Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
David Ramsay House
c. 1740
Photographed By Michael Sean Nix, February 12, 2010
1. David Ramsay House Marker
Inscription.
David Ramsay House. c. 1740.
Notable for its fine Georgian paneling, this was home and office to Dr. David Ramsay, the distinguished patriot, Revolutionary Historian and physician. Dr. Ramsay introduced the Small Pox vaccine to Charleston and helped found the Medical Society of South Carolina. He lived and worked here from 1773 until his death in 1815..
Notable for its fine Georgian
paneling, this was home and
office to Dr. David Ramsay,
the distinguished patriot,
Revolutionary Historian and
physician. Dr. Ramsay
introduced the Small Pox
vaccine to Charleston
and helped found the
Medical Society of South
Carolina. He lived and
worked here from 1773
until his death in 1815.
Location. 32° 46.587′ N, 79° 55.926′ W. Marker is in Charleston, South Carolina, in Charleston County. Marker is on Broad Street, 0.1 miles King Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 92 Broad Street, Charleston SC 29401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 10 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Major Peter Bocquet's House (within shouting distance of this marker); This Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity (within shouting distance
Also see . . . David Ramsay. David Ramsay (April 2, 1749 – May 8, 1815) was an American physician and historian from Charleston, South Carolina. (Submitted on October 4, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
Additional commentary. 1. David Ramsay (1749-1815) David Ramsey, (brother of Nathaniel Ramsey), a Delegate from South Carolina; born in Dunmore, Lancaster County, Pa.,
Photographed By Brian Scott, September 20, 2011
2. David Ramsay House Marker
April 2, 1749; attended the common schools, and was graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1765; was graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia in 1773 and began practice in Cecil County, Md.; settled in Charleston, S.C., in 1773; member of the state house of representatives 1776-1783; served in the Revolutionary Army as surgeon of the Charleston Battalion of Artillery, state militia; captured at the fall of Charleston in May 1780 and imprisoned at St. Augustine, Fla., for eleven months; Member of the Continental Congress 1782-1783 and 1785-1786 and served as President pro tempore during the last term; unsuccessfully contested the election of William L. Smith to the First Congress (the first contested-election case); state historian and author of several historical works; member of the state senate of South Carolina and served as president of that body for seven years; shot by a maniac on May 6, 1815, in Charleston, S.C., and died in that city May 8, 1815. (Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.)
— Submitted October 4, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.
2. David Ramsay House, 92 Broad Street Dr. David Ramsay's House is so called because it was the home of Ramsay,
Photographed By Michael Sean Nix, February 12, 2010
3. David Ramsay House
a physician and historian. He purchased it in 1783. Dr. Ramsay (1749-1815) was born in Pennsylvania and graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton) in 1765 and from the Medical School of the College of Pennsylvania in 1772. He studied under Dr. Benjamin Rush of Philadelphia, who is credited with introducing the smallpox vaccination to the United States. Dr. Ramsay is credited with introducing the vaccination method to South Carolina. He moved to South Carolina in 1773 and married, as his third wife, Martha Laurens, daughter of Henry Laurens, later president of the Continental Congress. Ramsay served in the General Assembly, 1776-81, and as an army surgeon at the siege of Savannah. Captured at the fall of Charles Town in 1780, he was exiled to St. Augustine. He served in the Continental Congress, 1782-85 and was president pro-tempore of that body. He was president of the S.C. Senate, in which he served, 1801-15. Several works on U.S. and South Carolina history were written while Dr. Ramsay lived at 92 Broad. Ramsay died in 1815 when he was shot by a deranged patient. The house is believed to have been built c. 1740, by Solomon Legare or by his daughter Mary who married Thomas Ellis. lt was originally a two story house. Structural changes revealed during a 1984 restoration indicate the upper floor and garret were added about 1820. The front piazza was probably added
Photographed By Michael Sean Nix, February 12, 2010
4. David Ramsay House
about the same time. The house is attributed to a Mr. Miller, a sometime partner with John Fullerton in the building trade, working in the city from the mid-to-late 18th century. The house has an asymmetrical floor plan typical of pre-1750 Charleston houses. The Georgian interior details exhibit high quality as well as variety and interest.
— Submitted October 4, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.
3. HABS pictures at the Library of Congress There are two excellent pictures taken before the 1984 renovations on the Ramsay house. At that time structural changes surfaced indicating an addition c 1820 of an upper floor, garret and piazza. These earlier pics can be found in "David and Martha Laurens Ramsay" by Margaret Simons Middleton and "A History of Medicine in South Carolina 1670-1825" by Joseph Ioor Waring, M.D. Note To Editor only visible by Contributor and editor
— Submitted April 19, 2014, by Margaret M R Eastman of Charleston, South Carolina.
Photographed By Mike Stroud, 2011
5. David Ramsay House and Marker
6. Dr. David Ramsay April 2, 1749 - May 8, 1815
Photographed By M.B. Paine, Photographer, circa April 1934
7. David Ramsay House
Historic American Buildings Survey
HABS SC,10-CHAR,63--1
circa 1934
8. David Ramsay House
Historic American Buildings Survey
HABS SC,10-CHAR,63--9
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on February 13, 2010, by Michael Sean Nix of Spartanburg, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 2,083 times since then and 66 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on February 13, 2010, by Michael Sean Nix of Spartanburg, South Carolina. 2. submitted on October 4, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 3, 4. submitted on February 13, 2010, by Michael Sean Nix of Spartanburg, South Carolina. 5. submitted on October 4, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 6. submitted on October 4, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 7, 8. submitted on April 22, 2014. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
