On Facebook, Nov. 16 - Dec. 15, 2023

Here's the mid-month to mid-month recap of the BDC's Facebook page posts:

Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday

November 20: "Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday:" Clarence B. Moore (1852-1936) was a wealthy amateur archaeologist from Philadelphia who crisscrossed the rivers of the southeast each year in his steam-powered paddleboat, the Gopher, excavating sites near the shores in states ranging from Alabama to Tennessee. He was in Beaufort District in 1897 and 1898 exploring archaeological sites and uncovering artifacts of Native American culture. His original notebooks and personal papers are housed at Cornell University.

The BDC has a first edition of Moore's Certain Aboriginal Mounds of the Coast of South Carolina (1898) and a first edition of the Journal of The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia volume 11 (1897) courtesy of the Beaufort Township Library. Volume 11 contains Moore's work about his discoveries in Georgia, South Carolina, along the Savannah and Altamaha rivers, Alabama, and in Florida along with articles by Marquis de Nadaillac, Edward D. Cope, Henry C. Mercer, and Dr. R. W. Shufeldt (1897). Though if asked, I would bring the volumes from our storage stacks out to a researcher, their condition is not great as the paper has become quite brittle and shattered. Therefore, even inside the Research Room I would insist that customers access the digital copies of these items through the HathiTrust website at and through the Internet Archive.

You can also borrow copies of The Georgia and South Carolina Expeditions of Clarence Bloomfield Moore (1998) from other parts of the SCLENDS consortium.

November 27: "Uniquely BDC:" Take a break from all your online shopping to explore the BDC's list of links and materials about Native Americans of the Lowcountry.

December 4: "Uniquely BDC" Materials Monday: In honor of our next local history program, I want to highlight the "Men and Women of Beaufort during World War II" scrapbooks we have in our archives. These two scrapbooks contain materials from an album originally started in 1945 by former Beaufort Township Librarians Mabel Runnette and Isabelle Clift. Lee Stevenson, a library volunteer, rediscovered, reformatted and enhanced the original album with additional donations from the community from 1993 to 1995. The clippings are dated between 1941 and 1993, with most of the clippings dating between 1942 and 1945. Volume 2 contains photocopied clippings from the Beaufort Gazette, Beaufort News, Beaufort Times, and Penn School Annual Report of 1942-1943. The Finding Aid is posted online.

Local History Program Related Posts:

November 21: 16 days to our next local history program.

December 5: The Chronicling America website of historic American newspapers is changing. Check out the guide to its latest iteration. Might I suggest that given our upcoming local history program "The Bush Brothers at Pearl Harbor ... and Beyond" with Mary Dorsey that one might search on "Pearl Harbor" in the weeks following December 7, 1941 to see the contemporary coverage of that "day that will live in infamy."

December 6: [Black History Note Wednesday] Post 207 of the American Legion is named in memory of a local Black sailor killed during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Come learn about the Bush Family with Mary Dorsey tomorrow afternoon at Beaufort Branch Library. It's free; No registration required.

December 11: "Uniquely BDC: Materials Monday": World War II is still on my mind because of the "Bush Brothers" local history program last week. We are the only part of the SCLENDS consortium to hold Artie M. Heape: A Lowcountry Man and His Life by Arlene Heape Hull (2011). Ours came directly from the author. Heape was born in Early Branch, Hampton County but moved to Beaufort at age 12 in 1907. He fought in three wars. He saw action in France and in Russia before being discharged for the first time from the Army. He would serve again reaching the rank of Lt. Colonel in World War II. From 1946 - 1948, he was the Chief of Police for the city of Beaufort. In 1948 he rejoined the Army for the third time serving in the Philippines, the Korean War, and Texas. He resigned from the Army in 1955 and returned to Beaufort where he lived out the rest of his 95 years. We'd be happy to let you read it in our Research Room. Contact us bdc@bcgov.net or 843-255-6468 to make the arrangements.

December 7 & 8 - I posted photos from the "Bush Brothers" program.

Black History Note Wednesdays:

November 22: "Black History Note:" The Gullah Connection Trail: A Proposal for the US National Park Service was a James Madison University Honors Program project led by Prof. Joseph Opala. Their goal was that the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Resource Study would simply be a starting point to explore their historical concept that the Gullah people of the Carolinas and Georgia were the center of a great chain of migration stretching back to West Africa and then forward to Florida, the Bahamas, Oklahoma, Texas and Mexico. Under their proposal, three sites would be hubs to explore their concept: The Charles Pinckney National Historic Site near Charleston; The Penn Center on St. Helena Island; and The Seminole National Museum of Wewoka, OK where new exhibits could illuminate the Black Seminole diaspora. If accepted as proposed the Gullah Connection Trail would consist of 37 Gullah-related sties in 6 states and 6 foreign countries. Their plan was modeled on the Underground Railroad Network across the US and Canada.

This title also happens to be an "Uniquely BDC" offering within the SCLENDS consortium.

Reminder: When the BDC closes tonight, staff won't return until Monday, November 27th. Other units of the Library will re-open for business on Saturday, November 25th.

November 29: "Black History Note:" The Indian Slave Trade: The Rise of the English Empire in the American South, 1670 - 1717 by Alan Gallay (Yale University Press, 2002) won the Bancroft Prize in American History. He examines enslavement as practiced in the Southeast: first using Native Americans, and after the Yamasee War, Africans. For the first 50 years in South Carolina's colonial history, enslaved Native Americans were the labor base. This changed around the time of the Indian uprising known as the Yamasee War. Africans became the preferred labor force in South Carolina.

He writes how "The specter of Native Americans uniting with African Americans against Europeans haunted South Carolina and Louisiana colonials. The elite of both colonies worked strenuously to keep Indians and Africans apart and mutually hostile, and to do so, they sought to impose their racial ideology on them .... In spite of these and other actions taken by British and French leaders to prevent positive interactions among Indians and Africans, the blacks had numerous occasions to forge relationships outside of those proscribed by the Europeans." (p. 345)

It's a fascinating book - and supplemental readings about the period and the practices of enslavement can be found on this flyer of materials about Dr. Henry Woodward and the Proprietary Era in South Carolina.

December 13: Ready or not, here they come -- the dreaded (or perhaps long awaited) annual Christmas letter from your relatives and friends. I am sure that those who were on Ervena Faulkner's Christmas list enjoyed receiving her Christmas Letters: An African American Story, 1968 - 2003. Check a copy out from the Local History section at your BCL branch library.

Just Because posts:

November 20: Dr. James Shinn brought members of his upper level history classes to the Research Room for a behind-the-scenes tour on Monday, November 6th. [We posted over 40 images of the class visit.]

November 28: The US Mint is asking for input about commemorative coins for our nation's Semiquincentennial in 2026. I'm a little disappointed that the DeSaussure Gold Eagle isn't among the choices, but there are indeed some interesting numismatic designs among the options. Participate. Note: The survey closes on December 3, 2023.

Two DeSaussure brothers, Henry and Daniel built up Coosawhatchie as a trading post in the 1740s. Their father, Henri, was the Huguenot immigrant via Switzerland to America, who owned a 312-acre plantation on Hilton Head Island by 1730. Henri's grandson William Henry DeSaussure was a significant political figure in South Carolina. His house in Beaufort, now gone, became the fabled Gold Eagle Tavern in the 1930s in homage to his directorship of the US Mint.

By the way, the correct mispronunciation of the family name in South Carolina is either DES-suh-soe or DES-suh-SOHR.

November 30: A sobering report that I found cited in the American Association for State and Local History weekly e-newsletter: "Does Anyone Notice Local History When There is No Local News?" As the local history librarian and archivist, I tend to take a longer range view of things as I appreciate how local newspapers serve as a vital resources for future historians and genealogists. It's why we provide as many Beaufort County based local newspapers in the Research Room for customers to use as is practical given preservation issues, digital access through other sources, microfilm equipment and formats and collecting and boxing up some currently published newspapers.

December 1: December Overview: Things usually quiet down for the BDC between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day - and I tend to take off some personal leave over the course of the period. This year seems to be no exception. Accordingly, you will see less Monday and Wednesday posts later this month.

The only program on our agenda is about a local man who was killed at Pearl Harbor - to be held, appropriately I think, Thursday, December 7th.

We've recommended a person for the Library Specialist position. We're waiting on the County's employment process to play out before we make a formal announcement of whom will be joining Jalen and me here in the Research Room.

Please note: The Library's holiday schedule will impact Research Room appointment availability. Contact us for details. As a reminder: we are unable to take same-day or walk-in appointments at this time.

December 12:

I am so excited that I can bring one of my grandchildren to see the model trains at Beaufort Branch later this week! He lives far, far away and is coming to visit me for Christmas.

December 14: In honor of perennially popular Beaufort Branch's Model Train exhibit, here's a "Very Brief History of Railroads in Beaufort District" that I wrote a few years ago. Those Bitly links take you to more information and to photographs of the Yemassee Depot circa 1900 - 1910. (The Beaufort Railroaders have done this display for the Beaufort Branch Library for a very impressive 30 years now - so long that I'd bet that some of those who came in the earliest years just might be bringing their own children - or grandchildren! - now.)

Holidays: 

November 16: Wonder if these fowl are getting nervous that Thanksgiving Day is only a week away? This images is from the BCL's Donner Collection.

November 23: We are so thankful for our customers, our docents, our colleagues, our donors, our program co-sponsors, the Friends of the Beaufort Library and our Library Board of Trustees. Enjoy your holidays. Jalen and I will!

December 10: There's still some time for you to set up a Research Appointment before we break for the holidays. Contact us: bdc@bcgov.net or 843-255-6468 to make the necessary arrangements. (PSST: Don't forget to drop by to see the model trains downstairs in the Beaufort Branch, Tuesday through Saturday.)

A notice: I am taking some personal leave this holiday season. Jalen will be in the Research Room Mondays - Fridays except for scheduled holidays to assist those interested in coming to the Research Room or those who have scheduled appointments. Please contact him at 843-255-6468 or email bdc@bcgov.net to request help or an appointment.

Jalen and I wish you all the best of the holiday season!

New (and New to Us) Materials Received May - November 2023

Because it's time to make a change in featured new and new to us items, here's a brief run-down of materials that have arrived in the BDC Research Room since May 1st.  As per usual, it's a mixture of purchased and gifted items. The BDC has always been fortunate to have supporters and advocates who assist us by giving us first dibs on some of their books and family possessions. 

We are grateful to Anne Christensen Pollitzer for donating us a copy of her "Great-Grandmother Abbie M. Holmes Christensen's Family Photo Album" that she compiled. It is quite charming and supplements other Christensen Family related materials here in the Research Room. In fact, we have a bibliography of materials about Abbie Holmes Christensen in our BDCBCL: Lists, Links, and Finding Aids Blog in case you'd like to learn more about this quite untraditional 19th Century woman and her influential family. 

Hollis Phillips brought us a copy of a genealogical study of the Priester, Peeples, Cope, Mixon, Robinson, and Tuten families at the behest of the family of author Jane Priester Hawkins. Lives and Legends (1987, 1991) joins other genealogies for these families previously in our holdings.  

We were delighted to receive a copy of As We Remember: A History of the Woman's Relief Corps in Beaufort, SC by Najmah Thomas and Fred Washington, Sr. and the Woman's Relief Corps, No. 1 of South Carolina (2023) from the authors. The group is a national organization established as an official auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, an Union Civil War veterans organization. The WRC provided critical support for veterans and their families particularly during the late 19th century. The Beaufort WRC was founded on April 22, 1889 and re-organized as the Fred Washington, Sr. Woman's Relief Corps No. 1 on July 26, 1998. 

Novelist Nancy Ritter gave us a copy of her book, Slack Tide (2023), to add to our small fiction section. 

Beaufort Branch gave us their copy of the South Carolina Legislative Manual for 2023 after the State House closed its session in June. As you may recall, the BDC has a rather good collection of the manuals. We also received more posters to add to our vertical files or growing poster collection. 

From the ever generous Friends of the Beaufort Library we accessioned A Field Guide to Sea Island [sic] by H.E. Taylor Schoettle, illustrated by Carol Johnson (1987) about the natural coastal flora, fauna, and environment; The 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 Bluffton Middle School yearbooks to add to our growing collection of school annuals; and an Accountants' Report for Hilton Head's Broad Creek Public Service District (1984).  

I purchased Charleston and Savannah: The Rise, Fall, and Reinvention of Two Rival Cities by Thomas D. Wilson (2023) to provide context for Beaufort's situation between these much larger competitors for economic and political power through the years. We also have author's The Oglethorpe Plan: Enlightenment Design in Savannah and Beyond (2012) and The Ashley Cooper Plan: The Founding of Carolina and the Origins of Southern Political Culture (2016). 

Because Tangled Vines: Power, Privilege, and the Murdaugh Family Murders by John Glatt (2023) included more than 20 pages worth of material about the boat accident that killed Mallory Beach, I bought it.  I think that the most important thing Glatt wrote was how to correctly pronounce Alex Murdaugh's name - "Ellick Murdock" - in the prologue on page 3.  One of my pet peeves is when non-natives try to "correct" our Correct Mispronunications! Otherwise, I couldn't be less personally interested in the ins-and-outs and twists-and-turns in the Murdaugh saga. The murders happened in Colleton County and therefore fall outside the BDC's collection development policy. The law office was started after Hampton County was formed from the western side of the Charleston and Savannah Railroad tracks in 1878 -- before the Murdaugh Family began its climb to prominence. Again, therefore the topic falls outside the BDC's collection development policy. That said, though, we do have several vertical files in which one or more of the Murdaugh family members appear: Distilling, Illicit; Murdaugh Family; Murders - Murdaugh Family (2021). These are intended to give customers a general time frame for a particular Murdaugh family member or Murdaugh related event as a guide to start looking for additional resources elsewhere. 

Medicine, Science & Making Race in Civil War America by Leslie A. Schwalm (2023) provides compelling evidence that the construction of racism within the medical and health care systems before, during and after the Civil War was intentional. White Northerners, the Sanitary Commission, and the United States Army's medical personnel promoted ideas about Black inferiority, often mistreated their ailments, and conducted experiments on living humans. It is a damning indictment. Because Beaufort was a Union hospital town, we have a number of Civil War medical histories in the Research Room. We also have the author's A Hard Fight for We: Women's Transition from Slavery to Freedom in South Carolina (1997). 

Slavery's Exiles: The Story of the American Maroons by Syvliane A Diouf (2014) got cited so often in other books and articles about formerly enslaved African and African Americans who "freed" themselves and formed societies in Southern wild places, such as the swamps of Beaufort District, that I had to buy a copy for permanent retention. It joins Timothy Lockley's Maroon Communities in South Carolina: A Documentary Record (2009) on the BDC's shelves. 

We also received some more posters from the Beaufort Branch's bulletin boards of local events.

December 2023 Overview

December Overview: Things usually quiet down for the BDC between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day - and I tend to take off some personal leave to spend with family over the course of the period. This year seems to be no exception. Accordingly, you will see less social media posts later this month.

The only program on our agenda is about a local man who was killed at Pearl Harbor - to be held, appropriately I think, Thursday, December 7th. In the fog of war sometimes mistakes are made. Shortly after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on the "day that will live in infamy" 82 years ago, the Beaufort Gazette reported that two of Beaufort County's own died in the attack. Read more about these sailors, World War II materials, and how the BDC can help you uncover an ancestor’s military history.

Beaufort's American Legion Post 207 is named for a local man who was killed aboard the USS California when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. But who was he - and what happened to his brother, Leon, who was also reported in the local area press as killed in action on that date? Mary Dorsey, a member and officer of Post 207 was determined to find out. Come hear about her quest that uncovered surprising facts, a story of brotherly love, irony, unexpected emotions, a parallel in her personal life, and a friendship with the Bush family.  We hope to have you join us for "The Bush Brothers at Pearl Harbor ... and Beyond" on Thursday, December 7, 2023 at 2 PM in the Beaufort Branch meeting room. 

"The Bush Brothers at Pearl Harbor and Beyond" with Mary Dorsey | Thursday, December 7, 2023 | Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street | 2 PM | No registration: First Come; First Seated | Note: Seating begins at 1:30 PM 

* Note: We then take a break with local history programs until after the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. 

We have worked hard to try to find the BDC's Library Specialist to help with at least some of the many behind-the-scenes tasks and activities necessary to serve our special collections and archives customers. We have recommended someone to Human Resources for hire. We're waiting on the County's employment process to play out before we make a formal announcement of who will be joining Jalen and me here in the Research Room. I assure all that once the person arrives for work in the BDC, I shall proclaim who it is and what were some of the reasons why s/he was determined to be the "best person" for the position at this time. 

There's a lot of behind-the-scenes work that the (unfortunate?) Library Specialist must help me get done - and the list grows longer each day. In fact, I've just rediscovered that there's a serial cataloging challenge and space allocation puzzle to ponder - as an unexpected result of a rather simple customer request. That, though, is why I still like this job: the thrill of the twists and turns. Just when I think that I have everything more or less under control, a new situation unfolds to give me food for thought about how to make the BDC even better before I go away for good. Plus there's the Local History section selection process for the Port Royal Branch Library to do ... and the vertical file integration project to continue ... and potentially another welcome-but-long-in-coming-announcement to make before the New Year's Eve.

Please note: The Library's holiday schedule will impact Research Room appointment availability. Contact us for details. As a reminder: we are unable to take same-day or walk-in appointments at this time.

The Library system will be closed Friday, December 22 - Tuesday, December 26, 2023 for the Christmas holidays. County employees do not get paid leave for New Year's Eve - and this year, New Year's Eve happens to fall on a Sunday, so the Library will only be closed on Monday, January 1, 2024 for New Year's Day.