1700 – Religion.

The Rising Sun arrived from Scotland, with several hundred Presbyterians, led by Rev. Archibald Stobo. Members of the White Meeting House met Rev. Stobo and invited him ashore to preach the next day. Stobo, his family and twelve other passengers disembarked.

1749 – Religion.

Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, c. 1812 by John Reubens Smith. Note: This building was destroyed by the 1838 fire but the smaller building pictured in the drawing survived and stands today on Hassel Street.

The first Jewish meeting in Charlestown took place. According to Jewish practice there must be a minyan, or ten males over the age of thirteen, for services to take place. They adopted the name Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim – holy Congregation of the House of God. They used a small wooden house on Union Street (now State) for their worship services until 1750, when the purchased land on Hasell Street. 

1780 – Laurens Captured

During Henry Laurens’ return voyage from the Netherlands, the British frigate Vestal intercepted his ship, the continental packet Mercury, off the banks of Newfoundland. Laurens tossed his dispatches overboard, but they were retrieved by the British, who discovered the draft of a possible U.S.-Dutch treaty, prompting Britain to declare war on the Netherlands. The British charged Laurens with treason and transported him to England for trial.

1783 – Treaty of Paris

Treaty of Paris was signed by Benjamin Franklin, John Jay and John Adams. Henry Laurens of Charleston, who had participated in the negotiations for the Americans, left Paris before the signing ceremony. In a letter to his wife Abagail, John Adams stated:

I have the Satisfaction to inform you that the definitive Treaties were all Signed yesterday, and the Preliminaries with Holland were Signed the day before. Dr. Franklin has fallen down again with the Gout and Gravel … Mr. Laurens , has a Brother declining, so that he will go to the south of France, untill he knows his Brother’s Fates.

1820 – New Intendent

James Hamilton was elected Intendent (mayor) of Charleston.