The Sams Era - Dataw Historic Foundation

Small boat. Large war. Quiet connections.

Bill — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 02:30:09 +0000

Dr. Lewis Reeve Sams Jr., the Etiwan, and Robert Smalls
Old newspapers sometimes open unexpected doors. A brief 1851 reference in the Charleston Mercury to “Dr. Sams” traveling aboard the steamer Etiwan seems minor at first glance. Yet that small notice links three very different stories: a Sea Island planter-physician, a working harbor steamer, and one of the Civil War’s most daring acts.

The post Small boat. Large war. Quiet connections. first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Antebellum Christmas on Datha Island

Bill — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 21:15:40 +0000

Christmas in the Lowcountry of South Carolina will be celebrated this week, as it has been for centuries. However, back in the antebellum days, the planters celebrated one way, and the enslaved in a much different way. Like the plantation system, which was imported from Britain, the Christmas traditions when the Reverend James Julius Sams (1826 - 1918) reflected on his childhood around 1835 - 1840 on Datha Island were probably more British-inspired than German. Julius begins his reflections about Christmas this way,
"Christmas was the merriest and saddest time. The merriest, because we were all together. The saddest, because the time was coming for us to part again."

The post Antebellum Christmas on Datha Island first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

BB Sams and his Tripartite Residence (built after 1760 – burned about 1880)

Bill — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 20:24:08 +0000

Recently, tour requests have begun to pick up. So I thought it would be a good time to introduce you to the winter home of Dr. BB Sams (1787-1855) and his family. Their tripartite house is one of several tabby structures in the Sams Plantation Complex Tabby Ruins, accepted on the National Register of Historic Places on March 4, 2011. In the antebellum period, and the sea islands of Beaufort in particular, nearly all planters had a summer home and winter home. The summer home is where they lived in the hot months to get away from their plantation(s) and the diseases associated with heat, humidity, and bugs. In summer, they went to their homes in Beaufort or St Helenaville. Summer was also the prime time of the year for socializing and for children to be tutored. In winter, the planters lived in their plantation homes. So the ruins you see today on Dataw Island are of Dr. BB Sams winter home and yard.

The post BB Sams and his Tripartite Residence (built after 1760 – burned about 1880) first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Tabby Times – Fall 2022

Bill — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 03:06:15 +0000

Historians and archeologists depend on human-made artifacts as clues to understanding and interpreting previous cultures. These historical objects give insight and lend credence to the influence of prior cultures on…

The post Tabby Times – Fall 2022 first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

The Hero’s Return: Lafayette’s Epic Journey Back to a Grateful America

Bill — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 00:51:24 +0000

The First Meeting of Lafayette and Washington, Philadelphia, August 3, 1777

The post The Hero’s Return: Lafayette’s Epic Journey Back to a Grateful America first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Oranges – An exotic export business on Dataw?

Bill — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 16:14:00 +0000

Acres of orange groves on Dataw? Was this one of the earliest commercially produced oranges in the United States?

The post Oranges – An exotic export business on Dataw? first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

From Aztec Farms to Datha Island: TurkeyTales

Bill — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 20:21:43 +0000

It’s fascinating to trace the wild turkey’s journey from being domesticated by Native Americans a thousand years ago to its role in the antebellum era at Elizabeth and Berners Barnwell…

The post From Aztec Farms to Datha Island: TurkeyTales first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Tabby Times – Spring 2023

Bill — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 15:19:46 +0000

Oak Island

Bill — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 19:20:10 +0000

Oak Island is a 32-acre natural beauty sitting next door to Dataw Island. Native Americans frequented the island about 1,000 years ago. Fast forward 800 years to the BB Sams / LR Sams plantation era, and it was an adventure spot for James Julius Sams and his brothers Horace and Donald. As Sea Island cotton took off as the “finest in the world,” BB Sams decided to build a system of dikes between Dataw Island, Oak Island, and the two marsh hummocks to the north (i.e., Pine Islands).

The post Oak Island first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

The Green Taffeta Silk Dress

Bill — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:00:01 +0000

This week’s theme is HEIRLOOMS. The Dataw Historic Foundation is fortunate because the Sams descendants have entrusted us with several family heirlooms. This week features the story of two other items donated to the Foundation, a green silk taffeta Victorian gown and a shawl circa 1860. Ginny Hall-Apicella and BIll Riski recently presented the history of the dress to our Dataw Island residents.

The post The Green Taffeta Silk Dress first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Natasha Boyd visits Dataw Island

Bill — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 13:26:06 +0000

The Event Natasha Boyd, the author of Indigo Girl, was the guest speaker at the Dataw Historic Foundation Author’s Luncheon in early April organized by Rosemary Patterson, DHF Publicity…

The post Natasha Boyd visits Dataw Island first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Sky-High Survey: Delving into Dataw’s Historic Cotton Dikes

Bill — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 13:26:46 +0000

Of the people, By the people, For the people

Bill — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 19:44:49 +0000

Thursday, November 19, 1863, at about 3 PM, as the sun broke through the clouds, President Abraham Lincoln gave his two-minute address to the 15,000 gathered for the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, PA. We’ve all read it, studied it, and seen it (on the wall at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.) I’m going to discuss the Gettysburg Address in a moment. The most interesting part of his speech is often skimmed over, "..of the people, by the people, and for the people.." First, I thought a summary of the Sams family members who served in the Confederate States of America army would provide some interesting context for you.

The post Of the people, By the people, For the people first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Enslaved People of South Carolina & Datha Island

Bill — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 13:58:38 +0000

Water in Motion

Bill — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 08:30:52 +0000

Water in motion is beautiful—most of the time. But once in a while, it grows from a rising tide into a boiling hurricane. Water indeed defines much of the character of our Lowcountry. It flushes and nurtures the marsh. Defines the borders of our island. And pushes us away when a hurricane approaches.Most of you reading this know about the beauty of the waters around Dataw. It’s a contributing reason I live here. The “beast face” of water is fortunately seen less often. This week I’m going to tell you about, by far, the most massive hurricane this area has ever experienced—the hurricane of 1893. And I’m going to tell you a little know story of Ting Sams Colquhoun’s ancestors that met their death in that hurricane.

The post Water in Motion first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

19th Amendment – Rights of Suffrage for Women

Bill — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 14:10:17 +0000

This article is in honor of our 19th Amendment, which changed our country dramatically.

The Amendment’s journey from Seneca, New York, to our U.S. Constitution was long and torturous. Dataw Island has four people connected to the Women’s Suffrage Movement: Sarah Barnwell Elliott, Kate Gleason, Fanny Sams Bell, and Conway Whittle Sams. Sarah was a women’s suffrage movement leader at the state and national levels. Kate was the great industrialist who purchased Dataw Island in 1927. Fanny was one of the millions of women across the nation who proactively worked for women’s rights. Conway, a lawyer in Virginia, was vehemently against giving women the right to vote!

The post 19th Amendment – Rights of Suffrage for Women first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

The Sams & Our Presidents

Bill — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 11:00:23 +0000

Sometimes taking a long view of history provides an insightful perspective on the lives of others. A few years ago, I compiled a timeline of U.S. Presidents who were in office during the antebellum era of the Sams of South Carolina. I focused on William Sams and two particular sons, Lewis Reeve Sams and Dr. Berners Barnwell Sams, M.D. The timeline starts in 1783, when William Sams, at 42, left Wadmalaw Island and moved his family to Beaufort and Datha Island. It ends with the Great Gun Shoot / Big Skedaddle of 1861. The graphic integrates the lives of William, Elizabeth, Lewis Reeve Sams, and his brother Dr. Berners Barnwell Sams, M.D. — with — the terms of our first 16 presidents

The post The Sams & Our Presidents first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Sarah Reeve Gibbes (1746-1825)

Bill — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 21:12:28 +0000

Peaceful Retreat plantation home of Robert Gibbes and his wife Sarah (Reeve) Gibbes. On the Stono River, John’s Island, SC. There is so much to say about this woman. She…

The post Sarah Reeve Gibbes (1746-1825) first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Horace Hann Sams (1829 – 1865)

Bill — Mon, 23 May 2022 16:00:11 +0000

Horace Hann Sams (1829-1865) is one of the four Beaufort men I wrote about earlier who died in the Civil War. Today I dig deeper into Major HH Sams life and legacy. It becomes clear from contemporary accounts about him what drove this southern soldier in our American Civil War. Those he left behind were deeply affected by their loss. To paraphrase novelist Mitch Albom, his death ended a life, not a relationship. His older brother Rev. James Julius Sams, carries his sorrow into the memoir he wrote 40 years later.

The post Horace Hann Sams (1829 – 1865) first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

High Above Morgan River: Documenting the Legacy of Lewis Reeves Sams’ Home

Bill — Mon, 16 May 2022 03:09:50 +0000

By now, most of you will have received the Spring Edition 2022 of the Dataw Historic Foundation’s Tabby Times. This is the “live” version of the beautiful cover article written…

The post High Above Morgan River: Documenting the Legacy of Lewis Reeves Sams’ Home first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Tabby Times Spring 2022

Bill — Sat, 14 May 2022 14:38:36 +0000

Crypt of Sarah (Fripp) Sams (1789 – 1825)

Bill — Thu, 12 May 2022 20:47:18 +0000

Several years ago (2006 - 2009), DHF had some preservation work done to the brick wall around the Sams Family Cemetery near the plantation house tabby ruins. We discovered several buried pieces of marble, and the adventure began. This is the story of the final resting place of Sarah (Fripp) Sams (1789 - 1825), the first wife of Lewis Reeve Sams (1784 - 1856).

The post Crypt of Sarah (Fripp) Sams (1789 – 1825) first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Sams Family Cemetery – Datha Island, South Carolina

Bill — Tue, 03 May 2022 02:00:30 +0000

I told you recently about the tripartite plantation house of BB Sams and his wife Elizabeth (Fripp) Sams. These ruins are always the highlight of the DHF docents' tours to residents and visitors. The other site of interest is the Sams Family Cemetery, a short distance from the ruins. I wrote about this 200-year-old cemetery on Datha Island just two years ago, and there has been an exciting development. Synthesizing the research Teresa (Winters) Bridges (Sams descendant) has done in the last two years with the results of the ground-penetrating radar survey performed in 2005, I can say with confidence that her ancestor John Sams (1769-1798) is buried here on Datha.

The post Sams Family Cemetery – Datha Island, South Carolina first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

The Many Sams Plantations

Bill — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 13:00:39 +0000

For centuries the ultimate enabler of an individual's wealth was land ownership. This was certainly true in the Lowcountry, as rice, lumber, indigo, cattle, and cotton crops created tensions over land. One of the early and successful indigo plantation owners on a sea island was Robert Sams (~1706 - 1760), father of "our" William Sams (1741 - 1798). Robert was a planter up on Wadmalaw Island. As the American Revolution took a toll on the sale of indigo dye cakes to the British, a new sea island-compatible crop was arriving. Sea island cotton's exceptional quality and world events in France and England drove Europe's demand. It was first grown commercially on Hilton Head in 1795, and by 1810 nearly all the suitable cotton land in our area was spoken for. This brings us on a fast trip to the Datha Island plantation brothers, Lewis Reeve Sams (1784 - 1856) and Berners Barnwell Sams (1787 - 1855). They inherited Datha Island from their father and mother once they came of age, in 1805 and 1808, respectively. LR Sams had Datha Point plantation on the north, and BB Sams had Datha Inlet plantation on the south.
As Dr. Rowland tells us in his first volume of The History of Beaufort County, South Carolina (1514 - 1861) by 1850:
"Dr. Berners Barnwell Sams had 2,097 acres and 174 enslaved people on Datha and Lady's Island…His brother Lewis Reeve Sams had 1,467 acres and 166 enslaved people on adjoining property…"
It wasn't Datha alone that afforded the brothers, and their children, the luxury of elegant homes in Beaufort. It was the totality of their holdings.

The post The Many Sams Plantations first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Four Young Men

Bill — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 13:00:23 +0000

Sometimes luck is due to your hard work. Other times it comes from factors that cannot be explained or are beyond your control. Wars have a way of stringing together events that leave in their wake both the fortunate and unfortunate. This week I identify four Sams who died on the eve of, or during, the Civil War. They range in age from 16 to 36. There were many more Sams who served and came home to live another day. These four did not.

The post Four Young Men first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Slavery and Datha’s Enslaved by Jane Griffith

Bill — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 11:00:12 +0000

The Sams family's success and prosperity could not have been achieved without the hundreds of enslaved men, women, and children who worked silently tilling the land, harvesting the sea island cotton, building the structures, and serving their Sams masters in many ways. Datha's enslaved peoples were an undeniable and vital part of this island's plantation era history. Their lives and work on plantations on Datha Island, Ladys Island, and St. Helena Island spanned three generations of the Sams family.

The post Slavery and Datha’s Enslaved by Jane Griffith first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Strong Women – Four Examples

Bill — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 13:22:03 +0000

Women's History Month was 'born' in 1987, though its roots go back to 1911. So many Sams women, and we don't know enough about them. It seems reasonable to assume they all were strong to survive the circumstances of their southern antebellum era. For most women, their role in the family in the 19th century was still defined by the husband [Hussung, 2015.]

Here are four particular women who persevered, even excelled, despite the challenges they encountered back then: Elizabeth Fripp Sams, Sarah Stanyarne Sams Sams, Ma Lilly, and Kate Gleason.

The post Strong Women – Four Examples first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Sea Island Cotton (1790 – 1920)

Bill — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 12:00:56 +0000

For the Sams of Datha Island (19th century name), there is a particular source of their prosperity; Sea Island cotton.

The post Sea Island Cotton (1790 – 1920) first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Dr. Robert Randolph Sams, D.D.S. (1827 – 1910)

Bill — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 02:55:00 +0000

In my recent post on Sarah J Sams, you saw restored photographs of her and her husband, Dr. R Randolph Sams. Large reprints are hanging in the Dataw Island History & Learning Center through the generosity of Teresa (Winters) Bridges. Sarah's original image (i.e., ambrotype) holding their daughter Phoebe was taken in about 1858 when Sarah was in her early 20s. Randolph's image (i.e., daguerreotype) shows a handsome young man upon graduation from college in 1849, also in his early 20s. What's most interesting about Dr. R. Randolph Sams is his role in the earliest days of modern dentistry.

The post Dr. Robert Randolph Sams, D.D.S. (1827 – 1910) first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Dataw Island on Datha Island

Bill — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 11:00:27 +0000

In response to an article about Northern Datha Island, a resident who has lived here thirty years (!) commented, "I have always questioned why ALCOA did not call the Island by its real name: Datha?"
Researching this question took me on a fascinating journey from a Muskogean Indian Chief to the King of Spain to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. In the end, I can provide this answer; Dataw Island is the name of our development on a sea island in South Carolina called Datha Island.

What's left for this journey is to explain why our sea island is called Datha Island and why our development is called Dataw Island.

The post Dataw Island on Datha Island first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Dr. Lewis Reeve Sams, Jr. (1810 – 1888)

Bill — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 14:00:25 +0000

You are looking at the faces of a family deeply affected by the Civil War and looking for a brighter future. This photo is dated 16th October 1866. On the back are the words, 'Picture taken just as family was leaving S.C. for Galveston, Texas.' Dr. Lewis Reeve Sams, Jr. (1810 - 1888) took his family ''so far away" from Beaufort, SC.

The post Dr. Lewis Reeve Sams, Jr. (1810 – 1888) first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Therese Canter (Sams) Colquhoun

Bill — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 00:20:57 +0000

The people in this single image above span 184 years of Sams descendants; from today back to the working plantation days when B.B. Sams was growing Sea Island cotton here on Dataw Island.

The post Therese Canter (Sams) Colquhoun first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Berners Barnwell Sams (1787 – 1855)

Bill — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 14:00:05 +0000

Dr. Berners Barnwell Sams, M.D. (1787 - 1855) - BB Sams is named after his Great Grandmother Elizabeth Anne (Berners) Barnwell and his Grandmother Bridgett (Barnwell) Sams, according to Sams' family descendants. Berners Barnwell Sams was the son of William Sams (1741-1798) and Elizabeth (Hext) Sams (1746-1813). He inherited one-third of his father's Dataw Island plantation in 1808 when he came of age. We know a fair amount about Dr. BB Sams. However, today we have a much more colorful understanding of the man. In 2019 we were given a copy of an unpublished family history penned in the early 1900s by Conway Whittle Sams (grandson of BB Sams). This unpublished work contains a first-person description of Dr. BB Sams provided by his daughter, Elizabeth Exima Sams in 1905.

The post Berners Barnwell Sams (1787 – 1855) first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Reflections

Bill — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 01:26:55 +0000

It was 237 years ago that William Sams and his wife Elizabeth Hext bought Datha Island and started the journey that led to Alcoa South Carolina Inc. and the residential community we know as Dataw Island. I’ve really enjoyed writing the 52 Sams in 52 Weeks series this year. It has been a labor of exploration and discovery from the Dataw Historic Foundation for the island residents and Sams descendants. Now it's time for a break. Rather than continue the weekly rhythm, I plan to cut back to ‘whenever.’ History comes from memories, from experience, from events both personal and public. I will be following the truth of these, and I will write again as the stories inspire me. [1]

From my experience this year and your feedback, it is clear that "history matters to people on this island."

The post Reflections first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Listen to History

Bill — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 13:00:39 +0000

52 Sams in 52 Weeks is now on its final approach. We are about to put the landing gear down (week 50), land (week 51), and taxi to the terminal (week 52). These last three posts have a lot of variety. Week 50 - Listen to History. Today you’ll hear a story of recent history. Week 51 - An Antebellum Christmas. On December 22nd, I'll tell you what we know about Christmas on Datha in the mid 1800s and about antebellum Christmases in general. Week 52 - Reflections and Resolutions. On December 29th, I'll reflect on 2020 and talk about what comes next in 2021.

Listen to History: The first recording below is of a Dataw Island resident that spent two years building the Sams Plantation House model, prominently displayed in your History & Learning Center. The second recording is an excerpt from an original letter written by Sarah Sams to her husband, Dr. Robert Randolph Sams, while he was away in the Civil War. Her distant cousin reads the excerpt.

The post Listen to History first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Short Stories

Bill — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 16:21:47 +0000

Throughout 2020 I've taken or accumulated images that have not made it into this 52 Sams in 52 Weeks series - but they deserve some attention. Here are pictures which span about 150 years, each with their own short story. Most have never been published. Many came from the storage bin in Miss Ting's home in Beaufort. This week I present a collection of pictures from our DHF shoebox, with short stories.

The post Short Stories first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Northern Datha Island

Bill — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 20:17:11 +0000

This week I focus on the history of the north half of our island. Datha Island has been inhabited continually from the Late Archaic period (3,000 - 1,000 B.C.) up to the present. I'll address the prehistoric periods, the Lewis Reeve Sams ownership years, and farming after the Civil War. I am indebted to archaeologist Larry Lepionka and his team for their work back in 1987-1988 to investigate and document the historic sites on Dataw Island. The island would be covered in a forest if left to nature. This is one factor that distinguishes the northern from the southern half of Datha Island. The north half was plowed and cultivated continuously from the mid-1700s to 1960; the southern half was not. The northern half is also where the preponderance of evidence was found for Native American habitation as far back as 3000 B.C. Therefore, where the Native Americans once lived was also the area most disturbed by farming in the 19th and 20th centuries. Kudos go to Lepionka and other archeologists for rediscovering their presence thousands of years before. I'll explore middens, and then I'll show you Domino.

The post Northern Datha Island first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Gone Too Soon

Bill — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 21:21:18 +0000

The theme this week is ‘gone too soon.’ Through Week 43-Spooky, I’ve told you about 188 ancestors or descendants of William Sams and Elizabeth Hext. Nearly all are in their direct lineage, though there are a few distant cousins in the mix. I’ve told you about all seven sons of William & Elizabeth, but not all their families. Three sons never married (Robert, William, Jr., and Francis), and I have not told you much about the families of John and Edward Hext. Maybe I will someday, but I just have not had time to do the research necessary to ‘bring them to life.’ However, several children of our Sams brothers, Lewis Reeve and Berners Barnwell, I’ve not mentioned either. This week I’ll speak of the children that left us too early.

The post Gone Too Soon first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Spooky

Bill — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 11:44:21 +0000

The theme this week is SPOOKY. Since Halloween is this week, I thought it would be fun to dig up (ugh!) a few of the scary stories Reverend James Julius Sams included in his memoir about being a kid on Datha Island. So today, I'll tell you a few spooky stories from the early 1800s. One happened in the Big Woods on Datha Island, one on St. Helena Island, another on Oak Island, and the last in the BB Sams plantation house.

The post Spooky first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Products of Datha Island

Bill — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 11:00:19 +0000

The theme this week is “Products of Dataw Island.” Some time back, the Dataw Historic Foundation published a series of short articles about our history. I’ve republished two of these below that address what was grown on Dataw, as early as the mid 1700’s

The post Products of Datha Island first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Martha Sophia Hallonquist LaRoche (1874-1975)

Bill — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 10:30:11 +0000

My theme this week is "oldest"; the Sams direct descendant that lived the longest. Martha "Mattie" Sophia Hallonquist LaRoche lived to celebrate her 101st birthday. There are several distinctive aspects of Mattie's life. She was born near Charleston, S.C on Wadmalaw Island, was married at age 16, to a man 23 years her senior, and raised a family in Merritt Island, Florida area - long before air-conditioning. You can get a sense of their new "neighborhood" in the photo above.

The post Martha Sophia Hallonquist LaRoche (1874-1975) first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Reverend J. Julius Sams

Bill — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 13:15:43 +0000

Dataw Historic Foundation members and visitors to our History and Learning Center know of the Reverend James Julius Sams. His memoir, written I believe at the request of nephew Conway W. Sams in about 1905, is unique. No one else has written such an intimate first-person account of growing up on Dataw Island, SC. And his recollection of details about the family and his father's (Berners Barnwell Sams) house on Dataw has been quoted by acknowledged experts in their fields such as Lawrence Rowland and Colin Brooker. This week I have included J. Julius Sams' memoir in its entirety in the Sources section below. Enjoy reading about Dataw & Oak Islands circa 1840 thru the adventures of two boys, Julius and Horace Sams. In the meantime, let me tell you a bit more about Reverend J. Julius Sams, the man.

The post Reverend J. Julius Sams first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

What’s in a Name?

Bill — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 12:00:48 +0000

This week is about what NAMES can reveal. As an amateur genealogist, I know that names can provide clues to a person’s past but can also present a brick wall. Discovering the ancestors of William Artman Riski is much easier than John Smith. Sometimes a naming pattern can provide us leads that we might otherwise overlook. This week I investigated the names of the seven sons born to William and Elizabeth Sams and found several surprises, including a British tradition.

The post What’s in a Name? first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Long Line

Bill — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 12:00:40 +0000

The theme this week is LONG LINE. Many of the ‘Datha Sams’ followed a journey over the generations away from Beaufort. Some left to pursue their dreams elsewhere (e.g., Edward Sams to GA and FL), others were pushed out by the Civil War and chose not to return. A few returned after the war and stayed, creating a long line of living in Beaufort. The long line in South Carolina began before William and Elizabeth’s purchase of Datha Island in 1783. It extends back to ancestors born in the U.S. in the 17th Century.

The post Long Line first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

My Father’s Life

Bill — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 12:30:23 +0000

The theme this week is MY FATHER'S LIFE. Elizabeth Exima Sams (1831 - 1906) was born March 16th, 1831, to Elizabeth Fripp and Dr. Berners Barnwell Sams. Her mother was 17 when she married Dr. Sams and bore him eleven children before she died in childbirth with daughter Elizabeth. Fortunately, Elizabeth E. Sams lives a long life in South Carolina. A year before her death, she travels from Beaufort, South Carolina to Norfolk, Virginia, to visit her nephew, Conway Whittle Sams (1864 - 1935). While there, Elizabeth tells her nephew all about his grandfather, her father, Dr. BB Sams. We have no similar first-person accounts of any of the other six brothers (i.e., William and Elizabeth Sams sons).

The post My Father’s Life first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Middle of an Era

Bill — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 13:09:02 +0000

The theme this week is MIDDLE. We are at week 26 and half-way through 2020. This gave me an idea for a new historical perspective on the Sams. Just imagine, when Dr. Lewis Reeve Sams, Jr. and his brother Miles Brewton Sams were in their teens - so were Abraham Lincoln, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Harriet Beecher Stowe. What these have in common is 1822. The Sams era on Datha Island started in 1783 and ended abruptly in 1861. The middle of that period was 1822.

The post Middle of an Era first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Widows – The Three Grand-Daughters

Bill — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 12:00:33 +0000

The theme this week is WIDOWS. Since June 23rd is International Widow’s Day, I decided to do some analysis on our Sams genealogy database and see what it reveals about widows in the Sams families of the 19th century. Our genealogy database contains over 2500 people. That’s way too many people to sift through and find the widows. The area I’ll be focusing on is a family tree with William & Elizabeth Sams at the top. The second and third generations below them are mostly complete. Still, for about one-third of the women, we have insufficient information to determine if they lived to adulthood and married. I’m going to identify the WIDOWS who are direct descendants in these first three generations of SAMS, counting William & Elizabeth as the first generation.

The post Widows – The Three Grand-Daughters first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Unexpected – Lewis Reeve Sams & Frances Yonge Fuller

Bill — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 12:41:01 +0000

The theme this week is UNEXPECTED. For a long time now, we’ve had beautiful copies of portraits of Dr. Berners Barnwell Sams and his first wife, Elizabeth Fripp. Yet, as you can see in this article, the same is not true for his older brother Lewis Reeve Sams or his first wife Sarah Fripp. All we have are poor quality black and white portraits. I’ve always hoped we would someday find better portraits. A few weeks ago, I had a eureka moment.

The post Unexpected – Lewis Reeve Sams & Frances Yonge Fuller first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Uncertainty – Grateful to Andrew Robinson

Bill — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 12:10:55 +0000

This week’s theme is UNCERTAINTY. Take, for example, who is buried in the Cotton Dike Cemetery? This story begins in 2004 with an interview with two brothers, then wanders through monuments, ground-penetrating radar, a rededication ceremony, and the British territory of Saint Helena Island. It ends with the recent graveside service of Andrew Robinson. We are grateful to Andrew, his brothers, and his nephew for bringing a measure of certainty to our Cotton Dike cemetery.

The post Uncertainty – Grateful to Andrew Robinson first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Dataw Island: No Ordinary Place

Bill — Fri, 22 May 2020 01:22:18 +0000

From prehistoric times to present day, an island rich in history, mystery, and stunning natural beauty. Experience the beauty and history of Dataw Island, South Carolina in this exquisite, limited edition, historical, coffee table book. With over 200 images - from archaeological findings to Dataw's ruins and its breathtaking natural vistas, you will enjoy and learn the depth of history that makes Dataw the special place that it is today.

The post Dataw Island: No Ordinary Place first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Fire – Dangerous Necessity

Bill — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 12:59:01 +0000

Fire - Dangerous Necessity
We are fortunate to have in our Sams Plantation Complex Tabby the ruins of several chimneys. Here’s an easy question. How many pre-1820 chimneys can you see on Dataw Island today? The answer is 12!

The post Fire – Dangerous Necessity first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Dataw Island Beaufort, South Carolina Cultural Resources Survey by Larry Lepionka – March 1988

Bill — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 12:47:53 +0000

download

The post Dataw Island Beaufort, South Carolina Cultural Resources Survey by Larry Lepionka – March 1988 first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Oak Island Chain of Ownership

Bill — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 20:13:12 +0000

download

The post Oak Island Chain of Ownership first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Almost Forgotten

Bill — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 12:00:51 +0000

Almost Forgotten - Of the seven sons of William and Elizabeth, four belong on our 'almost forgotten' list. Robert and William because they never married, and we are not sure where they are buried; maybe Datha. Francis also never married. So little is known about him, but he does have a headstone in the Sams Family Cemetery on Datha. And lastly, the wanderer, Edward. With your help, maybe someday their stories will be told.

The post Almost Forgotten first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Disaster – The Story of One Southern Family (1838 – 1864)

Bill — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 14:22:44 +0000

Disaster - The Story of One Family -Disaster is relative and can mean many different things to many people. And of course, the period of the conflict between the states is rife with stories of disaster. The SAMS family had several members die in that conflict. But today I’m going to concentrate on just one Sams family; James Edings Lawrence Fripp (1816 - 1864) and his wife Evelina Edings Sams (1822 - 1861), who last so many, so young.

The post Disaster – The Story of One Southern Family (1838 – 1864) first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Discovery – Francis William ‘Frank’ Sams, Jr. (1846-1921)

Bill — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 13:08:50 +0000

Francis William ‘Frank’ Sams, Jr. (1846-1921) was one of four children born to Dr. Frank Sams and his wife, but the only one to live to adulthood. He was born in Palatka, Florida and died in New Smyrna Beach, Florida - where he was “discovered” last year by Joe and Diane Roney on their road trip. From the research Joe Roney and I have done, it’s clear he was a very successful man; Confederate soldier at 15, State senator in Florida at 53.

The post Discovery – Francis William ‘Frank’ Sams, Jr. (1846-1921) first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Same Name – Mrs. Sarah Stanyarne Sams Sams (1840-1902)

Bill — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 13:40:44 +0000

Sarah Stanyarne Sams Sams (1840-1902) was the daughter, and last child, of Dr. Berners Barnwell Sams (1787 - 1855) and his second wife Martha Edwards (1799-1857). Married her 1C1R John Hanahan Sams (1839-1924) in 1865 and had 8 children. They stayed in the Charleston area for a while after the war, but eventually started new lives in Brevard County, FL.

The post Same Name – Mrs. Sarah Stanyarne Sams Sams (1840-1902) first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

Tale of Two Cemeteries

Bill — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 02:26:04 +0000

The tabby ruins at the Sams Plantation Complex stand as mute evidence of a bygone era. There were two distinct ways of life which coexisted in the antebellum South. The Plantation Owner and his family were White, European-American, educated, affluent and engaged, politically, socially and culturally, in the wider community. The Slaves, on the other hand, were captured by European slavers who forcibly removed them to North and South America from all over West Africa.

The post Tale of Two Cemeteries first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF DATAW ISLAND – CONCLUSIONS

Bill — Sat, 19 Oct 2019 02:53:45 +0000

THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF DATAW ISLAND ARCHITECTURAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT THE SAMS PLANTATION COMPLEX This report documents architectural and archaeological data recovery that has been conducted at five historic…

The post THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF DATAW ISLAND – CONCLUSIONS first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF DATAW ISLAND section 4 of 4

Bill — Sat, 19 Oct 2019 02:44:53 +0000

The post THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF DATAW ISLAND section 4 of 4 first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF DATAW ISLAND section 3 of 4

Bill — Sat, 19 Oct 2019 02:37:10 +0000

The post THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF DATAW ISLAND section 3 of 4 first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.

THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF DATAW ISLAND section 2 of 4

Bill — Sat, 19 Oct 2019 02:25:08 +0000

The post THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF DATAW ISLAND section 2 of 4 first appeared on Dataw Historic Foundation.