Obituary of Charles Burke Baxley

Charles Burke Baxley, age 72 of Lugoff, SC died on March 30, 2024 He is survived by his wife Judy Carol Duncan and daughter, B. Caroline Chambers (Geoff), and three grandchildren, Sage Skye, River Gavin, and Cedar Aurora of Brevard, NC. He was predeceased by his beloved son, Burke Miller Wise Baxley.  He is the son of Daniel Carlyle Baxley (Sr.) (deceased) and Kathryn Wise Baxley of Camden, SC.  He is also survived by his siblings, Lynn Doster (Doug) of Cameron, SC, Ann Carpenter of Richmond, VA, and Daniel Baxley (Dorothy) of Stanton, VA.  He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grand nephews, and many other much-loved family and friends.

Charles was a 1974 graduate of the University of South Carolina with a bachelor's degree in political science and a 1976 doctorate in law. He founded and practiced law with the firm of Baxley, Pratt & Wells, P.A., now Baxley, Wells, and Benson, P.A., for forty-five (45) years.

Charles served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Kershaw County Vocational Education Foundation, Inc. for over twenty-five (25) years.  He served as an officer and member of the Executive Board of the Indian Waters Council, Boy Scouts of America, and Chairman of the Kershaw County Public Defender Corporation.  He was a President of the Lugoff Optimist Club and the Kershaw County Bar Association.  He was a Master Tree Farmer, President of the Kershaw County Forest Landowners Association, and managed his family forestlands.  He served as President of the Kershaw County Historical Society and served on that board for thirty (30) years.

Charles also served over fifteen (15) years as Judge for the City of Camden, SC, and taught business law as Adjunct Professor of Law for Limestone College and American Management College.  He served as a captain in the USAF Reserve.

Charles was a member of the Congaree Land Trust and Southern Revolutionary War Institute’s Advisory Boards.  Charles served eight (8) years as Trustee and as the Chairman of the Kershaw County (SC) School Board.  He has received the Silver Beaver award from the Boy Scouts of America and the Order of the Palmetto from the State of South Carolina. He founded and served on the Kershaw County Education Foundation. He served as the Chairman of the Battle of Camden Preservation Project Advisory Council.

Charles' hobbies included history, travel, aviation, and woodworking.  He was a commercial pilot.  He was the editor and publisher of the on-line magazine, Southern Campaigns of the American Revolution, and gave battlefield tours and military staff rides.  He organized academic conferences on Revolutionary War topics, an archaeological exploration of the Hobkirk Hill battlefield, a field trip group known as the “Corps of Discovery” to take people to little known Revolutionary War sites in the South, and a Revolutionary War Roundtable for amateurs and professionals to discuss the War in the South.  His article on Gen. Nathanael Greene in South Carolina’s Lowcountry was featured in the winter 2017 edition of Army History magazine.

He worked with the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust to map 20 Revolutionary War battlefields in the Carolinas, to plan new battlefield parks at Camden, Blackstock’s Plantation, and Moncks Corner, and the SC Liberty Trail.

His interest in the Southern Campaign grew beyond his magazine. He edited books on the subject, established the Mapping Congress to identify and protect historic resources, participated in several ETV documentaries on the Revolutionary War in the South, and assisted ETV with the preparation of materials for middle schoolers to use as they were learning about the state’s history. He founded the SC American Revolutionary War Trust to preserve research, documents, and literature for future generations of citizens and scholars.

As he was retiring from the practice of law in 2021, he was appointed by Governor McMaster to serve as Chairman of the South Carolina Sestercentennial Commission, a group established to guide the celebrations for the state’s 250^th birthday. Charles’ vision went far beyond a brief celebration of fireworks and was focused on making the state’s large part in the Revolutionary War available, interesting, and accessible to all. As you attend celebrations in the coming years, visit historic sites, or read history books, know that Charles’ vision and dedication to history continues.

Commital will be held graveside on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at 1pm at Quaker Cemetery in Camden, SC followed by a visitation at Liberty Hall in Camden, SC from 2pm – 5pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to

The Kershaw County Educational Foundation

PO Box 10

Lugoff, SC 29078

or

The South Carolina American Revolutionary War Trust

PO Box 2552

Camden, SC 29020