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Robert Gibbes Barnwell | |
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President of the South Carolina Senate | |
In office December 2, 1805 – December 19, 1805 | |
Governor | Paul Hamilton |
Preceded by | John Ward |
Succeeded by | William Smith |
Member of the South Carolina Senate from St. Helena's Parish | |
In office November 26, 1804 – December 19, 1805 | |
10th Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives | |
In office December 20, 1794 – December 16, 1797 | |
Governor | Arnoldus Vanderhorst Charles Pinckney |
Preceded by | Jacob Read |
Succeeded by | William Johnson, Jr. |
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from St. Helena's Parish | |
In office November 24, 1794 – December 19, 1801 | |
In office January 15, 1790 – December 20, 1791 | |
In office January 1, 1787 – November 4, 1788 | |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 2nd district | |
In office March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 | |
Preceded by | Aedanus Burke |
Succeeded by | John Hunter |
Delegate to the Congress of the Confederation from South Carolina | |
In office November 3, 1788 – March 2, 1789 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Beaufort, Province of South Carolina, British America | December 21, 1761
Died | October 24, 1814 Beaufort, South Carolina, U.S. | (aged 52)
Political party | Pro-Administration |
Profession | politician |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Branch/service | South Carolina Militia |
Years of service | 1777–1782 |
Rank | Lieutenant colonel |
Battles/wars | American Revolutionary War |
Robert Gibbes Barnwell (December 21, 1761 – October 24, 1814) was a South Carolina slave owner,[1] revolutionary and statesman who was a delegate to the Confederation Congress and a United States Congressman.
Barnwell was born in Beaufort in the Province of South Carolina. His education was by a private tutor after he had exhausted the resources of the Beaufort common school. But he interrupted this and entered the revolutionary war at the age of 16 as a private in the militia.[2] In the maneuvering after the Battle of Stono Ferry, his company was camped on Johns Island in late June 1779. A British surprise attack at night cut them up badly in an action known as the Battle of Mathews' Plantation. The sixteen-year-old Barnwell was wounded so badly that they stripped his gear and left him for dead. He was found in the field by a slave and taken to his aunt (Mrs. Sarah Gibbes) on her nearby plantation. She and her daughter nursed him back to health.