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Colonial South Carolina Land Grant Issued to a Woman

The present "Bounty" document grants 100 acres of land on the waters of the Broad River in Craven County, South Carolina, to one Anne Cooke. 

The land grant is signed by colonial lieutenant govenor William Bull II (1710-1791), a prominent Loyalist landowner who served as lieutenant governor of the province of South Carolina for many years (1759-1775). He left in 1782 when British troops were evacuated following the Revolutionary War.

The document is typographically quite handsome, with the initial capital "G" in "George the Third" surrounded by a decorative wood engraving. The printed text sets forth that Cooke was granted rights to "all Woods, Under-woods, Timber and Timber-trees, Lakes, Ponds, Fishings, Waters, Water-courses, Profits, Commodities... and all Mines and Minerals whatsoever; saving and reserving Silver only..." on the 100-acre tract.

Craven County, established in 1682 in colonial South Carolina, was one of the original three counties created by the Lords Proprietors. It encompassed a vast area extending from the Atlantic coastline, including parts of present-day Georgetown, Horry, and Marion counties, westward to the interior. Initially, its boundaries were not clearly defined, leading to administrative challenges. The county played a significant role in the early settlement and development of the Carolina colony, particularly with the establishment of the town of Charles Towne (modern Charleston) in 1670. Over time, as the population grew and new administrative divisions were created, Craven County was gradually subdivided and ceased to exist as an administrative unit by the late 18th century.

Land Ownership in Colonial South Carolina

In colonial South Carolina during the 1770s, it was not typical for women to receive land grants in their own names. Land ownership and grants were predominantly in the hands of men due to the legal and societal norms of the time. The legal doctrine of coverture, which was part of English common law and applied in the American colonies, meant that married women’s property rights were limited as their legal identity was subsumed under that of their husbands.

However, there were exceptions. Women could receive land in their names under certain circumstances, such as being widows or single women. Widows, in particular, might inherit land from their deceased husbands and manage it until they remarried or passed it on to their children. Single women who had inherited land from their families or were wealthy enough to purchase land could also hold property in their own right.

Rarity

Such early printed and manuscript land grants from colonial South Carolina, on the cusp of the Revolutionary War, are rare in the market.