Drayton Family Tomb

The Drayton Family Tomb was constructed sometime prior to 1700 by its first occupant and Magnolia Plantation’s first owner, Thomas Drayton, Jr., who was buried there in 1715.  It was the final resting place of subsequent owners and members of their families until 1891 when the Reverend John Grimké Drayton saw fit to be buried at the Church of Saint John in the Wilderness near his summer retreat in Flat Rock, North Carolina. Since then, it has been utilized only by Drayton Franklin Hastie in 1917.

The marble plaque on the face of the tomb was carved by Jardella, America’s first sculptor of note. The features of the cherubs were vandalized by British troops occupying the plantation during the American Revolution. The large crack on the face of the tomb was incurred during the Charleston Earthquake of 1886.

The burial chamber itself is located directly beneath the visible elevated portion of the tomb. It was entered via a subterranean door in the rear of the tomb. When opened for inspection and repair in the 1980s, the room, with a 6-foot vaulted brick ceiling, was seen to be 10 feet by 10 feet in area. With exception of the 1715 German lead coffin of Thomas Drayton, Jr., and the 1917 coffin of Drayton F. Hastie, all coffins were in shambles. Clear evidence, however, indicated its occupancy by 14 adults and many children. Its interior and contents were restored and repaired, and the entrance was once again sealed.