Mailing Address:
Special Collections
College of Charleston Library
66 George Street
Charleston, SC 29424

Phone:
(843) 953-8016

Title: Hebrew Orphan Society papers

Collection #: Mss 1057

Dates: 1850-2000

Size: 4 linear ft.

Biographical Note:

Founded in 1801, the Charleston, S.C., Hebrew Orphan Society was incorporated the next year, making it "the oldest incorporated Jewish charitable organization in continuous existence in the United States." Its goal was "relieving widows, educating, clothing and maintaining orphans and children of indigent parents." Orphans on the "bounty" of the organization were maintained in private homes until the 1860-1863 period when the organization maintained an orphanage in the building it owned on Broad Street. (The Society owned this building from 1833 to 1931.)

In 1944, the Society no longer accepted general members but restricted membership to eighteen, election being a recognition of community service. In 1951, the Society became a member of the Charleston Jewish Social Services, which began to channel Society funds to meet the needs of the community; in later years, it has funded grant proposals, along with its annual gifts to the Charleston Jewish Social Services.

Scope and Content Note:

Although founded in 1801, the earliest records extant date from 1850. Minutes run from 1850-1862; and then from 1866-1997, with some lacking in the latest years; they detail attendance, finances, charities, and administration of the organization, with 1949 and 1997 constitution and bylaws and some historical clippings, photos, etc. Correspondence (1902-1909, 1930, 1978, 1982-2000) is mostly from grant seekers such as Hospice of Charleston, Charleston Jewish Social Services, Charleston Area Senior Citizens, Lowcountry Food Bank and other agencies.

There is information on running the organization and data regarding the N. Edgar Miles Scholarship, which is the subject of the Scholarship series of papers (1992-1995). Financial papers include a cash book (1866-1915), a ledger (1893-1972), financial statements (1936, 1948, 1982-1998), bank statements (1982-1995) and investment reports (1982-1995).

Inventory:

   

 

Box#/Folder#

I.

  

Minutes

    
         
 

Minutes (1850-1862) of meetings discuss attendance, finances, rental of hall, requests for charity, progress of male and female students in Hebrew; with a list of children on the "Society’s bounty."

 

1/1
         
 

Typed carbon transcription (1939) of Society minute books (1850-1862, 1866-1896, 1896-1938) done by Works Progress Administration.

  

1/2
   

   
 

Minutes (1866-1896) of meetings discuss all business of society, members, finances, some recipients of charity and hiring of Hebrew teachers.

 

2/1
         
 

Minutes (1896-1947) of meetings discuss business, finances, membership and work of society, including sale of building (1931); with notation of requests from Charleston Section, National Council of Jewish women, to aid in free kindergarten (1913), teaching immigrants (1920) and surveying Jewish community for best service to its needs (1933).

  

2/2
         
 

Minutes (1948-1960) of meetings discuss finances, membership, caseloads of Charleston Jewish Social Services, annual reports of presidents; and various other reports on topics such as history of organization.

 

2/3
         
 

Minutes (1961-1965) of annual meetings, with financial and other data and annual narrative reports of Charleston Jewish Social Services, funded with Society grants.

 

3/1
         
 

Minutes (1966-1970) of annual meeting, with financial data and narrative reports of Charleston Jewish Social Services, partially funded by Hebrew Orphan Society.

  

3/2
         
 

Minutes (1971-1975) of annual meeting with various reports including those of Charleston Jewish Social Services, partially funded by Hebrew Orphan Society.

  

3/3
         
 

Minutes (1976-1981) of annual meetings, with various reports including those of Charleston Jewish Social Services with data re settlement of Russian Jewish families in Charleston.

 

3/4
   

   
 

Loose minutes (1982-1997, incomplete) of meetings, with no related data of finances, etc.

 

3/5
         
 

Constitution and bylaws; printed 1949 version; with some holograph corrections; with 1997 proposed version.

 

3/6
         
 

Miscellaneous historical data includes newspaper articles, photo of officers, brief 1980 historical talk by Benjamin Goldberg, stationary, etc.

 

3/7
         

II

  

Correspondence

   
         
 

Correspondence (1902-1909) of Society mostly financial, and benevolence committee; with minutes (1930) of a group meeting re charity tickets for different agencies.

  

4/1
         
 

Correspondence (1978) re following the obligations of Zipporah Solomon trust.

 

4/2
         
 

Correspondence (1982) includes narrative report of Charleston Jewish Social Services, financial statement, and funding queries from Hospice of Charleston, Inc., Charleston Area Senior Citizens. Member lists, etc.

 

4/3
         

Correspondence (1983) with report of Charleston Jewish Social Services, and Hospice of Charleston; with member lists and financial report.

4/4
         
 

Correspondence (1984) includes annual meeting agenda, financial reports; data re Hospice of Charleston, etc.

 

4/5
         
 

Correspondence (1985) with background data re those proposed to fill vacancies; Hospice grant request; financial and Charleston Jewish Social Services reports.

 

4/6
   

   
 

Correspondence (1986) with funding request from Hospice; annual finances; report of Charleston Jewish Social Services.

 

4/7
         
 

Correspondence (1987) includes funding request from Hospice; membership lists, etc.

 

4/8
   

   
 

Correspondence (1988) with Hospice, Charleston Jewish Social Services; annual financial report, etc.

 

4/9
         
 

Correspondence (1989) includes Hospice funding request and annual report, Charleston Jewish Social Services.

  

4/10
         
 

Correspondence (1990) includes funding requests of Hospice and Charleston Area Senior Citizens; and annual report of Charleston Jewish Social Services.

 

4/11
         
 

Correspondence (1991) includes funding requests of Hospice and Charleston Area Senior Citizens; report of Charleston Jewish Social Services and N. Edgar Miles scholarship.

 

4/12
         
 

Correspondence (1992) with Hospice, Carolina Youth Development Center, Charleston Jewish Social Services; with member lists and other letters.

 

4/13
         
 

Correspondence (1993) with grants seekers Hospice, Carolina Youth Development Center, Charleston Jewish Social Services, Lowcountry Food Bank, & Charleston Area Senior Citizens; with annual meeting lists, etc.

 

4/14
         
 

Correspondence (1994) with grant seekers Charleston Area Senior Citizens; Trident United Way; Hospice; Lowcountry Children’s Center and other agencies. With financial data and letters to members.

 

5/1
         
 

Correspondence (1995) with grant seekers Hospice, B’nai Brith Youth Organzation, Lowcountry Food Bank, Family Services and others; with annual financial reports.

 

5/2
         
 

Scattered correspondence (1997-2000) re running organization and tending to finances.

 

5/3
         

III

  

Scholarship Papers

   
         
 

Correspondence (1992-1995) re establishing and administrating N. Edgar Miles Scholarship; with data on scholarships awarded for 1994-95 academic season.

 

5/4

 

Statements (1994-1995) Checking and investment accounts of N. Edgar Miles MD Scholarship Fund.

  

5/5
   

   
 

Applications, programs, brochures, clippings and misc re N. Edgar Miles MD Scholarship Fund.

 

5/6
         

IV

  

Financial Papers

   
         
 

Cash Book (1866-1915) of dated expenses and income.

  

6/1
         
 

Ledger (1893-1972) of named and indexed accounts, including investment income, various members dues, mortgages, pensions, etc. With some member death dates.

  

6/2
         
 

Financial statements (1936, 1948, 1977, 1982-1998) include balance sheets of specific funds, projected budgets, annual recapitulations, etc.

  

6/3
         
 

Correspondence (1983-1995) with the Internal Revenue Service and related reports.

 

6/4
         
 

Investment Account Reports (1982).

  

6/5
   

   
 

Investment Account Reports (1983).

  

6/6
         
 

Investment Account Reports (1984).

  

6/7
         
 

Investment Account Reports (1985).

  

7/1
         
 

Investment Account Reports (1986).

  

7/2
         
 

Investment Account Reports (1987).

  

7/3
         
 

Investment Account Reports (1988).

  

7/4
         

Investment Account Reports (1989).

7/5
         
 

Investment Account Reports (1990).

  

7/6
   

   
 

Investment Account Reports (1991).

  

7/7
         
 

Investment Account Reports (1992).

  

7/8
   

   
 

Investment Account Reports (1993).

  

7/9
         
 

Investment Account Reports (1994).

  

7/10
         
 

Investment Account Reports (1995).

  

7/11
         
 

Checkbook stubs (1978-1984).

  

8/1
         
 

Bank Statements (1982).

 

8/2
         
 

Bank Statements (1983).

  

8/3
         
 

Bank Statements (1984).

 

8/4
         
 

Bank Statements (1985).

  

8/5
         
 

Bank Statements (1986).

  

8/6
         
 

Bank Statements (1987).

  

8/7
         
 

Bank Statements (1988).

 

8/8

 

Bank Statements (1989).

  

8/9
   

   
 

Bank Statements (1990).

 

8/10
         
 

Bank Statements (1991).

  

8/11
         
 

Bank Statements (1992).

 

8/12
         
 

Bank Statements (1993).

  

8/13
         
 

Bank Statements (1994).

  

8/14
         
 

Bank Statements (1995).

  

8/15