The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-03-16
THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1922
Aliens in Ancient Viii.
liamsburg.
(By William Willis Boddie)

(By William Willis Boddie)
King George decreed that fifty acres
OF land in Williamsburg township
should be granted to each man, wom-
ar and child actually settling in the
district after it was surveyed in 1736.
There were some people in the colony
Of South Carolina who realized that
this land or Black river was extra
ordinary coed" and that a grant here
would prove profitable, although they
themselves were unwilling 70 live
through the pioneer days in the town.
snip. These people. by virtue OF in
fiuence on the authorities, secured
grants to some of the best land in
the township.
The township was filled immediate
ly after it was plotted. Since some
who did not actually settle secured
grants, many bona fide settlers were
compelled to move in as tenants and
many good prospective settlers were
forced to secure lands in etEer places
in the colony of South Carolina.
Many of these tenants and Of those
elsewhere were friends end relatives
of the actual settlers in Williams
burg. These outsiders holding grants
to land in the township t. the preju-
Gice of those who were willing to
settle was a thorn in the flesh to
those who lived here. Once the
actual settlers petitioned the council
cf the colony to revoke the grants
1cade to all save bona fide occupants.
The council paid but little attention
to this petition. Then the actual set
tiers in the township on January 1s,
1742, petitioned Henry Mccullough,
Eca., who had charge Of the grant
ing of lands in the colonies Of North
and of South Carolina, 20 afford them
desired relief.
This petition shows the names OF
aIl to whom land had been granted
hut did not live in the township.
These are they: George Hunter, John
Ballentine, Capt. John Cleland, the
Rev. John Baxter, Charles Starnes,
Andrew Rutledge, Esq, David Har-
lee, Thomas Potts, John Hammerton,
Esq, Thomas Monk, Bridget Hughes,
Samuel Poitovine, Capt. James Fish
er, John Scott, Elisha Screven, Capt.
John Whitfield, Sarah Blakeway, Jane
Eldridge, John Wilson, Lieut.. Thom-
rs Harrington, and Captain Atkins.
These outsiders, aftez. considerable
trouble, either settled in the town.
ship or disposed Of their lands.
This petition to Henry Mccullough
recites, among other things, that there
were then m the township more than
$50 heads of families. It is signed
by the following "good and lawful"
heads of families then atually living
on the lands granted to them: James
Bradley, John Bradley, Alexander
Scott, William Bradley, Thomas Nc
Cree, (McCrca), John Fleming, James
Scott, Thomas Bradley, Samuel Brad
ley, William Dick, Thor,as Scott,
Patrick Lindsay, William Mccormick,
Joseph Anderson, James Armstrong,
John Moon, Henry Montgomery, Will
liam Presley, John James, John
Fleming, John Hamilton, Robert
Witherspoon, John Dick, Robert Will
son, Roger Gibson, George Burrows,
Adam Strain, John Watson, Aoagbel
Campbell, David Witherspoon, John
McCulloh, (McCuilough), James Gam
BILE, George Montgomery John Nc
Knight, William James, Alexander
McCree, (McCrea), Robert Mason,
Jchn Presley, Hugh McGill, John
Matthews, John Anderson, James
Dick, John Lemon, Robert McCough-
try (McCottry), John McFadding
(McFaddin), John Anderson, James
McClelland, John Blakeley, James
Laws, Roger Gordon, William Nc
knight, David Wilson, Thomas Nc
Cree (McCrea). John Scott, John Lev