Frederick A. Porcher papers
Collection Overview
Papers consist of memoirs, lectures, essays, correspondence, and other assorted writings of Frederick A. Porcher, Professor of Belles Lettres and History at the College of Charleston from 1848 to 1886. Memoirs concern Porcher's life and career, including his childhood on Cedar Springs Plantation, his education at Yale, his life in politics, his travels abroad, and teaching at the College of Charleston. There are also personal reminiscences on South Carolina history and politics and the "upper division of St. John's Berkeley Parish." Lectures and essays cover a wide variety of topics but are mainly concerned with English and American literature, the English language, and European and American history. Also included is a framed portrait miniature of Porcher painted on ivory by his daughter Clelia Lightwood Porcher (1847-1924), Porcher's calling card with two copper printing plates, a eulogy for Daniel Ravenel, and an 1836 map of Europe.
Dates
- Creation: 1761-1878
Creator
Language of Material
Materials in English and Latin
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research.
Copyright Notice
The nature of the College of Charleston's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. Special Collections claims only physical ownership of most archival materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Biographical Note
Born on Cedar Spring Plantation, South Carolina, Frederick A. Porcher (1809-1888) was the son of George Porcher (1775-1813) and Marianne Gendron Palmer (1784-1835). After graduating from Yale he studied law, and from 1834 to 1836 served in the South Carolina legislature. Porcher became Professor of History and Belles Lettres at the College of Charleston in 1848, a position he held until 1886.
Extent
3.0 linear feet (6 document boxes, 1 flat box)
Abstract
Papers consist of memoirs, lectures, essays, correspondence, and other assorted writings of Frederick A. Porcher, Professor of Belles Lettres and History at the College of Charleston from 1848 to 1886. Memoirs concern Porcher's life and career, including his childhood on Cedar Springs Plantation, his education at Yale, his life in politics, his travels abroad, and teaching at the College of Charleston. There are also personal reminiscences on South Carolina history and politics and the "upper division of St. John's Berkeley Parish." Lectures and essays cover a wide variety of topics but are mainly concerned with English and American literature, the English language, and European and American history.
Collection Arrangement
Materials are described at the folder level.
Processing Information
Processed by Special Collections staff, date unknown. Edited and reprocessed for encoding by Joshua Minor, February 2016.
Subject
- College of Charleston -- Faculty (Organization)
- Yale University -- Students (Organization)
Genre / Form
- Correspondence
- Essays
- Lectures
- Maps (documents)
- Memoirs
- Miniatures (paintings)
- Poems
- Printing plates
- Visiting cards
Geographic
- Cedar Springs Plantation (S.C.) -- Social life and customs
- Europe -- History
- South Carolina -- History
- South Carolina -- Politics and government
- St. John's Parish (Berkeley County, S.C.) -- History
- St. John's Parish (Berkeley County, S.C.) -- Social life and customs
- United States -- History
Topical
- American literature -- Study and teaching -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- College teachers -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- English language -- Study and teaching -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- English literature -- Study and teaching -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- Plantation life -- South Carolina -- Berkeley County
- Title
- Inventory of the Frederick A. Porcher Papers, 1761-1878
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by: Special Collections staff; machine-readable finding aid created by: Joshua Minor
- Date
- 2016
- Description rules
- Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
Special Collections
College of Charleston Libraries
66 George Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424
(843) 953-8016
(843) 953-6319 (Fax)