Date Died: January 29, 1815

Place Buried: St. Michael's in Charleston, SC

Occupation: Planter, Politician

Arnoldus Vander Horst was an American politician. He was a Federalist governor of South Carolina from 1794 until 1796.

Governor Arnoldus Vander Horst first proposed a state penitentiary in the 1790s. In later decades reformers repeatedly tried to establish a penitentiary without success. They argued that a penitentiary was needed to overhaul the state’s harsh criminal code, which in 1813 included 165 offenses punishable by death.

Arnoldus Vander Horst was vice-president of the St. Cecelia Society which was formed in 1766, vice-president of the American Revolutionary Society and a delegate to the second Convention 1775-6, A First Lieutenant in the Regulars. Later joined Marion's Brigade where he became a Colonel. He did not take protection and his estate was taken by the British. Member of the Society of the Cincinnati. In 1784, he gave land for a school. Governor of South Carolina 1792-94.

To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting:

Know ye, That in pursuance of an Act of the Legislature, entitled “An Act for establishing the mode of “granting the lands now vacant in this State, and for allowing a “commutation to be received for some lands that have been granted,” passed the 19th day of February, 1791; We Have Granted, and by these presents Do Grant unto Reuben Hartsfield his heirs and assigns, a plantation or tract of land containing Five hundred acres, Surveyed for him the 15d day of December 1794 Situate in the district of George Town on Catfish Creek Waters of Great Peedee River bounded by lines running North West + North East by lands granted to Jonathan Avant Erasmus Rothmahler land belonging to Lewis Boatwright, and on or near Henry Davis's Land South West by William Thomsons Land and unknown land having such shape, form and marks as are represented by a plat hereunto annexed, together with all woods, trees, waters, watercourses, profits, commodities, appurtenances and hereditaments whatsoever there= unto belonging: To Have and To Hold the said tract of Five hundred acres of land, and all and singular other the premises hereby granted unto the said Reuben Heartsfield his heirs and assigns forever, in free and common soccage.

Given Under The Great Seal of The State.

Witness his Excellencey Arnoldus Vanderhorst Esquire, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the said State, at Charleston, this third day of August Anno Domini, one thousand seven hundred and ninety five and of the Sovereignty and Independence of the United States of America the Twentieth

Arnoldus (L. M. S.) Vanderhorst

And hath thereunto a plat thereof annexed representing the same, certified by
A. B. Darby pro
Surveyor General
3d Augt 1795

Vander Horst’s side of the island was always a working plantation, while Schoolbred’s side remained a tropical retreat for he and his family. In 1864, with the ravages of the Civil War, the Schoolbred mansion was vandalized and then destroyed by fire. In 1900, the Vander Horsts purchased the Schoolbred property, to reunite Kiawah Island under one owner.

During those 200 years of Vander Horst occupation, many events occurred in the colonies that affected Kiawah Island. Although there is no evidence of actual combat during wars, there is evidence of soldiers occupying the Island during times of war.

Soldiers in the Revolutionary War were issued passes allowing the sick and wounded junior officers to pass through the lines to get to Kiawah Island for rest and recreation, while soldiers from the War of 1812 were located on the island to protect the city of Charleston.

The first shots of the Civil War, fired on April 2, 1861, could be heard on Kiawah Island coming from Fort Sumter, located just 21 miles away. During the Civil War, Union soldiers scribbled the graffiti "How are you General Beauregard" and "varitas vincit" (truth overcomes) on the walls of the Vander Horst Mansion (which still stands today with the visible graffiti). Throughout World War II, U.S. Army teams were assigned to patrol the Island’s coast with horses and jeeps.

The Vander Horst legacy ended in 1951 when C.C. Royal purchased Kiawah Island for a mere $125,000.

Directly across the street from Longitude Lane is Vander Horst Row. (The uninitiated of you would pronounce this like it's spelled: Van-der-horst, but the proper pronunciation is Van-dross). This row was built in 1800 by Gen. Arnoldus Vanderhorst and has been claimed as one of the first tenement or multi-family dwellings in the country. Whether this is true or not, it is known that at the time it was built, everybody in the town scoffed, saying nobody would want to live in a multi-family dwelling.

Next Governor - Charles Pinckney >>