CHAPTER XXIV.

St. Peter's Parish.

THIS Parish was established by an Act passed Feb. 17, 1746-7, and was formed of "the township of Purysburgh, and all that part of St. Helena's Parish which lies to the westward of a division line to be run due north, from the bridge near the head of the main branch of Day's-Creek, until it meets King-Creek." The Act directed that the Church or Chapel, and the dwelling house wherein the Rev. Mr. Chiffelle had preached and dwelt, should be the Parish Church and Parsonage-House of St. Peter's Parish. The Rector or Minister was to be elected as in other Parishes, and to receive a salary of £100 Proc. Money.

Purysburgh, in 1735, contained near 100 dwellings. It was settled by emigrants from Switzerland, under Col. John Peter Pury, of Neufchatel.* He was a man of enterprize, and had been a Director General of the French East-India Company. The first colony of Switzers arrived in Nov. and Dec. 1732, and con

The first Swiss known to have emigrated to Carolina, was a man of good family and reputation. In a Letter to the Governor, from the Lords Proprietors, they say: "Mr. Jean Francois de Geuillatt, being the first of his nation that hath made known to us his design of settling in Carolina, and having showed us Testimony of his honorable extraction, and we being willing to encourage more of the Swiss nation to become settlers in our Province, have thought fit, and do hereby require you to order the Surveyor General, to admeasure out for the said Jean Francois de Geuillatt, three thousand acres of land," &c. signed by the Palatine and Lords Proprietors, July 3, 1686. And by their Letter of July 14, 1687, it was declared to be a free gift, paying only "an ear of Indian corn when lawfully demanded."

sisted of 152; the second arrived some time after, and consisted of 200. They settled on the N. E. bank of Savannah River, and named the place after the promoter of their settlement. Their first Minister was the Rev. Joseph Bugnion. He exhibited his testimonials to Commissary Garden, Nov. 25, 1732, by which it appears that, he was Ordained by Dr. Clagett, Bishop of St. David's, Deacon, July 23, and Priest. July 25, 1732. Pe was naturalized conformably to a law of the Province, Feb. 23, 1733. Mr. Bugnion continued in this Parish to the end of 1734, when he removed to St. James', Santee. In 1744, the Rev. Henry Chiffelle arrived in the Province, as the first Missionary from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, to St. Peter's Parish. He was a native of Switzerland; and was Ordained by Dr. Gibson, Bishop of London, Deacon, July 14, and Priest, July 21, 1734. He continued in this Mission until his death in 1758, and was succeeded by the Rev. Abraham Imer, who arrived in the Province in 1760, and died in 1766.

There has been no Incumbent since the Revolution. Divine Service has occasionally been performed, by. visiting Clergymen. No organized Episcopal Congregation exists here at present.

The Journals are not extant. In 1819, there were in this Parish 1525 white Inhabitants.

CHAPTER XXV.

St. Luke's Parish.

THIS Parish was established in Granville County by an Act passed May 23, 1767. It had formerly been a part of the Parish of St. Helena, and was usually called the Indian lands. A Parish Church and Parsonage-House was directed to be built, in such part of the Parish as the Commissioners should deem proper. Messrs. Daniel Heyward, John Heyward, Daniel Pepper, Richard Proctor, John Garvey, William Hazard and Stephen Drayton, were appointed Commissioners for erecting the building, purchasing a Glebe, and receiving subscriptions for these purposes. The Rector or Minister to be elected, and to receive the same salary, as Ministers of other Parishes. The Church was not built.

We are indebted to William Hort, Esq. for some account of the Church in this Parish. Mr. Hort, having removed with his family to May River, in 1786, was desirous of promoting the building of a Church in his neighbourhood. In this pious intention he was joined by Messrs. John Bull, James Garvey, George Hipp, Jacob Guerard, and Daniel Stevens.* Some found Materials for the building, and others workmanship. Mr. Bull gave four acres of land for the site of the Church. Through the exertions of these gentle

Intendant of Charleston in 1819.

men the Church was built. It is of wood, 40 feet long by 36 wide. It is conveniently Pewed, has a handsome Pulpit, and the Windows are arched and glazed.

An Act of Incorporation was obtained from the Legislature, Feb. 29, 1788; and on the 5th May following Messrs. William Hort, John Bull, Jacob Guerard, Richard Proctor and John Cole were elected Vestrymen; and James Garvey and George Hipp, Churchwardens. A respectable congregation was soon collected, and through the influence of Capt. Stoney and Mr. Fripp, another congregation was formed, and a Church built on Hilton Island. subscriptions for the support of a Minister, at both places, were about $700. Divine Service was performed alternately at each Church, and as there was no Parsonage, the Minister resided with his Parishioners.

The

The following Clergymen were settled in this Parish: The Rev. Andrew M'Cully in 1791 and 1792; the Rev. John O'Donnell. The Rev. Philip Matthews, was elected Rector, April 27, 1811. Neither of these Gentlemen remained long in the cure. The Rev. Christian Hanckell was afterwards elected; but having been appointed Nov. 29, 1815, Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in the College of South-Carolina, he removed to Columbia.

There are some Funds belonging to this Parish. It is at present [1819] without an Incumbent; but evidences exist of a disposition to restore the Worship of the Church.

In 1819, there were 838 white Inhabitants in this Parish.

CHAPTER XXVI.

IN addition to the twenty-four Parishes established by law, there are other Churches and Congregations, which remain now to be considered.

Sect. 1. Cuffee-Town.

In the years 1764 and 1770 a considerable number of Palatines arrived in Carolina. They were settled in one of the Townships, called Londonderry, in Edgefield District, at a place called Cuffee-Town. In 1770, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, sent the Rev. Samuel Frederick Lucius as their Missionary to these people. In a Letter, dated at Cuffee-Town, Oct. 25, 1770, he informed the Society of his arrival in the Province, the preceding April, and that he had officiated in his Mission, for the first time, on Easter Sunday, to a numerous and attentive congregation. He stated that, he had 200 families under his pastoral care, who had been so long without the ordinances of religion, that their children were growing up "like savages." From April 13 to Sept. 29, he had baptised 40 children, and 30 adults; and the Lord's Table was attended by 60 communicants. No Episcopal Clergyman has been settled here, since the Revolution.