This is the FIRST PRINTED MAP OF SOUTH CAROLINA, and the FIRST TO DESIGNATE it so. Previous maps of the region included northern Carolina. It was not, in fact, until 1730 that North and South were formally separated. It focuses on the developed region around Charleston, reaching southwards to the South Edisto River and north to “Sewee Harbor”. Published by John Thornton and Robert Morden it is derived from Maurice Mathews’ remarkable survey as found in the manuscript by Joel Gascoyne surviving today in the British Library. Mathews provided the cartographic background in the Charleston region for the Joel Gascoyne map, 1682. He is known less for his cartographic professionalism than for the detail he provided. He arrived in Carolina as a planter and being well connected in England became Lord Ashley’s deputy in 1671. Made a member of the council, he soon displayed his capabilities. He became the Surveyor General in 1677 because they had been unable to find anybody before to be satisfactory. For Gascoyne’s manuscript of c.1685 he provides considerably more plantation-holders names, some 250, and much greater detail along the coast to the south. Mathews died in 1694.

Gascoyne was originally apprenticed to Thornton, a friendship that no doubt allowed the map to pass to Thornton. The latter had worked before with Morden on other maps, most notably the large multi-sheet map of 1685. Morden’s ownership of the plate with Thornton prevented the map passing to John Senex, unlike his maps of the “English Empire”, c.1698, and the Chesapeake Bay region, c.1692. These were in joint possession with Christopher Browne. The Gascoyne original is large, about 1270 x 1580 millimetres, and Thornton and Morden focused more on the region of Charles Town, allowing much of the detail to be transferred. Some new or independent sources are utilised especially in indicating settlements. A French one is noted on the Santee River, and an Indian one to the south on “KAYAWAH” Island, and further south still “Edestow Settlemts”. Sullivans Island is called “Silivants I.” The whole is traversed with a number of roads.

The map is undated but thanks to identifying the Lords Proprietors in the title we can deduce one. Cumming states that since the heirs of Seth Sothell are mentioned it cannot be prior to 1694 when he died in North Carolina. The Earl of Bath became a proprietor on 24 April 1694 and John Colleton replaced his father upon his death in the same month. It is no later than September 1695 since George Lord Carteret died on the twenty-fifth of that month. The map was copied by many cartographers, the first being Pierre Mortier in 1700. Other derivatives include Edward Crisp’s “CAROLINA”, 1711, and Herman Moll’s “DOMINIONS of the KING of GREAT BRITAIN”, 1715.” (Burden). Burden 712; Cumming & De Vorsey 118; Pritchard & Taliaferro pp. 100-1.