There's A Quaker Burying Ground In South Carolina That Dates Back To Before The Revolutionary War

Quakers made their way southward and into South Carolina in the late 1600s and the organizational unit of the Religious Society of Friends was established in Charleston in 1682. It is believed to be the first Quaker settlement in what would become South Carolina. Eventually, however, three other settlements were created inland. Camden, credited with being the oldest inland city in South Carolina, was one of the most prominent, followed by Bushkill in Newberry County, and a fourth in Marlboro County.

In theory, Quaker burial grounds exist in all four of those locations but none are as prominent, or well cared for, as the Quaker Cemetery in Camden.

The Quaker movement began in the mid 17th century in England and soon spread across the ocean. The group of Quakers that would settle in Camden were known to be Irish Quakers who settled along the Wateree River near present day Camden around 1750.

By 1759, a Quaker burying ground had been established in an agreement with the town. It's believed that a member of the Quaker sect secured a 999-year land deal for four acres to be used for Quaker meetings and a Quaker burial ground. The payment? One peppercorn per year.

Today that cemetery has grown exponentially to include 50 acres and burials for those other then just members of the Quaker society. Although, the original four acres still contains what are believed to be original grave sites dating back to 1759.

At that time, Quakers didn't believe in lavish shows of wealth (in life or death) and for quite some time, graves were simply covered with arched masonry — and no headstones.

You'll find many of those original burial sites within the Quaker Cemetery in Camden; some are less easy to spot than others and have either sunken into the ground or been covered over with sediment that has shifted over time.

Sadly, in some cases the masonry arches appear flush with the surrounding ground, giving the appearance they could be mere brick walkways.

A pyramid-shaped stone marks the spot of the original four acres leased by the Quakers in this now quite large cemetery.

A visit to the Quaker Cemetery goes well beyond bearing witness to the historic Quaker burying grounds. The cemetery has quite a few prominent citizens laid to rest within the hallowed grounds, including a U.S. Congressman and several Confederate officers who fought in The War Between The States.

When paying a visit, be sure to seek out the arched graves with no markers. These religious pioneers were among the first Quakers to live in South Carolina and to be laid to rest in the Quaker Burying Grounds.

Did you know this historic cemetery existed and have you visited yet? The Quaker Burying Grounds cemetery is located at 713 Meeting St., Camden, SC. The gates are open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

To visit another very unique cemetery in South Carolina, check out this nature preserve where burials are anything but ordinary.

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There's A Quaker Burial Ground In South Carolina That Dates Back To Before The Revolutionary War

Robin Jarvis

Author

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