A report from the mayor, city council, and various governmental departments of Charleston, South Carolina for the year 1882. The yearbook opens with an address from Mayor Courtenay followed by reports from various departments and an appendix recounting the history of Charleston.
A newspaper clipping announcing an "Anniversary Meeting" of the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina, to take place in Charleston on Chalmers Street at the "Depository." The clipping lists the elected officers of the Society.
A short letter from J.H. Stevens, Coroner, to John F. Grimke about the death of one of his female slaves, [named Benit?], who had previously escaped and ultimately died "of want."
A bill of sale to Sarah Marie Drayton for the purchase of five slaves from the estate of Mrs. Ann D. Perry. James W. Gray, the commisioner of the Court of Equity facilitated the sale. The sale includes the guarantee to the purchaser of "the future issue of the Females"--meaning any future children will be the property of the purchaser. The back of the document includes several worn statements regarding the legality of the sale.
A letter from Thomas S. Grimke to Philadelphia bookseller Thomas Kite, asking his opinion of Mr. Price, an attorney, but also giving details on military preparations and a fear of violence over the nullification issue in Charleston.
A bill of sale to Sarah Marie Drayton for the purchase of four slaves named Flora, Shedrack, Mary-Ann, and Emma, from Susan S. Keith and Charles M. Furman.
A letter from an ill woman seeking financial aid from the St. Andrew's Society to pay her rent so that she can get her own place and not rely on the charity of her friend who took her in and cared for her.
A letter from an married woman requesting the financial aid of the St. Andrew's Society. It is followed by a note from three men, a minster and two elders, who are verifying that she remains unmarried to the best of their knowledge.
An accounting of a women petitioning St. Andrew's Society on behalf of her husband for a land grant of 400 acres. The accounting includes three men noting their recommendations she be granted the land and certifying her story.
A letter from a Scottish person petitioning the St. Andrew's Society for financial assistance to help them recover from illness while living in a workhouse in Charleston, South Carolina.
Letters of Mary Smith Grimke, wife of John Faucheraud Grimke, to her daughter, Anna Rutledge Grimke Frost (1795-1882), in Philadelphia, regarding the drowning death of her son, Benjamin (1798-1825) and his child, her grieving daughter-in-law Mary Augusta Barron Grimke (1806-1843) and the return of the bodies to Charleston, to be buried in St. Paul's cemetery. With references to settling of her husband's (?) estate, a note to her granddaughter as well and references to "Sally" (Sarah) and Angelina Grimke, especially the latter's turning to religion, attending Presbyterian services, giving up fashionable company and dress and becoming more like her sister Sarah.
Letters of Mary Smith Grimke, wife of John Faucheraud Grimke, to her daughter, Anna Rutledge Grimke Frost (1795-1882), in Philadelphia, regarding the drowning death of her son, Benjamin (1798-1825) and his child, her grieving daughter-in-law Mary Augusta Barron Grimke (1806-1843).
A short letter from George Reid, Secretary of the Society of the Cincinnati, to John F. Grimke regarding starting a society chapter in South Carolina. Reid notes that a meeting will be held at "William's Coffee House" to discuss the matter further.
Letter from Thomas S. Grimke, President of the South Carolina Temperance Society, to William Gill, James Johnson, William Greu, and Isaac A. [Kerlark?], the committee of the Temperance Society of 'F' Company, 2nd Regiment of Artillery, stationed at Fort Moultrie, recommending that their organization receive auxiliary status within a soon-to-be-established state temperance society.
A letter from a Scottish woman who is petitioning the St. Andrew's Society for financial assistance due to her old age and changes in financial circumstances.
A report from the mayor, city council, and various governmental departments of Charleston, South Carolina for the year 1880. The yearbook opens with an address from Mayor Courtenay followed by reports from various departments and an appendix recounting the history of Charleston.
A note from B. D. Heriot passing on an extract from a letter referencing the Sumter, South Carolina Temperance Society, with a mention of Reverend Samuel Gilman.
A short note to John F. Grimke from Charleston's Sheriff[?], James Kennedy stating that a "Sugar House" on Broad Street is ready for the arrival of "Negroes" for incarceration.
A short note to John F. Grimke from Charleston's Sheriff[?], James Kennedy inviting the City Constables and the Seargeant with the City Guard to attend an execution.
A letter from a man seeking financial aid from the St. Andrew's Society based on his destitution, lack of home, and being new to Charleston. The letter makes note of correspondence being lost which was meant to be sent to the St. Andrew's Society on behalf of the petitioner.
A letter from a woman with a sick infant who is petitioning the St. Andrew's Society for financial aid to help her pay the midwife, rent, and other necessary items.
A letter from a man seeking financial aid from the St. Andrew's Society based on old age and having all of his valuables taken from him by "Creek-Indians" who he traded to for thirty years. The second half of the page is a recommendation note who is testifying to the petitioner's character.
A letter from a man seeking financial aid from the St. Andrew's Society based on his illness. He would like aid to assist him in returning to Great Britain
A letter from a woman petitioning the St. Andrew's Society for a renewal of financial aid based on her husband's death and being left with an infant child. The letter states that the woman is able to provide for herself and child partly on her own through working.
A letter from a man recently arrived in Charleston, SC and seeking to return by ship back to Leith, Scotland with the financial aid of the St. Andrew's Society. He writes of his financial destitution and fear that without their assistance he and his wife will die from starvation.
A letter from a woman who is seeking financial aid from the St. Andrew's Society after her husband died and then her daughter died, leaving her with a granddaughter to care for.
In this ten-page, handwritten letter, Warren Hubert Moise writes about his uncle Theodore Sidney Moise (b. 1808), and his uncle’s family, offering recollections of each member of the family.
In this fifteen-page, handwritten letter, Warren Hubert Moise responds to questions his nephew Edwin Warren Moise (b. 1889) had asked in previous letters, expanding on the Moise family history.
In this two-page, handwritten letter, Warren Hubert Moise writes to his nephew Edwin Warren Moise (b. 1889), thanking him for the cards he sent from his trip to New Orleans. W. H. Moise describes the location of the old family home in Jefferson City, discusses inscriptions on the Moise tomb, and notes that his uncle Theodore Sidney Moise (b. 1808) was not buried in New Orleans; rather, "[h]is remains were taken to Charleston S.C." Moise concludes the letter by speculating on the location of "Uncle’s portrait" by Paul Edouard Poincy, whose name he misspells "Poincie."
In this six-page, handwritten letter Warren Hubert Moise writes to his nephew, Edwin Warren Moise (b. 1889), about a trip he took to Savannah and Tybee Island, Georgia. He also discusses his father, Edwin Warren Moise (b. 1810), whose death in 1868 left the family in financial distress.
Colleen Condon (b. 1970) describes her upbringing in an Irish-American family in Charleston. Her family came to the States from County Cork during the time of the Famine, first landing in a northern city before coming to Charleston, which she remarks is most likely due to the similarities between Charleston and County Cork. Her great-great-grandfather started Condon’s department store in Charleston in 1899, which was family owned until closing in 1984. She discusses what it was like growing up in a large but very close-knit family with lots of ties to the community. She feels that issues of prejudice and discrimination against Irish Catholics in particular is something that has decreased through the generations, and that the Irish Catholics have become more integrated with the wider community as the years have passed, that Irish identity has “mesh[e]d really well” with Southern identity in Charleston. As to the difference between Charleston and other southern cities, she feels that the Irish community and sense of Irish identity is more prominent in Charleston than it is in places such as Atlanta or Charlotte. Part of her interview also includes her experience as a lesbian in an Irish-Catholic family, and how she has begun to try to separate her Irish identity from Catholicism because of the difficulties she has faced. Colleen and her wife were the first couple in the state of South Carolina to be granted a marriage license as a same-sex couple, after a long legal battle.
Sean Doherty discusses his experience growing up as part of an Irish-American family in New York City. His parents emigrated from County Donegal in the 1920s. He discusses growing up in a neighborhood of various first-generation immigrants from different backgrounds. He was an officer in the United States Marine Corps, until he became a salesman for Sylvan Pyrometric Systems, eventually retiring and coming to Charleston.
Barbara Dugan discusses her upbringing as part of an Irish-American family in New York City. Her grandparents emigrated from County Mayo and County Kerry around 1900. Her grandmother, Catherine, took care of janitorial duties in her apartment building while her grandfather, Patrick, became employed in steel works and helped to build several New York City area bridges. As a child, she had difficulty getting her grandmother to speak in detail about Ireland, which she suspects is because of the hardships the family endured before their move to the United States. Barbara grew up going to all-girls Catholic schools and was raised Catholic. She speaks glowingly of her travels in Ireland and discusses the various ways in which she passes a sense of Irish-American identity onto her children and grandchildren. Barbara recently relocated to Charleston to be close to her married son and grandchildren, who live in Mt. Pleasant.
Jeremiah Courtney discusses his experience as an Irish immigrant in New York City, and then in Charleston. He came to the States full time in 1991, after having lived in London for five years and finding life there difficult for an Irishman. He speaks warmly of growing up in Kilarney, County Kerry, but left largely because he felt that Ireland couldn’t offer him the variety and adventure that he wanted in his life. He felt welcomed and supported upon first arriving in the States, particularly by others in the Irish or Irish-American community. He made his way down to Charleston after feeling he needed a break from New York. Though he was raised in the Catholic church and attended Catholic school, he finds himself turning away from Catholicism, and has not passed that on to his children.
![Bill of Sale to S.M. Drayton [Sarah Marie Drayton] for the purchase of four slaves, March 21, 1834](https://rspace.library.cofc.edu/iiif/image/36418/full/200,/0/default.jpg)
