Letters and documents surrounding the legal history of a piece of property eventually acquired by St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, beginning in 1834 with the settling of the estate of William A. Moultrie by the trustee William Brailsford, up until the release of a lien on the Hasell Street property, in September of 1841, upon John Bryan's bond payment of $12,000 to the business partners George Ingraham and Thomas Webb.
Articles of agreement for the construction of a church on the "corner of Anson and Hasel Streets" between the Building Committee of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, then known as the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, and John Dawson. Includes specifications for details like windows, painting and a lightning rod, and also contains notes on installment payments, each signed by Dawson.
Resolution from October of 1841 stating the intention to form a religious society, the German Evangelical Lutheran Church- eventually, St. Matthew's Lutheran Church- and the appointment of a committee, chaired by John A. Wagener, to collect the funding necessary to construct the church. Includes Wagener's mortgaging of a property to secure a loan of $1,600 from the State Bank of South Carolina for this purpose.
Bill of sale detailing the $600 sale at auction of an enslaved man named Elick to St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, here referred to as the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, by the executors of the estate of Thomas Gates.
Bond document detailing a $6,400 loan to St. Matthew's Lutheran Church- here under their original name, the German Evangelical Lutheran Church- from Charles Voigt, "Trustee of Wilhelmina Mertens and children," including conditions like payment timeline and interest rate.
Document detailing the contractual agreement and payment conditions between "architect contractor and builder" John H. Devereux and Jacob H. Kalb, chairman of the Building Committee, for the construction of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church for a total of $53,000.
Bond agreement for $18,067 between "Master of the Honourable Court of Equity, for Charleston District" James W. Gray and St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, here named as the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, including payment dates and deadlines. Also included, document detailing the church's payments against this loan, signed by John B. Gray, "receiver," in 1870 and 1871.
Request on behalf of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church by president J.H. Kalb and attorney John F. Ficken to amend the church's charter, expanding its corporate status to allow for the ownership of $100,000 in assets. The request's subsequent approval by government officials is included as well.
Document detailing the raising of $20,000 to complete the construction of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church- here under its original name, the German Evangelical Lutheran Church- through the mortgage of the church's land and sale of bonds, with the lot's mortgaged deed to be held by trustees J.C.H. Claussen, G.W. Steffens and B. Bollmann, and signed by John A. Wagener.
Letter to trustees J.C.H. Claussen, G.W. Steffens and B. Bollmann from John Phillips, which encloses the title to the land on which the German Evangelical Lutheran Church- St. Matthew's Lutheran Church- is being constructed.
An act to amend the charter of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church with the South Carolina General Assembly, authorizing holding property in the amount of one hundred fifty thousand dollars.
Document detailing the mortgage of St. Matthew's Church to raise $20,000 via the trustees J.C.H. Claussen, G.W. Steffens and B. Bollmann, signed by Charles Voigt.
Letter in German from John Heinemann, organist and member of the church, to Church Council asking to renew his contract as organist with German Evangelical Lutheran Church and stating reasons for his request.
Letter in German from Heinrich Emil Eckel to the President and Council Members of the German St. Matthew's Church offering himself as a candidate for the customary annual selection for the position of organist. He references his experience playing his own works at two concerts given to celebrate the founding of the church. He also states other churches in the city have offered him a ten-year position as organist, which speaks best to his qualifications.
Vocation (or Call) addressed to Johannes Heckel by the Call Committee, advising him that they are inviting him to take the position. It refers to their unanimous agreement to the call - subject to the approval of the Bishop. "It was God's will that we were made aware of you and that we had you in our midst and will get to know you even better. We are convinced that you will be able to support our Honorable Pastor Dr. Mueller in his difficult work and in the internal and external building of our St. Matthew's Parish. So we recognize clearly and happily the finger of God and call you unanimously as our second preacher." The letter continues to express that, as a servant of the parish, he will preach God's word, help guide and lead the Church, educate children, etc.
Letter from Heinrich Emil Eckel, organist, to President and Council Members of St. Matthew's Church requesting permission to use the Sunday School building to teach music to the children of the congregation.
Letter in German from H. Bode to the President and Council of the German Church asking for financial assistance. Bode stated that since times have become so bad and workers can only work three quarters and half times, he would like to receive a small gratuity in recognition for singing in the choir. He further states he does not neglect his duties when he is healthy, and it has been three-quarters of a year since he last sang.
