PROCEEDINGS OF THE . . . GRAND LODGE OF ANCIENT FREEMASONS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. A Collection of Seven Annual Reports.

A collection of seven annual reports as follows: 1) “PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF ANCIENT FREEMASONS, OF SOUTH CAROLINA, at Special Communication, October 28, 1874 and Annual Communication, December 8th and 9th, Anno Lucis 5874 [i.e. 1874]. M.W. James A. Hoyt, Grand Master . . . “ Charleston, S.C.: News and Courier Job Presses, 1875. 184 pages. Original printed wraps. 23 x 15 cm. About very good. A few tiny tears and some light soiling to the wraps; inconspicuous tape repair to the rear wrap. 2). “PROCEEDINGS OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH ANNUAL COMMUNICATION OF THE M.W. GRAND LODGE OF ANCIENT FREEMASONS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, December 13th and 14th, A.L. 5887 [i.e. 1887]. M.W. A.H. White, Grand Master . . . “ Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1888. 101, [1-blank], ii [index] pages. Original printed wraps. 23.5 x 15 cm. Good plus. Small chip at corner of the front wrap and base of the spine; several other tiny chips; short, closed tear to the front hinge. Tiny nick to base of the first two leaves. 3) “PROCEEDINGS OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH ANNUAL COMMUNICATION OF THE M.W. GRAND LODGE OF ANCIENT FREEMASONS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, December 9th and 10th, A.L. 5890 [i.e. 1890]. M.W. Laurie T. Izlar, Grand Master . . . “Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1891. 81, [3-blank], [3-index] pages. Original printed wraps. 23.5 x 15 cm. Front wrap cleanly detached, else good. Chip to the base of the spine; chip and closed tears to the rear wrap not affecting printed matter. Marginal tanning to the wraps and a few leaves. 4) “PROCEEDINGS OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEENTH ANNUAL COMMUNICATION OF THE M.W. GRAND LODGE OF ANCIENT FREEMASONS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, December 8th and 9th, A.L. 5891 [i.e. 1891]. M.W. William T. Branch, Grand Master . . . “ Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1892. 88, [4-index] pages. Original printed wraps. 23 x 15 cm. Chips to the spine; hinges split with the front wrap holding well and rear wrap just holding; jagged tear to the rear wrap and last page of text with slight impact on a few letters of the text on the rear wrap. Marginal foxing to wraps and a few leaves. Fair to good only. 5) “PROCEEDINGS OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEENTH ANNUAL COMMUNICATION OF THE M.W. GRAND LODGE OF ANCIENT FREEMASONS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, December 10th and 11th, A.L. 5895 [i.e. 1895]. M.W. Claude E. Sawyer, Grand Master . . . “ Charleston, S.C.: Lucas & Richardson Co., 1896. 112, iv [index] pages. Original printed wraps. 23 x 15 cm. Good. Browning to the top margin of the wraps and title page, small chip at corner of front wrap and base of spine, marginal chip to rear wrap, and other tiny chips and tears. Small marginal bump and tear to base of the first two leaves. Occasional foxing at the edges. 6) “PROCEEDINGS OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIRST ANNUAL COMMUNICATION OF THE M.W. GRAND LODGE OF ANCIENT FREEMASONS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, December 14th and 15th, A.L. 5897 [i.e. 1897]. M.W. Jacob T. Barron, Grand Master . . . “ Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co., 1898. 106 pages. 23 x 14.5 cm. Lacking the front wrap and portions of spine paper; original printed rear wrap present. Else good. Browning to the margins of the title page and final blank; mild toning throughout. 7) “PROCEEDINGS OF SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS OF MAY 25TH AND APRIL 30TH, 5901 AND OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL COMMUNICATION OF THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF ANCIENT FREEMASONS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. December 10th and 11th, A.L. 5901 [i.e. 1901]. M.W. Walter M. Whitehead, Grand Master . . . “ Abbeville, S.C.: Hugh Wilson, 1901 [date on wrap is 1902]. 160, [4-index] pages. Original printed wraps. 23.5 x 15.5 cm. The lower half of the front hinge is torn but the wrap is holding; lower quarter of the spine is chipped. Heavy stains to the title, not affecting legibility, thin tideline at the base of some leaves. Some corners creased; several marginal tears; a few tiny insect nibbles not affecting text. Fair to good only. FIRST EDITIONS. Each pamphlet contains the annual address of the Grand Master, committee reports, notes on new charters, lists of suspensions and expulsions, memorials to deceased members, financial reports, records of the meetings of member lodges, and correspondence with other lodges in the U.S., Canada, England, and Scotland. There are frequent notices of the Grand Lodge’s participation in civic ceremonies and the dedication of monuments. There are also discussions of relief work by the Freemasons, including aid to the Louisiana victims of the great Mississippi flood of 1874 and assistance with recovery from the Charleston earthquake of 1886. Many prominent South Carolinians belonged to the Grand Lodge and the present reports contain addresses or communications by Joseph B. Kershaw (G.M. 1873-1874), a former Confederate general and future judge of the Circuit Court; Wilmot Gibbes De Saussure (G.M. 1875-1877), a former Confederate general, state representative, lawyer, and historian; and James Adger Smyth (G.M. 1884-1887), who became mayor of Charleston (1895-1903). OCLC locates several institutions with holdings of the serial, but only U.S.C. has all seven of the present reports. The only other copies of these imprints found are at Duke (1875, 1888, and 1891); N.Y. State Library (1875); and S.C. State Library (1902). Turnbull locates none of the present reports. �