Spell Plantation – Colleton County and Dorchester County

— Fairview House © Charles Hugo Sheridan Spell, II , 2010 —
(Do Not Use Without Written Consent)

Basic Information

• Location – Edisto River, St. Barthlowmew's Parish and St. George's Parish, Colleton County and Dorchester County
  

  Using present day landmarks, the plantation stretched from the I-95 corridor, up Highway 61 and within 3 or 4 miles of Highway 21.
  

• Origin of name – Named for founder, Joel Spell Sr.
  

• Other names – The plantation did not have other names, but some of the houses on the property were given different names.
  

• Current status – Over the years, the plantation was subdivided with a portions still owned by Joel Spell Sr. descendants.
  

Timeline

• Circa 1800 – Earliest known date of existence by Joel Spell Sr. (1).
  

• 1813 – Joel Spell Sr. died. The plantation began to be subdivided sometime after his death (1).
  

• Circa 1814 – Dr. Hugo Grotius Sheridan purchased 590 acres (noted as 'third division' on this plat) of the Spell Plantation (1).
  

• ? – Frederick and Hazel Spell passed away and their plat was subdivided with seven acres left to six children and the addition 57.8 acre section sold to Douglas James Fulton, Jr., grandson of Hazel and Frederick Spell (2).
  

Land

• Number of acres – 7,000 to 10,000 acres under the ownership of Joel Spell Sr. There was approximately 5,000 acres in St. Barthlowmew's Parish and approximately 2,000 to 5,000 acres in St. George's Parish as the plantation stretched on both sides of the Edisto River.
  

• Primary crops – Wheat, barley, corn, rice and lumber
  

Owners

• Original owner – Joel Spell Sr. (1800-1813)
  

• Circa 1818-1820 – All these men came into possession of parcels of the original plantation: Eldred Spell, Dr. Peter Stokes, Henry Williams, and Dr. Hugo Grotius Sheridan MD who named is portion Golgotha Plantation.
  

• Additional owners, alphabetical – James Black, Randall Black, Connor, Carl Craven, Lewis Darley Craven, Douglas James Fulton, Jr., Vernell Spell Fulton, Alice Estelle Heaton-Spell, Albert Sydney Hucks, Andrew Liston, James Dawkins Liston, Paul Walter Risher, Alexious Osgood Spell, Barbara Ann Spell, Becky Spell, Dr. Benjamin Eldred Spell, Charles Hugo Spell, Eldred Benjamin Spell, Dr. Everett Spell Jr., Francis Eldred Spell, Hugo Grotius Sheridan Spell, James Everett Spell, Martha Washington Hucks Spell, Paul Edward Spell, Paul Eldred Spell, Richard Brinsley Spell, Mrs. Robert Spell, Sara Spell, William Henry Eldred Spell, William Hux Spell, Dr. William Hux Spell Jr, Annie Martha Spell-Hills, Donald and Mildred Spell-Nettles, Benjamin McKissic Utsey, Fletcher Willie Williams, James Williams, James Wilson, Frederick and Hazel Wilson-Spell
  

Slaves

• Number of slaves – ?

Buildings

• There were as many as five homes at one time on the plantation. The circa 1810 Fairview house, pictured above, was believed to be one of the original homes. The Fairview house was so named by Martha Washington Hucks-Spell, a descendant of Joel Spell Sr.
  

References & Resources

1. Information contributed by Charles Hugo Sheridan Spell, II
   

2. Information contributed by Reid Simons Fulton