Ocean View Plantation – James Island – Charleston County

Basic Information

• Location – Clarks Sound, James Island, St. Andrews Parish, Charleston County
  

  Located off Fort Johnson Road in the Ocean View neighborhood.
  

• Origin of name – ?

• Other names – ?

• Current status – Privately owned

Timeline

• ? – Earliest known date of existence

• 1802 – Winborn Lawton purchased 95¾ acres from Gracia Rivers. In the sale it states that the land he purchased was part of the dower of Mary Rivers, Gracia's wife.
  

• 1843 – Winborn Lawton appears to have sold the plantation to James M. Lawton either at this time or earlier. James M. Lawton mortgaged the plantation through Winborn Lawton.
  

  To read a copy of the mortgage agreement, click here.
  

• 1859 – James M. Lawton sold the plantation to Ephriam M. Clark. Clark paid $12,000 for 368 acres.
  

  To read a copy of the deed, click here.
  

• 1867 – Current home built

Land

• Number of acres – 95¾ in 1802; 368 in 1859
  

• Primary crop – Sea island cotton

  
  

Owners

• Alphabetical list – Ephraim M. Clark (1859-?); Captain William and Mary Davis; James M. Lawton (1843-1859); Winborn Lawton (1802-1843); Cecil Oswald; Gracia Rivers (?-1802)
  

Slaves

• Number of slaves – ?

Buildings

• In the 1930s there was a corn crib and a dairy building on the property. There was also a cotton gin house at one time.
  

References & Resources

• ?
  
  

More about Charleston & James Island

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