“L” is for Leigh, Sir Egerton (ca. 1732-1781). Lawyer, jurist, councillor. Leigh immigrated to South Carolina in 1753 with his father, the newly--appointed chief justice of the colony. The younger Leigh quickly accumulated a number of lucrative appointments including surveyor general, judge of the vice-admiralty court, and attorney general. He cultivated a promising career and demonstrated himself as one of the crown’s most loyal servants in South Carolina. As political tensions increased, Leigh became an outspoken royalist. When he entered into a scandalous affair with his wife’s younger sister, he lost whatever was left of his reputation. In 1773 he left the colony, seeking a colonial appointment elsewhere. When the English captured Charleston in 1780, Sir Egerton Leigh returned to South Carolina where he served on the board of police and as intendant (mayor) of Charleston.
“L” is for Leigh, Sir Egerton (ca. 1732-1781)
