Bell family papers
Collection Overview
These papers document properties owned by the family, especially the historic home at 2 Green Street, Charleston, sold to the College of Charleston in 1971. With materials on the history of the Bell, DeReef, and Purvis families; health of Hiram Bell, Sr. and references to Friendly Union Cemetery. Printed materials and certificates from Morris Brown A.M.E. church, Avery Normal Institute, Shaw School and Hampton College; with various printed materials documenting the Bricklayers, Masons and Plasterer's Union, of Charleston and elsewhere.
The collection also contains awards and certificates of Hiram Bell, Jr. and James Bell including photograph of the latter's 1949 graduation from Hampton. It also includes a 1950 program for the 50th anniversary of Charleston Bricklayers, Masons, and Plasterers, Local Chapter. With diplomas of Louise Purvis from Howard University and those of Emmeline Lucille Mazyck, Avery Normal Institute and Shaw Memorial School.
Dates
- Creation: approximately 1890-1972
Creator
- Bell family (Family)
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Copyright Notice
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Biographical Note
The African American Bell family of Charleston, South Carolina were descended from Sally (Sarah) Johnson, the matriarch of a free family of color who purchased 2 Green Street, (built circa 1820) in circa 1844. In 1912, the property was willed to Hiram L. Bell (died 1952), a son of Jesse Miles DeReef and Holten L. Bell. Hiram married Louise Purvis. They had two sons, Hiram Lewis Bell, Jr., called Lewis
and James A. Bell called Jim
.
Extent
0.25 linear feet (1 archival box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The African American Bell family of Charleston, South Carolina were descended from Sally (Sarah) Johnson, the matriarch of a free family of color who purchased 2 Green Street, circa 1844. In 1912, the property was willed to Hiram L. Bell (died 1952), a son of Jesse Miles DeReef and Holten L. Bell.
These papers document properties owned by the family, especially the historic home at 2 Green Street, Charleston, sold to the College of Charleston in 1971. With materials on the history of the Bell, DeReef, and Purvis families; health of Hiram Bell, Sr. and references to Friendly Union Cemetery. Printed materials and certificates from Morris Brown A.M.E. church, Avery Normal Institute, Shaw School and Hampton College; with various printed materials documenting the Bricklayers, Masons and Plasterer's Union, of Charleston and elsewhere. The collection also contains awards and certificates of Hiram Bell, Jr. and James Bell. It also includes a program for the 50th anniversary of Charleston Bricklayers, Masons, and Plasterers, Local Chapter.
Collection Arrangement
1. Correspondence
2. Certificates and Awards
3. Obituaries
4. Oversize Materials
Processing Information
Processed by Felice Knight, 2005
Encoded by Melissa Bronheim, July 2010
Edited by Amanda Ross, January 2010
Funding from the
Funding from the
Subject
- Avery Normal Institute (Organization)
- Bell family (Family)
- College of Charleston (Organization)
- Hampton Institute (Organization)
- Bell, Hiram Lewis (Person)
- Bell, James A. (James Augustus) (Person)
- Purvis family (Family)
- Morris Brown A.M.E. Church (Charleston, S.C.) (Organization)
- Friendly Union Cemetery (Charleston, S.C.) (Organization)
- Shaw Memorial School (Charleston, S.C.) (Organization)
- Mazyck, Emmeline Lucille (Person)
- DeReef family (Family)
- Bricklayers, Masons, and Plasterers International Union of America. Local No. 1 (Charleston, S.C.) (Organization)
- Bell, Louise Purvis (Person)
- Title
- Inventory of the Bell Family Papers, circa 1926 - 1972 AMN 1001
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Processed by: Staff; machine-readable finding aid created by: Melissa Bronheim
- Description rules
- Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English
- Sponsor
- Funding from the Council on Library and Information Resources supported the collection processing and encoding of this finding aid.
Repository Details
Part of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture Repository
125 Bull Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424 United States
843-953-7608
averyresearchcenter@cofc.edu