Letter to Thomas Penn from William Bull, November 29, 1740

Letter to Thomas Penn from William Bull, November 29, 1740

November 29, 1740

William Bull, Lt. Governor of the province of South Carolina, sent this letter on November 29, 1740, to Thomas Penn, Proprietor of Pennsylvania, from Charles Town, South Carolina. The letter was written after the fire that occurred in the city eleven days prior, asking for assistance from Thomas Penn and the wealthier inhabitants of his province to provide relief for those suffering in Charles Town.

11/17/2020

600 dpi, 24-bit depth, color, Epson Expression 10000XL, Archival masters are tiffs.

Penn, Thomas

Cox, Danielle

Silberberg, Jules (Metadata)

Fenn, Debbie (transcription)

Copyright has not been assigned to the Charleston Library Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Special Collections Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Charleston Library Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

image/jpeg

StillImage

Ms. 18, William Bull Letter

English

ms18

Presented by James H. Penniman on condition that it be kept on exhibition.

A Letter from the Honourable William Bull, Esq: Lieutenant Governor of the province of South Carolina, to the Honourable Thomas Penn Esq: Proprietary of Pennsylvania.

Charlestown. South Carolina, Novem. 29. 1740.

Sir,

On the 10th Instant, about two o'clock in the Afternoon a fire broke out in Charlestown, which in about four hours time laid in Ashes the most valuable part of the Buildings, being carried by the wind with such fierceness that all Endeavours to prevent its spreading were to no Purpose. This misfortune has reduced many of the Wealthy, and other Inhabitants, to the greatest Streights & Hardships, notwithstand the liberal Contributions that have been made in this province towards their Relief.

The Damages sustained by this Dreadfull fire, are Computed at a moderate Estimate, to amount to Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand pounds Sterling

a Loss too great for the ability of this frontier province to repair, which has been lately so much Bother'd by heavy Taxes. The Confidence I have in your Humanity & Compassion for the unfortunate, has Induced and Encouraged me to make this application to you, on the Behalf of the unhappy sufferers by the late Dreadfull fire in Charlestown

to desire that you would be pleased to favour them with your Assistance, in Recommending their Distress'd Condition to the many Wealthy Inhabitants within your province, who by that means will, I doubt not, be prevail'd with to bestow some part of their Abundance towards the relief of their Suffering Neighbours, which will be Esteemed as a Great Obligation on this province in general, and in particular, by

Sir,
Your most Obedient
and most Humble Servt.
William Bull
[Blank]