Henry Felder became a very prominent leader. In 1775, he was Justice of the Peace and Justice of the Quorum, for Orangeburg District. The title of Justice of the Peace was a very important and powerful position. He was also a member of the legislature, serving St. Matthew's Parish, which was in the Orangeburg District of South Carolina.
OCCUPATION: In 1775 he was a Justice of the Peace and Justice of the Quorum for Orangeburgh District under the Provincial Government.
NAME: Upon growing up he dropped the John from his name and was known as Henry Felder.
BIOGRAPHY: John Henry Felder came to America as a youth with his parents from Switzerland and settled in Orangeburg Township, SC in 1735. His parents were granted 350 acres of land on 17 Sep. 1738 by King George II of England. His father died in 1738 and his mother died the following year. The records state that he was under 16 years of age when orphaned. Upon growing up he dropped the name John and was subsequently known as Henry Felder. Henry was very active in politics, and was a member of the state legislature. A traditional joke was told that whenever he arrived at the legislature to present a bill, it became law before he sat down. He was a member of the second Provincial Congress on 26 Mar 1776, when it adopted a constitution and formed an independent government for South Carolina. He was employed by that congress to manufacture gun powder for the Revolutionary War. He was a Captain during the war and had five sons in his company. At the close of the war the Tories surrounded Capt. Felder's house. With the aid of his wife and servants who loaded guns while he fired, he killed more than twenty foes. His house was burned and he was forced to flee. In attempting to escape, he was shot and killed. Historian and Judge O'Neil, in his book "Bench and Bar" had this to say of Capt. Henry Felder: "This gentleman was a very active partisan in the Revolution. He brought his love of liberty from his native country and liked to tell of his fatherland, he was willing to peril all rather that to submit to tyranny. He guided General Sumter in his approach to Orangeburg and bore a part of the capture at that post." Commissioner for carrying into execution the Continental Asociation; 2nd Provincial Congress; Grand Jury foreman 1776; probable author of "Orangeburg Declaration" 20 May 1776; Commissioner to clear the Fork of the Edisto River in 1778 (of violent Tories); Count Cordwainer; Signed Giessendanner petition in 1749. Thornhill Genealogy, T. J. Thornhill, 1940 "Dr. Felder's father, Samuel Felder, was one of seven brothers, all of whom were in the Revolutionary War. Their father remained at home and molded bullets for them, which they would come home nights for. As a result, he was watched very closely by the Tories, and once when some of his sons were at home, the Tories attacked his dwelling. He jumped out of a window, the Tories in pursuit, thinking he was one of the Continental soldiers. They chased him around his garden, shooting him as he reached a spring, where he fell and died. Thus perished the Swiss ancestor of the Felder's and Revolutionary patriot who settled at Orangeburg, SC"
BURIAL: Buried 2 1/2 miles south of Orangeburg off of Highway 21.
REF: "Biographical Directory of the South Carolina House of Representatives, Vol. 3, 1775-1790" by N. Louise Bailry and Elizabeth Ivey Cooper. University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, SC, 1981.(FELD-SC1). "The History of Orangeburg County, South Carolina" by A. S. Salley. OGS News Vol. 2, p 3. Roster of SC Patriots by Moss, p 307. F. J. D. Felder Chart 1 Jan 1977. Dr. Julian D. Kelly, Jr. submission dated 9 May 1988. South Carolina Deed Abstracts (FELD-SC2). Orangeburg Co. Plat Map, (FELD-SC3). Activities (And Death) In The American Revolution, (FELD-SC5). Lands of Capt. Henry Felder, (FELD-SC6). Royal Land Grant, Vol. 9, pg. 314, 17 Feb 1760, (FELD-SC13). Colonial Plat map, Vol. 7, pg. 97, (FELD-SC14). Royal Land Grant, Vol. 11, pg. 687, 24 Nov 1764, (FELD-SC15). Colonial Plat map, Vol. 7, pg. 428, (FELD-SC16). Judgement Roll, Henry Felder vs. Andrew Frederick, 18 Jul 1772, Box 93A, No. 162A, (FELD-SC17).
The number indicate Josiah, his wife and his newborn son.
OCCUPATION: Blacksmith
AFN: Ancestral File ver n419; Family History Library, Dated June 1998 (c), data as of 5 Jan 1998.
AFN: Ancestral File ver n419; Family History Library, Dated June 1998 (c), data as of 5 Jan 1998.
BIRTH: Date may have been 25 September 1749.
BIRTH: Rev. Jonas PERKINS, a family story; In the possession of Richard S. Wilson; She was called Molly in this reference.