Thursday, April 9 – Sunday, April 12
A Celebration of the Cultural Contributions of the Huguenots and their Descendants
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2026
Thursday, April 9
Members are free. Please “add to cart” if you plan to attend to help with the event planning. If you plan to bring a guest, add 2 to cart. This helps us plan food, beverages and seating.
Guests are $50/each. Guest payment will be accepted at the door as cash, check or charge.
THURSDAY, APRIL 9
4:00pm – 6:30pm
CHARLES TOWNE LANDING
1500 Old Towne Rd, Charleston, SC 29407
Following the business portion from 4:00pm - 4:15pm, the program will feature special guest speaker Dana Dorman, Archivist, The Library Company of Philadelphia who will present the history of the library and its importance to the early colony.
The Library Company of Philadelphia was founded in 1731 and is the oldest subscription library in the United States. Huguenot immigrant Louis Timothée served as the first salaried librarian for Benjamin Franklin and his Junto. Later Timothée would move to Charleston where he would assume responsibility of the South-Carolina Gazette for Franklin. Louis’ son, Peter, would later become one of the founders of the Charleston Library Society, the third oldest subscription library. Ms. Dorman will provide a talk on the Library Company and its first librarian.
The Library Company hired Louis Timothée in November 1732. When Timothée left for Charleston the following year to become a printing partner of Benjamin Franklin, Franklin himself took over as Librarian. Members and their guests will enjoy learning of the direct connection of the Timothée family to the library and the further connection to the Charleston Library Society. This history then ties into the Society’s Revolutionary Huguenots 250 program. It is a fascinating beginning to the Society’s enhanced celebration of America250 that will continue to the remainder of the year.
Ms. Dorman joined the Library Company in 2021. In addition to serving as Development and Special Projects Manager, Dana is Archivist for the grant-funded Library Company of Philadelphia Papers Project, which focuses on the processing and digitization of the Library Company’s first 150 years of history. Ms. Dorman has more than 25 years of public history, nonprofit management, and fundraising experience, including as Archivist at the Historical Society of Haddonfield and as Project Archivist, Researcher, and Digital History Project Manager at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. A Certified Archivist, she earned a M.A. in public history from Temple University and a B.A. in anthropology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Reception to follow immediately after the talk and all are encouraged to attend and enjoy the fellowship.
Dinner on your own.
Friday, April 10
Friday, April 10
8:30am - 9:45am
Tour Begins at The French Protestant (Huguenot) Church, 138 Church Street, and ends at The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon.
In Charleston, walking tours are limited to 20 persons per tour. This tour is offered at three different times over two days to accommodate as many guests as possible.
NEW TOUR CELEBRATES REVOLUTIONARY HUGUENOTS 250!
This is an updated version of the walking tour researched to feature several colonial residents of Charles Towne who were of Huguenot descent and contributed greatly to the fight for Independence. Join us as we take a journey to 1770s Charles Towne through the eyes of the Huguenot descendants. Our resident guide, Abbey Markiewicz, will share captivating stories of the heroes who made their mark on history right here in the Lowcountry. The tour will explore Revolutionary War figures such as Francis Marion, Peter Timothy, Alice DeLancey Izard, Samuel Bacot, Peter Bocquet, Dr. Peter Fayssoux, Daniel DeSaussure, Benjamin Guerard, Peter Leger, Daniel Huger, Henry Peronneau, and Jonathan Sarrazin. Learn how these men and women fought for American Independence. We hope you're ready for a riot!
Abbey Markiewicz
Abbey is a member of the Society and its Registrar. Abbey has also been a licensed tour guide in Charleston for several years. She has worked with our historians to craft a special tour in celebration of America250 and our Revolutionary Huguenots.
FRIDAY, APRIL 10
10:00am - 11:15am
The South Carolina Historical Society
100 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29401
The South Carolina Historical Society will provide a private tour of the recently updated galleries devoted to the 250th as well as curated Huguenot items as part of our Revolutionary Huguenots 250 celebration. If you have previously attended this event, return for this exhibit to appreciate the newly selected archives on display.
“The exhibition commemorates the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Featuring original manuscripts from the Historical Society’s collection and generous loans of fascinating artifacts from sister institutions across the state, the exhibition highlights the roles of all South Carolinians in the struggle for American independence.” SCHS
“On June 26,1775, the South Carolina Council of Safety approved the designs and denominations of the currency that would be used in South Carolina. Now that they were in the process of separating themselves from Great Britain, they needed their own form of money. This task fell to the Council because it would have been used to pay for military expenses. The council set the design and the motto printed on each denomination.” SCHS
FRIDAY, APRIL 10
11:30am - 12:30pm
The Gibbes Museum of Art
135 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29401
For generations the museum’s collection of miniatures has been an important part of the preservation of Huguenot history in Charleston and the United States. This exhibit features miniatures of notable Huguenots and descendants in colonial Charleston hosted by a museum curator. Joining the program will be Renée Marshall of The Huguenot Society of South Carolina who will provide insight into the people and families represented in miniatures. On display will be miniatures that are not part of the permanent installation - don’t miss this opportunity to study a rarely displayed portion of our shared history.
IMAGE: “Peter Bounetheau was the son of John Bounetheau, who fled to Charleston in 1685 from La Rochelle, France, after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Peter served as justice of the peace in Charleston in 1776 and was commissioned a lieutenant in the Ancient Battalion of Artillery. He was appointed postmaster of Charleston by Benjamin Franklin in May 1777. In 1780 he was taken prisoner on the "Torbay." The year of his death he was elected mayor of Charleston.” The Gibbes Museum of Art
Importance of Gibbes Miniature Collection
The first American miniature portraits were painted in Charleston, and today the Gibbes is home to one of the most prestigious portrait miniature collections in the United States. Containing more than 600 items, the collection spans nearly two hundred years and represents the work of over a hundred artists. It includes works by major American easel painters such as John Trumbull, Henry Benbridge, Charles Willson Peale, and Thomas Sully, as well as an exceptional inventory of works by notable miniature portrait specialists such as Mary Roberts, Edward Greene Malbone, and Charles Fraser. The Gibbes collection also contains important examples of American sitters painted abroad by British miniaturists such as John Smart and George Engleheart, and at home by significant French émigrés including Pierre Henri and Louis Antoine Collas who came to the United States for patronage.
FRIDAY, APRIL 10
1:45pm - 3:00pm
The Charleston Library Society
164 King Street
Charleston, SC 29401
The Charleston Library Society was founded June 13, 1748, and among its founders were several Huguenot descendants: Paul Douxsaint, John Neufville Jr., and Peter Timothy. This exhibit will present printed works associated with the Timothy family as well as letters by Francis Marion and Andrew Pickens. Members who are able to attend the Anniversary Meeting will have had a preview of Louis Timothée who served as the first salaried librarian in Philadelphia and his son, Peter Timothy, a founder of the CLS, the third subscription library in the colonies. There will be much to share and enjoy at this exhibit.
“An Essay on Currency
Printed and Sold by Lewis Timothy, in Church Street, 1734"
Charleston Library Society
FRIDAY, APRIL 10
3:00pm - 6:00pm
72 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29401
Step inside this beautiful neoclassical building, home to the South Carolina Society, founded predominantly by French Protestants (Huguenots) in 1736. Renée Marshall, Director of Genealogy and Research with The Huguenot Society of South Carolina, will discuss the origins of the charitable society and its progression through the American Revolution. Come hear the story of the French Protestant founders and their devotion to providing relief funds for fellow refugees. Poor children were clothed and educated by their bounty and widows and their children were maintained. Their Calvinist beliefs originating in France were exemplified by the generous actions of the Society.
Renée Marshall
Renée Marshall is the Director of Genealogy and Research for the Society and will be our speaker for this event.
FRIDAY, APRIL 10
12:30pm - 1:45pm
135 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29401
A quick lunch in downtown Charleston can be a challenge. For our guests who plan to attend events today, we have engaged JMC Events to curate a delicious bistro styled boxed lunch with beverage to be offered for pick up near the Gibbes Museum of Art. You may then walk a few steps into the new American Gardens, a public green space where history, nature, and community converge. Or, take a short walk over to Washington Square Park and enjoy the benches under the large grand oaks.
The lunch includes: Oven-roasted turkey and whipped pimento cheese on potato roll, fresh seasonal fruit skewers, marinated black-eyed pea salad, kettle style chips, ginger cookie, and box with napkin and cutlery. Beverage offerings include sweetened and unsweetened tea, lemonade, and a bottled spring water.
Dinner on your own.
Saturday, April 11
Saturday, April 11
8:30am-9:45am
Tour Begins at The French Protestant (Huguenot) Church, 138 Church Street, and ends at The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon.
Capacity 20 persons per tour
NEW TOUR CELEBRATES REVOLUTIONARY HUGUENOTS 250!
This is an updated version of the walking tour researched to feature several colonial residents of Charles Towne who were of Huguenot descent and contributed greatly to the fight for Independence. Join us as we take a journey to 1770s Charles Towne through the eyes of the Huguenot descendants. Our resident guide, Abbey Markiewicz, will share captivating stories of the heroes who made their mark on history right here in the Lowcountry. The tour will explore Revolutionary War figures such as Francis Marion, Peter Timothy, Alice DeLancey Izard, Samuel Bacot, Peter Bocquet, Dr. Peter Fayssoux, Daniel DeSaussure, Benjamin Guerard, Peter Leger, Daniel Huger, Henry Peronneau, and Jonathan Sarrazin. Learn how these men and women fought for American Independence. We hope you're ready for a riot!
Saturday, April 11
10:30am-11:45am
Tour Begins at The French Protestant (Huguenot) Church, 138 Church Street, and ends at The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon.
Capacity 20 persons per tour
NEW TOUR CELEBRATES REVOLUTIONARY HUGUENOTS 250!
This is an updated version of the walking tour researched to feature several colonial residents of Charles Towne who were of Huguenot descent and contributed greatly to the fight for Independence. Join us as we take a journey to 1770s Charles Towne through the eyes of the Huguenot descendants. Our resident guide, Abbey Markiewicz, will tell captivating stories of the heroes who made their mark on history right here in the Lowcountry. The tour will explore Revolutionary War figures such as Francis Marion, Peter Timothy, Alice DeLancey Izard, Samuel Bacot, Peter Bocquet, Dr. Peter Fayssoux, Daniel DeSaussure, Benjamin Guerard, Peter Leger, Daniel Huger, Henry Peronneau, and Jonathan Sarrazin. Learn how these men and women fought for American Independence. We hope you're ready for a riot!
The Charleston Museum
Guests are encouraged to allow plenty of time to enjoy the exhibition at The Charleston Museum, Ringleaders of Rebellion.
Commemorating the Semiquincentennial of the American Revolution, alongside America250 and SouthCarolina250, the Museum is thrilled to put on this exhibition showcasing objects from the earliest days of our nation’s history.
Founded in 1773 and commonly regarded as “America’s First Museum,” the Museum was established by the Charleston Library Society on the eve of the American Revolution.
The exhibition will include: the Robe à la Française Gown, c. 1770 that most likely belonged to Elizabeth Peronneau Lightwood (1748-1826), granddaughter of Henri Peronneau and Desire; and, a South Carolina Currency Note, c. 1776-1789, printed by Peter Timothy, son of Louis Timothée and Elizabeth Vilain.
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
360 Meeting Street
General Admission
Pay upon entry to the Museum.
Members of the Museum are Free.
Saturday, April 11
4:00pm-6:00pm
The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon
122 East Bay Street
Charleston, SC 29401
During the Revolution, numerous Huguenot descendants were imprisoned in the provost. Join us as we examine the experiences of American prisoners of war held by the British in the Southern theater of the American Revolution and our Huguenot descendant connections. Guest speaker Carl P. Borick, Director of The Charleston Museum, will be joined by Cheves Leland, Historian with The Huguenot Society of South Carolina. Book signing to follow.
“Completed in 1771, the Old Exchange Building is a Charleston landmark and the site of some of the most important events in South Carolina history. Over the last two and a half centuries, the building has been a commercial exchange, custom house, post office, city hall, military headquarters, and museum. The Old Exchange Building is today held in a public charitable trust by the South Carolina State Society and the Rebecca Motte Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It is governed by the Old Exchange Building Commission and managed by the City of Charleston.
Designed by William Rigby Naylor and built by John & Peter Horlbeck, this Georgian-Palladian style Exchange and Custom House is one of South Carolina’s most historic buildings! Built over the old Palace of Arms, which was built over the Half Moon Battery on Charleston’s original wall, the Exchange opened its doors in 1771, meant to protect British interests, including the slave trade, but history had different ideas for it.” OEPD
Some Huguenot descended connections to the building… George Washington was entertained here during his southern tour, there is a portrait of Gen. Francis Marion on the second floor in the Isaac Hayne room, and the Rebecca Motte Chapter room on the first floor hosts a portrait of Mrs. Motte.
Carl P. Borick
Mr. Borick is the author of A Gallant Defense: The Siege of Charleston, 1780 (2003) and Relieve Us of This Burthen: American Prisoners of War in the Revolutionary South, 1780-1782 (2012). His most recent book, Backcountry Resistance: South Carolina's Militia and the Fight for American Independence, will be available in March 2026.
Cheves Leland
Harriott Cheves Leland is a lifelong educator and the resident Historian for the Huguenot Society of South Carolina. After retiring from her career teaching French, she joined the Society staff and has 26 years’ experience in research and documentation of Huguenot history, especially as it pertains to the French Protestant refugees and immigrants who came to this country. She co-edited and co-published Proprietary Records of South Carolina, Volumes I, II, III; French Santee, a Huguenot Settlement in Colonial South Carolina, First and Second Editions; and co-authored Footprints: The Journey to America. Ms. Leland provides lectures and writes for the Society’s journal, Transactions, and its Blog. She is a frequent guest on the Society’s podcast, Les Réfugiés.
Sunday, April 12
Annual French Service at the French Protestant (Huguenot) Church
All are invited to attend the annual French service in memory of the promulgation of the Edict of Nantes.
10:30 am
The French Protestant (Huguenot) Church
136 Church Street
Charleston, SC 29401
Collation after the Service
44 Queen Street
