This Cruet Set at the Charleston Museum has been preserved and displayed because it belonged to Governor Arnoldus Vanderhorst. He served under General Francis Marion in the Revolutionary War, was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, served in the South Carolina Senate, was the Mayor of Charleston, became the governor of South Carolina in 1794, and owned a successful sea island cotton plantation on Kiawah Island. Vanderhorst was sadly a slave owner and retired to his cotton plantation after leaving his governorship.
This Cruet Set was made in London by the silversmiths Godbehere and Wigan. This item was originally made for holding oil and vinegar, typically made from silver and glass. I find this set unique to the period, because it was owned by an important Patriot who would later become governor of South Carolina. What makes it even more special, is that it was crafted in London, England. America gained freedom in 1783, this Cruet Set was made in 1788, Vanderhorst was named South Carolina’s governor in 1794. Ironically, these luxury items made their way to this new country, having been recently freed from British rule. I think the fact that a former Patriot officer owned this luxury item made in Britain is a middle finger to Britain post-Revolutionary War. To me, it says, “we won the war, are doing fine on our own, and can still afford your luxuries.”
I chose this particular item in the museum because the name Vanderhorst caught my eye while looking at the beautiful items in this particular showcase. I currently live on Vanderhorst Street in the historic district, so I assumed the name Vanderhorst had some significance to the low country but had never taken the time to research it. Funny enough, last week my father (a devout South Carolinian and somewhat of a self-proclaimed historian) called and told me about who Vanderhorst Street was named after. All I can recall him saying from his long spiel was, “slave owner” and “Francis Marion”. At the time I was rushing to class to take an exam, dodging cars amidst the Calhoun traffic and was not very concerned about the history of the street I currently live on. Little did I know, Arnoldus Vanderhorst was a slave-owning Patriot who fought under General Francis Marion and was once our governor. Admittedly, I should have listened to my dad when he first told me this story, but it is nice to finally put a name and a story to my street. I included a photo of Vanderhorst Street post Hugo below. I decided against posting where I actually live, for obvious reasons.
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