1790, when the whole number of every description amounted to 249.073. A second census was taken in 1800, amounting to 345,591, an increase of nearly 4 per cent. per annum, or 96,518 in a period of ten years. In the last census the sexes approached nearer to an equality of number than is usual: for the difference in the sum total of their respective numbers was only 5,577 or nearly twenty males to nineteen females, though the usual proportion is thirteen or fourteen of the former to twelve or thirteen of the latter. It is further remarkable, that there is an excess of 384 females between the ages of sixteen and twenty-six over males of corresponding ages; though in all the other periods of human life noticed in the census the excess is on the side of the males. It appears that the relative excess of males is constantly lessening till the age of sixteen, when the difference in point of numbers is only 299 in favor of the males. Between the age of sixteen and twenty-six this small excess of males is lost, and the balance is on the other side; for in that class there is an excess of 384 females.* Carolina has not been settled long enough to furnish data for making calculations on the longevity of its inhabitants. Some are still living who were born within thirty years after the first settlement, and when the whole population did not exceed seven thousand. The middle country was settled about 1736, and the upper country about 1751. In both some of the first natives are still alive, and several of the emigrants are much older than these settlements. The extent of the longevity to which the natives of these more healthy parts may attain, cannot be ascertained for forty, fifty, or sixty years to come. Many natives of the low country live to sixty with their faculties entire; several live to seventy, a few survive from eighty to eighty-nine, beyond which no native but one, as far as can be recollected, has been known to live who made the low country his or her ordinary residence. Some emigrants from Germany, France, Ireland, Scotland, England and the northern States have survived their 100th year, and a few their 110th. Their ages at the time of their arrival cannot always be ascertained; but in general it has been found to be It is probable that about the age of twenty-one the number of both sexes is equal, or nearly so; for five years after that period there is an excess of 384 females; and five years before it, of 299 males. If the enumerations in the census are correct, and the conclusion drawn from analogy and average is just, it follows, that in case marriages universally took place between the citizens of the State at the age of twenty-one, or between twenty-one and twenty-two on both sides, there would not be an unmarried person, either male or female, of that age in South Carolina. Satisfactory evidence can be produced that at least one negro born in Carolina has approached to the age of 120. Several of them live to great ages, but the precise number of years is seldom known. oftener under forty than above it. In some cases their residence in Carolina is known to have exceeded seventy years. The natives of lower Carolina who arrive at old age are few, and that portion of the State cannot in general be called healthy; but the climate is not the greatest enemy to the longevity of its inhabitants. Intemperance, particularly the immoderate use of ardent spirits, is a much greater one. It makes young men old before they reach their thirtieth year, and brings them with all the infirmities and decrepitude of age to premature graves, when, under other circumstances, they would have been in the prime of life and usefulness. Few are sots before they are twenty, and very few of that description reach fifty. Death from intemperance between these two periods diminishes the candidates for the honors of old age, and increases the number of widows and orphans much faster, and to a greater extent, than the climate alone would have done. The latter in the most sickly spots is not inimical to health for more than four months out of twelve, but the former continues its destructive ravages all the year round. There are now living in South Carolina. AGED. Mrs. Jackson, a widow lady at the high hills of Santee, near Captain Singleton's, a native of Virginia.... 110 Mary Miller, a native of Germany, has resided near Orangeburg 80 years... 110 107 Benjamin Busby, in Edgefield.... 104 Swore to his age 103, some time ago, to be excused from duty as a juryman Frederic Hooevr, near Orangeburgh... 102 Rose Maples, 17 miles from Statesburgh... 102 Mary James, from Maryland, 70 years resident near Statesburgh........ 102 William Atwood, in Abbeville, married for the first time at 65, and has since Mrs. Lane, near Statesburgh, who on Sunday walks ten miles to Church attended by her descendants to the fifth generation... 95 Mrs. Walter, near Dorchester.... 93 Mr. and Mrs. Nettles, ten miles from Statesburgh, were born in Virginia in the same month of the same year, have been married 72 years, have 134 descendants, are healthy, cheerful, and good humored, have resided in Carolina 30 years, each of them is..... Mrs. Mary Ernst, born in Germany, a resident in Charlestown, 66 years. This couple have been married 66 years, and are exemplary for their Nelly Snyder, in Lexington; this woman has had ten husbands.. 90 Mary Keller, a resident for 57 years, near Orangeburgh.. 90 Mrs. Linguard, of Charlestown.. 90 Mr. Hughes, in Newberry, rides 14 miles to Church.. Mr. James Kelly, born in Ireland, resident for 30 years in Prince Williams.. 89 86 83 Mrs. Boldric, a native of Ireland, 50 years resident in or near St. Mathew's Parish, in perfect health until the year 1807, when her constitution received a shock from the influenza; or, as stated by herself, from the timidity of a young practitioner, who counted her years instead of her pulse, refused to bleed her, or lend his lancet that she might bleed her self. She still carefully attends to her domestic concerns, and performs journeys to Charlestown. Mr. James Hemmingen, of Abbeville, born in Scotland Mr. John Lewis Wingtxen, of Charlestown, born in Germany. Mrs. Mary Smyser, born in Germany, resident in Charlestown 67 years.. *Mrs. Roupell, of Charlestown... Sebastian Spinler, born in Switzerland, has lived 57 years in Charlestown.. Mr. De Tollinere, a native of Nantz, has lived in Carolina, 35 years, and for DIED IN SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE 1797. Mr. Neighbours, of Laurens, died in 1798.. AGED. 85 84 84 81 80 80 80 114 His Wife. 109 Both Pennsylvanians, and had been married 80 years. Mrs. Neighbours, when 105,.broke her thigh in three places, which healed very kindly. Mrs. Newby, in Laurens.... 112 Mrs. Minnich, near Edisto river... 108 James Jaquet, a native of Switzerland, a resident in St. James, Santee, for Patrick Smith, born in Ireland, a resident in Carolina for 50 years, died in *Elizabeth Jenkins.. Rev. Jeremiah Ream, a preacher after he was 90 years old, in Sumpter district 100 Mrs. Sheely... 103 95 94 Mrs. Hopton, a native of England, 70 years resident in Charlestown, except the loss of sight, from a particular circumstance, retained the use of her senses, and the exercise of her intellectual powers, which were uncom monly vigorous till within two or three years of her death.... Thomas Sykes, a native of Ireland... Mrs. Sarah White, born in Ireland, had upwards of 100 descendants. a residence of 40 years in the wax-haws, died in 1806.. William Ancrem, after a residence of 60 years in Charlestown. *Stephen Mazyck, of Goose Creek, South Carolina.... Anna Barbara Dreher, of Charlestown, born in Germany. Ursula Grabenstein, born in Germany. Mrs. Austin, born in Virginia, was the mother of 21 children, nearly all of whom lived to maturity, was healthy and strong through life, after a residence of 45 years in Fairfield, died in 1802.. 84 Mrs. Williams, of Charlestown, was a grand-mother at 30.. THE FOLLOWING PERSONS DIED BEFORE 1797. Thomas Farling, was at the battle of the Boyne, and died in 1756, at AGED. 84 80 Rev. William Screven, ancestor of the numerous and respectable families of that name in Carolina and Georgia, founder of Georgetown, and of the Baptist Churches in South Carolina, after a residence of about 40 years, died in 1713.. *Damaris Elizabeth Ravenel.. 83 Elizabeth Ralsteisen, born in Germany.. Elias Ball, born in Devonshire, England, lived in the country and had never been sick 84 82 82 George Brownell, mentioned with respect by Doctor Franklin, as his teacher, many years a respectable teacher in Carolina... * 82 The persons to whose name is prefixed, were natives of, and generally residents in or near Charlestown. Several more might be added who are known to have attained the age of 80; and many pages might have been filled with the names of persons who had approached to or exceeded 70. CIVIL HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, From the Termination of the Revolutionary War in 1783 to the year 1808. CHAPTER XI. The unexpected but successful struggle for independence unsettled everything. To bring order out of confusion was no easy matter. In the course of the revolution many things were done on the principle of sacrificing minor objects to the public safety, which admit of no justification and can only be palliated by the plea of necessity. The prohibition of all exportation from the country was a measure early enjoined by authority, and enforced by sound policy. This brought after it an obstruction of the regular course of justice; for hard would have been the fate of planters to be compelled to pay their debts when their country forbade the sale of their crops. The commencement of hostilities required that troops should be raised, and that imposed a necessity of emitting bills of credit for their maintenance. To support the credit of these bills, they were made a tender in payment of debts. As they were emitted without solid funds for their redemption, they progressively depreciated. Many contracts made at different periods, payable in these bills, were yet to be fulfilled. Many debts contracted prior to the war, were wholly and others partially cancelled by these bills. When the war was ended, and real money introduced, to do justice in every case between debtor and creditor was impossible. It was necessary for the Legislature to fix some rule. This occupied their attention at their first meeting after the evacuation of Charlestown. As the least of all possible evils, they agreed on a scale of depreciation which fixed the value of the paper bills at different periods in a relative proportion to the commodities of the country, compared with their prices anterior to the revolution. This scale began in April, 1777, at £108 10s. for £100, and ended May 10th, 1780, at £5,248 for £100, and credits were accordingly to be given for payments on all subsisting contracts. Where the contract no longer subsisted, and the evidence of the debt has been destroyed on the receipt of noininal payment in depreciated bills, no redress could be obtained. This produced great inequality and injustice. No remedy in the power of the Legislature could be applied on a general scale without producing greater injustice than it was intended to obviate.* The evils resulting from depreciation, and the best though partial, rule of the Legislature for lessening them, were soon followed by others of greater magnitude. The The *An interesting debate on this subject for some time occupied the public mind. It was discussed with great animation, both in the newspapers and in the Legislature. By one party it was contended that the scale of depreciation should be applied to all debts, as well as those which were cancelled by full payment, as those which being wholly unpaid or only partially paid off still subsisted. monied and the landed interest took opposite sides, and some were doubtless influenced by private interest. Abstract justice favored the one, and political expedience the other. The moderate and impartial were swayed by the consideration of the impossibility of doing complete justice to all; and that therefore the rule which departed least from it was to be preferred. Legal compulsion to make a second payment of a debt which had been once legally discharged,would be in their opinions often as much ex post facto injustice to the debtor, as the first depreciated payment had been to the creditor. The general retrospect was considered as likely to involve an infinity of contention and litigation; and that, instead of promoting universal and equal justice, would operate partially, and occasion general distress to the bulk of the inhabitants, who were not accurate in the practical art of book-keeping, and be of service only to a few who kept recorded memorandums of all their pecuniary transactions. The Legislature therefore decided in favor of those who wished to confine the retrospective operation of the law respecting payments made in depreciated money, to contarcts still subsisting. Thus far, and no farther, they had a clear and certain rule by which the decision of courts might be regulated. There were doubtless many cases in which this rule operated hardly on individuals; but it was conceived that the extension of the retrospect to cancelled as well as to subsisting contracts, would have operated equally hard on a greater number. |