The story of Rosamond Lawson's family connection with Sullivan's Island is the story of houses. Her great-great grandfather, German immigrant Charles Otto Witte, bought the first house at Station 18 in the late 1860's. That house ultimately burned, but a second house at Station 11, built in 1868, was bought in 1910 and remained in the family until 2018. Having moved from Charleston to Virginia when she was six, many of Rosamond's early memories are of summer visits. However, in 1994 she moved back to this area and spent many more years in the house with her own growing family. Summertime memories in the early years included crabbing, fishing, playing kickball, and entertaining Charleston friends. She learned to drive on the dirt road that ran along the back of the island. Rosamond recalls all the front beach homes being summer residences. Few people lived on Sullivan's Island year round, and those were not on front beach. Most houses, including her own, had neither heating nor air conditioning. On the rare visit to the island in the winter, the place was nearly deserted. There was a vegetable man who would come over every few days to deliver fresh produce. Rosamond recounts the few businesses that existed in those days. Playing hide and seek in the old batteries and Fort Moultrie before it became a National Park are all fond memories. Rosamond describes the typical summer thunderstorm and experiencing that in the old house. She also shows the damage done by Hurricane Hugo. Rosamond is also part of the Waring family. That includes Judge Waties Waring whose controversial decision became part of the famous Brown vs. Board of Education case leading to his ostracization and eventual move from Charleston to New York. Finally, Rosamond discusses her favorite memories as well as all the changes she has seen in the area over the past twenty-five years.
A hand colored engraving of an African American woman and children working in a road side stand. On the verso is a river scene of a ferry carrying a horse and carriage going down the Ashley River.
An engraving of the Fifty Fifth Massachusetts Regiment parading through Charleston in 1865. A white solider on horse back rides alongside them as a crowd cheers on. In the background are the ruins of Charleston.
A newspaper article on Ellen and William Craft, who escaped slavery together while she dressed as a wealthy slave holding gentleman. They later went to England because of the Fugitive Slave Act. The article gives a brief biography of the couple. The illustration shows Ellen dressed as a man.
Schedule of the sales of David Owen's estate. Includes a list of various transactions concerning goods and the monetary amount accompanying each sale. 6 Pages.
