“Stories Collected from Slaves” by Leonarda J. Aimar is a bound volume of formerly enslaved people's stories. In her transcription, she attempted to capture the storytellers’ colloquial speech, now recognized as the Gullah language. The volume includes a list of addresses, occupations, and diseases of African Americans during their enslavement; an eye-witness account of the Battle of Secessionville on James Island during the Civil War in 1862; how enslaved people were returned to their slaveholders following the Revolutionary War; and an account of Sherman's march from Savannah, Georgia to Charleston, South Carolina during the Civil War. A formerly enslaved man, Sam, provides a detailed account of being a butler, coachman, and horse jockey. He also recounts how Union Army Major Robert Anderson took control of Fort Sumter and the events that transpired there on April 12, 1861. Other accounts include an enslaved man’s recollections of his time as a servant to a plantation overseer who sympathized with the Union during the Civil War and formerly enslaved man Jim Alston’s detailed eye-witness account of the 1876 Cainhoy Riot.
The Horlbeck Daybook, 1835-1837, was kept by members of the Horlbeck building and architectural business. Included in the daybook are lists of work done for clients such as remodeling, repair, or construction. Buildings worked on include the jail, St. Stephen's Chapel, the Fire Master's Department, and the Poor House. The descriptions include types of materials used and the number of Black and White employees working. Black employees consist of enslaved and freed persons.
The Stoney Account Book, 1837-1838, and Plantation Daybook, 1852 is a bound volume kept by the Stoney family, possibly John Stafford Stoney, in which the first half of the book documents payments for shipping, freights, wharfage and commissions from GM Thompson, Wade Hampton II, William Cunningham, Robert E. Russell, Mary Hampton, Horace Osborne & Co., John Preston, and Nesbit Manufacturing Co. The second half of the book was written by a plantation overseer at Medway Plantation in which he documents the tasks performed by enslaved people and the slaves who missed work due to sickness. The names of the slaves are listed as: Abraham, Andrew, Beck, Bella, Bess, Binah, Bob, Brooke, Celia, Cesar, Charlot, Cily, Dido, Dinah/Old Dinah, Dolly, Edward, Elsey, Grace, Hector, Hercules, Jack, Jackey, Kate, Maully, Moses, Old Elley, Old Felix, Old Jerry, Peter, Philaskey, Philis, Pussy, Quash, Robert, Robin, Rosannah, Sam, and Samey.
The Horlbeck Ledger, 1839-1847, is a bound volume by members of the Horlbeck building and architectural business. The book records work done for clients White and Black employees and specifies the type of repair, remodeling or construction jobs and supplies. Black employees are comprised of enslaved persons and freed men and women.
The Paul De St. Julien Ravenel Estate Book, 1829-1841 is an estate account book kept by Henry Ravenel for the estate of Paul D. Ravenel with pages on money received, spent or payments paid, including payments for the hiring of enslaved people. The last few pages of the book are lists of slaves, referenced by first name, and the number of sheets given out.
The Estate General J.W. Allston in Account with A.W. Campbell, 1834-1857, is an account book kept for the estate of Joseph Waties Allston. The first half of the book records payments and bonds paid on behalf of J.W. Allston's estate by executor A.W. Campbell. The second half of the book records payments and bonds paid on behalf of the estate by executor Robert F.W. Allston. Payments include those for the hiring and purchasing of enslaved persons.
The Robert F.W.Allston Memorandum Book covers the years 1848 and 1849, documenting payments made by Robert Allston, a record of cattle on Waverly, Nightingale Hall and Matanza (later known as Chicora Wood) Plantations and mentions of enslaved people who are referenced by first name. The book also includes loose papers and newspaper clippings on politics, the electoral college and a written statement surrounding the different views over slavery between the northern and southern states.
The Robert W. Allston 1862 Journal consists of entries discussing accounts, prices of items, land papers and a task performed by the enslaved persons Sawney, Mathias and Scipio.
The Robert F.W. Allston Account Book covers the years 1857-1859 discussing Chicora Wood and Nightingale Hall Plantations. The book includes information on acres of land, stock and cattle, payments and accounts, a purchase of forty-one enslaved persons and the number of enslaved persons at each plantation in which they are listed as dependencies. Book includes a second use with passages written from the back of the book towards the front.
The Robert F.W. Allston Account Book, 1853-1855, records the numerous payments, receipts, debts and purchases and yearly crop information for Chicora Wood, Waverly and Nightingale Hall Plantations. Also included in the book are sections on births, deaths and marriages for enslaved people, writing down the first name of the men and women who married.
