Charleston Historian visits and tells us about her adventures!

Ruth Miller showing books that she wrote 

Ruth Miller started her adventures as a tour guide throughout Charleston and she had gotten really interested in Charleston by researching the history and the archaeological context as well. She eventually, went from a tour guide to a group speaker at banquets and she is also now a writer and storyteller for Forty years. She has a passion for history, graves, cemeteries, and archaeology. A few of her books are Touring the Tombstones, Charleston's Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon: A Witness to History, and The Angel Oak Story.

She explained to us how Charleston became the most influential and miraculous city by ways of history, trade, plantations, slaves, and the process of getting gravestones to Charleston because "The city of Charleston had no stone carvers because there was no stone to carve from". Charleston was founded in 1670 by King Charles II of England and the city played a major role in slave trade and rice because Charleston was a harbor.

Handkerchief with letter

She explained some major key points of how people remembered their deceased loved ones. Some would make bracelets or necklaces out of hair, others would make a memorial on a bracelet or etched it onto a ring, and some just wanted a picture. Some wondered why we wear black when someone dies or when we are in the stage of mourning. Queen Victoria of England wore black as a sign of mourning when her husband, Prince Albert died. The time afterward, she wore black for the rest of her days to show that she was still mourning and thinking of him. Now, the people of that century took it to custom and it has been a tradition ever sense because Queen Victoria romanticized death.


My favorite quotes from her are "Its like someone had taken a gigantic scythe and flattened the trees." "Charleston has more 18th Century graveyards than any other city" "If you are walking in Charleston, chances are, you are walking on someone's grave".

Let's go to St. Michaels Church!

St. Michael's Catholic Church, Road side view 

St. Michael's (Anglican) Church is located on 71 Broad St and is on one of the four corners of law. This church is one of the oldest religious churches in America. I selected this church and the churchyard because the name reminded me of the Archangel Michael. I really liked the style of the churchyard and the church itself because it is really peaceful. When I was first looking for it, all I had to do was look up and it was really hard to miss. It also seemed like it was repainted.

The church was built in 1752 and it was opened in 1761; The church was built because St. Philip Church was too small to hold all of their congregation. St. Philip's made the first congregation and then, transferred to St. Michael as the second congregation. The style of St. Michael's church is between a Italian and French Baroque style of architecture. The original architect is unknown, but the style is linked to Sir Christopher Wren, who lived for a period of ninety-one years (1632-1723).

Inside St. Michael's Church, Alter

When you walk into the main wooden doors, there is a dark wooden door against a flat white wall; upon opening the doors, one will find a large room with the same flat white wall accented with wood, glass windows depicting the Archangel Michael, and seats. There is an old organ that was built in 1768, by John Snetzler, that is played in the service to the hymns and after the service. The Alter is of a Victorian style and on the walls, etched on the stone are the Ten Commandments and a prayer to God. This goes on for four sections of the Alter. The Alter is also over a grave site. 

Gravestone Markers

The churchyard seems to be large, with an assortment of graves, both small to large. Some of the graves are flushed to the ground for some reason. The paths throughout the churchyard were also grave makers; Some were broken and some could still be understood.

 The types of grave markers that the churchyard has includes ledgers(Charles Pinckney), Cradles, Die in Socket, Die on Base, Die, Base and Cap, Lawn Markers, Headstones, Cross, Slant Marker, Columns, Sarcophagus, Pedestals, and Box Tombs. The family names can include McConner, Courtney, Ladson, and Trapier. Charles Pinkney and John Rutledge are buried here. One gravestone that is really hard to make out was put there in the 1600's and it is one of the oldest gravestones in the churchyard. The churchyard is open from 9am until 7:30pm.

Stone inlay, Seraphim

One of the things that I found interesting about this churchyard is that among all the gravestones and markers, it also has stone inlays that seem to represent the Angel Hierarchy. Archangel Michaels, Archangel Raphael, The Seraphim, Cherubium, and all Angels are represented with these stones. It seems like that within the churchyard, the graves are protected by the Angels themselves. The church and the churchyard are supposed to be protected by these beings, since the church is considered to be holy land.

Marble Walkway, Gravestones

Walkway, landscape view

Front of St. Michael's, doors to inside

Graveyard walkway, grave markers

More about me

I am Stephanie Buero, and I am from Moncks Corner, South Carolina. I am mostly an Musician, who likes to play duets/trios with other Musicians/Professionals. I plan to major in either Anthropology or Archaeology, I have not decided which, but either way they go hand in hand. I am interested in learning about the different cultures, such as the Native American tribes because I would like to know what traditions, beliefs, and practices that each culture has to offer. As of now, I do not know quite yet of what I want to do after college; I will have to explore those options when the time comes.
I am excited about this class in particular because I like cemeteries and would like to know more about how and why gravestones tell the life stories of that particular culture and the ways of their people.