Cedar Grove Plantation

In the last century this place belonged to Samuel Wiare, who was well known as a land surveyor, and whose plats are familiar to most persons in this part of the country. Mr. Wiare left a son and a daughter. The son became a physician. One night his house was burnt to the ground and he perished in it. His sister was fortunately living in the family of Col. Thomas Porcher, her guardian. She lived but to reach womanhood, dying of the fever which ravaged the country in 1819. The place was then sold and purchased by Charles Stevens, Esq.., of Pineville.

He was the son of O'Neal Gough Stevens and his wife Catherine Richbourg. One of the earliest graduates of the South Carolina College. he desired to devote himself to the practice of law,  and had himself called to the bar. But his hopes were blasted by a cruel deafness which effectually cut him off from society. He then determined to embark in commerce, and opened a store in Pinevlle, which gave him both occupation and wealth. He was a great reader and a thinker; but as he conversed with difficulty his thoughts were original-at least not conventional. He delighted in conversation, and conscious that the small conversational change of Society could be of no use to him, he had the art to interest his companion by engaging him in controversy. His deafness on these occasions gave him an advantage over an eager talker, for as he could hear only when the speaker's mouth was at his ear, whenever he caught the drift of his companions remarks, 'he would remove his ear from his reach, and out only cut short his speech, but he had the field of debate to himself.

He was a humane and benevolent man, just and upright in all his dealing:, aml universally beloved and respected.  During the contest respecting nullification he was deservedly ranked among the leaders of the Union party.  In 1816 he married Susan. daugther of Rene Ravenel of Pooshee. Their children were Catherine, wife of William Jervey of Charleston; Laura, wife of Dr. Peter Snowden of St. Johns; Maria, who died unmarried. and Henry, who married Henrietta, daughter of Samuel Gaillard, and died of wounds received near Richmond in I864.

Mr. Stevens died in 1833; his widow lived until I860.

Upper Beat of St. John's Berkeley By Frederick A. Porcher (20) Cedar Grove