ST. ANDREWS HALL SITE, _118 Broad Street_: The St. Andrew’s Society of
Charleston was organized by Scots in 1729. It is Charleston’s oldest
benevolent society, active and flourishing into this season. Its hall
was built in 1814 and here the Marquis de Lafayette was entertained in
March, 1825. The distinguished Frenchman was the guest of the city and
was showered with attentions. Here he met his friend, Colonel Francis K.
Huger, who some years before had engaged in the frustrated scheme of
aiding Lafayette to escape from an Austrian prison. Here on Tuesday,
March 15, 1825, he “received the salutations of the reverend clergy, the
officers of the militia, judges and gentlemen of the Bar, and many
citizens, after which he visited Generals Charles C. and Thomas
Pinckney, Mrs. Shaw, the daughter of General Greene, and Mrs.
Washington, relict of the late General William Washington.” In this hall
was passed the _Ordinance of Secession_ December 20, 1860 (it was signed
in the Institute Hall, however). It was among the many buildings razed
by the flames in 1861. The St. Andrew’s Society is housed in these
seasons with the South Carolina Society, certain of the chairs and
tables used in the Secession convention being preserved. In the years
before the War for Southern Independence St. Andrew’s Hall was the scene
of many brilliant social entertainments, including balls of that eminent
Charleston order, the Saint Cecilia Society, which had its beginning as
a musical society, presenting concerts.
[Illustration: _Looking North on Meeting Street
Right Middleground, Portico of South Carolina Hall; Background, St.
Michael’s Church_]
JOHN STUART’S HOUSE, _104 Tradd Street_: John Stuart, born in England in
1700, came through Charlestown with General James Oglethorpe, founder of
Georgia, in 1733. Thirty years later he was appointed the British
general agent for Indian affairs in the South. Captured by the
Cherokees, he was saved by Attakullakulla (the Little Carpenter). With
the breaking of the Revolution he engaged to incite Cherokees,
Chickasaws and Creeks (Muscogees) to war against the whites. The Indian
outbreak was to coincide with Sir Peter Parker’s attack on Charlestown
in the spring of 1776. It was foiled by alert Kentucky settlers. His
plot being exposed Colonel Stuart fled to Florida, thence to England
where he died in 1779. His property was confiscated by the independent
government. To escape the British, it is related that General Francis
Marion leaped from a window. His coattails caught and his liberty was in
peril. (That’s the story, but the house from which Marion fled is at the
northeast corner of Legare and Tradd.) Certain of the interior of this
house has been reset up in Minneapolis which has broadcast its pride in
the accession.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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