South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine
Pp 151-163
Unknown date
[Note that Edmund BRAILSFORD refers to Edward BRAILSFORD b 10 Apr 1684, son of Edward BRAILSFORD (1640-1730) & Mary.
[begin extract]
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN EDMUND BRAILSFORD AND HIS FATHER
[The following letters, written from Charles Town during the early years of the eighteenth century, furnish some insight into the times and give a little BRAILSFORD family history. The abstract of the will of Edmund BRAILSFORD, which was published in the fifth volume of this magazine, shows that he had, besides the son Edmund mentioned frequently in these letters, four sons, John, Joseph, Morton and Samuel. The will was made March 24, 1730, and probated April 21, 1733. These copies have been made from some very old copies in the possession of Mr. Morton Brailsford PAINE, of Charleston, who has kindly permitted them to be copied for use here.]
So Carolina [Date erased]
[But evidently about 1710, since his eldest son was about fifteen in 1727]
Hono Sir
I have ever had great desires, & have often wrot to you what might be called a Letter; but fearful of their being tiresome, have thrown them by contenting myself with acquainting you now & then by a [word missing] that I was Living. This has a Length produc’d a Line from you, which made heart rejoice when I cast my Eye on; but when I had read the contents, I could have wish’d I had Look’d on no more than your name. There are indeed the words Father & son, but the affliction is, that you should remember the relation I bear to you, & forget the Affection is due to it.
I think on my Disobedience in marrying against your consent, even while I am writing this: & put as much on that score as you will please to Lay: but as it is now so long since, & that you are never likely to see me again; I might I should think hope to have it remembred with Less Resentment.
I will not offend you so far as to say I do not deserve all this; but a tender heart (& such sure a parent’s is to his Child) cannot but with uneasiness to itself punish with severity. It will be always Looking for something to Excuse, & even where it cannot find it, melt into Pity, & forgive where their Judgment tells them it is a weakness so to do. I am speaking of that which of all things is nearest my heart; & you will not I hope be offended if with all humility I endeavour, to make my crime as Excusable as be.
You did not I believe deny your consent to my marriage for none other resons, than that you would not because you would not, Something you had been told: what I never knew: but that it may not be worse than I suppose, I will imagine it to be want of Fortune & character in the woman. The first I acknowledge the Truth of, ’thoh should I gainsay it, it would be difficult to convict me: for I have Liv’d in all good Credit, & under such Losses & Disappointments as you would slowly believe. True indeed it is not in such a Country as I have Left, nor in the Affluence my Brother & sisters may do, but if this be a crime, it may be as chargeable on your partiality as anything else. My wifes ffather its True do any thing for his children by way of Fortune, but in their Education, & it has so pleas’d God that they are in good circumstances without it. He was twice Reduc’d by Fire, & put again in the World by a near Relation, who afterwards needing a ffriend himself, his Gratitude in doing for him is the reason why he is not better able to do for his Children. And ’though poverty be a most scandalous Vice, yet there is not surely much Guilt in this.
To her character, as I do not know in what particular it suffers with you, so it is impossible for me to speak to it. This only that she has so well play’d the hypocrite, that to me it as well as if she was as good as she seems; & she has so put upon this Part of the World, that every lady thinks her good enough for me.
In the Letter was sent to my aunt & which she gave to you; it was I remember told to her: That my wifes uncle was a sharper of the Town, & that I should be ruin’d if I proceeded. Without saying whether he was so or not so; This uncle of hers is a man who married her mothers half sister & what too if he had been as Ignorant & malicious, as the person who penn’d that doughty Letter: would that effect her. But the occasion of my mentioning it id that I think such Barefac’d malice should bave so far made you to scruple the Truth of any Evil you had heard of her as to have Enquir’d into it which I know you could not have done but would have found it to have been false & I make no doubt but that she will at the Last day appear to the confusion of those who have done me & her this hurt. Now Sr : if what I have been Speaking to were your reasons (& none Less I think can be reasons for Parents are not causelessly to Fret their children) The Last as it was grounded on a mistake ceases to bo any: and for the first however it might seem to you heretofore it cannot surely be of any great weight with you now. For had I your consent in what Sr: could you have blam’d my marriage. Do but ask your heart (when it is Least against me) that Question & I dare abide by what it says.
The same Fact has not always the same Guilt; different circumstances may so alter it that it may be alike in nothing but the name. I have been Disobedient which nothing can justifie, but should hope it has as few accidents to aggravate it as a Crime of that nature will admit: none at Lest more than what a ffather’s affection might forgive: & was not your heart Estrang’d from me I [several words obliterated] would not only Listen to what I have said, but think on many things in my favour which it becomes not me to mention, for it is a a nice Thing to speak of oneself as dangerous to Implead a Father, & if this brings nothing to your mind I must speak more plain. All I shall say father is, That if you had been pleas’d to have forgiven me & I had been to you as your other Children I should ever have acknowledg’d it as of your Indulgence, but as it is I surely have some reason to Complain. I know not that in any thing else I ever offended you more than your other Children & to throw me away for one Transgression betrays a great willingness to part with me. It is however my duty still to sue to you for forgiveness which I do & with my prayers to almighty God for you am &c-
Under Cover of Mr Geo BRAILSFORD
Capt PENHALLOW.
So Carolina [Date destroyed]
[transcriber’s note, before 1726]
Honored Sir,
[First part torn] n after my arrival promising to be more particular in my next, which I am in some measure prevented in by having Lately been visited by a Fever, which tho I thank God am now perfectly recover’d from, yet it has so put me by in my Business, that cannot well spare any time from that. We had for the main a comfortable passage hither, but not without the Extremest danger of perishing by Tempest & falling into the hands of pirates. No words can discribe the rage of the winds & sea. The steers man was blown from the Helm, to the farther part of the ship, & the one sail we had out, went away as so much muslin. Every thing was in that disorder within, & fury without that all joyn’d in the Cry, We are Lost. The storm began about 2 Clock in the morning, & the most dreadful part was before day, for the heavens were without the Least glimmering of Light, but what it rec’d from frequent fflashes of Lightneing, which serv’d to shew its dismal hue; but nothing of Thunder could be heard for the greater one of wind & sea. We were (as the Psalmist describes it) carried up to the heavens & down again to the deep, our souls melted away because of the trouble: but God heard our cry, he deliver’d us out of our Distress, & in his own good time brought us unto thy Haven where we would be. From this time ’till we were near our port, nothing disturb’d us but our fears of the like, & pirates, & then overnight we saw a sail, wch the next morning was directly a head of us lying by for us. This alarm’d us again, & every thing was made ready for an Engagement, but to our comfort, we found the poor people instead of taking us, had 3 or 4 days before been taken by a pirate, which by their accot we saw at that time, but it being in the close of the evening, & at a grat distance, we judg’d he might not see us. What makes this the more probable is, that at that time the Corpse of a Fresh merder’d pass’d by us. This vessel was bound for Carolina, & came from England in the Month of June, as did another who arriv’d but a Week or 10 Days before us. Thus has it pleas’d almighty God, not only to preserve us in great danger, but to send us to our desired port in three Months less time than others. God grant that this his mercy may for ever be on our hearts. Ned was very sea sick for the greatest part of the voyage but Jack & Joe never. They have all had good health since their arrival, and are amongst those who are glad of their Return.
I find my Affairs in as bad a condition as they can well be, & the Trade so over done as that I cannot Encourage any one to send Goods to me; and what in this circumstance to do I don’t know father. Ned is at present with me helping towards getting in what I can. I have asked him why he does not write you & my aunt but I do not know Wherefore. I employ him to write this & he may add to it what he thinks fit. Mine & Childrens duty is to you, & my aunt, with all our thanks for our obligations to her. I can hardly expect to hear from your & her but I shall always desire it. I am
Honord Sir
Your ever Affectionate &
Dutiful Son
Edmd BRAILSFORD
London Febry 7th 1726/7
Dear Son
I don’t doubt but your Wife has given you an account of the death of your aunt & what she Left your son Edward & the Executors doth desire he may be sent to England & I do require the same upon my Blessing & if he should desire to return to you again I will give my consent to it, my Sister has left to your other 4 sons £50 each to be paid them after my death but for your good thinking it may be an advantage to you I am willing to let you have the £200 paid you as you shall direct me to pay it giving me a discharge for the same I desire Ted my see this Letter.
Your Affec: Father Ed: BRAILSFORD
Honord Sir
The 5th May I recd yours under cover of one from Mr ROUSE to Mr RHETT, acquainting me the decease of my Aunt BRAILSFORD, & the will of my Son’s guardians that he should return to England. In the first place, I do not think that any Bequest can convey a Title to any person to Supersede that propriety & Jurisdiction to Nature of the relation gives a parent in & over his child. And I am as far from thinking THE LOSING HIS TIME HERE, good reason for the so sending for him; because, whether he has Lost his time, or has not, is a matter utterly impossible to be known to those persons who make it an argument. But when Sr : you know, that he did Lose his time in England, & I know that all he does know is from me, it turns the argument for his continuing here. It is not therefore that I think the Executors have nay right to call him from me, or that I do so plainly as they see, that it will be for his Interest to returne, that I determine to send him, but (for Less reasons) to remove all occasion of thinking Evil, & to shew, that I dare have my Behaviour enquir’d into, of that very person on whose account it is arraign’d. Thus far Sr:, to you as in concert with the Executors & I now turn to you as my ffather, beseeching you to hear me patiently & with an unprejudic’d mind: with supposals that I may have been unkindly us’d, & may not have merited those doubts & questionings of Comon honesty in me. And because we do not readily part with an opinion once receiv’d, I must prevail with you to lay this aside, ’till you can in some measure bring your self so to do.