Turks of South Carolina
Encyclopedia
The Turks of South Carolina are a group of people related to the Free Moors of South Carolina
and the Brass Ankles
, who lived near Stateburg, South Carolina
. It is believed these people come from a Middle East
ern background.
, when they served under him. General Sumter gave land to Scott and Joseph Benenhaly (the original surname is believed to have been Ben Ali) near his plantation after the American Revolution
. The Turks of South Carolina today include surnames other than Benenhaly, including Oxendine, Scott, Hood, and Ray. It is documented in genealogy records that quite a few of their ancestors married American Indians. There has also been intermarriage between them and other mixed groups of South Carolina, like the Brass Ankles.
Moors Sundry Act of 1790
The Moors Sundry Act of 1790 was passed by South Carolina legislature, granting special status to the subjects of Sultan of Morocco, Mohammed ben Abdallah. It recognized Moors as "white" people with Jury duty as a privilege...
and the Brass Ankles
Brass Ankles
The Brass Ankles of South Carolina were a "tri-racial isolate" group that lived in the area of Orangeburg County, Berkeley County, and Charleston County in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. They were a mixture of African, Native American, and European descent. Although they were of mixed...
, who lived near Stateburg, South Carolina
Stateburg, South Carolina
Stateburg is a census-designated place in the High Hills of Santee in Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,264 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Sumter, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. It is believed these people come from a Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern background.
History
One of the first mentions of the group is by General Thomas SumterThomas Sumter
Thomas Sumter nicknamed the "Carolina Gamecock" , was a hero of the American Revolution and went on to become a longtime member of the Congress of the United States.-Early life:Thomas Sumter was born near Charlottesville in Hanover County, Virginia in 1734...
, when they served under him. General Sumter gave land to Scott and Joseph Benenhaly (the original surname is believed to have been Ben Ali) near his plantation after the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. The Turks of South Carolina today include surnames other than Benenhaly, including Oxendine, Scott, Hood, and Ray. It is documented in genealogy records that quite a few of their ancestors married American Indians. There has also been intermarriage between them and other mixed groups of South Carolina, like the Brass Ankles.