Springfield Plantation – Berkeley County

— Springfield Plantation 1939 © Library of Congress —
(Prints & Photographs Division HABS SC-55)

Basic Information

• Location – St. John's Berkeley Parish, Berkeley County

  6 miles east of Eutaw Springs

• Origin of name – ?

• Other names – ?

• Current status – Located on shores of Lake Marion

— Fireplace at Springfield Plantation 1939 © Library of Congress —
(Prints & Photographs Division HABS SC-55)

Timeline

• ? – Earliest known date of existence

• ? – Isaac Couturier and Thomas Palmer acquired the property through royal grants (1).
  

• Prior to 1775 – Captain John Palmer purchased the property from Isaac Couturier and his brother Thomas Palmer (1).
  

• Prior to 1776 – House built (1)
  

  It is believed a house was on the property prior to 1776 (1).
  

• 1817 – Captain John Palmer passed away and left the plantation to his son Joseph Palmer (1).
  

• 1817 – Second house built (1)
  

  Joseph Palmer constructed a mansion house made of hand-hewn black cypress (1).
  

• ? – Edmund G. Palmer, grandson of Joseph Palmer, inherited Springfield (1).
  

• 1935 – The plantation was owned by Mrs. Edmund G. Palmer and her daughter and son-in-law Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. McGuinness (1).
  

Land

• Number of acres – ?

• Primary crop – Indigo and Santee long cotton (hybrid between Upland cotton and Sea Island cotton)
  

Slaves

• Number of slaves – 39

References & Resources

1. Information contributed by Ramona L. Grimsley, Digital Projects Librarian for Berkeley County Library, from:
   – Springfield Plantation - Palmer Family
   

2. Information contributed by Ramona L. Grimsley, Digital Projects Librarian for Berkeley County Library, from:
   – Library of Congress - Springfield, Eutawville, Orangeburg County, SC Photos from Survey HABS SC-55
   

3. 30-15 Plantation File, held by the South Carolina Historical Society
   –  Online Catalog
   

4. Claude Henry Neuffer, editor, Names in South Carolina, Volume I through 30 (Columbia, SC: The State Printing Company)
    Order Names in South Carolina, Volumes I-XII, 1954-1965
    Order Names in South Carolina, Index XIII-XVIII
   

5. Caption on map of plantations along the Santee River in Upper St. John's Parish, SC 1865
   

6. J. Russell Cross, Historic Ramblin's through Berkeley (Columbia, SC: R.L. Bryan Company, 1985)
    Order Historic Ramblin's through Berkeley

7. Sankofa's Plantation Data Collection