12 Clifford Street
A Look Into Charleston's Historic Red-light District
This research is the final project for Katherine Pemberton’s Research Methods class in the Master of Science in Historic Preservation program at Clemson University.
12 Clifford Street, Charleston, SC.
This documents the findings of semester-long research on the address of 12 Clifford Street in Charleston, South Carolina.
The history of 12 Clifford Street is closely intertwined with the history of the building’s twin, 10 Clifford Street, as well as the street on which it is located. Therefore, this paper seeks to tell the story of 12 Clifford Street alongside that of 10 Clifford Street and the surrounding area.
These two properties play an important role in the history of Ward 4, as brothels within Charleston’s Red Light District.
Context
Established before 1788, Clifford Street was known as “Dutch Church Alley” in an area known as Dutch Town in Ward 4. This was due to the adjacency of St. John’s Lutheran Church for a German congregation and population, making the area ‘Deutsch’ not Dutch. The church bought, as shown in this image, Lot No. 255 in 1759. The lot, according to George Hunter’s 1746 plat of re-survey, had belonged to a man named James Allen. Allen, who still owned the adjacent lots, along with the German Church owners gave up a few feet of their respective lots so that they could create an alley running perpendicular to Archdale and King Streets to allow better access to the church.
Plat showing Lot No. 255 in 1759; Location of Dutch Church Alley.
This alley didn’t have an official title for some time, with James Allen referring to it as Allen Street, however the town of Charleston began referring to it as “the Lane leading out of King-street to the Dutch Church” and the name “Dutch Church Alley” stuck. The image above depicts the layout of the street as seen in 1788 from a survey used by the Phenix Fire Company of London. The alley was later named “Clifford Street,” not to be confused with “Cliffords Alley” after John Clifford, who owned property at its eastern end in a map from 1802. The first found mention of Clifford Street in the newspapers was in an advertisement from the Charleston Courier in January 20, 1841. However, the advertisement was in German, highlighting the remaining presence of the German immigrant population in the area.
Advertisement mentioning "Clifford Street" in the German language.
Over the next century, the immigrants who lived in Dutch Town made it into a thriving community that was “inhabited by bakers, blacksmiths, washers, coopers, and wheelwrights, among other tradesmen and women,” and that “in short, Charleston’s Dutch Town in the decade before the American Revolution was a modest, bustling, working class, immigrant neighborhood just within the limits of the town.” Multi-family structures of brick and timber were being constructed as residences, however by the 1780s and 1790s, Dutch Town wasn’t just populated with Germans anymore. Eventually, the immigrants would gain enough money to move out of the sometimes cramped and multi-family living situations and buy their own homes in the newer neighborhood of Harleston, which was just northwest of Clifford Street.
Ward 4: Charleston's Red-light District
Clifford Street was a part of what was known as the Red Light District in Ward 4 of Charleston, South Carolina. With this district came prostitution, drinking, and gambling and the corresponding reports in newspapers of violence or arrests. Within these reports, many of the Madams are seen to be listed among the locals that were involved in whatever incident. Brothels, as 10 and 12 Clifford street historically were, were written into city directories or even plat maps as “female boarding”, “bawdy houses”, and were often described as “ill famed” or “disorderly.”
It is even possible that these women had stage names or an alias in order to protect their true identities. Little is known about this seemingly taboo subject as barely any research has been conducted on the subject. However, a quote from ‘A Woman Lies Bleeding on the Ground’ states that “…to native Charlestonians, prostitution was a much more common occurrence, hardly something worth reacting over, as a glance at contemporary Charleston newspapers confirms.” Blue Books would be published where madams would list their names and addresses for their business, showcases that being a madam was seen as a legitimate occupation in history.
Deed Research and Property History
1819
The twin properties of 10 and 12 Clifford Street have unknown exact construction dates, however they did not exist prior to 1819. During this time, the plan of the neighborhood was adjusted in order to accompany more brick and timber framing dwellings. According to the McCrady Plat dated on March 5th, 1819, this adjustment included a plan in which to widen Clifford Street. However, this involved the demolition of pre-existing structures that were located along the north side of the street. Once enacted, a man named John C. Beile, esquire, acted on behalf of the the City Council of Charleston and sold the divided lots to Casimer Patrick in conveyance for $3,600.00, and in doing so, laying the groundwork for the future plots of 10 and 12 Clifford.
1827 - 1850
After these events, Casimer Patrick then conveyed his lot of land to Abraham C. Ottolengui for $6,407.00 on June 4th, of 1827. Ottolengui had two daughters, Hetty and Sarah. Hetty was the wife of Jacob Barrett. Sarah was the wife of Jacob I. Moses. After Abraham passed at 60 years old on December 12, 1850, his wife Sarah Ottolengui was left to expend the income of his estate. His will states that “when my son Daniel shall arrive at the age of twenty one years then a division may take place between my wife and the five children herein named of the personal estate sharealike the real estate however shall not be sold until my son Daniel shall arrive at the age of twenty eight years when the final division may take place…” Abraham Ottolengui was an auctioneer, selling items at both private and public auctions. These items varied from watches, keys, shoes, and other goods, to properties.
1886 - 1933
As 10 and 12 Clifford were in ownership of Flora M. Moses, the properties were advertised multiple times for rent and sometimes for sale as well, so there was a large gap in between the deed chain of titles. However, the deed on July 5, 1926 with Albert W. Litschgi, who was married to Nannie Litschgi, where 10 and 12 Clifford were sold in conveyance to Yetta Lauper still referenced the previous deed. It was mentioned in this same deed that Nannie Reina Litchigi “was seized and possessed of the property hereinafter more particularly described during her lifetime, and departed this life on or about the 31st day of December 1913” This meant that the chain of titles was not broken and still went in order. The properties were “conveyed for us” for $3,000.00. Years later, it was stated in the local papers that Yetta Lauper had died on May 22, 1933, after getting hit by a car that was driven by Reverend W.H. Lefstead, and the properties of 10 and 12 Clifford got passed down in a will to her son, Max Lauper.
1934 - 1946
On May 11, 1934 Max Lauper sold the properties to his relative, Sarah L. Vane in a conveyance for $3000.00. In this deed, the property also changes back to No. 12 Clifford Street. Sarah L. Vane then sold the properties on April 12, 1946 to Benjamin Olasov. This conveyance measured the properties to be forty feet and ten inches on the north, 13 feet and four inches from west to east, twenty four feet and nine inches from west to east, and seventy six feet and nine inches on the south. 10 and 12 Clifford sold for $3,500.00.
1948
It was at this time that Benjamin Olaslov divided 10 and 12 Clifford Street by selling 12 Clifford Street to Mary W. Saxton, on November 1, 1948. This conveyance changed the lot size to being 20 feet on the south, seventy-six feet and nine inches on the east, and sixty-four feet and ten inches on the west. The north line is now irregular measuring from west to east thirteen feet four inches, then turning northward thirteen feet ten inches, then again west to east four feet nine inches. Olaslov sold 12 Clifford Street for $3,500.00.
1975 - 1978
On December 10, 1975, Mary W. Saxton, formerly Mary Washington, sold in conveyance 12 Clifford Street to the Lutheran Church of German Protestant. The lot size remained the same as the previous deed and was sold for $8,500.00. On October 9, 1978 the Church sold 12 Clifford to Milton R. Felger as a conveyance. The property line was adjusted between No. 10 and 12 Clifford Street and the property was sold in conveyance with No. 10 for $40,280.00.
2004 - 2016
On February 25, 2004 Felger then sold the property in conveyance to Douglas C. Kerridge for $385,000.00. The plat property line was once again adjusted between No. 10 & 12 Clifford Street, and this was recorded on Oct. 7, 1996 in Plat Book EB, Page 366.
On September 11 of 2016, Douglas C. Kerridge sold No. 12 Clifford Street in conveyance to a company called ITAC 363 LLC for $600,000. The property lines listed were measuring fifteen feet to the north, fifteen feet to the south, fifty feet to the east and fifty feet to the west. Then later the same year, ITAC 363 LLC sold the property in conveyance with the same lot size as before to Sand Dollar Properties, INC. for $762,056.
Newspaper Research: "Disorderly Conduct" & Tenement History
Charleston News and Courier: May 12, 1893 - The police are “on a warpath after the gamblers who infest the dives and the slums of the city.” Two detectives raided 12 Clifford Street and arrested a number of men.
Charleston News and Courier: July 12, 1894 - Anna Beasley, a madam, was reported for “keeping a disreputable house.”
Evening Post: March 4, 1903 - Nellie Lewis, most likely a madam, attempted for the second time to take her own life via drug overdose at No. 12 Clifford Street. “Nellie Lewis, colored, took laudanum with suicidal intent last night on premises No. 12 Clifford Street. Shorty after swallowing the drug the police learned of her act and sent her to the city hospital and the surgeons went to work and with antidotes brought her round. This is her second attempt at ending her life. Several years ago she took laudanum with suicidal intent.”
Charleston News and Courier: March 19, 1909 - Three sailors “from one of the torpedo boats at the Navy Yard” were arrested for “tearing down several window blinds” at No. 12 Clifford Street. This is significant as it shows that sailors who were docked in Charleston frequented the brothels in Ward 4.
Evening Post: November 5, 1912 - Ella Boykin, a madam, was arrested with three men for “disorderly conduct”, and was fined.
Charleston News and Courier: November 16, 1913 - No. 10 and 12 Clifford Street listed for sale by E.P. David Touhey Real Estate and Insurance.
Charleston News and Courier: July 13, 1915 - No. 10 and 12 Clifford Street are listed for sale in the newspaper as “Two two-story frame, tin-roof residences.”
Charleston News and Courier: November 19, 1917 - Annie Edward, a renter at No. 12 Clifford Street, is looking for a “first-class washer” to hire.
Charleston News and Courier: May 1, 1919 - The Estate of Nannie K. Litschgi was listed in a section entitled “Auction Sales for Future Days”, showing that after she died No. 10 and No. 12 Clifford were sold in auction.
Charleston News and Courier: September 8, 1926 - A house girl or a nurse was needed for the tenement house of No. 12 Clifford Street.
Newspaper: May 22, 1933 edition describing Yetta Lauper’s death.
Charleston News and Courier: February 3, 1938 - A baby girl was born to a family in No. 12 Clifford Street when it was being rented as a tenement house.
Why does this matter?
The research and study of No. 12 Clifford Street is an important piece to understanding the ways of life in Ward 4 and adding more knowledge to the little that is known about Charleston’s Madams and their district of employment. From the newspapers reports, madams were prevalent in this area and the position. In accordance with the local newspapers, city directories, and the U.S. census, there is overwhelming evidence that No. 12 Clifford Street was a significant property that housed many madames in the late 1800s to early 1900s and aided in telling their stories, be them stories of crime or their day to day lives. Due to this, No. 12 Clifford Street shares a contributing piece of the overall picture of Charleston’s Red Light District in Ward 4.
Sources:
Amundson, Sarah Pillman. “A Woman Lies Bleeding on the Ground: Prostitution and Underground Economy in Nineteenth Century Charleston,” 2018. https://doi.org/10.31274/etd-180810-4875.
“Archive Record - Margaretta Childs Archives.” Property File - Clifford Street, a/k/a Dutch Church Alley. Historic Charleston Foundation. Accessed November 1, 2022.
Butler, Nic. “Dutch Town.” Charleston County Public Library, October 6, 2017.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C. Deed Book A-14, page 391.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C. Deed Book B-X-38, page 593.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C. Deed Book C-485, page 603.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C. Deed Book E9, p.108.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C. Deed Book G-108, page 266.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C. Deed Book K-20, page 292.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C.Deed Book M-46, page 485.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C. Deed Book O-569, page 686.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C. Deed Book O-602, page 533.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C. Deed Book S 49, page 509.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C. Deed Book S-117, page 314.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C. Deed Book Z-31, page 144.
Charleston County. Register of Deeds Office (ROD), Charleston, S.C. Ward Book 4: 1852-1856.
Charleston News and Courier (Charleston, South Carolina). NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current.
Evening Post (Charleston, South Carolina). NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current.
“The Genesis of the Harleston Neighborhood, 1672-1770.” Charleston County Public Library. Charleston County Public Library, November 1, 2022.
Jones, Mark R. Wicked Charleston. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2006.
McCrady Plat 7376 Charles Parker City Surveyor. June 2, 1843. Map.
Moughan, Meg. “Section 16-15-90 Charleston City Ordinance on Prostitution.”
Petrie, Edmund, Adam Tunno, and Phoenix Fire-Company Of London. “Ichnography of Charleston, South-Carolina: at the request of Adam Tunno, Esq., for the use of the Phœnix Fire-Company of London, taken from actual survey, 2d August.” [London: E. Petrie, 1790] Map.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina. Sanborn Map Company, 1902. Map.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina. Sanborn Map Company, Jun, 1888. Map.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina. Sanborn Map Company, May, 1884. Map.
Sanborn Map Company, Apr 1944 Vol. 1, 1944. Map.
