Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery
Plot Map (pdf) |Listing of Plot Owners & Decedents (excel/searchable) | Listing of Plot Owners & Decedents (pdf)
HISTORY OF CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The church was built in 1707. The original settlers that lived here eventually formed the town of Christ Church Parish, which slowly evolved into the Mount Pleasant we know today. Christ Episcopal Church was created by the Church Act of 1706. This Act named the Church of England as the official church of South Carolina. 
This meant that Christ Church was used for government activities, such as voting and reading government statements. For a long time of its history, Christ Episcopal Church was associated with St. Andrew’s Church in the old village. Although they are now two separate churches, they once shared many members, so many people that are buried in the cemetery attended St. Andrews or other churches in the area. The historic church has been burned down twice; once accidentally in 1725, and once by the British in 1782. In 1865, the 21st United States Colored Infantry Regiment destroyed the interior to use the church as a stable. Despite the damage, some original walls of the church still stand. It is now in the National Register of Historic Places and has a flourishing Episcopal congregation.
Boone Family
John and Elizabeth Boone founded the famous plantation across the street from Christ Church in 1681. Although John Boone is not buried at Christ Church, his wife and daughter are buried at the church in their family crypt between the Historic Church and the Vestry House. Sarah Boone Rutledge (granddaughter of John Boone) lies under her pew in the historic church. Other members of the Boone family lie at their plantation (shown below). Boone Hall Plantation was extremely influential in Charleston’s history because of their bricks, indigo, and pecans. They provided goods for many other farmers and stores, as they still do today, because they are the longest continuous working farm in the United States. Click here for Boone Plantation’s website.
Reverend David McElheran
In addition to serving as Rector of Christ Church, Reverend David McElheran was a priest around the 1830s at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston. St. Stephen’s was known for welcoming everyone; rich or poor and was the first church in America to offer pews for no cost. One of the church’s main missions was and is today to be a safe space for everyone, and in the 1990s, it earned its reputation for being a safe space for all races, genders, and LGBTQ Christians. Click here to view their website and click here to learn more about their history.
Mayor Francis Coleman
Francis Coleman was mayor of Mount Pleasant from 1946 to 1960. He was an important developer of Mount Pleasant. During his time as mayor, the town saw major population growth and expanding infrastructure. Coleman Boulevard was named after him for all of his accomplishments as mayor. He was a mentor to Mount Pleasant’s first female mayor, Cheryll Woods-Flowers, who served as mayor from 1992 to 2000. Francis Coleman was known for giving back and seeing potential in everyone, and many residents of Mount Pleasant have memories of his kindness and generosity.
Governor James B. Edwards
James B. Edwards was Governor of South Carolina from 1975 to 1979. He also served as Secretary of Energy from 1980 to 1982. In his early career, he served in World War II and was a dentist. He was the first Republican governor of South Carolina since 1876. He was married to Ann Darlington for 63 years. The South Carolina Encyclopedia describes his accomplishments as governor: “He sought to hold the line on state payrolls and curbed welfare fraud by reforming the State Department of Social Services. He pushed successfully for the landmark Education Finance Act and established the South Carolina Energy Research Institute to coordinate energy development.” He died on December 26th, 2014. In his legacy, James B. Edwards Bridge was dedicated to him, the Medical University of South Carolina named their college of dental medicine after him, and the James B. Edwards Elementary School in Mount Pleasant was named after him.
Arthur T. Wayne
Arthur T. Wayne, born January 1, 1863, was a skilled and well-respected ornithologist. He married Marie Louisa Porcher (daughter of the patriarch and matriarch of the Porcher family). His love for birds was sparked by Gabriel Manigault, the director of the Charleston Museum at the time. Wayne then met William Brewster, who was a renowned ornithologist at Harvard. Meeting Brewster was extremely inspiring for Wayne. Brewster mentored Wayne, and they worked alongside each other.
Wayne made many trips in and out of South Carolina to collect specimens. The Carolina Bird Club describes his achievements: “While Wayne’s first major contribution was the rediscovery of Swainson’s Warbler in 1883, his most famous would have to be that of finding Bachman’s Warbler. Other discoveries, while somewhat less spectacular, are nevertheless important, such as his description of Wayne’s Warbler (Dendroica virens waynei) and Wayne’s Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris waynei) as well as numerous state records.”
Wayne eventually became the curator of ornithology at the Charleston Museum. Wayne then published his book, Birds of South Carolina, in 1910, which he dedicated to Brewster. He was elected to the American Ornithologists’ Union in 1928. Wayne refused to travel away from home, so the American Ornithologists’ Union moved their 1928 conference to Charleston so he could be the speaker. Sadly, he fell ill and could not attend the conference and then died on May 5, 1930. It was stated that at his funeral “the birds were chirping in great profusion”. More information can be found below.
Click here for more information about Arthur T. Wayne
Hamlin Family
The Hamlin family founded Hamlin Plantation. It was one of the many plantations in Mount Pleasant. Part of it was bought by African American farmers who founded the Hamlin Beach community. The community is now full of white and black residents and new houses. You can find many members of the founding Hamlin family in the cemetery.
Anne King Gregorie and Flora Belle Surles
Anne King Gregorie wrote a book on Christ Church: Christ Church 1706-1959: a plantation parish of the South Carolina establishment. Flora Belle Surles finished editing it and had it published a year after Anne’s death. It contains an extensive history of the church and its past members and founding families. Her grandparents were Philip E. Porcher and Elizabeth C. Palmer. Anne was a doctor of history and taught at several colleges. She met Alabaman Flora B. Surles in the late 1920s/early 1930s. Flora was legally Anne’s private secretary, but according to the 1940 census they are listed as “head of household” and “partner”. The two were well known in the preservation circles of Charleston- alongside Anne’s sister-in-law Esther (nee Royall) Gregorie. The Gregorie family now manage Oakland Plantation and are connected to the Porcher family. Anne and Flora are buried beside each other in the Gregorie family plot.
Porcher Family
The Porcher family was one of the most influential families of Christ Church’s history. They resided at Oakland Plantation, north of the Christ Church. The patriarch and matriarch of the Porchers, Philip Edward and Elizabeth Catherine, grew up as dedicated Episcopalians on plantations in Berkeley County and when they moved to the Mount Pleasant area, they were more than happy to join the parish. The Porcher family has many connections throughout Mount Pleasant, and is therefore responsible for growing the parish and attracting to the church many of the families represented in this cemetery. The matriarch of the Porcher family, Elizabeth, dedicated much of herself to Christ Church. She loved the parish and instilled that love in her children. The further generations of the Porcher family didn’t lose that dedication and have attended the church for years and helped grow the cemetery by helping build the vestry house and managing its plots and history. One of the notable descendants of the Porcher family is Daisy Stoudamire. She was baptized, confirmed, and married at Christ Episcopal Church and assisted me with this history of her family. Her father restored the Vestry House and her brother managed and improved the cemetery. The family was, and continues to be, influential in the history of the church and of the town.
Jennie Verdier Edmonston Moore
While born to upper middle class families, Mrs. Moore spent most of the 1950s campaigning for better funding for the black schools in Mount Pleasant and was very active in the school community. She helped create Laing High School (for which Laing Middle School is named) near Christ Church where Home Depot now sits. Jennie Moore Elementary is named for her, with a student population of about 1,000.
Robert Venning Royall
Robert Venning Royall was from a wealthy and affluent Mount Pleasant family. For over 30 years, Robert was teacher and later principal at the High School of Charleston (located Downtown on the corner of Meeting and George Streets- at the present location of College of Charleston’s TD Arena). From 1898-1914, he was mayor of Mount Pleasant. Common Street in the Old Village was renamed Royall Avenue in his honor.
Petrona Georgia Royall McIver and Mary-Julia Campbell Royall
Robert Venning Royall’s daughter Petrona- called Miss Petie- was a local historian and at the request of Mayor Coleman wrote several books about Mount Pleasant history up until her death. The legacy of keeping local history alive was continued by her first cousin’s wife, Mary-Julia, who also published books up until her death.
Click here for more information
James Oswald Freeman
Not only was J O Freeman Jr. a mayor of Mount Pleasant in the early 1920s, he was also the son of a former mayor. Other than a mayor, he worked as a cotton broker, an alderman, a master mason, president of the Christ Church Democratic Club, member of Charleston County Commissioner of Elections, and retired from SC Electric and Gas Co.
About the Creator of this Resource:
This tremendous effort to capture the history of some of those who are buried here in Christ Church cemetery and make their stories accessible to all who visit in person or online was accomplished by Cora Lanz. Cora is a Girl Scout of Troop 172 and a member of Christ Episcopal Church. In October of 2023, she chose Christ Church cemetery as her project to earn earn the Girl Scout Silver Award. The Silver Award is the second highest award a Girl Scout can earn, and the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn. Noted above is information about farmers, priests, politicians, scientists, historians, teachers, and families – amazing people who made a difference in our community of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.