Paul Grimball Esq. of Edisto Island
1640-1695
Following Cromwell's death in England, Anthony Ashley Cooper and others were of crucial importance in returning Charles II to the throne (1660). In appreciation, Charles II granted 8 men (the Lord's Proprietors) land grants in the Carolina colony.
Paul Grimball was an enterprising man in England, attributed to be a merchant, who through applications to Lord Shaftesbury ( Ashley Cooper )obtained a land grant in the Carolina province.
This provisional grant, issued on April 10, 1861, would provide him 3000 acres of land to settle on the Ashley River. Successful completion of this grant would involve achieving the goal of bringing over 40 people to the colony. According to the Fundamental Constitutions of the Carolina province, to be lord of this 3000 acre manor the task must be completed in 5 years; unfortunately Grimball's commission did not arrive before the grant expired but with those he did bring to the colony he had a good start on qualifying for a 1600 acre grant of land.
His arrival in Charleston (February 1682) was occupied at first with presenting his credentials and getting his family placed.
View Larger Map
His choice however was obtain and construct a home on 1600 acres at "Point of Pines" on Edisto Island. This was a most advantageous location on the North Edisto River with easy access to the Atlantic Ocean and inter coastal waterways to Charlesto and Port Royal.
View Larger Map
View Larger Map
This made him one of the first English settlers on Edisto Island. Within a few months the governor and other proprietors deputies appointed Grimball as one of the four assistant justices for the newly created Berkeley County Court. It was said of Grimball that he was a hysterically funny man in the company of others, honest, hot and martial and inclined to "the love of a penny". He enjoyed his home on Edisto and only maintained a room in Charleston in the service of duties to the government.
Paul Grimball Esq. functioned as a public servant in the midst of troubled times and its these, troubling issues, that make his life so interesting.
Grimball was an English merchant who amassed great wealth and political connections before being appointed by the Lord's Proprietors. His background begs the question; Why would a man so comfortably placed in England choose to move his wife Mary Stoney and five children to an unsettled land with virtually no governmental system in place. I believe the answer lies in his ambitious, perfectionist personality which can be seen in his financial dealings and his record keeping as a colony office holder. By 1684 Grimball was appointed as a deputy secretary of the colony, and later records show him taking the oath of office as a provincial officer on 6 October 1685 becoming colony secretary in 1686.
Troubled times in the colony occurred as a result of several sets of issues that rested in the opinions of two different groups of colonists. Those immigrants from Barbados, settling in the Goose Creek area (the Goose Creek Men) and the Anglican immigrants from England (the Dissenters).
The Barbadians practised trade with pirates and in trading slaves (Indian) and fought any land reforms as coming from proprietors who the Goose Creeh men believed were out of touch with local issues.
The Dissenters were against Indian slave trade and were loyal to the interests of the proprietors and the Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina. Paul Grimball fell into this category as an appointee and official of the proprietary colony. He would serve under several colonial governors.
On Tuesday Aug 24 1686 Senior Allexander, Spaniard from St. Augustine, along with soldiers and arrived at "Point of Pines" and stayed 5 days while destroying (spoiling 3 houses on the property) Grimball's house , cattle and household goods at his home on Edisto. The Spaniards also destroyed Governor Joseph Morton's home at Toogoodoo, destroyed Stuart Town and had attacked Port Royal. They were on their way to Charleston when a hurricane drove them back to a hasty retreat.
It seems that the Spanish must have had very good intelligence in that they knew where the governor and the colonial secretary lived.
Governor James Colleton, youngest son of the three John Colleton sons arrived in November 1686 just in time to quell a planned revenge attack on the Spanish at Saint Augustine.
Jul 1687 Grimball became a member of the committee to consider modification of the Fundamental Constitutions.This constitution, originally written by John Locke and modified by Anthony Ashley Cooper in 1699 and 1670, became one of the contentious issues in the Carolina colony. At issue were the rights of the settlers versus the rights of the absentee proprietors. Further modifications in Jan 1682 and again in August 1682 continued to cause dissension as it centered on land grants, quit rents, Indian slave trade and trade with pirates.
10 Oct 1687 The Lord's Proprietors appoint Paul Grimball as their "Receiver Generall and Escheator for the parts of the Carolina province south of Cape Fear. An Escheator was an officer in charge of rendering vacated lands back to the feudal lord or barring that the Crown.
1688 Feb 13 Appointed Secretary of the Province and served to Oct 15 1690. Among other duties the management of the proper survey and recording of property transactions in the colony which was of major importance as the rents and funds of purchase were to be distributed to the proprietors and apportioned to the running of provincial government.
The Goose Creek men and Dissenters were still at odds in the summer of 1690 over the issue of trade in Indian slaves as well as with trading with pirates. Paul Grimball was supportive of Governor James Colleton as Colleton tried to impose martial law to prevent this illicit activity. Unfortunately an unscrupulous Seth Sothel had purchased the Clarendon proprietorship, and therefore senior to the sitting governor, took over the government by deposing Colleton and subsequently jailing Grimball. Sothel replaced secretary Grimball with George Muschamp.
1690 Oct 18 Arriving too late to be effective the Proprietors instructions direct James Colleton and Paul Grimball and others of their trustees to sell grants of non- town lands no greater than 6000 acres at one shilling apiece with Paul Grimball to be their designated receiver of funds which would then be forwarded to England.
1692 April 9 Following the overtaking of government by Sothel the proprietors determined to replace Sothel and sent Philip Ludwell as governor and to reinstate Grimball as colony secretary. This appointment authorized him to be present at all meetings of the Palentine Court and grand council, keeping an exact record of their acts and orders, to receive from the surveyor Generall all land surveys and conveyances and to draw up all leases and conveyances as the Proprietors direct and keep accurate records. As a result of his positions in government his name appears many times in public documents as either the official or witness on behalf of the province. Shortly after his reinstatement he purchased land on the south side of the Ashley and is listed, "29 May 1692 Paul Grimball (Merchant) purchases 130 acres for 50 pounds sterling from Samuell Boswood (Taylor)".
13 Dec 1695 being in ill health and aged Grimball filed his last will and testament. He was extended some courtesies by Governor Archdale allowing a deputy to assist him while Grimball remained at his beloved Edisto. He served until his death in Feb 1696
20 Feb 1696 Last Will proved before Thomas Cary Secretary
He had five children who married well and whose sir names became a part of Edisto history even to this day.
Daughter: Anne married Christopher Linkley
Daughter: Mary married John Hamilton (Hamilton served as Deputy Secretary
to Paul Grimball)
Daughter: Providence married Lawrence Dennis
Son: John married and left wife and children in England
Son: Thomas married Elizabeth Adams
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Watts Cut
Watts Cut
In 1925 Congress authorized the widening of the Watts Cut connection of the Dawhoo River to the South Edisto River.This work was a dredging operation to widen the waterway to 75 feet and to a depth of 7 feet. All this in an effort to increase the usefulness of the intercoastal waterway. Watts Cut begins about 1 1/2 miles west of the Dawhoo Bridge and extends about 2 more miles to the South Edisto. Later this connection was widened to 90 feet and a depth of 12 feet. Several engagements of Union and Rebel forces occured here and on Jehossee Island near the Cut.
View Larger Map
In 1925 Congress authorized the widening of the Watts Cut connection of the Dawhoo River to the South Edisto River.This work was a dredging operation to widen the waterway to 75 feet and to a depth of 7 feet. All this in an effort to increase the usefulness of the intercoastal waterway. Watts Cut begins about 1 1/2 miles west of the Dawhoo Bridge and extends about 2 more miles to the South Edisto. Later this connection was widened to 90 feet and a depth of 12 feet. Several engagements of Union and Rebel forces occured here and on Jehossee Island near the Cut.
View Larger Map
Monday, September 6, 2010
Origins of Sea Island Cotton
Sea Island Cotton is a high quality fiber with a comparatively long staple of 1 1/2' to 2 1/2 " and having a "silky " texture to the touch. First detectable in 4200 BC on the coast of Peru and grown predominately in South America till 1000 CE. From there it moved to the West Indies and specifically Barbados where the British fabric trade grew and valued it highly.
When the English plantation owners began to run out of land to expand on Barbados, they transported it with slaves to the coastal islands of South Carolina and Georgia and began to grow it on Edisto Island.
On the island the crop found perfect conditions , full sun, high humidity, perfect soil conditions and plentiful rain for growth. It soon became the the most financially rewarding crop on the island supplanting Indigo , a bluish dye previously favored in England. From this production the cotton became known as Sea Island Cotton a name known today for its high quality and cost.
The boll weevil came across the south starting about 1916 and by 1919 the cotton crop was a thing of the past.
When the English plantation owners began to run out of land to expand on Barbados, they transported it with slaves to the coastal islands of South Carolina and Georgia and began to grow it on Edisto Island.
On the island the crop found perfect conditions , full sun, high humidity, perfect soil conditions and plentiful rain for growth. It soon became the the most financially rewarding crop on the island supplanting Indigo , a bluish dye previously favored in England. From this production the cotton became known as Sea Island Cotton a name known today for its high quality and cost.
The boll weevil came across the south starting about 1916 and by 1919 the cotton crop was a thing of the past.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Crossing the Dawhoo -- The Dawhoo Bridge
Since colonial times a private ferry operated at the narrows of Dawhoo River. It was not heavily used since there were two alternate elevated causeways. These causeways were barely elevated above the tidal marsh. They would flood at high tide and were rough, dangerous and frequently washed out in minor storms.
November 7 1861 the Union forces captured Port Royal. As a result the Confederate forces ordered that Edisto Island be evacuated of its inhabitants and all resources of possible use to the Union army be destroyed. This order came on November 9 and several steamers were sent to render assistance at the ferry landing at Dawhoo Creek. In addition, barges were detached to the Dawhoo ferry site to permit about 2000 island cattle to be crossed and taken to Adams Run to feed the confederate encampment there.
During the next year shallow draft steamers and flat boats were used to patrol the Dawhoo in the prosecution of the war effort.
Once again in 1893 the Dawhoo ferry and other steamers were used to aid the evacuation of the island prior to the hurricane that destroyed the beach village of Edingsville. The steamer and ferry effort was insufficient to the task before the storm.
Lessons learned from the storm motivated about 30 planters in 1898 to petition for a bridge to be built to cross the Dawhoo at Pinebury. Twenty years later in 1918 a one lane bridge was authorized and completed in 1920 at the old ferry location. This bridge was an all-wood construction swing span bridge with the exception of the steel draw purchased second hand from a Georgia railroad application.
The draw was a hand crank operation requiring the operator to walk in a large circle pushing through reduction gearing in order to turn the bridge. The bridge itself had no brake mechanism and would require a great effort to position it against a strong wind.
The bridge operator would keep a close ear and sharp eye to the river traffic. Whenever a boat would approach and sound three blasts of the horn the operator would open the bridge to allow the boat to pass. He would then record the time of passage, boat name, homeport and type of vessel along with any towed vessels. Typically the boatman would give a big wave, as he would pass by. This record was kept to enable the last known location to be established should the vessel go missing.
The bridge has been condemned several times for heavy traffic. It was built in 1918 to connect Edisto Island to the mainland and is the only bridge access to the island. It was constructed completely out of wood with only the draw portion being of steel. The draw had previously seen service as a railroad bridge draw. The draw would provide a clearance of 60 feet. Since it was not constructed with federal road money the government was struggling for a reason to supply repair funds since the state of SC had failed to include it in a post war aid package for state highways.Lions Club Members asked Sen. Burnet R. Maybank (D SC) to investigate. He replied with letters to the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads.
Dec 29 1951 The Charleston News and Courier headline read, “Edisto Islanders May have to wait on the Dawhoo Bridge”. Islanders may have to “Rock” along on the old wooden bridge across the Dawhoo River for a while longer.
Subsequently a second bridge was completed in 1954 re-using the old railroad draw but now electrified with a 220 Volt motor. To the consternation of a few of the islanders the bridge would often get stuck in the open position and cause travel delays.
In 1993 for the cost of 16.5 million dollars a new bridge was constructed across the Dawhoo giving a clearance of 80 feet to inland waterway traffic. It was named in honor of Rev. McKinley Washington Jr., a local state senator and civil rights leader who was instrumental in obtaining monies for the new bridge.
Credit to : http://www.calgriffin.com/Edisto_Big_Bridge/page_2340968.html
November 7 1861 the Union forces captured Port Royal. As a result the Confederate forces ordered that Edisto Island be evacuated of its inhabitants and all resources of possible use to the Union army be destroyed. This order came on November 9 and several steamers were sent to render assistance at the ferry landing at Dawhoo Creek. In addition, barges were detached to the Dawhoo ferry site to permit about 2000 island cattle to be crossed and taken to Adams Run to feed the confederate encampment there.
During the next year shallow draft steamers and flat boats were used to patrol the Dawhoo in the prosecution of the war effort.
Once again in 1893 the Dawhoo ferry and other steamers were used to aid the evacuation of the island prior to the hurricane that destroyed the beach village of Edingsville. The steamer and ferry effort was insufficient to the task before the storm.
Lessons learned from the storm motivated about 30 planters in 1898 to petition for a bridge to be built to cross the Dawhoo at Pinebury. Twenty years later in 1918 a one lane bridge was authorized and completed in 1920 at the old ferry location. This bridge was an all-wood construction swing span bridge with the exception of the steel draw purchased second hand from a Georgia railroad application.
The draw was a hand crank operation requiring the operator to walk in a large circle pushing through reduction gearing in order to turn the bridge. The bridge itself had no brake mechanism and would require a great effort to position it against a strong wind.
The bridge operator would keep a close ear and sharp eye to the river traffic. Whenever a boat would approach and sound three blasts of the horn the operator would open the bridge to allow the boat to pass. He would then record the time of passage, boat name, homeport and type of vessel along with any towed vessels. Typically the boatman would give a big wave, as he would pass by. This record was kept to enable the last known location to be established should the vessel go missing.
The bridge has been condemned several times for heavy traffic. It was built in 1918 to connect Edisto Island to the mainland and is the only bridge access to the island. It was constructed completely out of wood with only the draw portion being of steel. The draw had previously seen service as a railroad bridge draw. The draw would provide a clearance of 60 feet. Since it was not constructed with federal road money the government was struggling for a reason to supply repair funds since the state of SC had failed to include it in a post war aid package for state highways.Lions Club Members asked Sen. Burnet R. Maybank (D SC) to investigate. He replied with letters to the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads.
Dec 29 1951 The Charleston News and Courier headline read, “Edisto Islanders May have to wait on the Dawhoo Bridge”. Islanders may have to “Rock” along on the old wooden bridge across the Dawhoo River for a while longer.
Subsequently a second bridge was completed in 1954 re-using the old railroad draw but now electrified with a 220 Volt motor. To the consternation of a few of the islanders the bridge would often get stuck in the open position and cause travel delays.
In 1993 for the cost of 16.5 million dollars a new bridge was constructed across the Dawhoo giving a clearance of 80 feet to inland waterway traffic. It was named in honor of Rev. McKinley Washington Jr., a local state senator and civil rights leader who was instrumental in obtaining monies for the new bridge.
Credit to : http://www.calgriffin.com/Edisto_Big_Bridge/page_2340968.html
Monday, August 30, 2010
McConkey's Island
Edisto Beach History
Edisto Island is an island south of Charleston, South Carolina that has changed more slowly than other beach developments over the years, maintaining a family atmosphere and laid back attitude in its commercial development.
Edisto Beach, earlier known as McConkeys Island was purchased by 6 Sumter Investors in 1925, who were enthusiastic about the coastal development occurring in Florida and in Myrtle Beach.
They purchased the 4 1/2 miles of coastal beach from Jeremy Inlet.... the northern most part of Edisto Beach State Park , south down to Bay Point and around into St Helena Sound for 1 1/2 miles.They paid $60,000 for the entire beach and intended to sell beach front lots of 75x125 feet for $1000.
It was all a second growth maritime forest and the locals said it was a jungle (thus the future name of Jungle Road. An Orangeburg construction investor traded cutting a road and covering it with black soil for 32 lots on the beach front. This was initially named McConkey boulevard became Palmetto Blvd.
For further reading see: Edisto Island, 1861 to 2006: Ruin, Recovery and Rebirth - Google Books Result Charles Spencer - 2008 - History - 224 pages
Edisto Island is an island south of Charleston, South Carolina that has changed more slowly than other beach developments over the years, maintaining a family atmosphere and laid back attitude in its commercial development.
Edisto Beach, earlier known as McConkeys Island was purchased by 6 Sumter Investors in 1925, who were enthusiastic about the coastal development occurring in Florida and in Myrtle Beach.
They purchased the 4 1/2 miles of coastal beach from Jeremy Inlet.... the northern most part of Edisto Beach State Park , south down to Bay Point and around into St Helena Sound for 1 1/2 miles.They paid $60,000 for the entire beach and intended to sell beach front lots of 75x125 feet for $1000.
It was all a second growth maritime forest and the locals said it was a jungle (thus the future name of Jungle Road. An Orangeburg construction investor traded cutting a road and covering it with black soil for 32 lots on the beach front. This was initially named McConkey boulevard became Palmetto Blvd.
For further reading see: Edisto Island, 1861 to 2006: Ruin, Recovery and Rebirth - Google Books Result Charles Spencer - 2008 - History - 224 pages
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)