The James Boatwright Family of Columbia, S. C.

James Boatwright came to Granby, S. C. from Virginia in the 1790's and worked for Col. Thomas Taylor at his mill on Gill Creek, began building cotton gins in 1806, and became one of Columbia's leading pioneer citizens. Under the SC State License from Eli Whitney, he built cotton gins for over 50 years. When he died in 1857, he was accorded the first public funeral in the city of Columbia. He was partners with William Glaze in the Palmetto Armory, which later became Sheilds Foundary.
The 1835 river-steamer JAMES BOATWRIGHT was named in his honor by the steamship company whose charter he helped secure. He is buried under the annex at the Washington Street United Methodist Church. He had eleven children; four died young but most of the descendents of Mary Ann, Sarah, Martha, Burrell Thomas, Elizabeth Christina, James Sampson, and John Henry, have been identified. As for old James, his origins are unknown.

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