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| A white chimney, one hundred and ninety-five years old, standing in bold relief against the dark background of giant live-oaks, is all that remains of Woodboo, original St. John's home of one branch of the Mazyck family. It was there that Stephen, twelfth child of the emigrant Isaac Mazyck, built the house about 1740 that was destroyed by fire one hundred and twenty-seven years later. |
| "Woodboo" Stephen's father began the shipping and mercantile business in Charleston which was the foundation of the family's fortune. But a mercantile life seemed to have no charm for the last child of the Walloon emigrant. Stephen married his cousin, Susanna, daughter of Rene Louis Ravenel, of Pooshee, established himself on his St. John's grant, and devoted himself to planting, like a true son of St. John's. |
| The plantation was inherited by his son of the same name. It next descended to John, nephew of Stephen Mazyck, Jr., who sold it to Dr. Henry Ravenel, of Pooshee. The property is now owned by the grandson of Dr. Ravenel, Thomas Porcher Ravenel, of Savannah. |
Near Church Site |
| Woodboo is located eight miles from Pinopolis, on the old road from Biggin to Black Oak, in one of the most historic spots to be flooded by the Santee-Cooper project. The plantation lies immediately north of the site of the old Huguenot church, recently marked by the Huguenot Society of South Carolina. To the north lies Wantoot, original home of the Ravenel family in South Carolina, which served as a fort during the Indian uprisings in 1715. |
| A few miles further is Pooshee early home of the St. Julien family, and historic Black Oak Church. Behind Woodboo runs the old Santee Canal, a section of which was fed by Woodboo springs. |
| Stephen was a favorite name in the Mazyck family. So many of them bore that name that each was distinguished by a special appellation. Stephen Mazyck who settled Woodboo was always spoken of as "Woodboo" Stephen, his nephew, son of Benjamin Mazyck of Goose Creek, was called "Hickory-faced" Stephen. It is said that this affectionate name was bestowed on him because of his hard and rough features. |
| A third Stephen Mazyck was known as "Upstairs" Stephen. "Upstairs" Stephen suffered an attack of smallpox. On recovering, he was so disgusted with the scars which disfigured his features that he determined never to leave his room. For seven years he remained in an upstairs room of his Charleston house, refusing to go out. Finally, he was persuaded to visit all the beauty of the outdoors Woodboo. Arriving there, he immediately retired to his room. For several days he remained there, untempted him. Thereafter he appeared frequently in public, but he went to his grave bearing the name "Upstairs" Stephen. |
| When Cornwallis arrived in Charleston after the fall of the city and offered protection to those who laid down their arms, "Hickory-faced" Stephen, who was in the American Army, refused and left for Virginia. He would not take protection, he said, because he couldn't put any reliance on an enemy. |
| A similar spirit was shown many years later by Edward and William Mazyck who refused to take the oath of allegiance to the United States after the war Between the States. Rather than swear allegiance to the enemy who had ravaged their homes, the two bothers moved to Canada. |
| Probably these Mazyck's inherited this spirit from their emigrant ancestor, who took matters into his own hands when barriers were raised against his marriage. |
| Isaac Mazyck was engaged to Marianne, daughter of the emigrant Jacques le Serurier. Plans were made for the wedding when a sudden event threatened the happiness of the couple. Le Serurier appeared before the Council, October 10, 1693 and filed his formal protest and caveat against the proposed marriage of his daughter and Isaac Mazyck. |
| But nothing daunted the would be son- in-law. He married his bride four days later, and the following day his father-in- law withdrew his protest and requested that it be made public. The following interesting statement was accordingly made public: |
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| ATTKIN WILLIAMSON |
| Minster of ye Gosspell |
| Witnesses prest. vizt. Jacques Le Serurier, J. F. Gignilliat,
Henry Le Noble, Rene Ravenel, P. La Salle.
Recorded ye 19th October, 1693, per me, John Hamilton, Depty. Secty. |
| But it develops that Le Serurier had no personal animosity towards his business partner. He was only acting as a cautious father. |
Relics of Woodboo Remain |
| The marriage was during that period before the denization and naturalization of the Huguenots. Accordingly, civil rights were denied them. Philip Ludwell was then governor of Carolina. As Ludwell was a strong Church of England man, Le Serurier feared that a marriage between two aliens, performed by an alien clergyman, would be considered illegal by the authorities. |
| But Marianne's brother came to the rescue of the young couple, and was one of the witnesses. The ceremony was performed by a Church of England clergyman. Among the other witnesses, Jean Francois Gignilliat had already taken the oath of allegiance to James II, and Rene Ravenel was a member of the assembly. |
| With such precautions, Jacques Le Serurier gladly withdrew his objections and welcomed his shrewd business partner into the bosom of his family. |
| Two interesting relics of Woodboo remain in this section. In the front yard of Mrs. H. F. Porcher, in Pinopolis, stands a sun dial. It was brought from England by Isaac Mazyck when he stooped there on his way to Carolina. "Woodboo" Stephen took it with him to his plantation home. Every sunny day for two hundred and fifty years it has told time to those passing. |
Buffet at White Hall |
| And at White Hall there is an old buffet made for Woodboo house. Of beautiful mahogany facing, it is handsomely ornamented with brass. Wmen the Mazycks' sold Woodboo they wanted to remove it. But the Ravenels refused to buy unless the piece went with the house. |
| At Woodboo are two immense limestone springs, "sufficient," wrote Professor Frederick A. Porcher, "to flow forty acres of rice in one night." |
| Adjoining Fair Spring was cut off from Woodboo to furnish a homestead for Robert Mazyck, "Woodboo" Stephen's grandson. It is called Fair Spring now, but in that day it was known by the more euphonious name of "Belle Fontaine." |
| In 1740 a fire swept Charleston, wiping out much of the town. "Woodboo" Stephen, walking in his yard, saw the glow in the southern sky that night, marked the position by an oak, and wondered. Later he learned the cause of that reddened sky and marked the position from his porch by a red gate, "to know the direction" to Charleston. |
| Fifty-eight years later another disastrous fire visited Charleston, and Stephen, Jr., marked the glow directly over the red gate. |
| "Nanna," nurse of the Ravenel family, then living at Woodboo, remained faithful, when others deserted, and Thomas Porcher Ravenel determined to give her, her house and food free during her life time. |
| Leidke, with headquarters at the Barrows, was the manager of the "Freedmen's Bureau." Learning of Mr. Ravenel's act, he advised him that it couldn't be done and that the bureau would care for her. Leidke was an important official at that time and men seldom crossed him. But Thomas Porcher Ravenel informed him he intended to care for "Nanna." He was unmolested. |
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