Between Jan. 14 and 18, 2006 twenty-four Robert Family members explored the South Carolina land of their
Robert roots.
Based in Charleston, we had the opportunity to attend Sunday morning worship at the Huguenot Church where a plaque
to Rev. Pierre Robert is located on the wall to the right of the pulpit. We walked to various spots in Charleston and later
photographed one of the oldest homes in Charleston -- the site of Jacques de Bourdreaux's home and blacksmith shop at King
and Board Street.
On a sunny Jan. 16, we traveled to old Jamestown --forty miles north of Charleston -- where "Grandpere" Robert first
settled on the Santee River. The French Santee St. James -- later Anglican/Episcopal - church was established there.
We followed the settlers to two additional sites at Eschew and Wimbaur.
In 1773 Sarah Robert, granddaughter of Pierre Robert married Joseph Lawton of Edisto Island. They and other
Robert, Lawton, Maner, Bostick, Grimball family members moved west in South Carolina to a community
later named Robertville. We traveled to Robertville, Estill and Lawtonville on Jan. 17. Though most of the homesites were
destroyed in the Civil War, the cemeteries tell the story of our ancestors' lives and influence in this part of South Carolina.
From Estill we went to the Stoney Creek Cemetery just off of U.S. Highway17. where Jacques de Bourdeaux Robert
is buried. Two miles away at Sheldon, SC are the beautiful ruins of the Prince William Episcopal Church.
We saw this at sunset and were greatly inspired.
