University of Virginia Library

Charleston.

The first press introduced into the Carolinas was established
in this city.

Eleazar Phillips was born in Boston, and served his
apprenticeship with Thomas Fleet of that town. He was
the son of Eleazar Phillips, bookseller and binder, who lived
at Charlestown, near Boston.

Phillips opened a printing house in 1730, and executed
the printing for the colony. He was but a short time in
business, when he was seized by the sickness which prevailed
in that city in 1731, and became one of its numerous
victims. The following words are a part of the inscription

engraven on his tomb stone—"He was first printer to his
majesty."

Thomas Whitmarsh arrived with a press soon after
Phillips, and began the publication of a newspaper, the
first printed in either of the Carolinas. After Phillips died,
Whitmarsh was appointed printer to the government, but
was very soon arrested by death. He died in 1733. [See
Hist. Newspapers.]

Louis Timothee was the son of a French protestant refugee,
who left France in consequence of the revocation of
the edict of Nantz, and went to Holland. Timothée came
from Holland, where he had acquired the art of printing,
to Philadelphia. He was employed some time in the printing
house of Franklin; and was the first who was appointed
librarian of the Philadelphia library company.[2]
That office he resigned in December 1733, and removed to
Charleston, where he arrived soon after the death of Whitmarsh,
succeeded to his business, and accommodated his
name to the English language by changing it to Lewis
Timothy. In February, 1734, he published a newspaper,
which, although not the earliest printed in the colony, was
the first which gained permanency.

Timothy did the work for government, which with his
newspaper formed his principal employment. His course
was short, as he died in December, 1738.

Elizabeth Timothy, the widow of Lewis Timothy, with
the aid of her son, conducted the press for a year or two,
and then the son, being of age, carried on the concern in
his own name. She died in April 1757.

Peter Timothy, the son of Lewis, went into business on
his own account in 1740; and, in January 1741, he was arrested
for publishing a letter written by Hugh Bryan, in
which it was asserted, that "the clergy of South Carolina
broke their canons daily." The celebrated George Whitefield
and Hugh Bryan were arrested at the same time, by a
warrant from Chief Justice Whitaker: Timothy for publishing,
Bryan for writing, and Whitefield for correcting
Bryan's letter for the press. They were all admitted to
bail. Whitefield was then bound to England;[3] he confessed
the charge, and entered into a recognizance to appear
by his attorney, at the next general session.

Timothy succeeded his father as printer to the colony,
and was, after the revolution, printer to the state. He
remained in Charleston during the time that city was besieged;
and in 1780, when it was surrendered, he was
taken prisoner by the British. In August, 1780, he was
sent as a prisoner to St. Augustine. In 1781, he was exchanged
and delivered at Philadelphia, where he remained
until the autumn of the next year, and then embarked
with two daughters and a grandchild for St. Domingo.
His ultimate object was to reach Antigua, where his

widowed daughter, Mrs. Marchant, had some property;
but, soon after he left the capes of Delaware, the vessel
in which he was a passenger foundered in a violent gale of
wind, and every soul on board perished.

Timothy was a decided and active friend of his country.
He was a very intelligent and good printer and editor, and
was for several years clerk of the general assembly. As a
citizen he was much respected.

Anne Timothy, the widow of the before mentioned
Peter Timothy, after the war ceased, revived the Gazette,
which had been established by the elder Timothy, but was
discontinued while the British troops were in possession
of Charleston. She was appointed printer to the state,
and held the appointment until September, 1792, when
she died. Her printing house was at the corner of Broad
and King streets.

Robert Wells was born in Scotland, and there educated
as a bookseller. He opened a bookstore and printing
house at Charleston in 1758, and published a newspaper.
His Gazette was the second established in the colony.
Wells had a partner in the printing establishment, by
the name of George Bruce, who managed the concerns of
the printing house. His name appeared after Wells's in
the imprint of their works. Wells was the owner of the
press and types, and the business was under his sole control.
Bruce remained with Wells several years, and when
they separated Wells conducted his printing house by the
aid of journeymen.

Wells kept a large book and stationery store, well supplied.
For many years he was the principal bookseller for
both the Carolinas. His business was extensive, and he
acquired property. He was marshal of the court of admiralty,
and one of the principal auctioneers in the city.

This last business was very lucrative, especially the sale of
cargoes of slaves. He owned a number of negroes; two
or three of whom were taught to work at press. It was a
common custom in the Carolinas, and in the West Indies,
to have blacks for pressmen. Wells's slaves were frequently
intoxicated, and unfit for work when they were
wanted at press; at such times, he adopted a singular
method to render them sober. The water in the city is unfit
to drink; and, as on many it operates medicinally, he would
take his drunken negroes to the pump, and pour water
down their throats until they began to sicken; then shut
them up for an hour or two; and, the operation being
there completed, they were taken out and put to press.

His printing house and bookstore were on the bay, near
Tradd street. He was a staunch royalist, but a good
editor, active in business, and just and punctual in his dealings.
About the time when the revolutionary war commenced,
he resigned his establishment to his son, went to
Europe, and never returned.

George Bruce was born in Scotland, learned printing
there, whence he came to Robert Wells in Charleston.
He managed, several years, the concerns of Wells's printing
house, and his name, as has been mentioned, appeared
after Wells's in their imprints. When they parted, he
opened a printing house on his own account. He lived
in Church street, where he commenced a trade in English
goods, and paid but little attention to typographical concerns.
His printing house was furnished with new types;
but he had only those founts which were most in use. He
remained in the city, in 1775, after the war began.

Charles Crouch was born in Charleston; he was brother-in-law
to Peter Timothy, with whom he served an apprenticeship.
In 1765, he opened the fourth printing house in

the colony. He was encouraged to set up a press, and to
print a newspaper in opposition to the stamp act, at the
time the act was to have taken effect. He was a sound whig.

Crouch printed but little excepting his paper, which was
lucrative. He was in business when the war commenced;
soon after which, he took passage in a vessel bound to New
York, and was drowned. He lived in Eliott street, and
his printing house was in Gadsden's alley.

Thomas Powell was an Englishman, and served his
apprenticeship in London. He came to Charleston in
1769, and was employed by Timothy as foreman in his
printing house. Powell was a correct printer, his education
had been good, and in his manners he was a gentleman.
In 1772, Timothy admitted Powell as a partner. The firm
was, Thomas Powell & Company. Their printing house
was near the Exchange. Timothy, as a silent partner,
edited the Gazette, and directed the general concerns of the
firm.

On the 31st of August, 1773, in consequence of a motion
made by the chief justice in the council, or upper house of
assembly, it was ordered, that Powell should immediately
attend that house. Powell accordingly attended, and "was
examined if he was the printer and publisher of the South
Carolina Gazette," then shown to him. He answered that
he was. He was then asked, "by what authority he presumed
to print as an article of news in his paper, a matter
purporting to be a part of the proceedings of this house,
on the 26th of August instant?" To which he replied,
"That the copy of the matter there printed was delivered
to him by the Hon. William Henry Drayton, one of the
members of that house, who desired him to print the same."
The house "Resolved," That as he acknowledged himself
to be the printer of a part of their proceedings, without

their order or leave, he was "thereby guilty of a high
breach of the privileges, and a contempt of the house."

Powell was told to ask pardon; he declined. The house
then ordered him to be taken into the custody of the sergeant
at arms, and brought to the bar. This was done;
and, when at the bar, he was again informed of the charge
against him; and that the house desired to hear what he
could say in exculpation of said charge. Powell declared
that "he did not know that he had committed any offence."
It was again demanded of him, if he would ask pardon;
he answered, he would not.

The Hon. Mr. Drayton, in his place, acknowledged that
he was the person who sent the copy of that part of the
journals printed by Powell, to the press; but, without intention
to offend the house, etc. The house then

"Resolved, That Thomas Powell, who hath this day been
adjudged, by this house, to have been guilty of a high
breach of privilege, and a contempt of this house, be for
his said offence committed to the common gaol of Charleston;
and that his honor, the president of this house, do
issue his warrant accordingly." Before putting the question,
Mr. Drayton claimed leave to enter his protest and
dissent; which he did accordingly. The president, the
Hon. Egerton Leigh, agreeably to the resolution of the
house, issued his warrant. Powell was imprisoned, and
remained in confinement until the morning of the second
of September following.

On the second of September, the Hon. Rawlins Lowndes,
speaker of the lower house, or "commons house of assembly,"
and George Gabriel Powell, one of its members, justices
of the peace, etc., had Powell brought before them by a
writ of habeas corpus, and discharged him.

On the same day, Powell published a Gazette extraordinary,
in which Drayton's dissent and protest were inserted.
The council resolved, that the protest, as published

that day, was materially different from that on their
journals, and was therefore "false, scandalous and malicious,
tending to reflect upon the honor and justice of the
house;" and, "that William Henry Drayton was instrumental
to the publication." Before putting the question,
Mr. Drayton claimed leave to enter his dissent and protest;
which he accordingly did. In this protest Mr. Drayton
asserted, that the protest as published, excepting some
misspelling in copying by the clerk, and the misprinting
the word fulfilled for published, was expressly the same
as the original.

The next day the council, styling themselves, "the upper
house of assembly," resolved, "That Mr. Drayton had
been guilty of a breach of privilege and contempt of that
house, in being instrumental to the publication of the protest,"
etc. Before putting the question, Mr. Drayton entered
his dissent and protest. The resolve was passed, and Mr.
Drayton directed to withdraw. He withdrew accordingly.
The council then passed the following resolve.

"That when T. Powell was before this house, his whole
deportment and behavior manifested the most insolent
disrespect; and, so far was he from discovering any contrition
for his offence, that he flatly declared that he did
not know that he had committed any, and therefore thought
it hard to ask pardon; and, being informed by the president,
that the house was of a different opinion, he still obstinately
persisted that he could not ask pardon."

In the afternoon of the same day, Mr. Drayton, in consideration
that the house had not proceeded with him "to
the last extremity," informed that body, "that he neither
sent the protest to the press, nor ordered any person to
carry it, or even desired the printer, or any person to publish
it; that Mr. Edward Rutledge sent the copy to the
printer." On this information, the house resolved, that

Mr. Drayton "had purged himself of the contempt and
breach of privilege with which he stood charged."

On the fourth of September, the sheriff of Charleston
district, having attended the council agreeably to order,
was directed by the president to make out a copy of the
writ of habeas corpus, issued by the Justices Lowndes and
G. G. Powell, Esquires, by virtue of which he had two days
before removed T. Powell from prison and carried him
before said justices, with his return thereon. A committee
was appointed to "take under their consideration the
nature of the discharge of T. Powell, printer, to report
such resolutions as may be necessary for the house to enter
into; and to prepare an humble address on the subject to
his majesty, and another to his honor the lieutenant governor."
The chief justice, and two other members were
of this committee, who reported the following resolutions,
which were agreed to by the house.

"Resolved, That the power of commitment is so necessarily
incident to each house of assembly, that without it
neither their authority nor dignity can, in any degree whatsoever,
be maintained or supported.

"Resolved, That Bawling Lowndes, Esquire, speaker of
the commons house of assembly, and George Gabriel
Powell, Esq., member of said house, being two justices of
the peace, unus quorum, lately assistant judges and justices
of his majesty's court of common pleas, have, by virtue of
habeas corpus by them issued, caused the body of T. Powell
to be brought before them, on the second of this instant
September, and the said justices, disregarding the commitment
of this house, did presumptuously discharge said
T. Powell out of the custody of the sheriff under the commitment
of this house.

"Resolved, That the said justices have been guilty of
the most atrocious contempt of this house, by their public

avowal and declaration, made by them in pronouncing
judgment, that this house is no upper house of assembly;
on which principle alone they did discharge the said T.
Powell; they have, as far as in them lay, absolutely and
actually abolished one of the branches of the legislature;
and, in so doing, have subverted the constitution of this
government, and have expressly sounded the most dangerous
alarm to the good subjects of this province.

"Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent to
the commons house of assembly, together with a message,
complaining of such conduct and breach of our privilege,
by their members; and, setting forth, that, as this house
has always been careful to support its own just rights and
privileges, so it has always been cautious not to infringe
the rights and privileges of the commons house; and, that
this house, relying on the justice of the commons house,
does expect they will direct Rawlins Lowndes and George
Gabriel Powell, Esqrs., two of their members, to waive their
privilege, in order that this house may proceed to the cognizance
of their said breach of privilege and contempt."

The committee reported, also, according to order, a
message to the commons house of assembly; an address to
the king, and another to the lieutenant governor;[4] with
all which the council agreed, and presented and forwarded
them according to their respective destinations.

The commons house of assembly did not comply with
the requisition of the upper house; on the contrary, they
justified the conduct of their speaker and Judge Powell,
and directed the agent of the province in London, "to

make the most humble representations to his majesty of
the conduct of his council [upper house] and to implore
their removal; or, such marks of his royal displeasure to
them, as may prevent, for the future, such an encroachment
on the liberties of his people." The commons house,
at the same time, addressed the lieutenant governor, informing
him of the conduct of the council, and that they
had directed the agent of the province to represent it to
the king, etc., and concluded with earnestly requesting his
honor, that, as a considerable time must elapse, before their
complaint to the king could be heard, etc., he would "be
pleased to suspend such members of the council as ordered
the said commitment, until his majesty's royal pleasure
should be known; and to appoint in their stead men who
really have at heart the service of his majesty, and the
interest of the province." The governor, as was expected,
declined complying with the request of the commons, and
in this situation the affair rested, until the pleasure of his
majesty should be known.

The business remained before the king and council, I
presume in an unsettled state, at the commencement of the
war, which event, probably, stayed all proceedings upon it,
and it was never more agitated. As to what became of
Powell, or respecting the part he took in the war, or
whether he returned to England, I have not been able to
obtain any information. The Gazette was discontinued
some time after the war commenced, but was revived by
Timothy.

Mary Crouch was born in Providence, Rhode Island.
She was the wife of Charles Crouch, and continued the
business of printing in Charleston some time after his
death. In 1780, she removed with her press and types to
Salem, Massachusetts. [See Salem.]

John Wells, the eldest son of Robert Wells, was born
in Charleston, and served an apprenticeship at Donaldson's
printing house in Edinburgh. He succeeded his father as
a printer and bookseller at Charleston, in 1775. Although
the father was a zealous royalist, the son took a decided
part in favor of the country. He printed and fought in
its defence, until the city fell into the hands of the British
in 1780.

Wells belonged to a military company in Charleston
which marched to assist in the siege of Savannah, by the
allied American and French armies, in 1779, and during
this unsuccessful campaign, he acquired the reputation of
a brave and vigilant soldier. When Charleston fell into
the possession of the British, he, with many others, to save
his property, signed an address to the British commander,
and he printed a royal Gazette, which he continued until
December 1782. For these offences he was proscribed by
the state government, at the close of the war. Apprehending
that he could not safely remain in Charleston
when the British surrendered the place to the American
government, he left the city, and went with his press to
Nassau, New Providence, published the Bahama Gazette,
and never more returned to the United States. [See New
Providence.]

Except in Charleston, there was no printer in South
Carolina before the revolution.