City Directories and History: R&R has divided the 1941 SCDOT map of Berkeley County into (44) sectional maps. Many of the individually listed schools and churches shown on this section are pictured. However, in many cases, the individual site also has its own post on R&R, which often provides added information and image. Be wise and use the search function to locate all of the entries for this and other homeplace listings.
Wappaoolah, sweet water in the Indian tongue, (also spelled Wappaoola) was first settled by Henrietta Wragg and her husband, The Rev. Milward Pogson, Rector of St. James’ Goose Creek. It is said that Mr. Pogson bought an old barn in Charleston, transported it to Wappaoolah and built the house around it. “The Pogsons left this place in 1808, so the house must have been put up before that date.” Mr. Stoney dates it 1806. Dockon, meaning peace in the language of the Indians of that area, It was a comfortable and much loved place by those who lived and all who came there. The last of the “Cooper river people” to own it and live there were the Frank Heywards. Mrs. Heyward was Frances Ferguson, daughter of Colonel James Ferguson of adjoining Dockon plantation. ….. was originally the property of Jacques DuBose “and partly of Dr. John Thomas.” Colonel Ferguson built the house that stood at the end of the long oak avenue, which he planted in 1847, leaving his sons to remove every other tree as they grew. This thinning out was never done and it is now a beautiful cathedral-like avenue.”
Dr. Thomas married Marie DuGu…., widow of DuBose, and left the place to his three step-daughters, one of whom married Joseph Wragg, the great-grandfather of Colonel James Ferguson. Colonel Ferguson was a lover of horses and bred the immortal Albine at Dockon, the fastest horse ever to run the Washington Race Course in Charleston. Col. Ferguson lived to be ninety. His youngest son was born one hundred and twenty-eight years after the birth of Thomas, his grandfather.”
While still in this neighborhood, mention should be made of “Primus Lan’ Chu’ch,” the church of the plantation Negroes of this neighborhood. It is on the road between Wappaoolah and The Bluff. The name does not come from “de hebenly lan’ cross Jerdan,” as one would think, but was given to the church because the land was promised them and then given to them. The people now living, who grew up at Wappaoolah and The Bluff, believe the donor was a Ball connection, but whether it was Dr. Moultrie of The Bluff, Elias Nonus, who was so short a time at Dean Hall, or who, they do not know. Many believe it was someone at The Bluff, but the church is on the Dean Hall side of the road, so it is open to question.
(Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC)
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