Ross Family
2
Fairfield
Dist., SC > Perry Co., AL > DeSoto Par., LA
Page Updated
24 Nov 2009
James Whitaker Ross, oldest son of Abner Ross and Mary "Polly" Whitaker, was born 4 Jan 1804 in Fairfield Dist., SC, died in Perry Co., AL, 6 Apr 1848, as inscribed on his tombstone in Ocmulgee Baptist Church Cemetery, Perry Co. He left a grieving widow, Sarah E. J. ROCHELLE Ross, born 1810 in Fairfield Dist.; sons John Alfred was 6, Anderson J. was 10, William E. was 11; James R. was 13, and daughter Mary was 15. James, Will, and Mary were born in South Carolina; Anderson and John A. were born in Alabama.
James W. Ross, his wife Sarah E. J. Rochelle, her sister Mary Rochelle Bryant, the girls' parents Anderson Rochelle and wife Nancy "Ann" Harrison moved to Perry Co., AL, from Fairfield Co., SC where all were born. They joined Ocmulgee Baptist Church in the S.E. corner of Perry Co., near the Dallas Co. line.
Anderson Rochelle died 1842, his wife Nancy died 1846, and James W. Ross died 1848, all leaving wills in Perry Co. In the 1850 census Sarah and her widowed sister Mary Rochelle Bryant lived in a the same house on Oak Grove Beat, each owning about 50 slaves enumerated separately. The family were wealthy planters (see Fairfield Co. SC Wills and Sketchbook, Perry Co., AL pages).
JAMES WHITAKER ROSS's oldest brother, OSMOND ROSS, was born 12 Dec 1794 and died 30 Sep 1820 in Columbia, SC -- a young man who owned a horseman's sword, left by his father Abner in his will to oldest son James W.
Their oldest sister, HARRIOT ROSS, was born 22 Nov 1796 in Camden Dist., SC, and died 21 Nov 1832. She married Thomas T. Robertson, 13 Feb 1817 in SC. He was born abt 1791 in SC. Her father ABNER ROSS give them a Gift Deed on 1823, recorded in Fairfield Co. Book EE, p. 117.
Children of Harriot Ross and Thomas T. Robertson were:
i. William Ross
Robertson was born 01 Dec 1818 in SC, and died 06 May 1885 in
SC.
ii. Nancy Hawley Robertson was born abt 1822? in SC.
iii. Martha Catherine Robertson was born 1825 in SC.
ii. Nancy Hawley Robertson was born abt 1822? in SC.
iii. Martha Catherine Robertson was born 1825 in SC.
Next were two brothers, DAVID FELIX ROSS, born 1799, died 1800; and DAVID FELIX ROSS, born 1801, died 1805, doubtless named for Abner's father David Ross.
Next was their sister MOLSEY C. ROSS, born 9 Aug 1798 in Fairfield Co. She married Robert W. Durham 9 Apr 1816, Fairfield Co. He was the son of Capt. Charnel Hightower and Nancy Winfield Eckles. MOLSEY moved to DeSoto Parish, LA, with her eleven children and grandchildren after the death of her husband, Robert Winfield Durham, Sr., 13 Dec 1852 in Fairfield Co.
In 1860 she was taxed for 26 slaves; others on list with 10 or more slaves were her sons J. F. Durham 10, O. L. Durham 23, C. H. Durham 10. They were listed as follows on the 1860 DeSoto Par. Census:
p. 868, 309-329,
Durham, J. F., 30 farmer $4000 $10
$800 SC
" J. T., 25 matron SC
" Ruth, 6 SC
" Matilda, 4 SC
" Malisa. 3 SC
" Frank, 1 LA
p. 888, hh 456-478
Durham, O. L., 43 planter $4000 - $16,500 SC
" Martha J., 41 matron SC
" Robt. H. , 17 SC
" Malisa C., 15 SC
" Mary E., 13 SC
" Emily E., 8 LA
hh 457
Durham, M. E., 60 planting SC
" Wm. T., 25 SC
" Harriet E., 23 SC
[Molesey Ross Durham, 60, and Osmond L. and John Franklin her
sons]
p. 868, 309-329,Durham, J. F., 30 farmer $4000 $10
$800 SC
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Molsey died 17 Feb 1875 in DeSoto Par., burial in Hazelwood Ceme. Her and Robert W. Durham's children were:
i. Osmond L. Durham was
born 23 Apr 1817 in SC, and died 05 Apr 1908 in LA.
ii. Charnel Hightower Durham was born 27 Dec 1818 in SC, and died
16 Dec 1882 in LA.
iii. Martha J. Durham was born 18 Jun 1819 in SC, and died 05
Sep 1880 in LA.
iv. Joel Ross Durham was born 1822-1823 in SC.
v. Abner Ross Durham was born abt 1824? in SC, and died 10 Jun
1847 in Mexico.
vi. Robert Winfield Durham Jr. was born abt 1826? in SC, and died
aft 1846? in Mexico.
vii. John Franklin Durham Sr. was born 17 Dec 1829 in SC, and
died 15 Nov 1918 in Mansfield, LA.
viii. William S. Durham was born abt 1832 in SC, and died Jul
1862 in Malvern Hill Battlefield, VA. ix. Elizabeth Durham was
born abt 1832.
x. Mary Eliza Whitaker Durham was born 02 Jan 1833 in SC, and
died 22 Jan 1917 in Beaumont, TX.
xi. Emma H. Durham was born 1836 in SC. She married William Ball.
He was born abt 1835?
Robert Winnfield Jones, Jr., driver (Great-grandson
of Molesey C. Ross & Robert Durham), with wife Clarissa Bates,
probably in DeSoto Par., LA, 1920s. Two other men may be Durhams.
Winfield served in World War I - 2nd cousin once removed of William
Alfred Ross.
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Molsey and James Whitaker Ross's younger brothers, JOHN ALFRED ROSS and WILLIAM E. ROSS, were twins born 20 Jun 1806 in Fairfield Co. On 23 May 1837, they lent money to John Canty, a neighbor allied to the family by marriage, and he signed the following mortgage:
Mortgage, agreed to lend
me their notes to the amount of $6000 in the Branch of the Bank
of the State of South Carolina at Camden, which notes I have
promised to pay or cause to be paid, as they shall become due
in Bank, and whereas to secure the said JOHN A. ROSS & WILLIAM
E. ROSS, I have this day executed a Note payable to them or to
their order, Sixty days after date for Six Thousand Dollars,
the Amount of the Notes which they are to lend me as afsd. &
to secure the payment of said Note & hereby to indemnity
and make them safe against all and every liability . . . I JAMES
W. CANTEY . . . Plantation or tract of land commonly called the
Porter Place containing 400 acres . . . on Little Lyche's Creek,
Kershaw Dist, and also that house plot situated . . . on Hog
Kirk Hill in Kershaw Dist. . .
[Kershaw Co. Deeds]
Mortgage, agreed to lend
me their notes to the amount of $6000 in the Branch of the Bank
of the State of South Carolina at Camden, which notes I have
promised to pay or cause to be paid, as they shall become due
in Bank, and whereas to secure the said JOHN A. ROSS & WILLIAM
E. ROSS, I have this day executed a Note payable to them or to
their order, Sixty days after date for Six Thousand Dollars,
the Amount of the Notes which they are to lend me as afsd. &
to secure the payment of said Note & hereby to indemnity
and make them safe against all and every liability . . . I JAMES
W. CANTEY . . . Plantation or tract of land commonly called the
Porter Place containing 400 acres . . . on Little Lyche's Creek,
Kershaw Dist, and also that house plot situated . . . on Hog
Kirk Hill in Kershaw Dist. . .
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WILLIAM E. ROSS served in the Seminole War; was mustered into service 17 Feb 1826 for three months, in Capt. D. Smith's Co. of SC mounted militia. [D. B. McCreight, The News Herald, 1867, in Fitz Hugh McMaster's HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, 1946.]
William was still in Fairfield Co. when the census was taken 16 Nov 1850: enumerated as W. E. Ross, 45, planter $1900, born Fairfield Co., SC -- he lived alone, between Jacob Davis family and Elizabeth Tidwell family.
The other sons of ABNER ROSS having left the state, on 11 Jan 1837 William E. Ross filed a Power of Attorney from his brother JAMES W. ROSS, executor of Abner's estate, witnessed by their brother-in-law Thomas Robertson [Note, the house sold to Goza is illustrated and described in Fairfield Co. Sketchbook, by Julian Stevenson Bolick, 1963 (out of print), printed Clinton, SC, by Jacobs Brothers, excerpted here, Sketchbook]:
James W. ROSS to John M. GOZA DEED.
I James W. ROSS of the State of Alabama, Perry County by my attorney
William E. ROSS of Fairfield District SC in consideration of
the sum of Two Thousand five hundred Dollars to me paid by John
M. GOZA of Fairfield District . . . sell and release all that
plantation or tract of land containing Six hundred & seventy
eight and one quarter acres on the waters of Thorn Tree Creek
one of the branches of Wateree River and bounded by the lands
of Thomas ROBERTSON and John HARRISON and lands belonging to
the estate of Drury WALKER . . . on the North and North East
on the the East by lands of John HARRISON & by purchased
as the property of Thomas I. STARKE at a Sheriff sale and on
the South by lands of Osmund WOODWARD and on the West by lands
of Jacob SELLERS & lands belonging to the estate of Drury
WALKER deceased . . . convey unto the said John M. GOZA . . .
witness my hand and seal this Eleventh day of January in the
Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty seven and
in the seventy-first year of the independence of the United States
of America. Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of
Isaac DAVID } James W. ROSS
Thomas ROBERTSON } By his attorney Wm. E. ROSS
The State of South Carolina,
Fairfield District, Personally appeared before me Thomas ROBERTSON
and made oath that he saw James W. ROSS by his attorney William
E. ROSS sign seal and deliver the above conveyance . . . and
that he with Jacob DAVIS in the presence of each . . . Sworn
before me the first day of March 1847
Thos. ROBERTSON
A. WILKINSON, CC
Large Plat Map follows
To Mr. GOZA
South Carolina, Fairfield District at the request of James ROSS
Exr. of the Estate of Abner ROSS decd I have resurveyed and admeasured
for him a tract of land containing Six hundred and seventy-eight
Acres situate on head branches of Thorn Pine and Cykes Creeks
waters of Wateree river also on one of the small branches of
Dutchmans Creek waters of the same river marks boundaries &c
as by the above total represents this 12th April 1831. M. A.
LIGGO Surv.
Marks on plat:
A represents part of a tract originally granted to Abner ROSS
July 6th 1807
E represents . . . Reuben HARRISON
[the writing is very faded]
James W. ROSS to John M. GOZA DEED.
I James W. ROSS of the State of Alabama, Perry County by my attorney
William E. ROSS of Fairfield District SC in consideration of
the sum of Two Thousand five hundred Dollars to me paid by John
M. GOZA of Fairfield District . . . sell and release all that
plantation or tract of land containing Six hundred & seventy
eight and one quarter acres on the waters of Thorn Tree Creek
one of the branches of Wateree River and bounded by the lands
of Thomas ROBERTSON and John HARRISON and lands belonging to
the estate of Drury WALKER . . . on the North and North East
on the the East by lands of John HARRISON & by purchased
as the property of Thomas I. STARKE at a Sheriff sale and on
the South by lands of Osmund WOODWARD and on the West by lands
of Jacob SELLERS & lands belonging to the estate of Drury
WALKER deceased . . . convey unto the said John M. GOZA . . .
witness my hand and seal this Eleventh day of January in the
Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty seven and
in the seventy-first year of the independence of the United States
of America. Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of
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We do not know when William E. Ross died.
His twin brother, JOHN ALFRED ROSS (1806-1865), married MARY HOWELL HART GOODWYN in 1839, Fairfield Co. She was born 1816 in Richland Dist., SC, dau. of Jesse Howell Goodwyn & Sarah T. Hopkins, and died Keatchie, DeSoto Par., LA. They followed John's brother JAMES WHITAKER ROSS to Perry Co., AL, or nearby Dallas Co., by 1846, for they had two little boys who died there in that year at ages one and four and were buried in Ocmulgee Baptist Church Ceme. near James and his father- and mother-in-law and his wife's brother-in-law, Thomas Bryant. John A. Ross and his wife Mary Goodwyn were buried in Old Hazelwood Ceme., De Soto Par., LA.
Apparently John and Mary went back to SC for a while, since their daughter Mary V. Ross was born there, according to the 1860 census.
In 1850 they went to Mississippi; in 1849, to Gloster, DeSoto Par., LA, where their last four (of nine) children were born; and in 1858 to Keatchie, DeSoto Par. In the 1860 DeSoto Par. census they were enumerated on the same p. 388 as his sister Molsey, as John A. Ross 54 planter b. SC, Mary G. 44 matron SC, Jessee G. 20 SC, Sarah H. 16 SC, Mary V. 12 SC, Jno. C. 10 LA, Carrie 8 LA, James H. 6 LA.
John died 20 Oct 1865 in Keatchie. He and his wife Mary Goodwyn were buried in Old Hazelwood Cemetery, De Soto, Par., LA:
Photos courtesy of Angela Wilburn
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They had Nine Children:
1. Jesse Goodwin Ross, b. ca 1840
2. William Abner Ross, b. 8 Mar
1842, d. 6 Sep 1846, bur. Ocmulgee Church, Perry Co., AL
3. Osmund Alfred Ross, b. 26 Jan
1845, d. 8 Sep 1846, bur. Ocmulgee Church, Perry Co., AL
4. Sarah H. Ross, b. ca 1847
5. Mary V. Ross, b. ca 1848
6. John C. Ross, b. ca 1850
7. Caroline Ross, b. ca 1852
8. Carrie Ross, b. ca 1852 (twins?)
9. James Washington Ross, b. 13
Jan 1854 LA, d. 15 May 1929 TX, or Nov 1856 in Union Par., LA. He moved
from DeSoto Par., LA to Tyler Co., TX, and then to San Augustine,
TX. He married 1st Clara Yates and had 2 children. He married
2nd Sarah Jane Jordan and had 9 more children.
Photos Courtesy
of Lavelle Bean
James Washington
Ross (b. 1854 LA, d. 1929 TX). He immigrated to Tyler Co., TX,
then to San Augustine.
James Washington Ross md. 1st
Sarah Jordan, had 9 children, md. 2nd Clara Yates, had 2 more
children
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Ola Mae Ross
Penn (1914-1971), daughter of James Washington, Jr., and Family
Group probably Rosses and Hopsons
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The will of JAMES W. ROSS was written in December 1847, only eighteen months after his mother-in-law's, and recorded May 23, 1848.
JAS. W. ROSS'S
WILL
The State of Alabama }
Perry County } I, James W. Ross of the county and State aforesaid
being week in body and mindful of death but of sound and discerning
mind & memory do make Ordain declare and publish this my
last will & testament . . .
1st I commend my spirit
to God who gave it So So
Secondly, I will and bequeath
to my beloved wife Sarah E. J. Ross after all of my just debts
are paid for her Sole & Separate use during her natural life
one third of my estate both real and personal by lot & choice
And at her death I will and bequeath to my children then living
heirs of her body their decd mother's Share of said estate to
be equally divided, with all increase which may arise from births.
Thirdly, I will and bequeath
to my beloved children then living at my decease the other two
thirds of my estate, after all of my just debts are paid, both
real and personal to be divided into as many lots as there are
children & as soon as either of them ___ to the age of twenty-one
or marries, I wish the lot then allotted to him or her to be
placed into his or her charge, & so on as they become of
age or marry.
Fourthly, I will and bequeath
to my beloved daughter Mary her lot of my estate both real and
personal for her Sole and Separate use during her natural life
only and at the death I give and bequeath to her children heirs
of her body their decd. mother's share for ever, but Should She
die without leaving a living offspring, it is my express wish
that the lot willed to her be equally divided between the remaining
brothers and Sisters.
Fifthly, I wish for my
children to be kept at School at the expense of my estate. Should
their education not be completed before my decease, provided
it can be done without interfearing too much in the payment of
Just debts and So long as there are assets in hand and some of
the children not completed their education, I wish that the profits
& the then remaining lots to be applied for the completion
of their education and Support so far as is necessary.
Sixthly any other property
that I may have from profitts and increase from the above mentioned
property or any other source whatsoever, I will and bequeath
to my beloved wife Sarah E. J. Ross & my beloved children
in the same manner and form before mentioned.
Seventhly, I will and
bequeath to my beloved wife Sarah E. Ross all of my household
and kitchen furnature of all kinds for her sole and separate
use during life and at her death it is my express wish for said
furnature to be equally divided between the then surviviing children
of mine.
Eighthly, should my hereinafter
named Executrix and Executors deem it necessary or profitable
to sell any ___ or surplus property which might be on hand, I
wish it to be Sold and the proceeds applied to the payment of
any debt which might be against my estate . . .
Ninthly, for the purpose
of carrying out and executing this my last will & testament,
I appoint my beloved wife Sarah E. J. Ross my executrix &
my worthy and trusty friend Elias George and my beloved brothers
John A. & William E. Ross to be my executors and desire of
them after my just debts are paid to make a division of lot as
above stated . . . Set my hand and Seal this 8th day of December
one thousand eight hundred and forty seven, And in the seventy-second
year of American Independence. Signed & Sealed published
and declared in the presence of W. A. Tarrant, J. V. Perry
James L. McDonnell JAMES W. ROSS Seal
A codicil to my last will
& testament.
First, I will and bequeath to my beloved wife Sarah E. J. Ross
for her Sole & Separate use during her natural life my carriage
and a pair of her choice and at her death I will and bequeath
to my beloved daughter Mary the carriage & horses for ever.
Second, Should I not be
removed from this State to Louisiana or any other State in the
union before my decease & my beloved wife & children
should be desirous of moving to any state & by the consent
of the executors they have a right to do so through this my last
Will & testament & take with them any property that may
be in possession my executors have been chosen in the above will
and I desire of them to attend to this. In testimony whereof
I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 8th day of December
one thousand eight hundred & forty seven . . . JAMES W. ROSS
Recorded 23rd May 1848
Jno. Cunningham, Register
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Though he did not name all his children, they were enumerated in Sarah's 1850 census, and in guardianship papers related to his estate.
James W. Ross was buried in Ocmulgee Baptist Church Cemetery (still active since 1820), southeast Perry County, Alabama, beside his mother- and father-in-law Mrs. Ann Rochelle and Anderson Rochelle, and Thomas G. Bryant, his wife's brother-in-law. Mrs. Ann Rochelle's maiden name was Nancy Ann Harrison and she was the daughter of Reuben Harrison and his 1st Sarah Burge of Fairfield County.
In his will, James W. Ross named as executors his wife Sarah, his brothers John Alfred and William E. Ross, and his trusty friend Elias George. He gave permission, if he had not removed to the State of Louisiana at the time of his death, for his widow and children to do so -- so apparently they had planned to go with a large contingent of Perry County Alabamans to Union Par., LA.
James W. Ross's "trusty friend" Elias George, a Missionary Baptist minister and plantation owner, moved there in 1848. After James's death, his widow Sarah E. J. Rochelle Ross md. widower Elias George, whose daughter Louisa George described their home in Alabama and their move to Louisiana:
(excerpts
used by permission of members of George family -- full text at:
Memoirs of Louisa
George Tompkins: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/al/perry/bios/tompkins.txt)
I
was born on a farm near Hamburg, Perry County, Alabama, in 1842.
Elias George and mother, Ann Bass George, were the parents of
nine children -- four sons and five daughters, of whom I was
third from the youngest. All lived to maturity, married and raised
families, except one brother, "Jeffy," two years my
senior, who at the age of eight years was thrown from a runaway
horse.
My parents were missionary Baptists,
and we were early taught to reverence the name of Jesus, respect
the Sabbath day, be kind and charitable to the poor, to servants,
and to animals. There was family worship every night before retiring,
and my mother would have the servants come in and to join us
at such times. We were a happy family because children and servants
were taught obedience to those who ruled them. We loved our servants
and they loved us.
My father, being a slaveholder, had
a large plantation on which many supplies for home consumption
were raised, such as corn, cotton, potatoes, barley, and peas.
The home was a large, rambling two-storied building, and each
of the various rooms had a fireplace. But the room that charmed
me most was the nursery -- a large room with windows facing southward,
overlooking the pasture, and in the springtime there was much
interest in the horses and the little lambs as they chased each
other and gamboled in the field.
Our black mammy Chloe, was installed
as guardian and caretaker of the nursery. Its inmates included
three children, from one to five years old and two nurse girls,
Mariah and Harriet, who were ten and eleven years old. The girls,
under the supervision of mammy Chloe, would see to our bathing,
dressing, and feeding. When the weather permitted, we were kept
out doors in the sunshine and although the girls ran and played
with us, our black mammy was ever near and watchful that no harm
befell us.
It is difficult to make it understood
what love we had for Mammy and the girls. This attachment lasted
even to old age. Mammy died just a few years .. (original sheet
cut off).
I would not have one think that our precious mother neglected
her little children under these conditions and surroundings.
She had duties devolving upon her, which could not be done by
others. There were nine children to clothe and feed. While she
had servants who cooked, washed, ironed and sewed, she supervised
each department. There were no sewing machines nor ready-made
clothing. We were strangers to most of the conveniences in common
use today. Even soap and candles were made at the plantation.
My father raised everything possible at home and a yearly trip
to New Orleans resulted in the equivalent of a carload of provisions,
dress goods from England or New England and many other things
needed for the plantation. Oranges, apples, dried fruits, and
candy were bought by the barrel.
How well do I remember the picturesque
surroundings of our home. There was a long sloping hill to the
rear of the house, at the foot of which was a cold, gushing spring,
and directed channels went forth to the house lot, chicken yard,
and other needed places. A milk house was built over this spring,
the floor of which was laid of large, flat rocks, so arranged
that the stream was conducted over a channel two or three inches
lower than the floor and wide enough to hold several pans of
milk and butter. Our home was surrounded with mockingbirds, swamp
sparrows, field larks, whip-poor-wills, blue jays, and cardinals.
They were never disturbed and consequently, many became quite
tame, often feeding with the chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys,
and peafowls. The whip-poor-wills could be heard at night in
the swamp below, sometimes coming into the garden as though they
wanted to serenade us from the branch of an oak tree near the
house. I recall an evening twilight when one ventured on the
lawn near the house-steps and called lustily "Whip-poor-will!
Whip-poor-will!" and after satisfying himself, he flew to
his companions in the swamp and soon the air was filled with
their "Whip-poor-will! and "whip-will, the widow!"
Their concert lasted through the night, interrupted occasionally
by the deep, sonorous voice of an owl loudly calling, "WHO!
WHO! WHO! WHO! WHO! ARE YOU!" The loud laugh of another
owl answered, "WAH! WAH! WAH!"
. . . It is needless to say that the
dear old home where my mother and father had lived since their
marriage and which had been the birthplace of their nine children,
was doomed. Also, a beautiful new home near Marion, Alabama,
was being completed. This was a large, two-story house, quite
modern in all its appointments (for that time). The inside work
was superior to anything of its kind today; the plastering was
very hard and glazed. The parlor and hall were heavily frescoed
around the edges of the ceiling, with a large wreath of flowers
in the center of each for the chandeliers. My older sisters and
brothers were at the age when they needed to be in college, as
they had outgrown the country school. To educate them had been
the incentive for building in Marion, as it was a residential
city of schools and churches.
But to my father, nothing was too
great a sacrifice for [Louisiana] this "Land of Paradise"
-- not even the many friends and relatives with their earnest
protests, or his popularity as a minister of the gospel. Nothing
could outweigh his desire to possess a home in this unexplored
wilderness---a venture of toil, self-denial, hardships, and untried
experiences. Without taking it to the Lord in prayer, and seeking
divine guidance of Him whom he served, he straightway sold his
valuable plantation and lovely new home at a sacrifice, and was
soon in readiness for the journey by caravan. Early in the spring
of 1848, the day for departure arrived. Three or four families
decided to cast their lot with us in going west, which at that
time was as far distant as is California now. The trip had to
be made in private conveyances, drawn by horses and mules, and
it would take weeks to reach our destination. Besides this, my
father was taking with him 400 Durham cattle which were to be
driven by herdsmen.
The caravan included about 50 covered
wagons, carriages, carry-alls, and buggies. These and the horseback
riders assembled at our home, and many friends came to bid us
"un bon voyage". How well do I remember that first
day, which to me seemed a gala affair with many more to follow.
I was too young (six years) to realize what it meant to those
on whom the burden fell, nor what awaited us in the future. The
morning was bright and beautiful, and although the sun gladdened
the earth, it was unable to penetrate the gloom which hung like
a pall of dark foreboding in the hearts of some who reluctantly
bade a last farewell to loved ones.
My mother rode in a carriage with
four of her young children; a brother older and a sister and
brother younger than I. The driver's seat was high in front,
and in the style of the period, the nurse's seat was in the rear.
This was supplied with a step or foot rest and arms, as with
an armchair. The first day being cold and crisp, mother had the
driver stop at a store as we passed through Greensborough, and
bought us children beautiful wool hoods and each a tin cup, painted
red and blue, with "Boy" or "Girl" stamped
on it. These were suspended from our necks with ribbons.
The caravan necessarily traveled slowly
and when we children were tired of riding, mother would let us
get out and walk, always attended by the nurse . . . Long before
night, the captain (father) always went ahead to find and arrange
for a suitable camp ground where wood and water could be obtained,
for provisions also to be made for the cattle as well as the
teams of mules and horses. Having found such a place, he would
wait for the crowd.
The camp ground reached, the overseer
of the negroes superintended the location of wagons, tents, and
animals. The negroes' tents were grouped by themselves and the
white families were in a different location. Each family of negroes
had its separate tent; each woman cooking for her own family,
while the men got the wood, attended to the feeding and caring
for the stock and pitched the tents. There were log fires in
front of family tents, and after all were fed and the little
children were in bed, the white families would visit each other,---sit
around and exchange experiences and jokes till nine or ten o'clock.
The negroes would have their social time until the gong sounded
for retiring; after which quiet soon reigned, except for the
occasional lowing or neighing of an animal. At five o'clock,
the gong again sounded and all were up and hustling with preparations
to travel. Then at noon, a stop for a couple of hours was made,
with rest and lunch for man and beast.
We had to cross the Tombigbee River
in Alabama which we found to be a half-mile wide from recent
rains. It took two or three days to make the crossing, for the
cattle had to be ferried across. Upon taking one load, the cattle
became frightened and stampeded, and several leaped from the
flat-boat and were carried by the swift current down stream,
and two or three of these were never recovered.
Having surmounted this obstacle, we
proceeded on our journey with nothing of importance to note except
that one night we camped in a lovely grove of oak trees enclosed
with a rail or worm fence. A railroad track ran along the outside
of this enclosure, and we were warned not to cross the fence;
that a train would pass by very soon. We hadn't waited long when
a shrill whistle heralded its approach. We all stopped and gazed
at the wonderful monster, as it seemed to me, for in those days,
railroads were rare to country people.
At last we reached the Mississippi,
which we crossed at Vicksburg on a ferry . . . We finally reached
our destination which was a beautiful grove of oak trees, in
the midst of which was an eight-roomed cottage. Also, there was
a summer-house covered with coral honeysuckle and woodbine and
in the yard there was an abundance of flowers.
My father had purchased this farm
with 600 acres of improved land and under cultivation, to serve
as a temporary home until there were further developments. This
home was three miles from Marion, a village in north Louisiana,
in Union Parish. It was settled and named for Marion, Alabama
by its earliest settlers who had come from that place. Father
had bought 4,000 acres of timbered land within four miles of
Marion, which was to be cleared and converted into a plantation
-- with cottages for the negroes, a dwelling for the overseer,
and with gardens and outhouses. This kept all hands busy for
the first year, with only time enough to cultivate the 600 acres
of the home place. [There was
a virulent fever epidemic and her mother, Ann Bass George] .
. . had been for the last time to see her sick servants. She
found the maid dead and the cook in a dying condition. Mother
prayed with her and comforted her as best she could. Upon leaving,
Julia put her arms around mother's neck and said, "Miss
Ann, meet me in heaven".
The next day mother was not feeling
well, but did not go to bed. That night, she had a congestive
chill, and at four a.m., she went to meet Julia in heaven. Her
death was so sudden and unexpected, that father was beside himself
with grief and for several months the physicians were afraid
he would lose his mind.
We three children were now wholly
dependant on relatives, friends and servants. Although mother
died in a room across the hall from where we were, we knew nothing
of her death till three weeks later. The first thing that seemed
to call me back to consciousness was brother Elias crying and
begging for mother. Father was holding him on his lap and when
he continued to plead, father burst into tears and told him mother
had gone to be with God in heaven . . .
After the death of my mother, father
seemed so disconsolate and broken I spirit, that his friends
and older children encouraged him to find a companion for himself
and a mother for his children. He finally wrote to Mrs. Ross,
a very excellent lady of character, culture, and refinement,
reared and educated in Richmond, Virginia and who was then living
on a plantation that adjoined our former home in Alabama. This
lady and her sister, Sarah and Mary, were both widows; Mr. Bryant,
husband of Mary, had died soon after moving to Alabama, and Mr.
Ross, Sarah's husband, died not long after we came to Louisiana.
It was satisfactorily arranged between my father and Mrs. Ross,
and the following spring (1852), father went back to Alabama
and they were married. It took two or three months to arrange
her affairs and get all things in order for the moving to Louisiana.
As the sisters would not be separated, transportation for the
two families had to be made and each had many slaves and several
children. It was a big responsibility but it effectuality diverted
father's mind from his own personal grief.
Finally, the second caravan left the
same neighborhood for Louisiana, similar to the first which had
gone four years before, with many vehicles and covered wagons.
All arrangements for homes and land had been made previously
and were awaiting their arrival.
One afternoon, when Sue, Jane, and
I were attending school, a handsome youth, about 18 years old,
came into the classroom and asked for the George sisters,---introducing
himself as Jim Ross, our stepbrother. On looking out of the window,
we were surprised to find the street lined with carriages, buggies,
wagons, and horses. The young people had come in advance of the
wagons, while my father's wife and her sister were in a carriage
to the rear. My father was on horseback and there were several
others . . .
Our teacher excused us and we went
out to meet our new relatives who insisted that we go home with
them, which we were only too delighted to do. We didn't even
ask permission of our aunt, with whom we were boarding, but sent
word where we were.
Father was so busy seeing that the
negroes were settled, that he did not know until that night that
we had come home with the crowd. When he finally came into the
house, three eager girls unexpectedly threw their arms around
him. Imagine our amazement when he did not respond, but seemed
dismayed at our presence. He said that we must return to school
early in the morning, because there was cholera among the negroes,
contracted while passing through the Mississippi swamps. A negro
woman had died of it that night just as the wagon in which she
rode, stopped at the gate. The next morning before breakfast,
a girl 12 years old, came in and said she was sick. Father examined
her and gave her the cholera remedy, but at noon she was dead.
The place was immediately quarantined. In two weeks 16 negroes
had succumbed.
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