1732-1974 Circular Congregational Church Records - Steven Coker
Subject: 1732-1974 Circular Congregational Church Records
From: Steven Coker
Date: February 21, 1998

Circular Congregational Church (Charleston, S.C.) 
Records, 1732- (bulk 1800-1910s) 
8.25 linear ft. 
7 v. 

Request #: 1302.00

The earliest dissenting congregation in South Carolina, this church was formerly
known as the Independent or Congregational (or Presbyterian) Church. It was
founded in 1681 and was attended by both black and white memberss until 1867,
when the black members left to form Plymouth Congregational Church. The present
church building, constructed in a Pantheon style, was completed in 1806. 

Records consist of church business meeting minutes (1828-1913); six bound
volumes (1732-1972) containing records of the corporation; constitution,
by-laws, and articles of faith (1814?); two typewritten transcriptions of church
histories written in 1853 and 1892; financial records (1777-1972) including
accounts, daybooks, pew rent ledgers, building fund records, and the Sarah B.
Stevens fund records; membership records (1784-1962) including rolls (for both
black and white members) and registers for baptisms, deaths, burials, and
marriages; lists of tombstone inscriptions; visitors' register (1937-1944);
records of church organizations including the Colporteur Society (1848-1851),
Dew Drop Society (1875-1882), Do Your Share Club (1921-1974), the Ladies Home
Missionary Society (1857-1966), and the Clergy Society (1789-1949); Sunday
school records (1885-1941) including attendance and membership rolls, reports,
and minutes of the Sunday School Council meetings; Sunday school library records
(1878-1900); photographs (ca. mid 20th century) of the church's exterior; and
other items. 

Other items include correspondence principally relating to obtaining and
releasing ministers and transferring memberships; minutes and reports of
meetings; financial records; a paper (1840) written by Job Palmer commending the
Christian life to his descendants and reviewing his life and association with
the church for over 60 years; a marriage agreement (1849) between H.W. Mitchell
and Eliza M. Gantt regaring title to her slaves; agreements and other documents
concerning the renovation of the church building (1852-1853); extensive reports
(1850s) on the Laurel Street Mission; and records (1876) of a disagreement in
the church regarding the relationship of the Sunday school to the church. 

Formerly in Miscellaneous Manuscripts Series I. 

Cite as: Circular Congregational Church (Charleston, S.C.). Records, 1732- (bulk
1800-1910s). (1302) South Carolina Historical Society. 

Source:
South Carolina Historical Society
100 Meeting Street
Charleston,SC 29401
Voice: (803) 723-3225 FAX: (803) 723-8584
(area code changes to 843 in March 1988)

South Carolina Historical Research Library Catalogs
http://www.historic.com/schs/index.html
http://www2.citadel.edu/otherserv/schs/indexmss.html

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