Letter from Samuel Wragg Ferguson from West Point to his godmother. Ferguson inquires about friends and family and relates his daily struggles with his "poor old overcoat." 3p.
Page 11 of the City Engineer's Plat Book with five plats. Plat 1 shows a plot of land on the Charleston Harbor located near the intersection of East Bay Street and Queen Street. Plat 2 shows lots located between Conin Creek and King Street, and between Vanderhorst Street and "Manigault alias Boundary Street." Plat 3 shows plots and buildings located near the intersection of Liberty Street and St. Philip Street. Plat 4 features a plots, including one belonging to the "German Lutheran Church," located between King Street and Archdale Street.
Edward Barnwell writes to father, William H. W. Barnwell, on the status of business arrangements and provisions he is attending to for his father in Charleston. November 13, 1856.
Letter from Robert Woodward Barnwell, Zion Parsonage, to sisters, describing the rural nature of the parish he will minister near Columbia and inviting them to visit and assist him in setting up housekeeping in his new cottage. In addition to a servant provided by the parish, Barnwell has been given one of his father's servants, "Aleck the little". October 14, 1856.
1856 Certificate of Shares (50) of the Charleston and Savannah Railroad Company purchased by James B. Heyward. The reverse details installments James made through 1859. 2p.
Bill of sale between F.H. Wagner and James B. Heyward for $2000 for five slaves. The slaves sold were Glasgow, age 30, his wife Mary, age 27, and their three children. 2p. January 23, 1856.
Bill of sale between William Yates and James B. Heyward for $900 for "a certain negro woman named Sally with her male Infant" both "warranted sound and healthy." 1p. January 28, 1856.
Letter from Charles Heyward at Combahee to James B. Heyward concerning a monetary donation to the "Kansas Emigration Society." He writes that the "sparse white population" in the Combahee area makes it a poor place to "drum up recruits" for the effort. 1p. March 4, 1856.
Letter from Thomas M. Rhett to James B. Heyward asking him for more time to repay a loan so he can sell property to raise the necessary funds, having "lost my Crop of provisions, and made but a half crop of light Rice. 2p. December 22, 1856.
Page 74 of the City Engineer's Plat Book with four plats. Plat 1 shows lots and some buildings located near Line Street, between King Street and a "Rail Road Company Road." Plat 2 shows lots located along Amherst Street, including one labelled "Cemetery of the Evangelical German Lutheran Church." Plat 3 shows land located between Washington Street and the Charleston Harbor, and includes several structures, a pond, docks, a wharf, and a canal. Plat 4 shows lots and some structures located near the intersection of Smith Street and Calhoun Street.
Page 31 of the City Engineer's Plat Book with two plats. Plat 1 shows lots located along a private street, between Mount Street and Congress Street. Plat 2 features lots located between Payne Street and Rutledge Street.
The Mulberry Plantation Journal for the years 1855-1856 was kept by overseers C.A. Ward and R. Meynardie who reported activities on the rice plantation. Entries note agricultural tasks, quantities of rice winnowed, weather conditions, sickness among slaves and individuals assinged to the nightly watch. The names of the slaves are listed throughout the journal as: Adeline/Adiline, Ben, Betty, Binah, Bristol, Charles/C. Charles/Cow Charles/Cow Charly/Young Charles, Carolina, Clarinda, Dinah, Fanny/Fany, Flora/Florah, Francis, Hanna/Hannah, Isaac, Jack/L. Jack/Little Jack, Jacob, Joe, Juba, Leah, Lewis, Lindy, Little Judy, Little Ned/Old Ned, Maryan, Myrah, Old Delia, Old Hariett, Paris/Parris, Patty, Pearce, Pierce, Sabrina, Sarah/Old Sara, Shammroc and Vinus
Letter from Henry Ravenel, President of the Union Bank of South Carolina in Charleston, SC., to Mrs. Eleanor Tobias, widow of Abraham Tobias. The letter expresses regret and sympathies in regards to the death of Abraham Tobias.
Record of David Henry Mordecai's illnesses and schooling, mostly in Heidelberg, Germany, with some notations at Ems. With sporadic notations of weather, and mentions of South Carolinians Albert Rhett, William, John & Alfred Preston, Charles Boyd, Hammond, Legare, D.C. Seixas & others. References to museums, artwork and plays seen. Mentions of health and cures, the need for an operation (p. 73); stupidity of peasants vs. slaves (18); lynching (21), political situation in Kansas (30); doomed nature of American slavery (31); inevitability of Civil War (31-2); state support of SC College (56-57); women who "paint" their faces (111). With constant references to family, and some financial jottings. Some entries in German.
A letter from C.B. Jones to Burr Ragsdale discussing a sheriff's sale of enslaved persons. Makes note that the number of enslaved persons sold will range between 82 to 102.
A note of a bill of sale for the enslaved woman Georgy and her child Francis for $800. Georgy is described as "black, about 22 years, and child mulatto about 3 years old."
A conveyance of property to James Drayton from his brothers Thomas and John Drayton following the death of their mother Mary. Included in the conveyance are the following "negroes": Beck and her infant, Dick, Tyrah, Kate, Isaac, Charlie, Isaac the house servant, Tom, Phoeby, Joe, Nelly and her infant, Dianna, William, Lizzy, Miley, Mary, Jerry, Hannah, Bess, and Moses.
This multi-page document is a slave insurance policy by the Aetna Life Insurance Company to Thomas P. Allen. Enclosed is details on the insurance policy for the enslaved women listed as "Sebina" or "Sebrina" and her occupation as a washer.
A note from a newspaper in Newburyport, Massachusetts writing about the voyage chartered by John Redpath to Haiti. This voyage includes thirteen "color'd" emigrants and abolitionist John Brown, son of old "Ossawatamie" or commonly spelled "Osawatomie."
A list of enslaved persons given blankets. The document also includes notations that the enslaved man James is a carpenter and had an epileptic attack, Joe is a carpenter and cooper, and Murria is half-witted.
Letter from Edward Barnwell to mother, Catherine Osborn Barnwell, describing a lawsuit Edward has brought against a Mr. Brown concerning his lost dog. Barnwell mentions a lecture by William Makepeace Thackeray in Charleston and the death of Mrs. James Gadsden, who has bequeathed money to his father. February 7, 1856.
Letter from Robert Woodward Barnwell, Erlangen, Germany, to mother, Catherine Osborn Barnwell, informing her of the opening of the Librarianship at South Carolina College and his desire to apply for the position. 1856.
Letter from Robert Woodward Barnwell, Zion Parsonage, to father, William H. W. Barnwell thanking him for the gift of his servant "Aleck the little" and discussing possible future plans for his younger brother, William. October, 1856.
Letter from Robert Woodward Barnwell to father, William H. W. Barnwell, describing his activities as he prepares for his job as professor at South Carolina College. Barnwell writes of purchasing the cook and maid of outgoing professor, Dr. Francis Lieber, "partly [out of] comfort" and partly to relieve Dr. Lieber from "parting with slave property in the usual way of public sale." 1856.
Caricature published in the Düsseldorfer Monathefte, Band 9, No. 46. In German, the text reads : --"Ach, mein Sohn, der Abraham, s'is ein Jung, hab ich doch nicht an ihn gewandt umsonst all das scheine Geld und de Kosten! - hab ich ihn gefragt; Abraham hab ich gesagt, was willst de dann werden? - 'Nun da werd ich Vitriol, hat er gesagt,' Ach wie heisst Vitriol? - 'Gott, Vater, da kann ich mer fressen überall dorch!'" In English, the text reads : --"Oh, my son, Abraham, he's a young boy, I have not appealed to him yet, all that beautiful money and the costs! -- So I asked him; Abraham, I said, what do you want to be? -- "Now, I'm going to become a Vitriol, he said" Oh, and what does vitriol mean?-- "God, Father, it's where I can eat more than everywhere else!"--
The abstract to a title to a tract of land conveyed to the German Evangelical Lutheran Church. The document lists previous owners of the property, when they acquired the land, how they acquired it.
Caricature of a Jewish man asking another man for advice. In German, the text reads : --Jude: "Herr Major - as Sie mir sind genannt worden als ein Mann von Ehr - wollt ich mich bei Ihnen informiere - ich hab gekriegt ne Ohrfeige vom Herr Lieutenant Sibitz, was hab ich zu thun in der difficile Sach?" --Major: "Da müssen Sie sich mit ihm schiessen." --Jude: "Gott, er kann todt bleiben und ich kann todt bleiben - und ich bin verheirathet." --Major: "Da muss einer von Ihnen wenigstens Homburg verlassen." --Jude: "Gott er ist zu seinem Vergnügen heir und ich für meine Gesundheit, wer soll weichen?" --Major: "Nun ich würde mir aus eine Ohrfeige so sehr viel nicht machen." --Jude: "Gott Herr Major, wenn Sie sich nir d'raus machen als en Mann von Ehr, ich mach mir gewis nichts d'raus!" In English, the text reads : --Jew: "Mr. Major - as you have been referred to me as a man of honor - I want you to advise me - I received a slap in the face from Mr. Lieutenant Sibitz, what do I have to do in this difficult situation?" --Major: "You must have a shoot out with him." --Jew: "Oh God, he could be left dead and I could be left dead - and I am married." --Major: "Then at least one of you must leave Hamburg." --Jew: "Dear God, he's here for pleasure, and I'm here for my health, who should budge?" --Major: Well, I wouldn't make so much over a slap in the face." --Jew: Oh God, Mr. Major - if you wouldn't make anything of this as a man of honor, then I certainly won't make anything of it!"
Caricature published in the Düsseldorfer Monathefte, Band 9, No. 7. In German, the text reads : --"Gott Mosis - was bringst Du denn da für ne Alte Schachtel mit?" --"Herr Baraun, s'ist meine Frau - ihre Aussenseite verspricht nicht viel aber für ihr Inneres kann ich garantieren, - s'ist ausgeseichnet?" --"Gott Mosis - lass sie doch wenden." In English, the text reads : --"Oh, God, Mosis - what sort of ugly hag did you bring with?" --"Herr Baraun, she is my wife - her outer appearance doesn't promise much, but I can guarantee that her heart is exquisite." --"Oh, God, Mosis - just let her turn around."
A list of items under the title "amount brought over" with associated figures in dollars. Items include cotton, horses, corn, stone, furniture and tools.