“S” is for St. Peter’s Parish. In 1747 the Commons House of Assembly established St. Peter’s Parish, bounded on the west by the Savanna River and on the east by the New River. The parish, consisting of most of modern day Jasper County was formerly a portion of St. Helena’s Parish. Some of the earliest settlers in the area were Swiss Protestant immigrants (under the leadership of Jean Pierre Purry) who established the town of Purrysburg that served as a way station along the Savannah River. In the nineteenth century, the lower portion of the parish became an important rice-growing region. Upper St. Peter’s Parish was different—small farmers produced short-staple cotton, corn, and sweet potatoes. Under the new state constitution of 1865, the parish system was abolished and St. Peter’s Parish was incorporated into Beaufort District.
“S” is for St. Peter’s Parish
