Dorchester, South Carolina
Encyclopedia
Dorchester was a town in South Carolina
. Situated on the Ashley River
around 18 miles (29 km) from Charleston
, it was founded in February 1696 by the followers of Reverend Joseph Lord
from Dorchester
, Massachusetts
, who gave it the same name of the town whence they had emigrated, which was in turn named after the English
town Dorchester. It was abandoned in 1751.
, who had requested a generous land grant for him, on November 20, 1676, he was given 1800 acres (7 km²) of land that included the Boo-shoo-ee region and the nearby Boshoe Swamp. He therefore received the title "John Smith of Boo-shoo". When he died in December 1682, his wife remarried Arthur Middleton, and when he died two years later in 1684, Ralph Izard. Since John Smith was childless, his land grant lapsed after he died.
On December 5, a skiff carrying the settlers left the Boston Town Dock. A storm engulfed the ship four days into the journey, on December 9, nearly sinking it, and the passengers held a day of prayer for deliverance through the maelstrom. The storm's wind blew southward, however, and it actually propelled the ship so quickly that it arrived in Charles Town after only six days on December 20, when the journey should have taken two weeks. There was a mixed reaction to their arrival. Many residents, including the governor, Joseph Blake, were of the opinion that the party should settle on the Pon Pon River, at New London. However, Joseph Lord did obtain a 1800 acres (7 km²) land grant- the same that had lapsed John Smith's ownership. The immigrant party settled the Boo-shoo-ee area, which had been surveyed in advance, in late 1684, by one of the settlers, William Norman. On February 2, the party held church services for the first time under a large oak tree.
The new settlers first built crude wooden lean-tos to live in, and set to work on the more important task - building a church. They named the church Old White Meeting House, after the Reverend John White of England, who had supported their emigration. They also recycled the name Dorchester for the new town, and intentionally built it to resemble other Dorchesters they had come from. On November 1 of that year, after the town had been established, the church at Dorchester, Massachusetts approved the emigration of dozens more to the new village.
Lyman Hall
, resettled at Midway, Georgia
, though some moved to North Carolina
and other back to Massachusetts.
In 1781, during the American Revolution
, the Old White Meeting House burned down, and although it was later rebuilt, it was abandoned after the Civil War and destroyed during an earthquake in 1886
.
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. Situated on the Ashley River
Ashley River (South Carolina)
The Ashley River is a blackwater / tidal river in South Carolina, rising from the Wassamassaw and Great Cypress Swamps in western Berkeley County. It consolidates its main channel about five miles west of Summerville, widening into a tidal estuary just south of Fort Dorchester...
around 18 miles (29 km) from Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, it was founded in February 1696 by the followers of Reverend Joseph Lord
Joseph Lord
Joseph Lord was a Puritan pastor, physician, and biologist in colonial America in the late 17th century and early 18th century...
from Dorchester
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, who gave it the same name of the town whence they had emigrated, which was in turn named after the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
town Dorchester. It was abandoned in 1751.
History
The town was located near the mouths of Dorchester Creek and Eagle's Creek (Named for Richard Eagle, who bought the land where a road crossed the creek around 1734), where they flowed into the Ashley. To the local Native Americans, this region, especially the land between the two mouths, was referred to as Boo-shoo-ee. It is unknown what exactly the name meant, although the -ee suffix probably referred to water, given that nearly all other names ending in -ee referred to a water feature.John Smith
In 1675, a wealthy Englishman named John Smith arrived in South Carolina with his wife Mary. Because he was a personal friend of the influential Earl of ShaftesburyEarl of Shaftesbury
Earl of Shaftesbury is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1672 for Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Baron Ashley, a prominent politician in the Cabal then dominating the policies of King Charles II...
, who had requested a generous land grant for him, on November 20, 1676, he was given 1800 acres (7 km²) of land that included the Boo-shoo-ee region and the nearby Boshoe Swamp. He therefore received the title "John Smith of Boo-shoo". When he died in December 1682, his wife remarried Arthur Middleton, and when he died two years later in 1684, Ralph Izard. Since John Smith was childless, his land grant lapsed after he died.
Founding
On October 20, 1695, Reverend Joseph Lord and two of his supporters were officially given permission by the church at Dorchester, Massachusetts to lead a congregation south into South Carolina. Two days later, on October 22, Lord held a gathering where he asked his parishioners to accompany him to the site of the future township. After receiving the endorsement of the well-liked Reverend John Danforth, six more agreed to embark, bringing the total to nine of prospective emigrants. Four of these, however, do not appear in any records as having settled in the new town, so it is possible they changed their minds or died during the trip. At least one did not make it through the journey, as one of the settlers, William Pratt, specifically stated in his diary that there were less than nine when they arrived in South Carolina.On December 5, a skiff carrying the settlers left the Boston Town Dock. A storm engulfed the ship four days into the journey, on December 9, nearly sinking it, and the passengers held a day of prayer for deliverance through the maelstrom. The storm's wind blew southward, however, and it actually propelled the ship so quickly that it arrived in Charles Town after only six days on December 20, when the journey should have taken two weeks. There was a mixed reaction to their arrival. Many residents, including the governor, Joseph Blake, were of the opinion that the party should settle on the Pon Pon River, at New London. However, Joseph Lord did obtain a 1800 acres (7 km²) land grant- the same that had lapsed John Smith's ownership. The immigrant party settled the Boo-shoo-ee area, which had been surveyed in advance, in late 1684, by one of the settlers, William Norman. On February 2, the party held church services for the first time under a large oak tree.
The new settlers first built crude wooden lean-tos to live in, and set to work on the more important task - building a church. They named the church Old White Meeting House, after the Reverend John White of England, who had supported their emigration. They also recycled the name Dorchester for the new town, and intentionally built it to resemble other Dorchesters they had come from. On November 1 of that year, after the town had been established, the church at Dorchester, Massachusetts approved the emigration of dozens more to the new village.
Downfall
However, the town would be short-lived. After Reverend Lord moved back to Massachusetts in 1720, the state of the town gradually worsened. The residents were unaccustomed to the hot climate and many fell ill to rampant disease. In addition, the resources near the town were insufficient to support a large number of residents. In 1751, the townspeople abandoned the village. Most, including future signer of the Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
Lyman Hall
Lyman Hall
Lyman Hall , physician, clergyman, and statesman, was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Georgia. Hall County is named after him.-Early life and family:...
, resettled at Midway, Georgia
Midway, Georgia
Midway is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, United States. It is a part of the Hinesville-Fort Stewart metropolitan statistical area. Midway is situated near Savannah, Brunswick, St. Simons Island, and Jekyll Island. The population was 1,100 as of the 2000 census.Midway has several museums...
, though some moved to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and other back to Massachusetts.
In 1781, during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, the Old White Meeting House burned down, and although it was later rebuilt, it was abandoned after the Civil War and destroyed during an earthquake in 1886
Charleston earthquake
The Charleston Earthquake of 1886 was a powerful intraplate earthquake that hit the area of Charleston, South Carolina. After the 1811 and 1812 quakes in New Madrid, Missouri, it is one of the most powerful and damaging quakes to hit the southeastern United States. The shaking occurred at 9:50 p.m....
.
Present
The ruins of the Old White Meeting House and its cemetery are owned and maintained by its successor congregation, Summerville Presbyterian Church.External links
- The Town of Dorchester, in South Carolina
- The Baptists of Maine and South Carolina
- Cemetery led to oversight of Dorchester ruins
- Joseph Lord
- Letters of Joseph Lord
- Liberty County, Georgia and the Abandonment of Dorchester
- Lyman Hall Biography
- Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site
- Webquest for Colonial Dorchester