The Haunting Tale of Sword Gates House
They claim that Charleston South Carolina is one of the most haunted cities in the United States, but to tell you the truth - every city I’ve researched and explored seems to stake a claim to being one of the most haunted. And I’m sure that many will fight tooth and nail for their city to be on that list. But to be honest with you, Charleston’s claim I do believe might stand up in a court of law and although the city is known for it’s fabulous history and magnificent architecture, it’s restaurants and unrivaled hospitality, with 340 plus years of being in existence, I can bet dollars to doughnuts that a visit to this fine southern city will produce a ghost or three, or seven. And today’s blog is about a place there in Charleston that you might find a ghost or two floating about.
Located in Charleston’s Historic District, at Number 32 Legare Street (pronounced Lugree) stands a private residence known as the Sword Gates House. It is a U-shaped home which had been built in multiple stages in the early 19th century by German Merchant’s Jacob Steimmetz and Paul E. Lorent. The central part of the house is a three story structure which is one room wide and which was built in 1803. By 1818, a brick wing had been constructed, along with a separate kitchen house. The house’s wrought iron gates are a rare find in the city as most of the pre-Civil War iron was melted for artillery.
In 1819, the property was sold to Andrew Talvande and his wife Ann, who were French colonial refugees who relocated from Saint Domingue after it’s revolution. Shortly afterwards, Ann Talvande opened up a school for young girls and affluent families sent their daughters to this exclusive school for a solid education, and instruction on the proper behavior for a lady. Many young ladies walked the halls of the school, including one of South Carolina’s most well known female authors, Mary Boykin Chesnut.
Now there was a wealthy plantation owner on Edisto Island, a sea Island just south of the city who had a beautiful fifteen year old daughter named Maria. She spent many a lonely day at Pine Baron, their plantation as she had few friends her own age. But as she entered into her teen years, she had a great many suitors, one more serious than the rest. A young gentleman named George Morris, who was from New York. But because he was a “Yankee” from up North, Maria’s father disliked George (this was well before the Civial War). He also wasn’t thrilled that Morris was not as wealthy or affluent as he was. Maria however, was deeply in love with young George and Maria’s father was aware of this and although he did his best to keep the two apart, they always found a way of getting together. And so, in hopes of keeping the two apart permanently, he sent Maria off to Madame Talvande and her school.
Now Madame Talvande kept a close eye on all of the young ladies in her charge but she also recognized the importance of exposing the ladies to Charleston’s high society so they could obtain experience and charm which they would be expected of them later on. So she sometimes held social gatherings and dances in the grand ballroom where the girls could meet appropriate young men who were deemed eligible to court ladies of high social status. And although she made friends easily, she never forgot her true love, George Morris. Within months, George found Maria and they began to devise a plan for her escape from the school.
On March 8, 1829, Young Maria scaled the high walls surrounding the school and ran the few blocks to St. Michael’s Church at Broad and Meeting Streets. With only two witnesses, the Reverend Fredrick Dalcho married Maria to George Morris. She then returned to the school, sneaking back over the wall and into bed. The next day, George arrived at the school to collect his new bride. Upon learning of what had occurred, Madame Talvande was humiliated. As for Maria and George, they went back to Edisto Island and her father’s plantation. He was angered at first, but over time, his anger abated and he grew to love his new son-in-law and the two lived happily ever after, there on the plantation.
The school stayed open until 1849, but Madame Talvande never got over the event and although the remaining years of the school were uneventful, she’d felt that her reputation had been tainted.
It has been widely reported that the ghost of Madame Talvande still roams the halls of the house at Number 32 Legare Street and her full bodied apparition has been seen on the top floor piazza, looking over the grounds for would be escapees. Her spirit has also been seen floating along the upstairs hallways, peering into the bedrooms and keeping a watchful eye on her charges from long ago.
But one ghost does not offer proof of Charleston being one of the most haunted cities in the United States, now does it. Well, tomorrow I’ll tell you about the ghost who haunts the house across the street...
Have a great day everyone!
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