For those who are not on Facebook, here's a re-cap of the posts that I made there during March. As previously has been the practice, not all images shown on the BDC's Facebook page are included below.
March 1 "Monthly Overview: March 2022" We move into Women's History Month in March so of course, I shall emphasize the ladies - but not exclusively. Programs-wise we have an in-person lecture about the "Battle of Purysburg" archaeology on March 11th; I will be womanning a table at the Beaufort History Museum's Revolutionary War Encampment on March 12th; and I am talking about genealogy research during the 2022 Women's Wellness Weekend on March 19th. There are no scheduled County holidays in March this year. [Note: I was unable to be at the BHM's Revolutionary War Encampment on March 12th due to family circumstances.]
March 2 "Black History Note:" A new survey by Pew Research found that more Black Americans report learning Black history from friends and family than any other source, including the media, and K-12 and college classrooms.
March 9 "Black History Note" in Women's History Month: First Susie King Taylor freed herself from enslavement in Georgia and then she nursed, taught, and advocated for civil rights through the Civil War. She worked as a nurse for United States Colored Troops soldiers being treated in the Elizabeth Barnwell Gough house on Washington Street (AKA Hospital #10).
There are several ways to get access to her memoir and biography. For example, the Library has printed copies of Reminiscences of My Life in Camp with the 33d United States Colored Troops Late 1st S.C. Volunteers that is also marketed with the title A Black Woman’s Civil War Memoirs. Hoopla has an audio-book you can borrow. The Documenting the American South website has an electronic version of her book that you can read online as well.
There are books about her for children: The Diary of Susie King Taylor and Memoir of Susie King Taylor: Civil War Nurse you can borrow too.
March 16 "Black History Note" in Women's History Month: Northerner Laura Towne came to St. Helena Island to help the newly freed people in 1862 and ending up staying 40 years. In addition to being a teacher and missionary, she provided homeopathic treatments to those in need. She remained on the island until her death, educating generations of children and adults and providing basic medical care. Learn more in the BDC's WordPress blog.
March 23 "Black History Note" in Women's History Month: Another woman healer of note is Clara Barton. She first came to Beaufort District to nurse Union soldiers during the Civil War. She returned to lead the Red Cross’s first hurricane disaster recovery effort in 1893. Within days of her arrival four middle-aged Black Union veterans approached her. Each had been injured during the assault on Fort Wagner thirty years earlier. One of the men recounted: I was with Colonel Shaw and crawled out of the fort with a wounded arm and a broken leg. "We all got to you, Miss Clare. And now you got to us." - From A Story of the Red Cross: Glimpses of Field Work by Clara Barton (1928), pp. 79-80. (Retelling that always chokes me up).
March 30 "Black History Note" in Women's History Month: Dale area native Eva Smalls Segar spent 40+ years working as a nurse, more than 30 of those years were at Beaufort Memorial Hospital "promoting healing and providing hope" to all she touched. She shares Songs to Sing, Stories to Tell about growing up Gullah on a small farm in Northern Beaufort County during the 20th century - and has authored two cookbooks - all of which are in the BDC and Local History sections at the Branch Libraries.
March 5 In keeping with the 2022 theme for Women's History Month: Occasionally I purchase dissertations for the Research Room - and sometimes those dissertations deal with health and wellness of African American and Caucasian women in this area. For example, Factors Affecting Fruit, Vegetable and Fat Consumption among Women in Beaufort County, South Carolina by Leslie Ann Ochs (1998) does. She earned a Ph.D. in Public Health from the University of South Carolina. Contact us to make an appointment to read her work on our microfilm/microfiche reader/printer: bdc@bcgov.net or call 843-255-6468.
March 24 Don't let the month end without checking out the Research Room's current display - virtually. There are photos of the case, its contents, and an explanation of why I chose the items in Connections, the BDC's blog that has been running since 2008. My then assistant Amber Shorthouse designed the blog for me after a presentation at the South Carolina Archival Association meeting in March 2008 and I've been writing for it at least several times a month, every month, since April of that year - almost 1700 posts about materials in the BDC, digital collections, local history program announcements, and essays on local history topics that have interested me - or were likely to interest other local history nerds of similar taste. Check it out.
March 25 Among the women who have provided healing and promoted hope was Esther Hills Hawks. She provided medical care for Black soldiers on the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Florida off and on between October 1862 and November 1866. There are plenty of copies of her diary marketed as A Woman Doctor's Civil War available for you to borrow through the SCLENDS consortium.
March 27 Don't let Women's History Month pass you by without a visit to the distaff side. Researching female ancestors can be one of the most challenging aspects of genealogy. Why? There are many reasons: their surnames usually change after marriage; they don’t frequently appear in records; historically they lacked legal rights; and if they do appear in records it often only as a wife (for example as Mrs. Joe Smith). Finding your female ancestor means learning how to conduct research that takes into account how history and social conventions have impacted the documents in which women were recorded.
March 7 "Materials Monday: 50 Shades of Beige" Fran Marscher, a former journalist for the "Island Packet," turned her interviews with area notables born between 1880 and 1940 into short sketches about daily life in southern Beaufort County during the 20th century for the History Press. The first one (2005) Remembering the Way It Was: Hilton Head, Bluffton and Daufuskie Island was very beige. Ultimately she published 2 volumes about Southern Beaufort County residents and one that featured sketches of Northern Beaufort County residents. (Also available on Hoopla but with a much more colorful cover.)
March 14 Today's "Materials Monday: 50 Shades of Beige" selection is beige both inside and out. The Auldbrass Plantation complex was commissioned to Frank Lloyd Wright in 1939 by C. Leigh Stevens, an internationally known industrial consultant. Design and construction were complicated by fire, divorces, and ownership changes. Stevens who lived mostly near Boston MA became a part-year resident in 1946. By the time of his death in 1962, the original cost estimate of $50,000 had turned into expenditures in excess of $250,000. It is the only plantation complex that FLW designed. Stevens's daughter, Jessica Stevens Loring, sold the complex in 1979. In 1987 Hollywood producer Joel Silver bought the complex, finished the construction, and began restoration as he had done for another FLW house in Los Angeles. In 1992 Jessica Stevens Loring wrote Auldbrass: The Plantation Complex designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, a Documented history of its South Carolina lands that covers the land genealogy for the various properties from the time of the Yamasee War (1715 ) through 1938. There are a couple of copies of this title that circulate through the Local History sections.
March 21 "Materials Monday: 50 Shades of Beige" Because I am highlighting local women authors whose books just so happen to be beige this month, today's choice is Back Home Roots: A Missing Chapter in the Story of Pinckney Colony by Mary Pinckney Powell. Mrs. Powell wrote three books about the genealogy of the people who lived at Pinckney Colony in the Bluffton area. This one covers African American families near Bluffton surnamed Pinckney, Chisolm, Ferebee, Cohen Bailey, Bryan, Mitchell, Brown and Hamilton. The Library has plenty of copies in the Local History sections for you to check out. [My goodness! This post has almost 2000 views as of this writing - which 3/31/2022 at 12:11 PM]
March 28 This week's "Materials Monday: 50 Shades of Beige" title by a female author is The Sands of Time: A History of Hilton Head Island by Margaret Greer (1989). Greer moved to Sea Pines Plantation on Hilton Head Island in 1961. She was among the first contributors to Islander magazine and was editor and co-publisher of it from 1981 through 1985. She authored or co-authored the following titles: Short & Tall Tales of Hilton Head Island; Making Music: The First 25 Years of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra; Discovering Hilton Head Island; The Walter Greer Retrospective; and Three Decades of Hilton Head Island Architecture, 1965-1995. All were selected for permanent retention in the BDC Research Room.
Such is the case for The Ballad of Witches Hill by Jeanne Gosselin Arnold, illustrated by Monica Miller (1988). The Red Witch of War, Septet Legair has 7 heads representing the 7 deadly sins. Her goal is to destroy the peaceful Frogmorians.
The tale is told in verse for tweeners by former Albany (NY) Times-Union newspaper reporter and editor, Arnold. She retired to St. Helena Island, died in 1992, and rests eternally in Beaufort Memorial Gardens.
It is a battle between the evil Haints and the good Saints - fought to the death. Borrow the book from a Local History section or make an appointment to visit the Research Room to find out who won.
Photos: Monica Miller's depiction of 7-headed Septet; contents of the BDC's vertical file about the author and a close-up of Septet's letter on the back of a promotional postcard to encourage book sales in 1988 [are not included here.]
March 29 The March WordPress word prompt was "Bridge" - from which I immediately began brainstorming all the bridges related material in the Research Room. There was actually quite a lot. Read Connections today to "bridge" your mind across into my mind. No, wait. Think hard: Do you REALLY want to know what goes on in my head? [ And as I am choosing what to put in the BDC's display case for Poetry Month tomorrow, I discovered yet another "Bridge," that is we have a copy of Bridges Creative Arts Magazine, volume 2 from the Robert Smalls Middle School from Spring of 1996. It was "a collaboration of creative writing and visual artwork by 6th, 7th and 8th grade students." And I also forgot about the book Bridges to Change - but I was reminded of that one when I was adding the image for the March 2 entry below. Oh, well, I can't be expected to know everything that is in the Research Room - though I will admit that I do know an awful lot - and far more than anyone else does - about what is in the BDC - seeing as how I have spent 20+ years building and growing the collection.]
March 3 It's coming ...
March 15 It's coming ... FamilySearch.org has a page about the release of the 1950 census . You might just want to help yourself get ready ... just saying.
March 18 It's coming..... The 1950 Census will be released on 1 April 2022. Counting properly and thoroughly was a problem then as well as now. The decision was made that for the 1950 census, American ex-patriots living abroad who were not serving in the military or in the diplomatic corps were to be reported by their families or neighbors in the United States, but the quality of these data was considered to be poor and they were not included in the published statistics. (Source)
March 20 It's coming .... Ancestry.com has a learning portal about the upcoming release of the 1950 census to help you get ready.
March 29 It's coming ... The 1950 US Federal Census releases on Friday. Census data collected as varied through the years. For example, a new survey on residential financing was conducted as part of the 1950 census. In a separate operation, information was collected on a sample basis from owners of owner-occupied and rental properties and mortgage lenders. (Source)
PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH RELATED BDC ACTIVITIES:
March 6 The BDC has an "already sold out" local history program on Friday about the Battle of Purysburg. Plus I'll be at the Beaufort History Museum's Revolutionary War encampment for awhile on Saturday.
March 11 I'm looking forward to seeing all those who signed up for today's "sold out" lecture about the Battle of Purysburg at St. Helena Branch Library.
March 11 Capacity crowd at "The Battle of Purysburg" today.
March 12 Beaufort District Collection, Beaufort County Library system, SC added 12 new photos [of the Purysburg program held in collaboration with the Beaufort History Museum].
March 12 Come spend the day visiting the past: [Slide from AM REV encampment]
March 19 I'm teaching a basic introduction to genealogy class as part of the Women's Wellness Weekend at USCB today. I'm looking forward to meeting those who signed up.
March 24 Sharing the announcement of the uploading of Dr. Washington's slides from his talk about the history of local David Hunter Post that he gave on 17 February 2022 for the BCHS/BDC "Historically Speaking" series. [The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War of Beaufort, SC Facebook page made the original announcement.]
March 26 For a short period, the area roughly from present day Ridgeland to Fairfax was known as "Lincoln County". For whom or what was Lincoln County named? (Hint: If you attended the BDC/BHM's most recent program, you have a heads up on the correct answer.)
A. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States
B. Lincoln vehicles that hauled moonshine
C. General Benjamin Lincoln, a Continental commander during the American Revolution who surrendered Charleston to the British [is the correct answer]
Learn more about Beaufort District boundary changes through time with the "Boundaries" segment on the Beaufort County History Moments video series.
March 31 JSYK: The next BDC local history programs will be held in mid-May. All things going as planned, local authors Nelle and Ora Smith will share their book Paradise on May 17th for the BCL/BHM local history series and Dr. Vernon Burton will present on May 19th for the joint BDC/BCHS "Historically Speaking" series. Location and capacity limits are TBD.
SPECIAL DATES IN MARCH:
March 2 Today, March 2 is Read Across America Day. Because the goal is to encourage children to celebrate reading and as I work in a local history collection, here are a few books for the young folks to check out about Beaufort District's long and storied history:
March 10 In honor of Harriet Tubman Day, here's a few library materials about her:
March 17 Among the first Irishmen to arrive in what became Beaufort District was John Barnwell. John Barnwell was an early Anglo-Irish settler of the Carolina colony. He held political offices, led military expeditions, and sired descendants who formed the core of South Carolina's planter class and political elite up to the Civil War period.
March 17 Get lucky with your research by using the resources of the BDC. Make the arrangements: bdc@bcgov.net ; 843-255-4668.
March 18 It's another "Local History Red Letter Day"! Read more about it in Connections. 
For some unknown reason the posts I had scheduled for March 22 did not post. PUBLIC SERVICES ANNOUNCEMENTS:
March 1 The window for public comments about Beaufort's National Historic Landmark District plan will close soon. The National Park Service has created a website about the project that anyone can review.
March 17 Among the first Irishmen to arrive in what became Beaufort District was John Barnwell. John Barnwell was an early Anglo-Irish settler of the Carolina colony. He held political offices, led military expeditions, and sired descendants who formed the core of South Carolina's planter class and political elite up to the Civil War period.
March 17 Get lucky with your research by using the resources of the BDC. Make the arrangements: bdc@bcgov.net ; 843-255-4668.
March 18 It's another "Local History Red Letter Day"! Read more about it in Connections.
For some unknown reason the posts I had scheduled for March 22 did not post.
PUBLIC SERVICES ANNOUNCEMENTS:
March 1 The window for public comments about Beaufort's National Historic Landmark District plan will close soon. The National Park Service has created a website about the project that anyone can review.
March 4 PSA: AARP and VITA tax help has returned to select locations. Details are on the Library's website under the "Services" tab, select "Tax Help" or save a few seconds by going directly to the taxes page.
March 10 SC Humanities has compiled a wonderful list of online resources and exhibits about all things South Carolina historical and cultural. I encourage you to explore it. You'll even find more than a few entries related to the people, places, events, and themes of Beaufort District's history and culture.
March 23 Our friend, the Hampton County Museum, has a new exhibit opening soon. See their post for details.
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