"S" is for St. Paul's Parish

"S" is for St. Paul's Parish. St. Paul’s Parish was one of the original parishes created in 1706. The parish included a mainland region between the South Edisto and Stono Rivers as well as the adjacent Sea Islands. Later the Sea Islands were separated into St. John’s Colleton Parish. The Parish Church was completed in 1707 near the south branch of the Stono River, but was moved further inland in 1737. Rice and indigo dominated the colonial economy of the parish, but after the American Revolution, sea island cotton replaced indigo as a staple. The planters of the parish were vocal supporters of states’ rights during the antebellum period and overwhelmingly backed secession in 1860. The parish system was abolished by the state constitution of 1865 and St. Paul’s Parish was incorporated into Colleton District.