South Carolina Hall Of Fame: Peter Horry

Peter Horry was born in South Carolina in 1743. In the late 1760s, Horry became a partner of Anthony Bonneau in the Georgetown mercantile firm of Bonneau & Horry but did not pursue a mercantile career. Instead, he became a planter and owned three plantations and 116 slaves.

Active in the military during the American Revolution, Horry was a captain in the Second Regiment and was present at the Battle of Fort Moultrie. He was in command of the Fifth Regiments by 1780, after being promoted to major and then colonel. Uniting with Francis Marion in S.C.'s lowcountry, Horry commanded a regiment of light horse and was at the Battle of Quinby Bridge.

Marion and Horry later preserved an important supply route together. After many years, Horry wrote a history of Marion's Brigade and sent the manuscript for possible publication. Although Horry instructed it to be edited for style only, the editor fictionalized the manuscript and published it as "Life of Marion." Horry disclaimed authorship of the distorted work.

Horry served in both the S.C. House of Representatives and Senate and as register of the mesne conveyances for Charleston. After the state militia was reorganized in 1792, Brigadier General Horry was given command of the Sixth Brigade (Georgetown), where he served until 1802. In tribute to Horry's service, Horry County was reconstructed from Georgetown District and named in his honor (1801). Peter Horry died in Columbia in 1815 and is buried at Trinity (Episcopal) Church.