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Waverly & Rossdhu
Steeped in History
and Family Legacies
by Teresa Greer
F ew of us actually stop to think The Early Years
about the land our homes sit upon:
Thomas Hepworth received three 500-acre land grants
its history through the centuries, in the early 1700s that would become Waverly, Litchfield
and Woodville plantations. Hepworth’s son sold much of the
the people who once lived here, how the land to Percival Pawley in 1737, and Pawley lived at Waverly Progress Under Lachicotte
for 14 years. The plantation stayed in the Pawley family for a
land impacted their lives and how they time – first with Percival’s brother George, his son William, Joseph Blyth Allston eventually sold Waverly to Philip
Rossignol Lachicotte in 1871. While the Allstons developed
impacted the land. Yet the beauty of then his grandson, Dr. William Allston. Around 1807, Waverly Rice Mills, it is Lachicotte and his sons who are
Dr. Allston sold it to his son, Benjamin, who gave it the credited with inventing a method of using silica powder to
Pawleys Island and the Waccamaw River name “Waverly.” clean the rice, which revolutionized the process and helped
From Benjamin Allston, Waverly passed to Joseph Waties make the rice plantation so successful. The Lachicotte's rice
invites such musings. Those who live in the Allston, and then brothers Joseph Blyth Allston and William even won a gold medal at the 1902 Charleston Exposition.
Waverly and Rossdhu communities may be Allan Allston. The two brothers inherited the property as Waverly Rice Mills became the place where rice planters
children. When they came of age and took possession of throughout the region sent their rice to be pounded.
interested to know their land was once part Waverly in 1857, they divided the property. Joseph Blyth Much as the Allston brothers, Joseph Blyth and William
of one of the most successful plantations became owner of the Waverly rice mills, rice fields, and Allen, divided the Waverly property in 1857, Philip Rossignol
plantation house and grounds. William Allen received the Lachicotte's sons, Francis William and St. Julien, divided the
and rice mills in the state. pinelands later called Woodville. property upon their father's death in 1896. Francis William
30 Plantations | Lords Proprietors
