Claudius Pegues

Claudius Pegues was a Hugenot, who fled France after the Edict of Nates was revoked in 1685.  After a short time in Switzerland, where he married, he continued on to England.  There in 1719, in London, his son and namesake, Claudius Pegues, was born.   This son, at about 16 years of age, came to the colony of South Carolina, arriving about December 1736 in Charleston aboard the ship, CHARLES.  It is said onboard he met his future wife, Henrietta Butler.  After living in Charleston several years, he relocated to Georgetown and there married in 1749.  In Georgetown, is where three of his four children were born, William Pegues May 16, 1750, Claudius Pegues August 4, 1752 (died), and Claudius Pegues April 9, 1755.  Before his fourth child, Henrietta Pegues, was born on June 2, 1758, Cladius had relocated to Cheraw District on the Pee Dee River in what is now the northwestern corner of Marlboro County, SC.  Seven days after the birth of Henrietta, his wife died.

Cladius served in many prominent positions in St. David’s Parish and Cheraw District, including the Provential Congress in 1775-6, First General Assembly in 1776, Justice of the Peace in 1765, 1767, 1769 and 1785 and the lists of accomplishments go on.  Claudius’ activities during the American Revolution have been well documented in The Old Cheraws, by Rev. Alexander Gregg.  The only known exchange of prisoners between the Lord Cornwallis and the colonist was conducted at the home of Claudius Pegues on May 3, 1781, after the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.

His sons followed in his footsteps, serving the colonial cause during the Revolution, Claudius Jr. becoming a Captain, and into politics in the area.  William residing on the west side of the PeeDee River in Chesterfield County and Claudius living on the east side of the Pee Dee River in Marlboro County.  Many of Williams’ descendants was caught up in the westward migration and moved on to Alabama and onward.  Many of Claudius’ descendants continue to live in Marlboro County, and some relocated to the Cheraw area of Chesterfield County.