Basic Information

• Location – Burton, Beaufort County
  

• Origin of name – ?

• Other names – Baldwin

• Current status – Privately owned

Timeline

• 1853 – Earliest known date of existence

• ? – Thomas Aston Coffin, as manager of his father's estate on behalf of the siblings, purchased Cherry Hill to expand the family's holdings which also included Coffin Point Plantation and McTureus Plantation at the time (4).
  

• 1861 – The Coffins abandoned all their Beaufort County holdings when they fled the area in advance of Union troops (4).
  

  The United States Government confiscated many plantations in Beaufort County during the Civil War.
  

• Circa 1875 – Stephen G. Ellis redeemed Cherry Hill from the United States Government (5).
  

• 1887 – Richard A. Ellis, Calder B. Ellis and Ephrim W. Ellis sold Cherry Hill for $180.00 to J. Lawton Ellis. I appears the three brothers had inherited the plantation from their father Stephen G. Ellis (5).
  

• ? – Dr. Arthur Elting owned approximately 3,000 acres on St. Helena Island and Cherry Hill was among these holdings (4).
  

• 1948 – Dr. Elting died and left the Cherry Hill portion of his estate to Phillips Academy of New Hampshire (4).
  

• 1949 – Phillips Academy sold property to Theodore Ayer Randolph (4).
  

• 1951 – Dr. Robert D. and Frances Johnson purchased Cherry Hill from Theodore Ayer Randolph (4).
  

• 1959 – Hurricane Gracie caused much damage to the area. The Johnsons had been renting out the property but decided to sell, fearing future storms (4).
  

• 1960 – Local timberman Harry Hanna and his brother Leslie bought the property from the Johnson's(4).
  

• ? – The Bostick family purchased Cherry Hill (1).
  

• 2006-2007 – Betty Bostick Haigh sold the plantation (1).
  

Land

• Number of acres – 255 in 1853; 160 in 1887

• Primary crop – ?

• Cherry Hill is home to what is believed to be the oldest tree in Beaufort County. The live oak measures about 9.5 feet in diameter and shades a slave grave (1).
  

Owners

• Alphabetical list – Baldwin; Barksdale; Bostick; Brown; Coffin Family (?-1861); J. Lawton Ellis (1887-?); Richard A. Ellis, Calder B. Ellis and Ephrim W. Ellis (?-1887); Stephen G. Ellis (1875-?); Dr. Arthur Elting (?-1948); Harry and Leslie Hanna (1960-?); Betty Bostick Haigh; Dr. Robert D. and Frances Johnson (1951-1960); Kirk; Philbrick; Phillips Academy (1948-1949); J.T. Pope; Theodore Ayer Randolph (1949-1951); United States Government (1861-1875)
  

Slaves

• Number of slaves – ?

Buildings

• ?

References & Resources

1. Tree Company Adopts Beaufort's Oldest Live Oak - January 2011 article published in the Beaufort Gazette
   

2. Claude Henry Neuffer, editor, Names in South Carolina, Volume I through 30 (Columbia, SC: The State Printing Company)
    Order Names in South Carolina, Volumes I-XII, 1954-1965
    Order Names in South Carolina, Index XIII-XVIII
   

3. News & Courier (predecessor to the Charleston Post & Courier) February 26, 1933 issue reprint of Free South April 4, 1863 listing of St. Helena Island plantation sales prior to the Civil War
   

4. Robert B. Cuthbert and Stephen G. Hoffius, editors, Northern Money, Southern Land: The Lowcountry Plantation Sketches of Chlotilde R. Martin (Columbia, SC: The University of South Carolina Press, 2009)
   
   

5. Abstract of property conveyance comment November 1887, Barnwell, South Carolina
   

More about Beaufort County

• Learn more about historic Beaufort County, including the lovely town of Beaufort SC as well as Hilton Head. We have helpful guides to Beaufort SC history and Beaufort SC libraries and museums – plus Beaufort SC restaurants, Beaufort SC bed & breakfasts, Beaufort SC hotels, and Beaufort SC real estate.