324 THE FEENCH BLOOD IN AJ^IERICA 



Honoured 

 Names 



Blias 

 Prioleau 



came a large contributor to the growth and prosperity of 

 South Carolina, as of other parts of the world. France's 

 inestimable loss was the gain of nations born and as yet 

 unborn. To South Carolina were transplanted from 

 France the stocks from which have sprung such respect- 

 able families, some of them renowTied, as Laurens, 

 Marion, Manigault, Prioleau, Horry, Huger, Postell, 

 Guerard, Benoist, Dubois, Dupr^, St. Julien, Chevalier, 

 Simons, and a score of others. This group of refugees 

 settled at first on the Santee River, and from them that 

 part of the country iu old maps was called French Santee. 

 Their religious leader was Reverend Elias Prioleau, who 

 had brought with him a considerable part of his cougre- 

 gatiou from France. He was the grandson of Anthoine 

 Prioli, who wjis chosen Doge of Venice in 1618, and was 

 a man of unusual parts. 



What these families went through for the sake of their 

 religion is indicated in a letter written by Judith Mani- 

 gault, wife of Peter Manigault, founders of a family that 

 was long well known in the State. This lady, when about 

 twenty, embarked in 1685 for Carolina by way of London. 

 She subsequently wrote to her brother in France a letter, 

 giving some account of her experiences. This is a trans- 

 lation of it into English : 



Judith 



Manigault's 



Letter 



Since you desire it, I will give you an account of our quitting 

 France, and of our arrival in Carolina. During eight months, we had 

 suffered from the contributions and the quartering of the soldiers, 

 with many other inconveniences. We therefore resolved on quitting 

 France by night, leaving the soldiers in their beds, and abandoning 

 the house with its furniture. We contrived to hide ourselves at Ro- 

 mans in Dauphigny, for ten days, while a search was made after us ; 

 but our hostess being faithful, did not betray us when questioned if 

 she had seen us. From thence we passed to Lyons— from thence to 

 Dijon — from which place, as well as from Langres, my eldest brother 

 wrote to you ; but I know not if either of the letters reached you. 

 He informed you that we were quitting France. He went to Madame 

 de Choisenl's, which was of no avail, as she was dead, and her .son-in- 

 law had the command of everything ; moreover, he gave us to under- 



