Promotional literature passed out in Switzerland to attract migration to South Carolina Townships.
In the summer of 1731, Colonel Jean Pierre Purry drew up a little
pamphlet in Charles Town, South Carolina, "A Description of the Province
of South Carolina..," This promotional-tract literature exalted the
superior merits of South Carolina to any other place in the world.
After enumerating the vast wealth of goods and livestock produced by the
colony, Purry then spent the better part of three pages explaining the
dangers of living in Carolina. He met each of the problems directly
(climate, sickness, mosquitoes, rattlesnakes). On Purry's return to
Switzerland, his "Description of South Carolina" was published in the
Neuchatel newspaper as well as pamphlet form. The pamphlet was
disseminated throughout Switzerland, and set in motion what distraught
cantonal officials derisively labeled the "Rabies Carolinae" (Carolina
madness).
Purry's Pamphlet
On the 28th day of February, 1739/40 in Charles Town, South Carolina, a
passport was issued by The Highly-Esteemed and Meritorious Gentlemen,
William Bull, Knight, First-in-Command for the English King in the
Province of South Carolina, to Hans Jacob Riemensperger and Hans Caspar
Gallister, voluntary agents of His Royal Majesty. They distributed
their brochure throughout Germany and Switzerland in order to perform
service to satisfaction: That is, to perform the heartfelt task of
leading out immigrants successfully.
Riemensperger's Brochure
On January 5 (O.S.), 16 (N.S.), in the year 1753, with the intention of
attracting more settlers from eastern Switzerland to South Carolina,
Johannes Tobler, a former Landeshauptmann of the half-canton of
Appenzell-Ausser Rhoden, Switzerland, wrote "A Description of Carolina"
for the 1754 issue of an almanac, Alter und verbesserter
Schreib-Calender which was designed for customers in the cantons of
Glarus, Appenzell, and Graubunden (or Grisons). His description is of a
far better quality than those of some of the propaganda pamphlets of the
time for or against emigration to America.
Tobler, "A Description of Carolina"