William Piercy letter book, 1773-1783.

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William Piercy letter book, 1773-1783.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/71009788

Letter book chiefly contains excerpts and contemporary copies 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 and state representative 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, that 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.

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South Carolina Historical Society

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SNAC Resource ID: 8070711

South Carolina Historical Society

Related Entities

There are 7 Entities related to this resource.

Laurens, Henry, 1724-1792

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6gk092n (person)

Henry Laurens (March 6, 1724 [O.S. February 24, 1723] – December 8, 1792) was an American Founding Father, merchant, slave trader, and rice planter from South Carolina who became a political leader during the Revolutionary War. A delegate to the Second Continental Congress, Laurens succeeded John Hancock as president of the Continental Congress. He was a signatory to the Articles of Confederation. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, he recieved his early education there before being sent to L...

Huntingdon, Selina Hastings, Countess, 1707-1791

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6456bjc (person)

English religious leader. From the description of Autograph letter in third person : Bath, to Mr. Laurens, [1784] Jan. 17. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 269520062 ...

Whitefield, George, 1714-1770

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63x86pj (person)

Epithet: Reverend; of Add MS 34068 British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000001152.0x0000fb Epithet: Reverend; Preacher British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000001152.0x0000fc Methodist clergyman. From the description of Papers, 1750-1759. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 20504475 Clergyman and evangelist. ...

Piercy, Richard, active 18th century

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6088s04 (person)

Bethesda (Orphanage : Savannah, Ga. (1740-1809))

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w65n14v5 (corporateBody)

Piercy, William, 1744-1819

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66h5jmf (person)

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 t...

Habersham, James, 1715-1775

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w69p3xkf (person)

James Habersham (1712-1775) was born in Yorkshire, England in January, 1712. He came to Savannah in 1738 and founded the Bethesda Orphan Home with George Whitefield; from 1741 to 1744, Habersham ran the orphanage. In 1744, he left this position to start the firm Harris & Habersham, one of the earliest such businesses in Savannah. He married Mary Bolton on December 26, 1740. Habersham took an active part in the political affairs of Georgia: he was elected president of the upper house of the G...