William Piercy letter book, 1773-1783.

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Piercy, William. William Piercy letter book, 1773-1783.

William Piercy letter book, 1773-1783.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/36794161

Letter book chiefly contains excerpts and copies (contemporary) of letters from Rev. William Piercy to the Countess of Huntingdon concerning conditions at Bethesda Orphan House and College, her plantations and slaves there, and Piercy's management of the institution and the lands. Piercy discusses the debts of the college and orphan house which were left at the time of George Whitefield's death and other financial problems, his plans to improve the plantations by purchasing more slaves, the services of Mr. Law, a Georgia plantation owner who undertakes to manage the plantation, Piercy's desire to preach to the slaves and Indians, missionary efforts by his brother Richard Piercy in the "back country," James Habersham (another representative of the Countess), rice crops, the Countess' property in South Carolina, and other matters. Letters written in 1773 are from Bethesda (Ga.); later letters are from Charleston (S.C.), Philadelphia (Pa.), and Bethesda. In 1781 Piercy writes from Cork (Ireland), and later from Dublin (Ireland), and elsewhere in Great Britain. He reports that the British have plundered the Countess' plantation in Georgia. He also asks that, in the event of his death, the Countess would befriend and look after his family and wife, who is "connected to the most respectable and opulent families in Carolina." Throughout the letters Piercy often cites misunderstandings and defends himself against "misrepresentations" which have been given to the Countess about him. The concluding letters include copies of two of her replies to Piercy in which she requests him to prepare his accounts and other documents for investigation by arbitrators.

1 v.

South Carolina Historical Society