William Henry Drayton
Encyclopedia
Other notable men have similar names, see: William Drayton (disambiguation)
.
William Henry Drayton (September 1742 – September 3, 1779) was an American
planter and lawyer from Charleston, South Carolina
. He served as a delegate for South Carolina
to the Continental Congress
in 1778 and 1779.
William Henry was born at his father's plantation, Drayton Hall, on the bank of the Ashley River
near Charleston. His father, John Drayton had just completed construction of this massive main house on the rice plantation. His mother was Charlotta Bull Drayton, the daughter of the colony's Governor John Bull. This would remain William's home throughout his life. In 1750 he sent to England for his education. He first studied at Westminster School
where he also met young Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
. Then he went on to Balliol College, Oxford
before returning home in 1764. He read law and was admitted to the bar in South Carolina.
Drayton at first opposed the growing sense of colonial unity and resistance after the Stamp Act Congress
, but reversed his position as the Revolution
grew nearer. He first wrote a series of published letters opposing the American actions. When these were published in England, he was made a member of the Colonial Council in 1772. Governor Bull appointed him to the Colony's Court in 1774. But later that year he wrote a pamphlet, the American Claim of Rights, that supported the call for a Continental Congress. This got him removed from all government positions which completed his conversion to the Rebel cause.
He became a member of South Carolina's Committee of Safety
in 1775, as well as the provisional Congress that functioned as the colony's rebel government. In 1776 he and Arthur Middleton designed the Great Seal of South Carolina. When they began operating under an interim constitution in 1776 he returned to his seat on the council, serving as Chief Justice of state's Supreme Court. When the South Carolina General Assembly
unanimously voted for union with Georgia
in 1776, Drayton became the chief champion of the proposal. The union was rejected by a Georgia convention on January 23, 1777, but Drayton continued to campaign in Georgia for union until Governor John A. Treutlen
issued a reward for his arrest.
In 1778, Carolina sent Drayton as a delegate to the Continental Congress where he gave strong support to the military. He died while in office at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, where he was buried in Christ Church Burial Ground
.
His home, "Drayton Hall", now lies within the expanded city of Charleston. It is operated as a museum and is open to the public (an admission fee is charged).
William Drayton (disambiguation)
William Drayton is the name of:*William Drayton, Sr., , U.S. judge from Charleston, South Carolina*William Drayton, , U.S. Congressman from Charleston, South Carolina*Bill Drayton, , U.S...
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
planter and lawyer from Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. He served as a delegate for South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
to the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
in 1778 and 1779.
William Henry was born at his father's plantation, Drayton Hall, on the bank of the Ashley River
Ashley River (South Carolina)
The Ashley River is a blackwater / tidal river in South Carolina, rising from the Wassamassaw and Great Cypress Swamps in western Berkeley County. It consolidates its main channel about five miles west of Summerville, widening into a tidal estuary just south of Fort Dorchester...
near Charleston. His father, John Drayton had just completed construction of this massive main house on the rice plantation. His mother was Charlotta Bull Drayton, the daughter of the colony's Governor John Bull. This would remain William's home throughout his life. In 1750 he sent to England for his education. He first studied at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
where he also met young Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
Charles Cotesworth “C. C.” Pinckney , was an early American statesman of South Carolina, Revolutionary War veteran, and delegate to the Constitutional Convention. He was twice nominated by the Federalist Party as their presidential candidate, but he did not win either election.-Early life and...
. Then he went on to Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
before returning home in 1764. He read law and was admitted to the bar in South Carolina.
Drayton at first opposed the growing sense of colonial unity and resistance after the Stamp Act Congress
Stamp Act Congress
The Stamp Act Congress was a meeting on October 19, 1765 in New York City of representatives from some of the British colonies of North America. They discussed and acted upon the Stamp Act recently passed by the governing Parliament of Great Britain overseas, which did not include any...
, but reversed his position as the 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...
grew nearer. He first wrote a series of published letters opposing the American actions. When these were published in England, he was made a member of the Colonial Council in 1772. Governor Bull appointed him to the Colony's Court in 1774. But later that year he wrote a pamphlet, the American Claim of Rights, that supported the call for a Continental Congress. This got him removed from all government positions which completed his conversion to the Rebel cause.
He became a member of South Carolina's Committee of Safety
Committee of Safety (American Revolution)
Many Committees of Safety were established throughout Colonial America at the start of the American Revolution. These committees started to appear in the 1760s as means to discuss the concerns of the time, and often consisted of every male adult in the community...
in 1775, as well as the provisional Congress that functioned as the colony's rebel government. In 1776 he and Arthur Middleton designed the Great Seal of South Carolina. When they began operating under an interim constitution in 1776 he returned to his seat on the council, serving as Chief Justice of state's Supreme Court. When the South Carolina General Assembly
South Carolina General Assembly
The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and the upper South Carolina Senate. Altogether, the General...
unanimously voted for union with Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in 1776, Drayton became the chief champion of the proposal. The union was rejected by a Georgia convention on January 23, 1777, but Drayton continued to campaign in Georgia for union until Governor John A. Treutlen
John A. Treutlen
John Adam Treutlen arrived in colonial America as an indentured servant and rose to become a wealthy merchant and landowner. He was a leader in Georgia of the American Revolution and helped write Georgia’s first constitution. In 1777, he was elected Georgia’s first governor...
issued a reward for his arrest.
In 1778, Carolina sent Drayton as a delegate to the Continental Congress where he gave strong support to the military. He died while in office at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, where he was buried in Christ Church Burial Ground
Christ Church Burial Ground
Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an important early-American cemetery. It is the final resting place of Benjamin Franklin and his wife, Deborah. Four other signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried here, Dr. Benjamin Rush, Francis Hopkinson, Joseph Hewes...
.
His home, "Drayton Hall", now lies within the expanded city of Charleston. It is operated as a museum and is open to the public (an admission fee is charged).
- Brother of Charles Drayton-husband of Hester-daughter of Henry MiddletonHenry MiddletonHenry Middleton was a plantation owner and public official from South Carolina. He was the second President of the Continental Congress from October 22, 1774, until Peyton Randolph was able to resume his duties briefly beginning on May 10, 1775.-Early life:Henry Middleton was born in 1717 near...
- Cousin of Congressman William DraytonWilliam DraytonWilliam Drayton was an American politician, banker, and author from Charleston, South Carolina. He was the son of Federal Judge William Drayton, Sr. of South Carolina....
.
Further reading
- Keith Krawczynski, William Henry Drayton: South Carolina Revolutionary Patriot; 2001, Louisiana State University Press, ISBN 0-8071-2661-6.