Written By Eleanor Smythe
Ansonborough (and Anson Street, of course) was named for Captain George Anson, a British Naval officer assigned at age 26 with his own command to defend Charles Town and its environs from pirates. He served in this capacity from 1724 to 1735. In 1726, Anson purchased approximately 64 acres of land that later became known as Ansonborough. Legend has it that Anson won the money for the land in a card game. Anson went on to a successful career in the British Navy, becoming the First Lord of the Admiralty in 1751 and Admiral of the Fleet in 1761. He married Lady Elizabeth Yorke in England, and while they had no children, Captain Anson's name lives on through Ans...