Letters of Isaac Fulkerson to his sister Kate, brother Sam, and mother describe life and events in Charleston. Letter, 1 Feb. 1853, comments on the city's bustling social season, "This is quite a lively week in Charleston and all seem to be devoting it to amusements, the races that come off tomorrow has drawn a great many sporting characters here from all parts of the Union. And then the musical portion of the people are quite carried away with the celebrated violinist Ole Bull who is playing here this week." Letter, 1 July 1854, in which Fulkerson writes from New York noting that he had accepted a position in Charleston and planned to return there shortly and commenting on his fondness for New York, particularly West Point and Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. Letter, 28 Jan. 1855 from Charleston describes attempts to drill a city well for new municipal water supply, "Our City authorities after boring over 1200 feet have found water but it is mineral water and cannot be used for common purposes... It is quite a curiosity, to the Charlestonians... to see the... water rising from a plain to the height of twenty feet... the warmth of the water... raises the thermometer to 90 degrees." Letter, 6 Mar. 1855, re politics and his employment, "Politics are at a stand with us except a few thrusts at 'Old Bullion' [i.e. Thomas Hart Benton] for something he said about J[ohn] C. Calhoun. The war in Europe and the Know nothings also attar[c]t some attention" and reporting that the bookseller for whom he worked planned to quit the business after the first of July, "Our spring trade has been very light, and not a few merchants who have come down to buy goods have been put in Jail for old debts"; letter, 21 June 1855, notes that he had accepted employment in the sales department of the "Methodist publication society." Letter, 10 Jan. 1859, of Isaac Fulkerson, Charleston, S.C., to "Dear Sam" reports on his anticipated removal from South Carolina. "I have given notice here of my intention to quit, and Mr. Fanning has now gone to New York, and will see about a place there for me. I have not determined what I shall do but think I will certainly leave Charleston after the first of June. If Mr. F. gets me a good situation in New York I will go there, if not I will go to Texas or some place and go into business for myself.... I have some money and there is a man here who wishes me to do this and he will furnish the balance of capital needed. I dislike very much to leave here after living here so long and establishing as I think I have done a character for honesty & integrity. But the trade I have been selling has mostly left, and I do not see that there is ground for the hope that the yellow fever will ever quit the place and I should not like to make a permanent home at any place subject to the fever."
