Miles Brewton House

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Miles Brewton was born in 1731 in Charleston. His father was a goldsmith and was associated with the city's banking and financial circles in town. 

Miles Brewton gained the property at 27 King Street through as they say "by a good marriage" to Mary Izard.  Since I will not sugar coat history, he was south Carolina's biggest slave trader, owning 8 trading ships, and wealthiest man in the area. In 1765 he started construction on the Georgian Palladian brick home. By the time of the beginnings of the Revolutionary War he owner several indigo and rice plantations. Miles was a highly successful merchant and plantation owner of the era and was elected to the second congress in 1775. Sadly, he and his family were lost at sea when the ship they were traveling on when down during their trip to the north to Philadelphia. 

His sister, Rebecca Brewton Motte inherited the home. She herself would also make a name for herself during the revolutionary War.  Rebecca was a strong supporter of the Patriot cause, giving everything she could to help advance it and was known as on of the first outspoken "strong women" of the south.  When the British came to Charleston they took the house as their headquarters for Sir Henry Clinton, Lord Rawdon and Cornwallis. Rebecca was allowed to leave, taking over the small overseer's house and care for her ailing husband. The house was eventually returned to a primary residence. 

In 1822, the house again found itself infamy.  There was a failed slave uprising which is known as the Denmark Vesey "incident."  Denmark was a freed black man who supposedly help plan a slave revolt for July 14,1822, Bastille Day. The revolt was Stopped during the planning stage. As a result the home owners in Charleston put  up long stretches of barb-wire fencing to protect the inhabitants from further incidents. These barb-wires is known as chevaux de fries or defensive spikes to keep out intruders. 

The house again was used as a temporary camp for US Brigadier General Alexander Schimelfennig and his troops during the federal occupation of Charleston in 1865. 

In 1960 it was added to the historic landmarks. To this day the home is owned by the descendants of Rebecca. 


See you at the next bend in the road,
Kelli



Got most of this information came from Historic books on Charleston SC. Internet google searches







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