| Mr. Daniel Ravenel of Wantoot
and of Charleston, who died in 1807, left a very large body of land which
was distributed among his family - Somerton became the inheritance of his
son, Daniel Ravenel, who resided there a few years but having pennanently
established himself in Charleston, he sold it to Samuel J. Palmer by whom
it was sold to Frederick A. Porcher. The house was built by Mr. Porcher
in 1836 and was his residence until 1848, when having been elected to a
professorship in the College of Charleston, a removal to the city became
necessary. In 1858 he sold it to William Cain, and it is now the residence
of his son, Wm. Henry Cain. At this place the limestone which underlies
all the arable lands of this parish crops out. It is very remarkable that
the people seem to have forgotten that good limestone lies under their
feet, and they always sent to Charleston for lime when required for any
purpose. Mr. Porcher burnt a large quantity when about to build his house,
determining to use that and no other. Many Af his neighbors thought it
a hazardous experiment. Subsequent analysis by competent chemists show
that it is not exceeded in richness of calcareous matter by any limestone
in the world. It had been conjectured by Dr. Macbride that in all that
country wherever the natural growth of the soil was the hickory and the
oak, it would he found to lie upon a limestone foundation. This shrewd
conjecture of an intelligent observer has been verified. When Mr. Ruffin
visited the State as Agricultural Surveyor in 1843 he opened the eyes of
the people to the existence of lime under their soils and showed its value
and its importance as an agricultural agent. |
