Piercy, William, 1744-1819

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British 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

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
Place Name Admin Code Country
Georgia
Great Britain
Georgia--Chatham County
United States
South Carolina
Subject
Slavery
African Americans
Agriculture
Clergy
Indians of North America
Missionaries
Orphanages
Plantation owners
Plantations
Preaching
Rice trade
Slaves
Occupation
Clergy
Activity

Person

Birth 1744

Death 1819

Information

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SNAC ID: 26195404