98 HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL SKETCH OF 



was known as Santee Parish, which, as it became 

 settled, was distinguished into EngHsh and French 

 Santee, from the character of its inhabitants ; the 

 former occupying the part since built by the de- 

 scendants of the latter, and known as St. Stephen's 

 Parish. The French emiorrants were attracted to 

 three principal points out of Charleston ; these 

 were : the head-waters of Ashley River, Wassamas- 

 saw ; that large feeder of Cooper River, known as 

 French Quarter Creek ; and Jamestown. 



Lawson, who visited the Santee in 1 700, found 

 about fifty French families settled on its banks ; 

 but he does not appear to have known of the exist- 

 ence of Jamestown. These Frenchmen, he says, 

 generally follow a trade with the Indians, for which 

 they are conveniently situated. His brief notice of 

 these people proves that they made a very favorable 

 impression upon him. In one passage he says : 



" Meeting with several creeks, the French, whom we met 

 coming from their church, were very officious in assisting with 

 their small dories to pass over these waters ; they were all 

 clean and decent in their apparel, their houses and plantations 

 suitable in neatness and contrivance. They are all of the same 

 opinion with the church of Geneva, there being no difference 

 among them concerning the punctilios of their Christian faith ; 

 which union hath propagated a happy and delightful concord 

 in all other matters throughout the whole neighborhood ; 

 living amongst themselves as one tribe or kindred, every one 

 making it his business to be assistant to the wants of his 

 countrymen, preserving his estate and reputation with the same 



