Belleview Plantation – Mount Pleasant – Charleston County

Basic Information

• Location – Mount Pleasant, Charleston County

  Just north of Charleston, along the Wando River

• Comments – An archaeological study of the site was conducted by Ted Rathbun of the University of South Carolina after unearthing the vault marker containing the epitaph of Edward Croft. The grave site was not preserved.
  

• Origin of name – ?

• Other names – Bermuda; New Bermuda; Bellevue

• Current status – River front property developed in 1979 as the Wando Welch Terminal.
  

Timeline

• Circa 1738 – Earliest known date of existence

  Captain Edward Croft owned the property which he called Bermuda Plantation (1 and 2, p. 20).
  

• ? – House built

• 1756 – Capt. Croft died leaving the plantation to his son Edward Peter Croft (1).
  

• ? – John Mortimer Williams owned the plantation. Acquisition date is unknown but a 1775 document indicates Williams was owner (2, p. 20).
  

• After 1775 – Nathaniel Lebby was the next owner (2, p. 21).
  

• Circa 1825 – The plantation remained in the Lebby family until Mrs. Francis Lebby filled with the court for her share of an inheritance which resulted in the property being sold to William Smith. Smith purchased additional parcels that were adjacent the property (2, pp. 21-24).
  

• Circa 1841 – Smith died leaving the plantation to his wife and sons (2, p. 24).
  

• 1843 – The Smith family sold the plantation to Robert Venning (2, p. 24).
  

• 1853 – Robert Venning sold the plantation to William Venning (2, p. 24).
  

• 1859 – William John Grayson purchased the property from William Venning. Grayson called the plantation Belleview (2, p. 24).
  

• 1862 – William John Grayson sold Belleview to Frederick Claussen (2, p. 24).
  

• 1863 – Claussen didn't own the plantation long and sold it Mortimer Venning the year after he purchased it (2, p. 24).
  

• 1875 – Emily R. Gregorie purchased 788 acres from Venning (2, p. 24).
  

• 1885 – Emily R. Gregorie appointed Edmund Gregorie as trustee to represent the interest of plantation on behalf of eight people (2, p. 24).
  

• 1939 – Wilhemina J. Hale was the only living person of the 1885 trust and appointed her husband Ralph Hale as trustee since Edmund Gregorie had died. Hale filed suit to be able to sell the plantation and in 1940 was granted legal permission to do so (2, p. 24).
  

• 1940 – Mr. and Mrs. John C. Sheridan, Jr. purchased the property (2, p. 24).
  

• 1957 – The Sheridan's sold the plantation to Gulf Oil Corporation which leased the propert as a hunting retreat (2, p. 24).
  

• ? – Georgia-Pacific Corporation purchased the property and transfered it to Georgia-Pacific Investment Corporation (2, p. 24).
  

• 1973 – The South Carolina State Ports Authority purchased the tract to develop the Wando Welch Terminal (2, p. 26).
  

Land

• Number of acres – 788 in 1875; 561 in 1973 (2, p. 24)
  

• Primary crop – Oranges under Croft (2, p. 20)
  

Slaves

• Number of slaves – 38 in 1738 (2, p. 20)
  

Buildings

• In 1940, the plantation house and two slave cabins were still on the property but were in poor condition (2, p. 24).
  

References & Resources

• Edward Croft
  

• James D. Scurry and Mark J. Brooks, An Intensive Archeological Survey of the South Carolina State Ports Authority's Belleview Plantation, Charleston, South Carolina - PDF (1980).
  

More about Mt. Pleasant & Charleston County

• Learn more about historic Charleston County including the port city of Charleston and nearby Mount Pleasant. We have helpful guides to Charleston history and Charleston libraries and museums – plus Charleston bed & breakfasts and Charleston jobs. We also have guides to Mount Pleasant restaurants, Mount Pleasant hotels, and Mount Pleasant real estate.