Foundations: Black Mingo, 1794

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Foundations: Black Mingo, 1794

A Legacy of Civic Ambition

1794 Petition Original Document

Registry Details

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Series Identifier Petitions (S165015) Recording Date August 1, 1794 Archival Item Item 00008 Historical Site Willtown (Black Mingo Bridge)

Historical Significance

This 1794 petition is the foundational evidence that Black Mingo was intended to be the primary civic “mega-center” of the Georgetown District. By requesting the relocation of the “Seat of Justice,” residents asserted that their community was the most vital crossroads in the region.

At the time, Willtown was a thriving village. Petitioners highlighted the strategic advantage of the navigable Black Mingo Creek, capable of accommodating large schooners, positioning the village as a natural hub for regional commerce.

Signatories of the 1794 Petition:

Zibeon Matthews, Simon Lee (mark), Reuben James (mark), Moss Benton, Jonas Matthews (mark), John Marlin, Thomas Rogers (mark), William Matthews, John Matthews, Elizabeth Lee, A. Roberts, John Britton (mark), Alex H. Matthews (mark), Reuben Gaskins, David James (mark), William Turner, Hester Rogers (mark).

Official Source Citation:
“Inhabitants of Georgetown District, Petition Asking That the Seat of Justice May Be Moved from Georgetown to Will Town,” April 30, 1794, Petitions to the General Assembly (S165015), 1794, Item 00008, South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
Archival Citation

Our Mahogany Heritage Institute. “Foundations: The 1794 Genealogical Roots of Black Mingo.” [Accessed March 2026]. https://ourmahoganyheritage.com/foundations-black-mingo-1794/

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Our Mahogany Heritage Institute operates under the fiscal sponsorship of Chicago Defender Charities, Inc., supporting preservation initiatives focused on documented histories of African American life in the 19th century.

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