Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-04-19
FRANCIS SALVADOR.
A Prominent Jewish Patriot In the RevoIu,
tlonary War.

ttonary War.
Editors Keowee Courier A friend
has handed me the following clip
ping from recent issue of Tho News
and Courier. The death Of Captain
Salvador occurred near the site of
Clemson College, about the time
| Williamson threw up the fortifica-
tions near Pendlcton, traces Of which
may be plainly seen at Stribling's
brickyard, and erected a fort at
Seneca, which he called Fort Rut-
ledge. 1t was in honor of this fort
John G. Calhoun named his planta-
tion "Fort HILL" May I ask You to
reprint the article as one of local
interest to your readers ?
WM. S. MORRISON.
Clemson College, S. c., April II.
The jewish Messenger, of New
York, publishes the following alb
stract of paper read by Leon Huh
ner, A. NJ, Ill. b., before the Amo-
rican Jewish Historical Society last
month. 1t is hard to reconcile the
Messengers statement that "abso-
lutcly nothing has been heretofore
published about Francis Salvador
with the citations made from Dray-
toms Memoirs and other historical
works on the Revolutionary era in
South Carolina. The Messenger
says:
MIR. lIuhner's paper was entitled
GA prominent Jewish Patriot in the
Revolutionary War;"
The patriot referred to was Francis
Salvador, of South Carolina, con-
cerning whose career absolutely no,
thing has been heretofore published
He not only assisted the patriot
cause financially and on the field OF
battle, but also appears to have beer
prominent rs one of the leaders ot
u..c Revolution, as the colleague ot
Rutledge, of Pmckney, of Drayton
The history Of the Salvador family
in England was briefly reviewed, and
it was pointed out that the family
was beyond doubt the most promi
nent in the Portuguese Congregation
at London during the mi die of the
last century. Joseph Salvador, the
uncle of Francis, was chosen to pre-
sent the respects Of the Portuguese
community to King George III upor
his accession to the throne. The
firm Of Joseph Il Jacob Salvador
composed Of the uncle and the ia
thcr of our patriot, frequently made
loans to the British Government.
Young Salvador appears to have
been carefully educated and to hav,
been reared III luxury. On attaining
his majority he inherited cG0,00C
sterling.
The greater portion of the fan.il,
wealth was swept away, however
owing in part to losses due to tho
earthquake of Lisbon and partly tc
the collapse of the East India Com
pany. The family still retained
large tracts OF land in South Caro-
lima, and to recover these Francis
Salvador started for the Now World
with the intention Of retrieving the
family fortunes.
At the time of his arrival in the
New World in 1918 he was about
80 or 40 years of age and appears tc
have brought considerable means
with him. In l774 we find him pur.
chasing additional property in South
Carolina.
by education, wealth and early as
sociations Francis Salvador certainl,
had every advantage to enable him
to become the intimate of the fore
most men Of the day. We soon FIND
him as the friend Of Rutledgc, Ham.
mond and Drayton.
Our PATRIOTS career in America
was very brief, but within the space
of three years he gained for himself
a lasting place in his adopted coun
try's history.
Within year Of his arrival nc
was elected a member of the Gene
raj Asscmblyof South Carolina, thus
being the first Jew to represent the
masses in a popular Assembly.
Shortly aftcrward, at the out
break of the Revolution, in January
l7G5, Francis Salvador was elected
member of the Provincial Congress
Of South Carolina for st. Marks
Goth district. His colleagues from
this district were Hammond, Rut.
ledge, Gcrvais and Calhoun.
Mr.. lIuhncr then rccountcd the
many important Acts of this Con
grcss, and how, finally, committees
were appointed to further the inter.
csts Of the Act Of the Association
That Salvador was a prominent
figure in the Congress is shown b,