“R” is for the Rollin sisters. The five Rollins sisters—Frances Anne, Charlotte “Lottie,” Kate, Louisa, and Florence--were born in Charleston, descendants of émigrés who fled the St. Domingue Revolution in the late 18th century. After the Civil War, the sisters and their mother moved to Columbia. Known for their grace, intelligence, and charm, the Rollins sisters were active participants in Reconstruction South Carolina social and political circles. Frances, Lottie, and Louisa had considerable influence within the Reconstruction state government. Lottie was a clerk in the office of Congressman Robert Brown Elliott. Louisa addressed the General Assembly on the subject of woman’s suffrage. Frances married William J. Whipper, an influential black legislator and judge. The Rolllin sisters’ home in Columbia was an important, if informal, venue for Republican Party leaders in South Carolina.
"R" is for the Rollin Sisters
