Archaeological Investigations at Yourhaney Plantation (38GE18)

8The heaviest and most destructive gale that the rice country has every experienced. . . was in 1822, for it not only destroyed most if not all of the crops but a greatmany negro lives were lost . . . whole plantations were decimated in a few hours,and only those were saved who could get hold of a tree or floating debris (Doar1936: 23).Edmund Ruffin’s diary also provides an account of much loss of property and life during thathurricane. He noted that “the house of Mr. John Allston near the mouth of the Santee was sweptaway from its foundations, & nothing saved it from being carried off by the ocean, & all his familybeing drowned but for the house being stopped by a tree” (Matthew 1992: 189).GEOLOGY AND SOILSCoastal Plain geologic formations consist of unconsolidated sedimentary deposited of recent agethat lie over ancient crystalline rocks (Matthews et al. 1980: 5-6). The soils were deposited throughfive phases of coastal progradation, represented by a “ barrier island or barrier spit behind whichhave accumulated quiet-water . . . and fluvial sediments” (Thom 1967: 50).In 1832 the Georgetown District was characterized as having three distinct areas: “light sandylands”, “pine barren lands of various qualities”, and the “rich rice swamp lands” (Lockwood 1832:32. These “rich lands” tend to hug the coast and extend up the major drainages and stronglyeffected early historic settlement patterning. The fact that rivers served as transportation highwaysadded to the importance of being located on rich lands adjacent to rivers.Soils at Yauhannah Bluff are classified as well drained Chisholm sand. Soils nearby consisted ofsomewhat poorly drained Chipley sand, moderately well drained Eulonia sandy loam, poorlydrained Grifton sandy loam, somewhat poorly drained Wahee fine sandy loam, moderately welldrained Yauhannah loamy fine sand, and somewhat poorly drained Yemassee loamy fine sand. Ofthose, the Chisholm, Chipley, Eulonia, and Yemassee tend to be located along the bluffsoverlooking swamp. Swamp soils along the river are classified as poorly drained Chastain loam.Fossil bearing soils occur in Georgetown County within the Pee Dee Formation. This formation ismade up of dark gray, sandy marls and black clays. Several types of oysters, belemnites, mollusks,worm burrow, reptiles, mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, and whales are found in this formation (Murphy1995: 179). Edmund Ruffin visited Georgetown County in order to locate marl and limestonesources to promote fertilization. Although he did not visit the Yauhannah Bluff portion of the county,he found deposits north of Oakley Inlet and a rather poor deposit near Avants Upper ferry(Matthew 1992: 196).