Hardeeville in Jasper County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Purrysburg Township
In 1730, the British Crown instructed S.C. Governor Robert Johnson to lay out eleven townships to populate and protect the interior of the province. Purrysburg Township, laid out in 1731, stimulated the settlement of this area; but the growth of Savannah caused the town of Perrysburg to be unsuccessful.
By 1732, Swiss Protestants led by entrepreneur Jean Pierre Purry had begun to arrive here, and by August of the next year 260 Swiss had settled at Purrysburg Township. Each settler was provided with a specific amout of land, tools livestock and provisions by the Royal Assembly.
Erected 1980 by South Carolina Department of Archives and History; sponsored by Jasper County Bicentennial Committee. (Marker Number 27-3.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Exploration • Notable Places • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1730.
Location. 32° 18.344′ N, 81° 7.209′ W. Marker is in Hardeeville, South Carolina, in Jasper County. It is on Purrysburg Road (State Highway S-27-34) near Honey Hill Road (State Highway S27-203), on the right when traveling south. Best seen viewed from North to South. Touch for map
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the Lowcountry. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Nearby Skirmish (approx. 1.2 miles away); a different marker also named Purrysburg Township (approx. 1.3 miles away); Battle of Purrysburg (approx. 1.3 miles away); Sherman's Troops in Purrysburg During the Civil War (approx. 1.3 miles away); Maroons of the Savannah River During the Revolutionary War (approx. 1.3 miles away); Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (approx. 1.3 miles away); Narrow Gauge Locomotive No. 7 (approx. 2.8 miles away); Hardeeville United Methodist Church (approx. 2.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hardeeville.
Regarding Purrysburg Township. The colony was soon found to be in an unhealthy area. The colonists died in epidemic proportions and were buried in unmarked graves in a large graveyard near the settlement. The surviving inhabitants began moving away, leaving the colony completely abandoned, some half-century after it was founded. Although the road retains the name, there is no Purrysburg on the map today.
Also see . . .
1. Purrysburg. (Submitted on March 13, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
2. The Orangeburgh German-Swiss Genealogical Society. Website homepage (Submitted on March 13, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
Photographed by Mike Stroud, March 2008
3. Purrysburg Township Marker
This is a photo of the marker before it was repainted.
Photographed by Mike Stroud, March 18, 2008
4. Purrysburg Township Marker
This is a photo of the marker before it was repainted.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), May 23, 2026
5. Purrysburg Township Marker along Purrysburg Road
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), May 23, 2026
6. Purrysburg Township Marker along Purrysburg Road
Photographed by Mike Stroud, March 8, 2008
7. The Marker along Perrysburg Road
Credits. This page was last revised on May 31, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 13, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 4,360 times since then and 399 times this year. Last updated on March 18, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 31, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on March 13, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 4. submitted on March 18, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 5, 6. submitted on May 31, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 7. submitted on March 13, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
