far away, they could threaten the entire colony. To protect themselves and fight for the English king, two companies of volunteer militia (citizen soldiers) were formed in Williamsburg. These companies joined others from coastal Carolina to form a regiment. They trained and drilled in Kingstree. They also built a strong wooden fort called a stockade to protect residents in case of an Indian attack.
American Revolution
When the American Revolution began, some young men from Williamsburg joined the army. They were sent to defend Charleston. However, Charleston surrendered to the British in early 1780. The soldiers were then allowed to go home, promising to stay neutral in the war.
The British quickly set up military posts across South Carolina, including one in nearby Georgetown. Many Tories (people loyal to the British king) in the upstate areas joined the British forces. The Presbyterian settlers in Williamsburg initially wanted to stay out of the war.
However, the British made a big mistake. The colonial governor ordered all men who had been paroled (released after promising neutrality) to take up arms for the King. The people felt this broke the agreement. They sent Captain John James, a local militia officer, to the fort in Georgetown to get an explanation. The British commander, Captain Ardesoif, treated him badly. When James returned, he quickly gathered four companies of militia. They were placed under the command of Francis Marion, a skilled leader of French Huguenot background.
Marion became one of the most effective military officers of the Revolution. His militia was completely loyal to him. They served without pay and provided their own weapons and horses, or captured them from the British.
The Williamsburg area was the only part of South Carolina that the British could not fully control. The British tried to set up a base at Willtown, but Marion's men defeated them in the Battle of Mingo Creek. Marion not only won battles against stronger forces with few losses, but he also won a moral victory that helped turn the tide of the Revolution in South Carolina.
Marion helped the Patriot cause in two ways. First, he held onto a part of the colony that the British couldn't enter, which boosted the spirits of Patriot forces everywhere. Second, when his men needed horses, boats, weapons, or food, or had to destroy them to keep them from the British, Marion gave the owners receipts. This was very different from British officers like Banastre Tarleton and James Wemyss, who burned and looted Williamsburg early in the war. The British even burned the Williamsburg and Indiantown Presbyterian churches, calling them "hotbeds of rebellion." This made the settlers very angry.
After the war, when settlers showed their receipts from Marion to the new state government, the state paid them back for their losses.
Marion relied on local people to quickly get information about British movements. The British officers tried to catch him but had little success. Both sides used spies, but the people of Williamsburg were loyal to Marion. Tarleton, frustrated that he couldn't catch Marion, called him "The Swamp Fox."
The Williamsburg Militia served when needed, coming quickly when called. But they also stayed home to plant and harvest crops and do other duties whenever possible. Toward the end of the war, Marion could quickly call up a couple of thousand men. Marion's Men held their territory alone until General Nathanael Greene arrived later in the war. They helped Greene's forces push the British out of their upstate posts and back to Charleston. From there, the British eventually surrendered and left by ship.
