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William Fripp
The First

It is not yet known who William Fripp (The First) was, but he was probably born before 1690. It seems most likely that he was a brother of John Fripp Sr., although he is not mentioned on John's will, and neither are any nieces or nephews. This suggests that he died before 1742 and may not have married. Alternatively, he could be John Sr's father or uncle. Most reports suggest that John Sr. arrived in South Carolina with his father, John or Johannes, but some say that his father was William.

He is first named in a newspaper report between 1709 (origin being sought), which tells of a dispute involving William Fripp, a tavern proprietor of Charleston.

He is probably the same person mentioned on the judgement rolls, indexed at South Carolina Department of Archives & History below:

Date: 1710-1711 - See Transcript.
Description: FRIPP, WILLIAM VS NORCOMB, JUDGMENT ROLL.
Names Indexed: FRIPP, WILLIAM///NORCOMB/
Type: JUDGMENT-ROLL//
Series Number: S136002
Box: 002C
Item: 00083

Date: 1711-1712
Description: FRIPP, WILLIAM VS HENRY BINGLY, JUDGMENT ROLL.
Names Indexed: FRIPP, WILLIAM///BINGLY, HENRY/
Type: JUDGMENT-ROLL//
Series Number: S136002
Box: 003A
Item: 00166

A transcript of the first Judgment Roll can be found HERE.

FRIPP'S ISLAND
Fripp Island is one of a small chain of Hunting Islands just below St. Helena. It was first documented in Feb 1695, when Richard Bennett "of ffripp's Island" recorded his mark for cattle and hoggs. See here. It is widely accepted that Fripp Island was named after John (or Johannes) Fripp. However, on 21 Feb 1857, Thomas B. Chaplin, made an entry in his diary that he was invited to join a hunt, the following week, on William Fripp's island. The author of "Tombee" gives a footnote explaining that William Fripp's Island is between Chaplin's Island and Hunting Island, which is the present location of Fripp Island.

This suggests that the island was named for William Fripp, and helps to support other claims that; either John Fripp Sr. came to South Carolina with a brother William; or William was the father of John Fripp Sr.

HOWEVER, on 10 April 1738, James Reynolds (son of Richard Reynolds), purchased 295 acres in Granville County on the sea bay on an inlet from the sea separating it from JOHN FRIPP'S ISLAND and from Helena Island. Plat certified 6 --- 1739.

Records show that John Fripp purchased land on Edisto Island in 1696, but none have surfaced, for this period, to show any land purchased or owned by a William Fripp. Records for 1764 show a William Fripp had a plat & memorial for 98 acres on an island on the Morgan River, near St. Helena Sound. This appears to Morgan Island, possibly named after Joshua Morgan, whose name appears on a record of lease in 1766.

This William was probably the son of John Fripp Jr., however, he could be a son of William Fripp (1st). He is also shown on records in 1766 for memorials for a tract of 215 acres on St Helena River, originally granted to Robert Seabrook on 11 Oct 1701; and another tract for 274 acres on St Helena Island, part of a 480 acre tract granted to John Cowan on 6 Mar 1706. Paul Fripp also appears on this second memorial, giving further credence that these were the sons of John Fripp Jr. William and his brothers followed these purchases buying up much of the land on and surrounding St Helena Island.

Other Links
SCDA&H   South Carolina Department of Archives & History.
Grants Explained   Information about early South Carolina Land Grants, Plat Records, Memorials and More.
First Fleet   Names and details of the first settlers to arrive in 1670.
Map of St Helena   Map of plantations on St Helena c.1862.
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