Joseph Mark correspondence
Collection Overview
The collection primarily consists of letters and postcards from Joseph Mark to assorted family and friends, including his mother, Lena Bines, Anna Banisch, and Moshe Bines. The letters document Mark’s daily life in Beaufort, South Carolina, and Burton, South Carolina. Letters and postcards are written in Yiddish and several letters include partial translations into English. Also included are several photographs, including a photograph of Mark, as well as Mark’s Tefillin.
Dates
- Creation: 1904-1912
Creator
- Mark, Joseph, 1882-1951 (Person)
Language of Material
Materials in Yiddish and English.
Access Restrictions
This collection has been minimally processed but is open for research.
Copyright Notice
The nature of the College of Charleston's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. Special Collections claims only physical ownership of most archival materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Biographical Note
Joseph Mark (1882-1951) immigrated from Upina, Russia (present-day Upyna, Lithuania) to Burton, South Carolina in 1904. Upon his arrival, Mark opened a general store that served the local farming community. During this time, Mark frequently corresponded with Lena Bines. Bines immigrated to the United States in 1912, and the couple married later that year. Following the destruction of his general store by a hurricane in the early 1940s, Mark relocated to Beaufort, South Carolina, following his family who had relocated there earlier. In Beaufort, Mark opened a grocery store, located on Carteret Street, and a liquor store, located on West Street.
Full Extent
1.0 linear feet (1 slim document box, 1 flat box)
Abstract
Correspondence and related materials documenting the life of Joseph Mark after his immigration to the United States in 1904. The collection consists of approximately 40 letters and postcards from Joseph Mark to Ann Banisch, Lena Mae Banisch, and Moshe Banisch. These materials are in Yiddish, with translations available for select letters.
Acquisitions Information
Materials donated in 1996 and 2009 by Rose Mark.
Processing Information
Minimally processed by Sarah Meyer, January 2026. For preservation purposes, the collection as re-housed by transferring materials into acid-free boxes and placing documents in acid-free folders. This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
- Title
- Inventory of the Joseph Mark Correspondence, 1904-1912
- Status
- Minimal Record
- Author
- Minimally processed by: Sarah Meyer; finding aid created by: Sarah Meyer
- Date
- 2026
- Description rules
- Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
Special Collections
College of Charleston Libraries
66 George Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424
(843) 953-8016
(843) 953-6319 (Fax)