My Ancestor of Choice

In our FYE class we are beginning a Personal Ancestor Research project. I have chosen to write about my great grandfather on my mothers side, William Benjamin Durm. I chose to write my project on William because I currently only have one living grandparent, my moms father. My moms father is a wealth of knowledge about his father and I am still able to talk to him about it. William was also a prominent businessman so there are far more records on his life than my great grandmothers.

A Walk Through Charleston's Churches

During Our FYE class on February 10, 2020 our class walked around historic Charleston and explored the many churches it has to offer. While we were walking, we were tasked with choosing our favorite sites. We went to churches of all denominations ranging from Catholic to Lutheran to Episcopalian. In this blog post I am going to showcase a few of my favorites from the visit.

The magnificent Second Presbyterian Church

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The Second Presbyterian Church at 342 Meeting Street was founded in 1809. The Presbyterian denomination was formed as dissenters from the Church of England and the community in Charleston consisted of English, Irish, Scottish, French Huguenots and Independent Presbyterians and worshiped together in the White Meeting House.

In 1731, twelve families withdrew from the Meeting House and established the First Presbyterian Church modeled completely after the Church of Scotland. The Church grew rapidly and soon there was a need for a Second Presbyterian Church. The Second Presbyterian Church of Charleston is the oldest edifice of the denomination in Charleston.

The Second Presbyterian Church was built on land donated the Wragg family and designed by James and John Gordan in Classic Revival Architectural style. The building is hard to miss with beautiful fanlight windows, dominating columns, and an incredible tower above. I have this Church on my list of favorites because I found the almost completely white structure simple and powerful. I really liked the entryway to the Church as it felt like you were walking to a grand build up of the structure. The Church is secluded in Wragg Square and includes benches and places to relax and walk which I thought was refreshing in the busy packed in city. 

St. Michael's Church at night during class

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St. Michael's Church located at 142 Church Street immediately stuck out to me because it is an Episcopal Congregation. I was raised and baptized Episcopalian and although I am not an active practicer of the faith, I still consider the church close to my heart. The first stone to the Church was laid in 1751 and construction was complete by 1761. Besides the addition of the sacristy in 1883, the original structure remains mostly unchanged. The large steeple atop the Church is one of the tallest points in Charleston at 186 feet high with a 7 1/2 foot weather vain.

The architect of the Church is unknown however the building is constructed in a similar style tradition of Sir Christopher Wren which was used during the Colonial period all the way through Gothic revival in 1841. The Church has several distinguishing features such as the clock tower and ringing bells which is thought to be the oldest functioning colonial clock tower in the country. Also sticking out to me were the beautiful stained glass windows. I chose to add this Church to my favorites list because of its special place in my personal religious history. 

The front of St. Mary's Catholic Church
including its distinguishing cross.

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The next Church on my list of favorites is St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church at 89 Hasell Street. The St. Mary's Roman Catholic stands out with its Greek revival style architecture completed in 1839. I was unable to find the architect of the structure. 

One of the incredibly unique and infamous parts of the Church is a portrait of St. Peter with six toes on his right foot. This painting is one of the twenty three painting adorning the walls painted by Caesare Porta of Rome. The Church's entrance is dominated by columns and an intricate wrought iron gate.

The Church, although slightly more simply done than my previous two favorites, includes a wooden cross facing the street on the roof. This feature although simple is my favorite part of the exterior. I chose this Church because of the unique simplicity. Catholics are known for their grandeur and I thought that this Church was different in its dedication to faith. 

The grand entrance to the French Huguenot Church

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If you have ever been to Charleston then the French Huguenot Church at 136 Church Street is a must see. This church is so close to the top of my list because of its vibrant and decadent exterior. The structure is framed by two palm trees at the front and I can only describe it as castle like. The French Huguenots came to Charleston as a group of 45 French protestants aboard the ship Richmond. The original Church was constructed in 1687 but was destroyed by fire. The current Gothic Revival structure was designed by Edward Brickell White and dedicated in 1845.

The Church also boasts a tracker organ that was almost lost when federal soldiers dismantled it after the fall of Charleston in 1865. However, the organ was saved by the pleas of organist, Mr. T.P. O’Neale, and some influential friends. The organ is in shape of a Gothic chapel with keys connected with the pipe valves by a wooden “tracker’ or mechanical linkage which responds to the organists touch faster than any modern mechanism allows. It was built by the leading American organ builder of the first half of the nineteenth century, Henry Erben.  I loved large frontal facing windows and the stunning wooden door. My favorite feature on this Church was the breathtaking color.

The front facade of the Circular Congregational Church

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Closing out my list I have the Circular Congregational Church at 150 Meeting Street as my number one favorite. The current Circular Congregational Church was built in 1892 designed by Stephenson and Greene of New York City and inspired by Henry Hobart Richardson. It has quite a colorful history. 

The current building is done in Romanesque style which was quite modern for 1890. The Church has an adjoining churchyard which is the oldest burial ground in the city. It is because of the original meeting house at this location that Meeting Street gets its name. The old circular Church structure was ravaged by fire in 1861 and had to be rebuilt, creating the current standing building. 

I chose this Church as my favorite because it is so uncommon looking. The different building style has made it so famous that I knew the name of this Church long before coming to school in Charleston. This church is also among the oldest that we saw on our walk and I found the history of it to be alluring. 

Charleston's Most Valuable Resource : Ruth Miller

On the first Monday of February, our FYE had the privilege of hearing from Duke University graduate and local Charlestonian, Ruth Miller. Miss Miller has been a tour guide for over 40 years, a job that led her to her graveyard interest. It was during a tour where Miller had a busload of morticians that she would make the discovery. The morticians immediately bypassed the Church she had brought them to visit and darted for the graveyard. They brought Miss Miller into the graveyard with them and began explaining things which "sparked her interest."

Miss Miller has been an educator for many years at all different levels which made her lecture very colorful and engaging. Her talk explored the rich roots of Charleston's graveyards referring to them as the "foundation of this historic city." Miller claims that it was three important offers that drew masses to Charleston way back in the 18th Century. She states "free land, freedom of religion, and the law that a gathering of any seven people to be considered a recognized religion" as the reason that Charleston grew so rapidly and contains more 18th-century graveyards then any other city in the United States. Miss Miller explained to us that these offers were made by Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper who was given the colony of Carolina by King Charles II.

Miss Miller in action during our lecture!

Miller's talk was sprinkled with several fun and interesting facts about Charleston, graveyard history, and more. If you're a Star Trek fan, you'll be shocked to learn that Leonard Nimoy's Spock hand symbol is derived from his Jewish heritage! She also informed us that only Charleston contains a Huguenot Church! The flow of information was so smooth as Miller explained that the blend of cultures in Charleston had such a strong religious base. She effortlessly touched on how the Quakers, Anglicans, Quakers, Congregationalists, and Baptists flocked from a tyrant England to build their congregations in Charleston. Miller moved on to the influence that each nationality brought aside from religion, letting our class know that we have Scottish Presbyterians to thank for a round of 18 holes as they brought golf to the South.

A picture of the tomb etching
my partner and I read to the class.

During the lecture, we had a chance to take a look at some of the gravestone etchings that Miller brought with her. She explained to the class that the terminology used on old graves can sometimes have different meanings than what we would interpret today. She pointed this out when a student read the name of the deceased as "Daddy Tom." Miss Miller explained that Charleston was "largely African American and the center of the English slave market" but it "lacks any strictly African American burial sites which speak of the disparity of equality in the 18th century. The name Daddy Tom would have been in reference to a slave versus a father figure like we would assume today.

However, it was Miss Miller herself that was the most interesting part of her lecture. Being one of the most accomplished women in Charleston did not come easily as Miller has written several books including Touring the Tombstones, The Angel Oak Story, and Witness to History: Charleston's Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon. If you would like to find more information on Ruth Miller and all of her amazing work check out her amazing work on her Website!

Ruth Miller holding up her books!

 

Graveyard scavenger hunt!

   On Monday, January 27 my FYE class went on a sort graveyard game of hide and seek to identify different types of headstones. We visited both the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul and St. Patrick Catholic Church graveyards or Churchyards as they are sometimes called.
   Although the outdoor adventure was brisk and a bit spooky I found the history of the assignment very interesting. I have passed by both the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Patrick Catholic Church everyday on my walk to class at the College of Charleston and never batted and eye, in fact I never even realized there was a graveyard located at the Cathedral.
   The Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul is an Anglican Church. Anglicanism began during the English reformation but can be traced back to the early Church. The religion is a blend of Christianity that has traditions in Reformed, Catholic, and Evangelical. The Cathedral itself was founded in 1816 by planters and built by the hands of slaves.
   The land for St. Patrick Catholic Church was bought in 1828 by Bishop John England and on St. Patrick's day 1838 the first cornerstone of the Church was laid. The Church was finished by December. During the Civil war, the Church went bankrupt and a new Reverend, Daniel J. Quigley was appointed in 1884. Quigley's first move was to purchase the land on the Northwest corner of St. Phillip street and Radcliffe Street. The earthquake of August 31, 1886 came shortly after but this did not deter the Reverend and work on the Church was finished 1899. The Reverend, Daniel J. Quigley himself is buried in one of the tombs in front of the Church! In 1967 Immaculate conception and St. Peter's Churches were closed. These parish's which served predominantly African Americans conjoined with St. Patricks. Fast forward to 1978 and Reverend Egbert Figaro became the first black priest to serve in the Charleston area.
   Below I have attached some pictures of the graves I saw in the graveyards our class visited.

A mausoleum at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul graveyard.
This gravesite had no names, plaques, or birth/death dates. The mausoleum is done in greek style architecture and has two statues on either corner of the roof. It is hard to tell what these statues might mean as they are not a common grave symbol. 

A sarcophagus at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul graveyard.
This tomb is particularly interesting because it is the only sarcophagus in the Cathedral Church's graveyard. The tomb itself is very unique because it has claw feet. The feet could be lions feet. The lion is a symbol of the power of God or a guardian of the tomb for watchfulness and strength. The tomb is also very small which could suggest that a child is buried there. There is no writing on the tomb so I could not tell the name of who was buried there or the timeline of their life. However, on the top of the tomb is a very simple cross which is a symbol of Christianity. 

A die on base grave marker at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul graveyard.
Noellee Dawson is buried here. She was born on December 25th, 1884 and died on January 5th, 1954. This grave marker included two flowers and stems to accompany. The flower engravings are very abstract and artistic so it is hard to specify the type of flower, however I believe that they could be morning glory flowers which symbolize mourning, mortality, and a farewell. I thought that this was the coolest grave we saw but my reasoning is slightly biased. I liked this grave because the name of the deceased was Noellee which is just one letter off from my name, Noelle!

An obelisk grave marker in the graveyard of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul.
Unfortunately, the photo cuts off the top of this grave, however it is a very simple and traditional example of an obelisk with a pointed triangle top. Philip Porcher and  Catherine Cordes are buried here. There is no birth date, death date, or epitaph. However, interestingly enough the grave marker states that the deceased were members of St. Stephen's parish which is the parish that would later join with St. Patrick Catholic Church, which our class also visited. 

A pedestal tomb urn at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul graveyard.
This grave is imprinted with a shield outline around the epitaph but is not a family crest. This is unique because it is often seen on government issue civil war type graves. Martha Lavinia is buried here. Her epitaph reads "Sacred - to the memory of Martha Lavinia - consort of John H. Tucker. Born August 1838.. (illegible)" I was able to make out another date of 1867 which I am assuming is her death date. The grave marker also includes a draped urn which is meant to symbolize immortality. The cloth is seen to guard the ashes.

A ledger grave marker at the St. Patrick Catholic Church.
This is the marker of the remains of Lyn Tilan (last name may be an incorrect interpretation) and Andrew (last name illegible). Unfortunately, the photo in the took photo that I took most of the epigraph is unreadable. This grave is unique in that it has a Cross surrounded by a circle which could be a version of a Celtic cross. Circles symbolize eternity and crosses are a symbol of Christianity. The carving at the top of the stone is what appears to be two people kneeling - possibly praying. Above them is another cross and it appears that they are kneeling in front of a table or a tomb. This may be the people buried or those praying for them and the inclusion of another cross definitely means Christianity. 

A die base and cap at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul graveyard.
There are no names, death/birth dates, or epitaph. The Cap of this marker is particularly elaborate with what almost appears to be an urn at the top, however the stone carving is too small. 

A box tomb at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul graveyard.
This box tomb is very simple and includes on engravings, names, death/birth dates, or epitaph. 

A broken column grave marker at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul graveyard.
I really wanted to include this grave marker, however, due to my poor photography skills it is very hard to make out what is written on the base. The reason I wanted to include this grave marker is because it is a unique example of a broken column which is a symbol of a life cut short meaning someone died at a young age or in the prime of their life.

A very small and square headstone in the graveyard the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul.
This grave could have possibly been a die on base that sunk into the ground, however there is no base present currently.
Mary Taylor who was born on May 3rd, 1841 is buried here. She died on April 10th, 1929. This is a very impressive lifespan especially for the time period that she was born in.