Our History

Dr. John Rutledge, the third owner of Phillips Plantation, was the first medical doctor in Christ Church Parish. Dr. Rutledge was the father of John and Edward Rutledge. His son John Rutledge was an American Legislator who chaired the committee that formed the South Carolina Constitution in 1776. This son also served as a Delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. His son, Edward Rutledge was the youngest signer of the Declaration of lndependence. Both sons were born on Philips Plantation.

In 1875, Phillips Plantation was subdivided into 8.5 - 25 acre lots and sold to 23 Freedmen families of which two were women, Sarah Wiseman and Betty Bailey. The lots were sufficient for a home, farm and livestock. Two of the Freedmen, Sam Scott and Benjamin Bennett fought with the 128th U.S. Colored Infantry in the Civil War. They helped establish the Phillips Community. The maps of 1875 reveal that Phillips was a planned community. Today, the majority of the lands purchased by freedmen and freedwomen of the Phillips Community remain in the possession of their heirs. Most of the land has been subdivided among the heirs to sustain family growth. There are a number of landmarks in the Phillips Community namely, an open tomb that housed human bones, milling stones from an old grits mill, and a well. There is an historical marker placed at the intersection of Joe Rouse Road and Highway 41 that references this tomb. The milling stones are located on property owned by the Habersham family. The well is located at the site where the Rutledge house once stood.

In the late 1800s, the freedmen formed an organization they called "The Society". This organization governed the community. All grievances were handled by The Society. The name of this governing body has changed several times and is presently The Phillips Community Association. The Association actively keeps members of the community abreast of current events and anything that affects the community. The Phillips Community Association sponsors Family Day and other family and community oriented events. During these events, community youths and adults are recognized for their contribution to the community.

The descendants of the freedmen and freedwomen of the Phillips Community are nurses, doctors, teachers, accountants, therapists, attorneys, policemen, principals and many are veterans of various branches of the military who served in foreign wars. Our community has a strong military history. Highway 41 is named "Major General Abraham J. Turner Highway." Major General Turner was born and reared in the Phillips Community. He is the great-grandson of Thomas Tonneau, one of the original residents of the Phillips Community. Some of Major General Turner's siblings remain residents of the Phillips community; his parents were also residents of our community until the time of their passing.

In the past, some residents owned small businesses in the community. At different times, there were convenience store owners and a barber shop. One resident, the late Maybell Turner, gathered sweetgrass baskets made by other members of the community to be sold in the Charleston Market. Sweetgrass basket making remains a fine art in the Phillips Community. Some residents operate Basket Stands along Highway 17 North in Mount Pleasant, while others take their baskets to the Charleston Market to be sold. Sweetgrass basket making is not exclusive to female residents. There are several males in our community who still make baskets. One of whom, William Rouse, had one of his baskets featured in the second Inaugural Parade for President Barack H. Obama. Our community also housed a grits mill as well as a school for students from first to sixth grade.