Charleston Orphan House

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Surname/tag: south_carolina

Contents 1 History 2 Associated Individuals 2.1 Employees 2.2 Board of Commissioners 2.3 Slaves 2.4 Children 3 Official Records 3.1 Census Records 3.2 Annual Reports 4 Linking in Wikitree 5 Sources

History

Charleston Orphan House was established on 18 October 1790 by a city ordinance, "For the purpose of supporting and educating poor, orphan children, and those of poor, distressed and disabled parents, who are unable to support and maintain them." ^[1][2]

The orphange building was opened in 1794 and was located at 160 Calhoun Street, Charleston, South Carolina. ^[3][4][5] The building was later torn down and the current location is being used by The College of Charleston. ^[2]

The insitution officially closed in 1978 and was turned into a non-profit by the name of Carolina Youth Development Center.^[2]

Associated Individuals

Employees

Individuals Employed Between 1794 and 1978

Last, First (Maiden)	Occupation	Start	End	Sources
Irving, Agnes K.	Principal	1854*	1910	[6][7][3][8] [9][10][4][5]
LeQueux, Mary L	Former Student, Teacher, Principal	1847		[11]
Manno, Mary (Unknown)	Former Student, Matron, Officer, Sewing Department Director	1810, 1829	1892	[7][8][9][10]
Shaw, Martha (Percival)	Matron	1895*	1905*	[4]
Shaw, Gertrude (Stockenbrock)	Pupil Teacher	1910*		[5]
King, E	Teacher	1871*		[11]
Tarrant, S	Teacher	1871*		[11]
Griffith, S.	Teacher	1871*		[11]
Howard, M.	Teacher	1871*		[11]
Ingham, J.	Teacher	1871*		[11]
Bullen, C.	Teacher	1871*		[11]
Henderson, E.	Teacher	1871*		[11]
Griffith, E.	Teacher	1871*		[11]
Miscally	Teacher	1871*		[12][10]
Cook	Superintendent
Knox	Superintendent, Teacher			[12][10]

* indicates approximate year

Board of Commissioners

Last Name, First Name	Board Name	Start Date	End Date	Sources

* indicates approximate year

Slaves

The Charleston Orphan House hired, owned, and were gifted over 100 slaves. ^[13] In Dr. Felice Knight's PhD dissertation, she provides a thorough list these known individuals. ^[13]

Slaves Purchased by the Orphan House

Name	Date Purchased	From Whom Purchased	Occupation	Fate
Charleston	November 9, 1804	an African slaver	Cook & Laborer	Died March 29, 1829
Boston	November 9, 1804	an African slaver	Cook & Laborer	Sold June 30, 1813
Tom	November 9, 1804	an African slaver	Weaver & Laborer	Died December 3, 1828
Dick	November 9, 1804	an African slaver	Laborer	Died March 7, 1824
Harry	November 9, 1804	an African slaver	Laborer	Died January 2, 1810
Kate	November 9, 1804	an African slaver	Washer	Sold June 30,1813
Betty	November 9, 1804	an African slaver	Washer	Died week of July 27- August 2, 1837
Sarah	November 9, 1804	an African slaver	Washer	Died May 16, 1805
Amelia	November 9, 1804	an African slaver	Washer	Died October 18, 1808
Sue	November 9, 1804	an African slaver	Washer	Died August 1831
Charlotte	July 10, 1813	Hugh Maguire	Washer	Sold August 1816
Rose	August 3, 1813	unknown	Washer	Died ca. July 1838
Jeanette (Jenny)	August 2, 1816	Alpheus Baker	Cook & Laborer	Died December 16, 1833
Flora	ca. January 27, 1820	Richard Moore	Washer	Sold May 1830
Hagar	October 11, 1844	John W. Gilchrist	Washer & Laborer	unknown

Slaves Acquired by Gift or Bequest

Name	Date Acquired	From Whom Acquired	Occupation	Fate
Pompey	June 6, 1812	Given by Judge Johnston	Laborer	Sold September 1813
Caesar	June 6, 1812	Given by Judge Johnston	Laborer	Died May 27, 1814
Harry	June 6, 1812	Given by Judge Johnston	Laborer	Sold September 1813
Jack	June 6, 1812	Given by Judge Johnston	Laborer	Sold May 1830
James (Jim/Jemmy)	June 6, 1812	Given by Judge Johnston	Laborer	Died January 8, 1814
Bob	June 6, 1812	Given by Judge Johnston	Laborer	Died ca. May 1816
Affy	April 2, 1829	Bequeathed by Levi Wallbridge	Dining room attendant & Washer	Died July 10, 1853
Clara (9 yrs old when bequeathed	April 2, 1829	Bequeathed by Levi Wallbridge	Washer upon reaching age 16	unknown
Sam (7 yrs old when bequeathed)	April 2, 1829	Bequeathed by Levi Wallbridge	Apprenticed to a plasterer at age 15 and therafter a laborer at the Orphan House	Sold ca. August 1849
Maria (3 yrs old when bequeathed)	April 2, 1829	Bequeathed by Levi Wallbridge	Childcare Attendant at age 13 (under supervision of a Nurse employed by the orphanage); eventually became a laborer at the Orphan House	Died August 10, 1856
A Family of Eight Negroes	December 29, 1853	Given by Governor William Aiken	unknown	unknown

Children Born to Women Owned by the Orphan House

Name or Sex	Mother's Name	Date of Birth	Occupation	Fate
Harry	Amelia	September 22, 1806	none	Died July 19, 1807
Mary	Sue	December 17, 1806	Washer upon reaching age 15	Sold October 1825
Amey	Amelia	June 19, 1808	none	Died January 28, 1809
Suky	Sue	April 21, 1809	none	Died March 4, 1810
Charles	Sue	July 27, 1811	none	Died May 22, 1814
Joseph	Sue	January 31, 1814	Steward's attendant upon reaching age 9	Died March 16, 1833
Amelia	Charlotte	September 26, 1814	none	Sold with Charlotte August 1816
Isaac	Sue	November 14, 1817	none	Died December 7, 1814
Moses	Sue	December 11, 1818	none	Died June 1829
Richard	Flora	April 19, 1820	none	Died June 19, 1820
Bob	Flora	June 28, 1821	none	Sold with Jack and Flora, May 1830
Richard	Sue	July 3, 1821	none	Died August 25, 1831
Unknown Name	Flora	July 28, 1823	none	Died February 15, 1824
John	Flora	March 1825	none	Died August 20, 1826
Sampson	Sue	1826	School Mistress's attendant upon reaching age 6	Sold June 1844
Pompey	Affy	January 1830	none	Died August 21, 1831
James	Affy	March 28, 1832	unknown	unknown
Name & sex unknown	Affy	ca. August 11, 1836	none	Died week of Sept. 22-29, 1836
Unknown female	Affy	week of Sept 21-28, 1837	none	Died March 29, 1844
Unknown female	Affy	October 2, 1840	unknown	unknown
Georgeana	Maria	ca. July 1852	none	Died May 26, 1854

Slaves Hired by the Orphan House, 1790-1798

Name or Sex	Occupation	Wage	Dates of Service	Owner's Name
male (name unknown)	cook	12 pounds per year	October 25, 1790	Alexander Vanderhorst
female (name unknown)	apprentice cook & washer	none	October 25, 1790	Alexander Vanderhorst
female (name unknown)	washer	unknown	November 1790	unknown
female (name unknown)	washer	unknown	November 1790	unknown
female (name unknown)	washer	unknown	May 1792	unknown
male (name unknown)	laborer	9.42 pounds for one month of service	August-September 1792	unknown
name and sex unknown	cook	5 pounds per quarter	December 2, 1792	Alexander Vanderhorst
female (name unknown)	cook & washer	unknown	December 1792	unknown
female (name unknown)	unknown	7.1 pounds due Nov 22, 1794 for 6 months of service	June - Nov 1794	Robert Limehouse
female (name unknown)	unknown	3.15 pounds due Nov 25, 1794 for 1/4 of a quarter of service	ca. October 1794	Mrs. Lesesne
female (name unknown)	unknown	3.14 pounds due Jan 1, 1795 for 1/4 of a quarter of service	ca. December 1794	John Brownlee & Co.
male (name unknown)	gardener	none	unknown	Robert Squibb
name & sex unknown	unknown	10 pounds due Sep 3, 1795 for undisclosed period of service	unknown	Susannah Besselieu
name and sex unknown	unknown	11.10 pounds due for 20 weeks of service	Sep 5 - Dec 5, 1795	John Cunningham
Sampson	unknown	unknown	August 1796	Alexander Petrie
Cain	unknown	unknown	August 1796	Alexander Petrie
Chloe	unknown	unknown	August 1796	Robert Gibson
Hannah	unknown	unknown	August 1796	John Brownlee & Co.
Hannah	unknown	unknown	August 1796	Robert Limehouse
Mary	unknown	unknown	August 1796	J. H. Harris
Hannah	unknown	unknown	August 1796	J. H. Harris
Sylvia	unknown	unknown	August 1796	Mrs. Toole
Hannah	unknown	unknown	August-September 1796	John Edwards, Esq.
name & sex unknown	unknown	16.2 pounds due Jan 20, 1798	January 1798	Sarah Jesse
Sampson	gardener	$10 per month	Aug 12, 1799 - Mar 14, 1803	Bartholomew R. Carroll
Phillis	cook	$7 per month	Feb 10, 1800 - Feb 21, 1805	Bartholomew R. Carroll
Dye	washer	$7 per month	Feb 10, 1800 - Jul 2, 1803	Bartholomew R. Carroll
Prince	laborer	$10 per month	Jul 6, 1800 - May 21, 1803	George Air
Amey	washer	$7 per month	Jan 21, 1803 - Nov 20, 1803	Andrew Holmes
Nanny	washer	$7 per month	Mar 1, 1802 - Mar 20, 1803	Anna Warley
Chloe	washer	$7 per month	Apr 13, 1802 - Nov 29, 1804	James Gibson
Mary	washer	$7 per month	Apr 13, 1802 - Feb 21, 1805	Alexander Robinson
Tim	gardener & laborer	$10/month gardener; $8/month laborer	Mar 1, 1803 - May 20, 1805 (gardener); Jun 4, 1806 - Mar 1, 1805 (gardener); Jan 26, 1810 - Nov 20, 1810 (laborer)	Benjamin Cudworth
Judy	washer	$7 per month	Apr 12, 1803 - May 28, 1803	Nathaniel Russell
Patty	washer & cook	$9 per month (washer); $8 per month (cook)	Mar 24, 1803 - May 20, 1806 (washer); Mar 23, 1816 - Feb 3, 1814 (cook)	John May
Rheuben	laborer	$9 per month	Mar 28, 1803 - Jun 3, 1806	John May
Frederick	laborer	$9 per month	Mar 28, 1803 - Nov 15, 1804	John May
Hannah	washer	$7 per month	Jul 20, 1803 - Mar 10, 1806	John Brownlee & Co.
Sylvia	cook	$7 per month	Nov 28, 1803 - Aug 20, 1804	John McDowell
Amey	washer	$7 per month during first 5 years of service; $6 per month during last 2 months of service	Dec 12, 1803 - Nov 20, 1805; Mar 10, 1806 - Aug 1810; Dec 3, 1810 - May 20, 1811; Aug 21, 1811 - May 20, 1812; May 21, 1813 - Aug ?	Margaret Holmes
Jenney	cook	$7 per month	Aug 21, 1804 - May 20, 1805	Benjamin Cudworth
Sukey	washer & cook	$7 per month	October 20, 1808 - May 20, 1809	John Steel
Nancey (a.k.a. Moll)	washer	$7 per month during first 3 years of service $6 per month during last 3 years of service	September 27, 1809 - April 21, 1812; September 27, 1812 - December 23, 1815	John Smyth
Hannah	washer	$7 per month	August 27, 1810 - November 20, 1810	Judith Tobias
Mary	cook	$7 per month	November 26, 1810 - December 2, 1810	John Walton
Tyrer	cook	$6 per month	December 5, 1810 - January 19, 1811	Peter Cravat
Fanny	cook	$7 per month	January 25, 1811 - February 22, 1811	Peter Cravat
Peggy	cook	$7 per month	January 25, 1811 - March 7, 1811	Bartholomew R. Carroll
Barry	gardener	$10 per month	March 18, 1811 - August 20, 1811	Charles Kiddell
Judy	washer	$7 per month	March 20, 1811 - August 1811	John Smyth
Patty	washer	$7 per month	May 23, 1811 - July 23, 1811	David Kearron
Maria	washer	$7 per month	July 24, 1811 - March 28, 1811	Elizabeth Robertson
Duncan	tailor	$12 per month	September 2, 1811 - September 28, 1812 March 14, 1811 - May 20, 1816	Mrs. McPherson
Isaac	laborer	$10 per month	October 7, 1811 - February 22, 1812; March 14, 1811 - May 20, 1816	Sarah Faesch
Tyrer	washer	$6 per month during first 3 months of service $7 per month during last 4 months of service	February 5, 1812 - September 26, 1812	Agness Leadbetter
Lydia	washer	$7 per month	April 21, 1812 - April 23, 1812	John McDowell
Kate	washer	$6 per month	May 4, 1812 - October 31, 1812	John Duncan
Bess	washer	$6 per month	May 1, 1812 - November 20, 1813; December 21, 1813 - unknown	John Duncan
Biner	washer	$6 per month	November 21, 1812 - February 20, 1813	Alphey McKewn
Sally	washer & cook	$6 per month	July 12, 1813 - August 12, 1813	Thomas Cochran
Jeannette (a.k.a. Jenny)	cook	$6 per month during first 23 months of service; $7 per month during last 9 months of service	February 8, 1814 - August 1, 1816	Alpheus Baker
Phillis	washer	$6 per month	August 8, 1814 - unknown	John Duncan
Flora	washer	$6 per month	December 24, 1815 - unknown	Ann Coram
Billy	laborer	$10 per month	May 21, 1816 - January 20, 1818	Alpheus Baker
Dinah	washer	$6 per month	July 25, 1817 - unknown	Eve Johnston
Jim	laborer	$10 per month	January 26, 1818 - unknown	John Smith
Lydia	washer	$6.50 per month	June 1, 1818 - July 1, 1818	Elizabeth Peak
Jack	laborer	$10 per month	July 17, 1818 - unknown	Mary Nolls
Betty	washer	$7 per month	July 13, 1818 - unknown	Martin Strobel

Children

Last Name, First Name	Birth Year	Birthplace	Start Date	End Date	Sources

* indicates approximate year

Official Records

Census Records

1790 Census

1800 Census

1810 Census

1820 Census

1830 Census

1840 Census

1850 Census ^[14]

1860 Census ^[15]

1870 Census

1880 Census ^[3]

1900 Census ^[4]

1910 Census ^[5]

1920 Census

1930 Census

1940 Census

1950 Census

Annual Reports

1871 Report ^[11]

1879 Report ^[6]

1880 Report ^[7]

1881 Report ^[8]

1882 Report ^[9]

1891 Report ^[12]

1892 Report ^[10]

1896 Report ^[16]

1897 Report ^[17]

1901 Report ^[18]

1902 Report ^[19]

1904 Report ^[20]

1920 Report ^[21]

Linking in Wikitree

If you would like to link to this page inline with your text on a wikitree profile, use the below format:

[[Space:Charleston Orphan House|Charleston Orphan House]]

Sources

1. ↑ George B. Eckhard, ed., A Digest of the Ordinances of the City Council of Charleston, from the Year 1783 to Oct. 1844 (Charleston, S.C.: Walker and Burke, 1844), 188–89
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} "Administrative/Biographical History," Charleston County Public Library. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://www.ccpl.org/records-commissioners-charleston-orphan-house-1790–1959
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} 1880 Census: "US Census, 1880," online database, FamilySearch; Agnes K. Irving, Charleston Orphan House, Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA; enumeration district 69, sheets 366A-368A, family 471, dwelling 238; June 11, 1880; National Archives microfilm T9, roll 1222.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} 1900 Census: "US Census, 1900", online database, FamilySearch; Agnes K Irving, Charleston Orphan House, Ward 8, Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA; enumeration district 139, sheets 1A-3B, family 1, dwelling 1; June 1-8, 1900; National Archives microfilm T623, roll 1520.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} 1910 Census: "US Census, 1910," online database, FamilySearch; Agnes K Irving, Charleston Orphan House, Ward 8, Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA; enumeration district 41, sheets 1A-3A, family 1, dwelling 1; April 15, 1910; National Archives microfilm T624, roll 1452.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners Charleston Orphan House, for the Year 1879, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1880.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners Charleston Orphan House, for the Year 1880, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1881.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners Charleston Orphan House, for the Year 1880, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1882.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2} Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners Charleston Orphan House, for the Year 1880, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1883.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4} Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners Charleston Orphan House, for the Year 1880, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1893.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 11.9} Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners Charleston Orphan House, December 7, 1871, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1875.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3} Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners Charleston Orphan House, for the Year 1880, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1892.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Knight, Felice F. Slavery and the Charleston Orphan House, 1790-1860. 2013. The Ohio State University, PhD dissertation, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws_etd/send_file/send?accession=osu1374152542.
14. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8Q6-WPK : 23 December 2020), Susan McPherson, Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZTH-8HR : 18 February 2021), Mary Lequex, 1860.
16. ↑ Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners Charleston Orphan House, for the Year 1895, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1896.
17. ↑ Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners Charleston Orphan House, for the Year 1896, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1897.
18. ↑ Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners Charleston Orphan House, for the Year 1900, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1901.
19. ↑ Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners Charleston Orphan House, for the Year 1901, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1902.
20. ↑ Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners Charleston Orphan House, for the Year 1903, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1904.
21. ↑ Charleston Orphan House Founded 1790: 130th Annual Report of the Board of Commissioners for the Year 1920, Charleston, South Carolina: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co.

See also:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston_Orphan_House
• https://www.ccpl.org/records-commissioners-charleston-orphan-house-1790–1959
• https://cydc.org/history-of-cydc/
• https://dc.statelibrary.sc.gov/handle/10827/18993/recent-submissions?offset=20
• http://genealogytrails.com/scar/charleston/charleston_orphan_house.htm
• Murray, John E. The Charleston Orphan House: Children's Lives in the First Public Orphanage in America. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago, 2013.
  • Murray, John E. “Poor Mothers, Stepmothers, and Foster Mothers in Early Republic and Antebellum Charleston.” Journal of the Early Republic 32, no. 3 (2012): 463–92. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23315163.
  • Blakemore, Erin. "Poor Charleston: Letters from desperate mothers to the nation’s first public orphanage." JSTOR Daily. January 4, 2020. https://daily.jstor.org/letters-to-an-orphanage-in-poor-charleston/.