The Friendly Moralist Society was a benevolent society for free brown (mulatto or mixed race) men established in Charleston, S.C. in 1838. The group provided burial aid and purchased plots for those in need and provided charitable assistance to widows and orphans of deceased members. This Proceedings section consists of minutes taken at organizational meetings from 1841 to 1856. These minutes offer insight into the conflict between free black and brown individuals at this time. Monthly minutes of May 1844 and Oct. 1848, for instance, detail the exclusion of prospective members for being black rather than brown and the Annual Day speech of 1848 addresses the issues of being colored versus black or white. This conflict and frequent issues with finances resulted in several schisms and mass resignations in the society and is mentioned in a brief history of the society in the Annual Day address of 1853. 398p.
List of volunteer firefighters of city engine number 7, including their names, ages, description, occupation, and residence. This copy is missing one name due to a tear in the page, but the information is available in the second copy. Donated to the Charleston Museum by Charles Pequette, 1925
List of volunteer firefighters of the city's Hook and Ladder Company, including their names, ages, description, occupation, and residence. Donated to the Charleston Museum by Charles Pequette, 1925
List of volunteer firefighters of city engine number 5, including their names, ages, description, and occupation. This copy does not include the firefighters' street of residence. See Copy 2. Donated to the Charleston Museum by Charles Pequette, 1925
List of volunteer firefighters of city engine number 10, including their names, ages, description, occupation, and residence. Donated to the Charleston Museum by Charles Pequette, 1925
List of volunteer firefighters of city engine number 4, including their names, ages, description, occupation, and residence. See Copy 2 for some additional information missing in this copy. Donated to the Charleston Museum by Charles Pequette, 1925
List of volunteer firefighters of city engine number 9, including their names, ages, description, occupation, and residence. Donated to the Charleston Museum by Charles Pequette, 1925
List of volunteer firefighters of city engine number 6, including their names, ages, description, occupation, and residence. Donated to the Charleston Museum by Charles Pequette, 1925
List of volunteer firefighters of city engine number 10, including their names, ages, description, occupation, and residence. Donated to the Charleston Museum by Charles Pequette, 1925
This "Absentees Book" of the Friendly Moralist Society details member attendance from 1842 to 1849. Many of the entries are annotated frequently in pencil, providing explanation for member absences such as "sick", "out of town", or "not summoned", etc. It also notes fines levied for unexcused absences per society rules. 38p.