South Carolina Oyster Industry: A History by Victor G. Burrell, Jr. V.G. Burrell, Jr.: The Oyster Industry in South Carolina The Oyster Industry of South Carolina by Victor G. Burrell, Jr. December 2003 i V.G. Burrell, Jr.: The Oyster Industry in South Carolina Graphic design and layout by Karen R. Swanson iii V.G. Burrell, Jr.: The Oyster Industry in South Carolina TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................................v GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................................................................... vii PERSONAL COMMUNICATION .......................................................................................................................ix INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................. 1 LIFE HISTORY .................................................................................................................................................. 1 PREHISTORIC PERIOD..................................................................................................................................... 2 COLONIAL PERIOD TO 1865 ........................................................................................................................... 3 POST CIVIL WAR TO 1900 ............................................................................................................................... 6 1900 TO 1945 – THE HEYDAY OF THE CANNER........................................................................................... 10 1945 TO THE PRESENT (2002) ...................................................................................................................... 22 SOME OF THE SHUCKING HOUSES OPERATING OVER THE YEARS............................................................ 32 IN 2002 .......................................................................................................................................................... 43 MARICULTURE............................................................................................................................................... 43 TOOLS OF THE TRADE .................................................................................................................................. 44 RECREATIONAL HARVEST ............................................................................................................................ 47 EPILOGUE ...................................................................................................................................................... 47 APPENDIX...................................................................................................................................................... 49 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................................. 59 iii V.G. Burrell, Jr.: The Oyster Industry in South Carolina V.G. Burrell, Jr.: The Oyster Industry in South Carolina iv v V.G. Burrell, Jr.: The Oyster Industry in South Carolina V.G. Burrell, Jr.: The Oyster Industry in South Carolina ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS relating his experience in the oyster Bill Anderson of the This work would have been industry in the 1930s, 40s and 50s; Shellfish Management Section impossible without the input of Bergen Berry, historian of the North shared with me material that many individuals dating back to the Myrtle Beach area, who provided he had collected over the years. 1950s when I was involved in the interviews and articles that he had Laura Von Harten, daughter oyster business at Little River, S.C. recorded as well as local lore; Larry and granddaughter of early Beaufort The list of those who took and Tina Toomer, who gave me free seafood harvesters, a historian and time from their busy lives to run of their operation at the Bluffton writer provided me with copies of spend a few to too many ses- Oyster Company and took time to many interviews with oystermen sions with me includes all those explain how it all works; Sharon and others she has published over cited as personal communications. Bennett, archivist at the Charleston several years. These added much Several of these made old pho- Museum who made available their insight and color to this work. tographs available and these are photographic collections but most Ray Haggerty of the Shellfish acknowledged in the figure captions. especially the ledger of an oyster com- Management Section provided me with Sometimes many sessions were in- pany that operated 1869-1871; Selden statistics that he had summarized for volved with follow-up phone calls and Hill, curator of the Village Museum, the DNR and helped me evaluate the not one of these people objected to my McClellanville, who provided ma- early catch statistics and Nan Jenkins questions or made fun of my ignorance. terial on the oyster history of the of the Statistic Section helped me to It is hard to single out any in- McClellanville area and the Magwood update and interpret landing records. dividuals, but of especial help was family; Andrew and the late Clarence Helen Ivy, librarian at DNR Fort Thad Bailey, who spent many hours A. “Junior” Magwood, who allowed Johnson, was very helpful in obtain- with me and even fed me an occasion; me to use tax records, license forms ing references and especially valuable Woody Collins, who brought out his and photographs of the Magwood in getting permits to use some of the oyster artifacts and explained use of oyster activities; the Flowers of Edisto material that was under copyright. each; Mrs. Agnes Baldwin, who gave Beach, who provided family history George Steele worked with me a copy of her insightful review of and photographs; Jamie Westendorff old, dim photographs to make the “Cape Romain Controversy” and who shared with me his historical oys- them more suitable for publication. explained how all of it related to the ter records and explained the oyster Karen Swanson digitally en- oyster industry; Clark Lowther, who catering business; Suzannah Miles, hanced many of the old photographs sat with me and explained the ins who provided me with references more or less bringing them back to and outs of the way Gilbert Maggioni she had relating to oyster history; life. She also was responsible for worked with other lease holders to Buford Mabry and Jim Quinn, Chief the diagrams of the various oyster supply the factory with raw material; Counsel and Assistant Chief Counsel operations. She worked with very Erwin Ashley, who over many years of the S.C. Department of Natural rudimentary sketches and I think shared his knowledge of oyster cul- Resources (DNR) who permitted Matt came up with excellent depictions. tivation and observations of growing Rosbrugh, their intern to research Yvonne Bobo and Loren Coen read conditions, and provided oysters for oyster legislation for this paper; and the text and suggested improvements. yield determinations; A.P. Brownlee, Charles Newell who helped with his- Clyde Mackenzie and Nancy the manager of the Maggioni factories tory of shellfish sanitation regulations. Hadley reviewed the text and pro- at Ladies and Yonges Islands in the I drew from many long conversa- vided many valuable comments. 1950s and 60s, who explained the tions with the late Gilbert Maggioni, Emily Schroeder has my eternal mechanics of the operations as well an association dating back some gratitude. She efficiently deciphered as the financial dealings with the pick- forty years. He not only knew the my long hand scrawl to produce ers; Jerry Reeves, president of Resorts mechanics and finances of the oyster many drafts of this paper. Her Services, Inc. who took time out from canneries but also had a keen insight cheerful attitude and encourage- his busy schedule to discuss and make into the sociology of the period. ment added much to my enjoyment available the records of the Bluffton Willis J. “Skipper” Keith, head of working with this material. Oyster Company before and while of the Shellfish Management Section he owned it; Joel Jackson, a long time of the SCDNR and student of history, harvester, planter and maintenance generously shared his knowledge, man at Shelmore Oyster Company, publications, artifacts and photogra- who sat with me on many occasions phy, which added much to this study. iv v V.G. Burrell, Jr.: The Oyster Industry in South Carolina vii V.G. Burrell, Jr.: The Oyster Industry in South Carolina GLOSSARY poor meat yield to shell volume. Gutters or Marsh drains - small riv- Adductor muscle – The muscle that Cove oysters – steamed canned erlets that channel tide flow in and closes and keeps the oyster shell oysters. They are consumed in out. Many go dry at low tide and closed when the oyster is not feeding. salads, stews, soups, dressings and often contain good yielding oysters. This must be cut by shuckers to re- as lunch time snacks by laborers. Heat shock – using a hot bath to relax move the oyster meat from the shell. Crocus sack – a burlap or gunnysack the oyster adductor muscle to facili- Bag Oysters – Onion or crocus commonly used for bag oysters until tate shucking. Sometimes referred sack holding “a bushel” or spe- supplanted by plastic onion sacks. to as the “Pringle” Heat Shock cific weight of oysters e.g. - 50 or Often these bags were originally method after