South Carolina 
SC African-Americans About the Quash Stevens Letters Quash Stevens' Letters
Quash Stevens Writes the Vanderhorsts
The letters from Quash Stevens to various Vanderhorsts are reproduced below as accurately as possible in order to maintain the original feelings and emotions. Spellings and capitalization remain faithful to the original letters. A few minor interventions in the original letters have been made:
- Salutations, closings, date and place lines have been deleted with the information reformatted to provide for standard wording.
- Brackets are used to clarify portions of text that are missing or illegible. Conjectures are accompanied by a question mark, while empty brackets indicate a totally missing or unintelligible word.
- Unintended duplicate words have been eliminated.
- Since the use of punctuation was limited, several spaces have been used to separate complete thoughts to make the letters more readable.
- All of these letters are found as part of the Vanderhorst collection at the South Carolina Historical Society in Charleston, South Carolina and are cataloged as 12/213/14.
Georgetown – February 18 [between 1865 and 1868]
To Arnoldus Vanderhorst IV
I have written to you these few lines hoping they may fine yourself and famaly enjoying the blessings of good health I am well at this time I have been expecting a Letter from you Sir for the last two weeks I have Sold the Coast and Binding and thread I expect to be down there Some time in March I wish to know if I must bring the rice or Sell it and bring the money Do tell old master [Elias Vanderhorst] and old mistress [Ann Vanderhorst] howdy for me when you write do Let me know what arrangements you have with the people if you are willing for me to go to Kewah or round o to Liv write and Let me know I think we can do well on ether one of these places raising Stock
Kiawah – January 1868
To Arnoldus Vanderhorst IV
I sen the Boot doon For you I ham giving [picking] the Cotton and have it Soon and comments the 5 Today I Sen you Some potas and I and the hamds did not goo to work int Monday the mules and ox all well The bacon you sent me for 200 ponds it is [only] 156 ponds You had better Bring Some all well
Kiawah – May 23, 1883
To Ardele Vanderhorst
I send the Boait by Willom and Frages. As I can not speair Wineglass. I ham Cuting the Oats and it tisver Fine Mr Freeap says it Will make from 30 to 40 R[ ] I Borrow from Him 2 Cradeal and got one Broking To Do So That Put me Back With the Cuting I send for another by the Boait. My Wife is still sick and yet over Her Troble the Wedder Was so Cole That We need Fiear. The Crop Look Badely and the Cotim is Ding out Say Hody to all. The Chieldorn Send Some Black Beaires and I Sen 2 Doz Egg. All so the Butter and Creaim I send 4 Calves and 6 Lambs
Kiawah – June 6, 1883
To Ardele Vanderhorst
I Send 4 Calves and 6 Lames Butter and Creaim by Wine glass. I Hope to Com Down Next Week Hope all Well With you. Aur Ying Stain Well Heair
Kiawah – June 13, 1883
To Adele Vanderhorst
I Cannot Com Dun This Weeak as I Have to get 5 Palmetto raft ready To Sen of Next Weeak. the Logs is ver much scaterd so I Hav To Hall Them. I Hope all Well. I Hord Last Weeak That you Went To George Town. So I Though Some one Wais Sick Which I Hop not. aur Ying Stain Well Heair and Send the Cord Cream Butter also 5 calves by James.
Kiawah – July 15, 1883
To Adele Vanderhorst
I send 5 bales by the Boauit and the Butter and Creaim 1 Baraileal of Potais. Larieailam is quite Sick With the Fever. All the resst is get oin Well. aur ying stain Well My Wife is get on Nicely. All Send Hody. Please Say Hody To all
Kiawah – November 18, 1886
To Adele Vanderhorst
I Hope This will Fine you all Well and in good Sprit. I Send Don by Wineglass 3 Calves also some Potasto Turnops and Peaieas the Buttr and Creaim I made the Best Crop of Potaito Peais Corn I Have avr mad We Woints Rain vy much the Catel Fines Water is get Hard I Hav To Dig all the Time To get Water For them our Well on the Iland Has Bin Dry and if rain Doint Com Sone I doint Know Wat We Will Doo For the Woints of Water Theair Has not Bin aney rain Heair 10 Weeaks or more the grass is all Dride up and the Catels Fines Feed Hard and I Hav Grat Trobel to Keep them out of the Crops the Fenc Dois not Hold Them in as Tehir Brake True all the Time and Fortnot For me That We Hav good Nabers on John islan or I Wood Hab bin Sent to the Trill I went sevr Times in spite of all my mite To Keep them Form going ovr Thjeair Samon and I is [ ] and the goe avr Day and Some Times Lait at Night the Stocks is Crazy for the Feails more anevr But I Have the Brige Bilt again and it tis agrait Help to Keep up With Them I Wood Have Lik To Com Doin Buth Can no Leave the Place it tis raineing Now and We Woint it vr much it is 4 oclock in the moring Now I Hope all is Well and in good Sprit Say Howdy To All
Kiawah – May 19, 1887
To Adele Vanderhorst
I send the Butter and Cream Also 1 Bag of Potais 6 Hed of Cabegs aur Ying Stan Weeal Hear the Stocks is Doing Well and all is Well With Me the Butter is Not much is I Wold Like to See Buth Cows is Bad milk as Yeat Sat Hody To All
Kiawah – September 26, 1887
To Adele Vanderhorst
I Havnot Hord From you Since I sine you in the City and I lock it vr Day To Heair Buth Hav not Hord So I gave oud Loking the Cattel Is Not Doing Well I Lost 12 Hads of Cows in the Last 3 months and 3 Had of Sheeap and the Woist of it moast of the Cows Leave young Calves From Too to Tree Weake Hale I Can not Say Waith is the matr With Them if Tis vy dry Hear We Have not Had aney raine For Nearly 2 moints and A vr Pond on the Iland is Dry I have Nevr Seen it So Dry Sin on the Iland. and Have Had to Did Poinds and Cleain out Poinds A vy Weeake To Have Waiter Buth the Waitr is so Bad in A fwe Dayes After That I ird That Have A greadel To Doo With the Lost I Have Some Poinds So Deeap That it Takes Along Paith For the Cows to goe into it the Cropes Have Sae vy much From the Drouth you Cod Set Fier To the Cotton Stackes and it Born as heavily as in Woint the Peais Crops With me is in good Con Diesonj Buth the ondely one on the Iland I Send 2 Lot of Calves To Mr. Johsin 3 in Each Lot and got the money For Them I also Bought A Bull for $31 Doll and Hav Him on the Place and Will Account To you For the Balanc of $37 Dollas We all are Praying For raine as it tis much Neaded I Have to Save all the Hieffr Calves the Stockes is Not in god order.
Kiawah – June 10, 1888
To Adell Vanderhorst
I send 4 Calves and 6 Lames This Week and the Bottr Creaim We Had a god rain Heaiur and avr ting in Prove the Corn Loks Well and the Stocks I send the Calvs Weanvr Theair is Fit Com to market all Well and sen Hody to all
Kiawah – July 24, 1893
To Adele Vanderhorst
I Weaint To the City on Tueasdey For the Pordes of see you all and Wais soperise Not To Fine you theair if I hade Knowen That you Waid goin Soosone I wood Come Doine at owence We gade Agradel of raine Heaire and Corn Crope is vy much in geain the Cotton No Bettr the stockes is Doing Well Buth the Price is so Low That I Will Not sell any This month. Pleais Fine in Close Liest of stocke Soll in June I seein Bleainey and gave Him A Liest of the Same I roing To see you All Time is very Duewll theritely Prim Have A Fine Colt in A raine stome so I Name it raine Bowr I Ham glad To say That my wife very much Batter and is good Sperite and all is well and I hope all Well With you and the young Lades and the Cheldon is ingeing the Contlife I Wois Not in the Citey Sin the 8 of Febbery Til Last Tuesday and it Lakes more Like Sundey and it Lokes Tueas All sens Hody To you all
I sein Deain and she Told me That Mr. Elieais is With you Teil Him Hody I wood Like much To see Him
Kiawah – August 17, 1893
Adele Vanderhorst
yours of Came To Hand on the 15 and I get the Blanckets and Put Them in A Box and Shipe as Dreckeshon Too Bobbel + opne sieng you First Let Came on the 5 and Foine me quiete Sick With the Cheil and Fecker I had the Woirset atack I Had For 20 Years I Had To sen For the Dockr yesteday is the Forst I God goe ouite For 3 Weeake in Fack I Have Aregetar Hostelel Heair my Wife and all is Sicke With the Fever also Loeailer
I am very sorry to Heair of Bosetey acedainc it Tiest up wite Sade To me and I Can Hardley onder Stain Ha the acie Hapen Buith gald to Heair He is much Batter I Hope He Will Beeable Top Ouise His Hands some I Ham Suerfin Now With romecket in the Hipe Pleaise Tel Borethey Hody For me I Ham sorey Tahat He Wois Eprive of moste of His mome Holeday Pleaisher Buith Theis Tinges Will Hapen All is sorey To Heair of His Bad Locke and send Hodey
Kiawah – August 29, 1893
To Adele Vanderhorst
We Had Agraite stoim Heair and the Tide Caime owpe in my House and Trow Doin one of the Chimbles 9 House on the Plaise is Woish Don also Chimbles I Had To Let some in the Bigge House Haife of the Slate is Blone Off the Ruef the inter Crope is Lost by Wooter the Tide Came over From the Ochorn The Holl Island Wais Owender Wooter From 2 to 8 Feet very Tinge is Destersory avery greeaione Ortbeso is Cill by Solt Wooter and Neither man or Beais Cod get Freish Wooter I Had To Cock With Solt Wooter Buith it raine Heair on Thirsday Night so it Litel Beter Now For Wooter all the Pipelp Has Lost all the Proveishen They Hav on Hand as moest of the Litel Bairns Bien Swepte away I Have Buith 2 quuerte of griest on Haind Buthj We Have Not aney Stocke as I Can See as yeat Mr. Fry Legill and Famely Had To move oute in the storm in the Night as His House Came of it Balcke He Lost 6 Hands Droing and Neailey all of His Howes Mr Andell Lost Neailey all of His Howes swepte away one Cow and Colt From His Plaise Wois Foind in Woodenlowels Island Mr Frey Lost 3 Horse and Alote of sheepe so We Have Bin so Lockley as No Life or stocke Has Bin Lost I see Nothing Left For Ouest Buith starveishen or Leave Some other Prte of the Countery the Corn Wois all Lost by the Havey raines so No Proveaishen is made or Ctoon That Litel Cotton is Lefte is all yealer so Doint Tink it Woot Picken I Have Lost aboute ane mill of Fincen all swepte in the river the Hands Will bee Com Pell To Leave some to Honte Foode the Steeme Shipe Citey of savemes is Lost alowed the Couse as Some matess and Chears Had Come ouipe on the Beach. I Hope all Well With you and Bortey is oute again ancer is still sick With Her old Doopies
Kiawah – September 13, 1893
To Adele Vanderhorst
I Have Not Horde From ou Since the greaite stome I rote To you Buth got No relpie Buth Theair Hasnot Binne any maile sin the storme heair as the steamer still on Hillard Theair is No Waze of get the maile But I got Worde yestr Day That one Will Com oure on Thurs Day the reailf Comete in the Cittey sen Some Proveaishen our To Bea given outh To the Pealier Which gave oute on Thurs Last. Mose of the men Went To the City to get Woorke Buth Came Back bouth Fine Andy Thing to Doe I Ham mo abel To Day To gave you the Condeaishen of Tings Heair one This Island is boy Possen and the Island Will Not make 4.00 Poinds of Seed Cotton the Corn Will Not Dived oute Haf Busehl To the Head All Llipes is spile by Salt Water I have at leaist 2 miles of Feainces Swept off the Island 11 Hous is flat on the grone With Theair Chimles and Salte Watr With Heavy rains makes the Place Smeile off owll and I Feair We Will Have graite siken We Had greate Trobel To get Fresh Watr Biuth the Havety raines Have given aplenty and Have the Litele Corne That Wois Left So Sour That it Cannot Beains. Buth We are Fourchen in Not Loise any stocke it tis Hared For me To Hondr stan How None of the Catel is Cill by the Falling Treais the Hole Woode is inrovaine most of the Treais routed bike I Still Have Sickns
Now Mis Adaill I think if you Will Le me Cut oure the Fallen Treais and Tries Sell them in the Citey it Wode Help the peaple To get some tinge To Easte Clods to Wair and Help in Puting oure the Houses All the Stockes is Doing very Well I have Bine Bisy Cleaine oure the rodes sin the Stome all the Bregs is going als the Worke Wich Wois vry valebel To the Plaise Tinges is very glouemy Heair I Hope all is Well With you and Morter is all rite again
Kiawah Island – August 22, 1894
To Adele Vanderhorst
your Letter Came To Hand and I Wois glade To Heair From you. A very Ting is very Blue Hear the raise Has Horte the Cropes vey much Both Cottone + Corn Pruteng mch all the Forder is Loste and is still raing We had had raine heair sience the Last Weeke in Juely oure to the Praisesont much of the Lands is ondr Waatr. All the Catel is Doing very well Buth I Fear the Worst is [] as Toomoch raine for the Sheepe. The market is very Low For stocke Calves is Bring From $2.50 to3.00 Buth I Will Not sely aney stocke at siech Price. Avery thing We Have To sel Bringes Nothing Buth Wenn you goe To By you Have To Pay Hie for all you gets. You sauyde you Hope I Will vote for Generl Bluter I W9ill vote with Corets and That Facken in Dars the Generl Buth if the Tillman manergrs Will Lete the Corsea vote This Time you Know to ride 15 mills and Then Cannot vote Dais Not Paz Moest of strate aut Damcrate arong Heare Sayes They Will Not vote aloll the Bline Stackers is very Bad Among the Hoses I had one Sick Mis Andel Lost Tree Neaily all in This Place is Dead. I Hope all is Well With you I tenk you very much For That Fine Hat For it tis So Hote Now That one Cannot Sleepe the nosy is Bade hear my wife sen Hody To all Rite Some and Le me Heaer Hoeall is
the Tillman is Have Tinges His oneway the Hole state is in Bad Fiex and I caint see Howe the good Peapel of the state Canstan it much Longer To Be roull by That Pore Class Harf Easket Harf sileve it tis Drad Fuill No Man Life is safe Now
Kiawah – October 14, 1895
To Adele Vanderhorst
I Send one Sack of Pottaeas I Ham Sorey That I Did Not Know soner That you Wais in the Citey as I Wood Like To Have Talk With you About the Plais I Will Doo all I Can to make it Pay you as Well as myself I Wais Toild by Afraind That one Had Sask Him Aboute Woat He Toght the Place Wois Worth With the Socks So it makes me Tink Som one is After it uth I Know Hoe I am Dealking With and if aney one Woint the Place you Wood gave me the Preffreince and I so remark To my Frind I Have Not miend my intent To aney one Now Mis Adall Pleais rite and Lete me Know So my mind Can Beeat Araist. I Will Have some money Putin the Bank For you This month Hope to Heair sone say Hody To all
Kiawah – no date
To Adele Vanderhorst
Now I Hope Bemen Haes Send the money To you For the stocke I Ham shipe some This month the Cropes you say That you Hol is good I am sory To say is the Worst I Have Eaver sine Heair the Corn is atoilet Lost the Holl Plaise Woint make 2 Carte Lode I lost 13 Ackers myself That I Wooden get me yeairs ouent./ the cotton almost is Bad the raine is Tomecmak For any Crope I Have Plainted Agod Lot of Peais and sLips Buthe if the raines Ceepe on I Will Not make ane of Them the Wither Woiss the Worse I have Senine Heair Liten Strucke Mr. Andell House and Driten the Famely very much buith No one Wois Huert Theair is Agreadel of Sichnest on the Island and the Catpeailr in the Cotton make avery one Woisse sick I Hope This Will Fine all Well Please say Hody To all the Family For me
