1666

William Rhett was born in London, during the Great Fire.  Thirty-two years later he would move to Carolina and become one it’s most prominent citizens.

1700 – Hurricane!

A fierce hurricane hit Charles Town causing extensive damage to the waterfront fortifications being constructed and destroying the Rising Sun, killing its 200+ crew and passengers. Stobo viewed the event as God’s judgment. He wrote that “the ship’s crew were so filled with wickedness that they could hold no more; they were ripe, they must be cut down with the sickle of His wrath.”

Edward Hyme, a newly arrived immigrant, described the catastrophe to his wife in England:

On Tuesday September 3 here happened a most terrible Storm of Wind or Hurricane with continual Rain; which has done great Damage to ye Country. Thousands of Trees have been torn up by ye Roots, many Houses blown down & more damnified; much Rice Corn & c spoiled; but ye greatest Mischief fell amongst ye Shipping of which about a Dozen Sail (of all sorts) were riding at Anchor before ye Town, some of which were driven on Shoar & broke all in Pieces, some were carryed a great Way up into ye Two Rivers into Ashley River, in her way breaking down a Pair of Gallows (from which 8 Pirats at once were hanged since my coming here) some were turn’d Bottom upwards & lost. but ye greatest and most deplorable loss of all was that to a great Scotch Ship called ye Rising-Sun, which having lost all her Masts in a Huricane in ye Gulf of Florida was riding at Anchor with out our Bar, wth Designe to come in here & refit; but being a Ship of 800 tons & 60 guns she durst not venture in with out lightening to which Purpose One Sloop has already been on board her, but waiting for another, ye Storm rise & she foundred at Anchor, ye Captain (Gibson) & all ye souls on board (being about 100) misearbly perishing…

Rev. Stobo settled in Charles Town and became renowned for his oratory skills, with sermons lasting more than four hours. Church officials asked that he divide his sermons into two sessions so that members could break for dinner. Stobo refused, claiming that Charleston’s spiritual reservoir needed filling. The next Sunday, Solomon Legare left the service at the two hour mark. Rev. Stobo called out, “Aye, aye, a little petcher (pitcher) is soon full!” Legare called back, “You’ve said enough to fill all the cisterns in Charlestown.”

1766 – Stamp Act.

Thomas Lynch, Christopher Gadsden and John Rutledge sailed for New York on the Carolina Packet to attend the Stamp Act Congress. At age twenty-six, Rutledge was the youngest delegate in attendance.

1786 – Births. Slavery

The building that once housed Jehu Jones’s hotel on Broad Street.

Jehu Jones, Jr., a mulatto, was born in Charleston as a slave. He would later become a successful tailor and gain his freedom in 1798. He operated a successful hotel on Broad Street (next to St. Michael’s church) for many years. 

1886

In one of the stranger events, a shower of warm stones fell from the sky on the offices of the News and Courier – twice! The shower of stones occurred at 7:30 a.m. and the second shower at 1:30 p.m. Coming four days after the devasting earthquake, this event increased the unease of a shocked population.