Wicked Beaufort

Beaufort's long history of wickedness began during the Yemassee War. Colonial Beauforters were no strangers to thwarting the law, from the murder of Charles Purry to the priestly misbehavior of Reverend William Peaseley. The Revolutionary War brought civil strife to the area in the form of bands of outlaws, and the early Federal years were times for the "gentlemanly" pursuits of drinking, gambling, and fighting. Reconstruction brought violence of several varieties as freedmen, carpetbaggers, scalawags and others sought to develop a new order. Join local author Alexia Jones Helsley as she delves into the history of these misbegotten times in Beaufort's history, from the earliest instances of illicit activity through the infamous Beaufort banking scandal of 1928.