Singleton's Graveyard is an historic plantation
cemetery
A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite, graveyard, or a green space called a memorial park or memorial garden, is a place where the remains of many death, dead people are burial, buried or otherwise entombed. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek ...
located off
SC 261 in the
High Hills of Santee
The High Hills of Santee, sometimes known as the High Hills of the Santee, is a long, narrow hilly region in the western part of Sumter County, South Carolina. It has been called "one of the state's most famous areas".[Wedgefield, South Carolina
Wedgefield is an unincorporated community and census designated place (CDP) in the High Hills of Santee area in western Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. Wedgefield is also a Census Designated Place (CDP). Wedgefield was so named bec ...]
.
On May 13, 1976, it was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
.
[
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History
Singleton's Graveyard was the family cemetery for the wealthy and prominent Singleton family descended from Col. Matthew Singleton (1728–1787), who settled in the area in the mid-18th century. It is located on Melrose Plantation built in 1760, one of the family's many plantations. All that remains of Melrose, though, is the graveyard. The 43 known graves date from 1794 to 1944. Many are Singleton family members, including Matthew Singleton himself. The most notable grave marker is that for Governor George McDuffie
George McDuffie (August 10, 1790 – March 11, 1851) was the 55th Governor of South Carolina and a member of the United States Senate. Though he began his political career as a partisan of Andrew Jackson, he became one of South Carolina's most ...
(1790–1851), husband of Mary Rebecca Singleton, daughter of Col. Richard Singleton. It was designed by noted sculptor Ottaviano Gori of New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.[ William Tennant (1740-1777], noted ]Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...
minister and politician, is believed to be buried here, since his widow recorded in their family Bible that he died at "Captain Singleton's High Hills of Santee, August 11, 1777 ...".
Singleton - Van Buren connection
Sarah Angelica Singleton, daughter of Col. Richard Singleton and his wife, Rebecca Travis Coles, married Abraham Van Buren
Abraham Van Buren (February 17, 1737 – April 8, 1817) was an American businessman and local public official from Kinderhook, New York. A Patriot and militia veteran of the American Revolutionary War, he was the father of Martin Van Buren, t ...
on November 27, 1838, at her parents’ home in Wedgefield. Her father-in-law, Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren ( ; ; December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862) was the eighth president of the United States, serving from 1837 to 1841. A primary founder of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as Attorney General o ...
, was then eighthPresident of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
and she served as First Lady during the rest of his time in the White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
.[
]
See also
*List of Registered Historic Places in South Carolina
Image:South Carolina counties map.png, 400px, South Carolina counties (clickable map)
poly 112 69 79 78 76 91 63 99 62 103 58 103 53 110 53 114 49 113 43 118 43 126 38 130 39 138 46 144 52 149 56 153 57 155 66 155 71 162 78 170 81 171 82 176 94 ...
References
External links
National Register listings for Sumter County
Sumter County Museum operated by the Sumter County Historical Society
* ttp://south-carolina-plantations.com/sumter/melrose.html South Carolina Plantations listing for Melrose Plantation
Pictures of Melrose Plantation
{{National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina
Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina
High Hills of Santee
Geography of Sumter County, South Carolina
National Register of Historic Places in Sumter County, South Carolina