Piercy, William, 1744-1819
Variant namesBritish clergyman and agent for the Countess of Huntingdon in Georgia and South Carolina, who sent him to America in 1773 to be the president and manager of the Bethesda Orphan House and College in Georgia. In 1776, Rev. Piercy married Catherine Elliott, daughter of Barnard Elliott (d. 1758), in Charleston, S.C.
George Whitefield established an orphan house in Georgia which was bequeathed to the Countess of Huntingdon with the intent that she would continue the work of the orphanage and complete the building and establishment of a college. The Bethesda College was never actually in operation and was destroyed by a fire in 1773. After the death of Lady Huntingdon, the state of Georgia seized the property, which from 1808 onward stood abandoned until the Bethesda Home for Boys was constructed there by the Union Society in 1870.
From the description of William Piercy letter book, 1773-1783. (The South Carolina Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 71009788
Role | Title | Holding Repository | |
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referencedIn | Huntingdon, Selina Hastings, Countess of, 1707-1791. Selian Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon manuscript material : 2 items, 1775-1783 | New York Public Library System, NYPL | |
referencedIn | Laurens, Henry, 1724-1792. Henry Laurens papers, 1747-1860. | South Carolina Historical Society | |
creatorOf | Piercy, William, 1744-1819. William Piercy letter book, 1773-1783. | South Carolina Historical Society |
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associatedWith | Bethesda (Orphanage : Savannah, Ga. (1740-1809)) | corporateBody |
associatedWith | Habersham, James, 1715-1775. | person |
associatedWith | Huntingdon, Selina Hastings, Countess of, 1707-1791. | person |
associatedWith | Laurens, Henry, 1724-1792. | person |
associatedWith | Piercy, Richard, 18th cent. | person |
associatedWith | Whitefield, George, 1714-1770. | person |
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Georgia | |||
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Georgia--Chatham County | |||
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South Carolina |
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Indians of North America |
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Plantation owners |
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Preaching |
Rice trade |
Slaves |
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Person
Birth 1744
Death 1819