Sarah Friday's 1810 Granby Drawing

Abraham Geiger House, Platt Springs Road,

and th e Platt Springs Academy.




Major Abraham Geiger was a very educated man and was described as a “remarkable personality. He was a soldier in the War of 1812-14, author and agriculturist.

From "The Geigers of South Carolina", compiled by Percy L. Geiger (actually done by his sibs in about 1945, after his death):

p. 136: Abraham GEIGER was prominent in politics, when Granby flourished, later, he became interested in educational matters, moved to Platt Springs and established the Platt Springs Academy.


Below: Mill's Atlas 1826



From Mill's Statistics, 1826:

"The Platt Springs Academy has long been known to the public as a first rate institution for the education of Youth preparatory to entering college. It owes its foundation and present eminence to the liberality and indefatigable care of Abraham GEIGER, Esq., who for several years supported it from his private purse. The Academy is now one of the most flourishing in the state. The institution has a small but well selected library attached to it. The average number of students is from sixty to seventy. The price of tuition is very moderate, also boarding (there being several respectable private homes for this purpose) which is at the rate of $8.00 per month."


Below: Google view of the old Platt Springs Academy Site (2014)



On a visit to Platt Springs, we found the site of the Academy, the old chimney foundation is still there and one corner pillar, all others having disintegrated. We also saw the site of two boarding houses or hotels, as they were called, one for girls and one for boys. The driveway is still visible that leads from the road to them. It is the shape of a horseshoe, and well shaded.

The stumps and sprouts of the crepe myrtle that bloomed for them are still there, from which we gathered a few roots. it is said that Newberry College traces its beginning from this school. End of Quote. (Last comments probably by Percy GEIGER).

Note: Maj. Abraham GEIGER (1770/71 - 14 Jan 1841) was a son of John GEIGER and Ann MURFF, grandson of Herman GEIGER and Elizabeth (Lisabet) HABLUZEL, and great-grandson of Gov. Hs. Jacob GEIGER and Margrit FEHR of SWT and SC. He was my third cousin four times removed (according to Family Origins)!!

Anne H. Connell in FL

Below: A newspaper story about Abraham Geiger and the Geiger family.




Abraham Geiger site: Status: Archaeology is possible in the quarry property (Click here to see this location on a map)