Miscellaneous: Lymerick Plantation *********************************************** Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives Limerick Index Copyright ************************************************ File contributed by: C.L. LYMERICK PLANTATION Berkeley County, South Carolina By Michael J. O'Brien When searching for information concerning the Irish immigrants to Charleston, I found some interesting references to three Irishmen who evidently were natives of Limerick, Ireland, and who appear to have come to South Carolina from Barbadoes Island in the year 1707. The records of the office of the Secretary of State (1) indicate that in 1681 one Thomas COlleton, who was very active in the settlement of the Province, was created a Landgrave of South Carolina, and under his patent he was entitled to four Baronies of 12,000 each, one of which was granted to him on August 13th, 1683. It was situated on the eastern branch of the Cooper River in Berkeley County and is called on old plats and deeds "the Cypress Barony." The property passed to his son, Peter, and on July 18th, 1707, it was sold to three Irishmen named John Gough, Dominick Arthur and Michael Mahon," for 800 pounds in bank bills of the Island of Barbadoes." The purchasers seem to have divided the property among themselves, each executing a release to the others for his respective share. For example, on July 13th, 1709, Gough and Arthur executed a release to Michael Mahon of "all that part of the Cypress Barony now called or known by ye name of Middle Settlement or Lymerick Plantation, containing 3,500 acres of land." Some years later there were other land grants, containing many thousand acres, adjoining Cypress Barony which were granted to Major Isaac Harleston, an officer in the Revolutionary Army. These were known as "Irishtown" and we are informed that "this section was so known for a number of years before the end of the eighteenth century." (2) It is noted that as early as July 13th, 1709, the name "Lymerick" was bestowed on the share allotted to Michael Mahon. It is stated that Limerick, Ireland, was his native home, (3) and it is probable that the name was given by him to his share of the Barony during the period between the purchase from Peter Colleton in 1707 and the release from Gough and Arthur in 1709. Mahon seems to have gone to Barbadoes, for on December 12th, 1713, he conveyed to Daniel Huger of Craven County, planter, "for 800 pounds South Carolina money," 3,415 acres and on July 18th, 1714, his wife, Margaret Mahon, executed in favor of Daniel Huger " a renunciation of dower in a plantation at the head of Cooper River, commonly known by the Name of Lymerick Plantation or ye Middle Settlement, and formerly part of ye Cipruss Barony," and recited that her husband was "formerly of the County of Berkeley, S.C., but then of the Island of Barbadoes." Michael Mahon's name also figures in other land transactions in this vicinity, two of his sales having been to Dominick Arthur and Francis Roche. Daniel Huger lived during his life on the plantation known as "Lymerick" and is said to have accumulated a fortune, which, according to an inventory made after his death, placed him as one of the wealthiest men in the Province. Lymerick, or Limerick, ws his home and residence, and the entires of his marriage, of the births of his children and the family burials are all recorded as from that place. The property continued in possession of the Hugers until 1764, when it was sold to Elias Ball of Berkeley County. It continued in the Ball family until 1890. Three thousand five hundred acres of the Barony fell to John Gough. He seems to have settled and lived on the property and his descendants continued in South Carolina for several generations. At his death the property passed under his will to his sons, John, Richard, Francis and Edward O'Neale Gough conveyed their shares (1,910 acres), to John C. Ball. These two plantations remained in the Ball family until 1846, when they were sold to John B. Irving. The 5,000 acres allotted to Dominick Arthur descended at his death to his nephew and heir-at-law, Christopher Arthur. By his will, dated October 24th, 1724, he devised his real and personal estate, "one-half to my beloved kinsman, Patrick Roche of the City of Limerick, merchant, son of my uncle, Francis Roche, deceased, and Anstace Roche, alt Arthur, his wife," and the other half to his nephew, Bartholomew Arthur. He also directed that Patrick Roche should have another parcel of 150 acres. Although Patrick Roche is described in the will of Arthur Dominick Arthur as "of the City of Limerick," he also seems to have come to South Carolina, doubtless to take possession of his inheritance. He died intestate, and the property descended to his eldest son, Francis, who, in 1739, sold 699 acres of it and in 1741, 35 1/2 acres to Daniel Huger. At Francis Roche's death, which event I find mentioned in the South Carolina and American General Gazette of November 6, 1747, it passed to his son, Ebenezer Roche, who died in 1783. His executors, Francis and Thomas Roche, sold the plantation on July 6th, 1784, to Edward Harleston, reserving a plot of "one-half acre enclosed for the burial interment for the descendants of Ebenezer Roche." These lands are now in the possession of families named Quash and Irving. The last mentioned Francis and Thomas Roche evidently resided at Charleston, since the marriage of Francis Roche to Mary Jennings on December 31, 1778, are included in "Marriage Records Kept by Colonel Isaac Hayne." (4) Sources: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN IRISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY. VOLUME XXV, 1926 (1) (Vol. 39, pp. 60,61) (2) The Baronies of South Carolina, in S.C. Historical-Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 18 (3) Ibid, Vol. 2 (4) Ibid, Vol. 2