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Hopsewee Plantation
Hopsewee Plantation in
Georgetown, South Carolina is also called Hopsewee-on-the-Santee and
the Thomas Lynch, Jr. Birthplace, who was one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence, and the plantation would be considered
a low country rice plantation, that had been constructed in 1749,
with a marvelous rendition of a Carolina "low country" plantation
house, with West Indian influences that are reflected in the
dormered hip roof and double-tiered piazza. It is about 13 miles
south of Georgetown and close to North Santee, South Carolina,
filled with outstanding examples of 18th and 19th century period
furniture and furnishings, still a private residence, but also
offering public tours. It would be added to the National Register of
Historic Places in 1971, as well as being listed as a National
Historic Landmark. The magnificent plantation house has continued to
be in excellent condition, with very little renovations needed,
since it has remained occupied since its early construction and the
loving care that was given to it by the few owners, actually five
altogether, so it has never fell into disrepair or needed any major
renovations done to its frame structure. It is an excellent
testament to the skills and expertise of the artisans that
constructed it, containing four rooms that open into a central hall
on each floor, with a full basement and attic rooms. There is a
gorgeous staircase that runs up the midst of the house, with wide
heart pine floors that used boards almost a full inch and a half
thick, hand carved moldings in all the rooms, with many areas using
black cypress wood. The plantation had been part of the original
lands that was owned by Thomas Lynch, who actually owned the
majority of the property that was on the North Santee River, from
Hopsewee to the intercoastal waterway, and seven producing
plantations. The plantation would be constructed for the Lynch
family between 1733 and 1740, and especially chosen by Thomas to
house his family, with the lands overlooking the lovely Santee River
and the incredible amounts of rice fields that went right up to the
river's edge, until the Civil War arrived. Thomas would marry
Elizabeth Allston, who was raised on the Brookgreen Plantation, and
a member of another of the region's prominent families, and they
would have three children, two daughters and a son, Jr. Elizabeth
would pass on in 1755, and Thomas would then remarry a Miss Hannah
Motte and they would have one daughter, they named Elizabeth. Thomas
Sr. was a distinguished public servant, and one of the most
significant planters along the Santee, becoming the first President
of the Winyah Indigo Society in 1755, but in 1751, he'd been elected
to be the delegate to the Commons House of Assembly from Prince
George, Winyah parish, which he would serve except for one term
until his passing. He would be part of the 1765 Stamp Act congress
and in 1774 be elected to the First Continental Congress, and then
appointed, along with Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Harrison as
advisors to General Washington. In February 1776, he would suffer
from a cerebral hemorrhage while in Philadelphia, but the Second
Continental Congress would select his son to be a delegate and join
his father in Philadelphia, which would give Jr. the express
privilege of signing the Declaration of Independence with his
father, and the only father and son team to do it, at the age of 26.
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