Town of Rowesville History

Michael Christopher Rowe was a large land holder in the St. Phillips Parish and a scout for the South Carolina Militia (known as Kit Rowe) under the command of Colonel John Chevillette during the French and Indian War. By 1777 Michael Christopher Rowe was appointed Colonel of the Orangeburgh District Militia during the Revolutionary War. On June 4, 1759, Michael Christopher Rowe transferred 100 acres of land in the Orangeburgh District to his daughter Rachel and her husband, Andrew Govan. The name of the newly formed plantation was to be called St. George. It was Andrews's son Daniel, or his daughter Eliza Ann who married Nash Roach, who changed the name to Oak Grove Plantation.

The Big House built during the 1830s

In the 1700s, traveling between communities was a hard and dangerous venture. Roads were no more than dirt, two rut paths, following old Native American and animal trails. One road led from the Orangeburg District to Charles Towne. Along this trail was the 3,000 acre property of Michael Christopher Rowe. On the southern edge of his plantation was an artesian well. The well was fitted with a pump and used by many travelers to and from Charles Towne and was known as Rowes Pump. Around the late 1700s and into the 1800s a village grew around the pump. During the 1840s the Louisville, Cincinnati & Charleston Railroad expanded the line from Charleston to Augusta Ga. and built the first railroad junction in Branchville to extend the line to Columbia calling it the Branchville & Columbia Railroad.

Rowes Pump Station

Along the new line, stops would be required to supply the steam engines with wood and water. Rowes Pump became one of the stops. The B & C Railroad built a depot at the Rowes Pump and called it Rowes Pump Station. On February 9, 1876, by act of the South Carolina General Assembly and with Gov. D. H. Chamberlain signing the act of Incorporation, Rowes Pump was incorporated and became what is now known as the Town of Rowesville

Pictured above are Mike Robertson and Paul Bishop, at the time members of the town council, putting in the first street sign in Rowesville on 12/13/1986.

Pictured on the right is Paul Bishop, now as mayor, with our newly updated street sign in the same location.