Purrysburg, South Carolina facts for kids

Purrysburg was once a small community in Jasper County, South Carolina. Even though the town itself was later abandoned, the people who settled there were successful in their goals. It was located right on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River, on a large area of land that was about 40,000 acres.

How Purrysburg Got Its Name

Purrysburg, also spelled in a few other ways like Purysburg, was named after a man named Jean-Pierre Purry. He was from a place called Neuchâtel. At that time, Neuchâtel was not part of Switzerland as it is today, but belonged to the King of Prussia.

Why Purry Started the Town

Jean-Pierre Purry led the first group of settlers to this area in 1731. He had a big plan for a new settlement. He first shared his idea with the Duke of Newcastle, who was a powerful person in the government. However, his idea didn't get much interest at first.

But things changed when Robert Johnson became the Royal Governor in 1729. Governor Johnson had a goal to make the frontier stronger and bigger. He wanted more European Protestants to settle in the area. This was important because it would help block the expansion of French and Spanish territories nearby. Purry's plan fit perfectly with what Governor Johnson wanted to achieve.

Life in the Early Settlement

By 1736, just a few years after it started, Purrysburg had grown quite a bit. There were about 100 houses and as many as 450 settlers living there. Most of the people who moved to Purrysburg were Swiss Protestants. They spoke either French or German and came from places like Neuchâtel and Geneva.

Challenges Faced by Settlers

At its busiest time, the town probably had fewer than 600 people living in it. However, the settlement faced some tough challenges. Many settlers got sick because of diseases and the unhealthy environment. They also had problems with land ownership, as some land grants overlapped.

Because of these difficulties, many people started to leave Purrysburg over the next few decades. They moved to other towns in South Carolina or to the newly developing state of Georgia. This is why the town eventually became abandoned.

Exploring Purrysburg's Past

Archaeologists have studied the site of Purrysburg to learn more about its history. In the 1980s, researchers like LePionka, Elliott, and Smith conducted studies there. More recently, archaeologists from the LAMAR Institute explored the town site. They were especially interested in its role during the American Revolutionary War, as it was a battlefield.

Modern Connections to Purrysburg

As of 2010, some members of the American De Pury family, who are descendants of Jean-Pierre Purry, live in Tampa and Pensacola, Florida.