I like this transaction for its insider's view of building St. Philips
in Charleston, and the buying and selling of pews.  Does anyone know how
long the practice of selling and devising pews continued in Charleston
churches?

-------------------

Book D, p. 140		Vestry & church Commissioners of St. Philips
17 Aug. 1724		Church, Charleston, to CHARLES HILL, for L75,
Grant for pew #11	Pew #11 in south aisle.  "Whereas by an Act of 			the
General Assembly of this Province intitled an act for carrying on the
the building and for finishing and compleating the brick church in
Charleston and for declaring it to be the Parish Church of St.Philips
Charleston passed the 9th day of Dec. 1720 which Act has since been
revived and confirmed it was amongst other things enacted that the pews
in the said church should be built by the direction and appointment of
the commissioners therein named by and with the advice and consent of
the major part of the vestry; therefore, in consideratino of the
generous benefaction of MR. CHARLES HILL to the said church and of his
paying L75 they "grant unto the said CHARLES HILL and to his heirs and
assigns forever a pew in the said church distinguished in the platt of
the said pews remaining of record in the secretarys office by the number
eleven in the South Isle[sic]....Provided nevertheless that if the said
CHARLES HILL shall by any manner of way or means alter the present
uniformity of the said pew as it is now built by raising or lowering the
same by taking down the partition or by any other way whatsoever or if
the said CHARLES HILL shall sel or dispose of the said pew to any person
or persons whatsoever except such person or persons be actually
residents and inhabitants in the said Parish than this present grant and
every  matter and thing therein contained shall be void and of non
effect and the said pew No. 11 in the South Isle [sic] shall revert to
the Vestry of St. Philips Parish for the time being to be disposed of to
such persons as they shall think proper.  Given under our hands and
seals in the said church this 17th day of Aug. 1724. Ffr:  NICHOLSON, A.
GARDEN, WILLIAM GIBBON, ALEXANDER PARRIS, JOS. WRAGG, WM. BLAKEWEY,
ELISHA PRIOLEAU, J. HUGCHINSON, WM. GIBBON, WM. BLAKEWEY, ALEXR. PARRIS,
THOS. HEPWORTH."  Jacob MOTTE, Register.

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