February 20th 1866.
I read over my journal this morning and determined to finish it by making a note of the events of the Summer just passed. In April Arthur came home from the Army in North Carolina being sent to a hospital in Raleigh, and there being no room for him in the over crowded building, he was allowed to proceed home, to recruit, having had a severe attack of fever. In June Berkley & Harry arrived, the war being over, both Armys Lees & Johnstons having surrendered, & the Southern States overwhelmed, & conquered.
The boys found us most happy to see them, but with an empty corn box, & no money, that could be so called; we sent about, & did as others, sold dresses and ornaments, and bought bacon, & corn, the servants continued with us & Patty who had lived with me for 36 years, and always behaved with the most examplary propriety, being a skillful seamstress, tailoress, Mantuamaker, & washer & ironer, proposed herself to work out; wash & iron for us & support her 2 children & herself, the children waiting on us. This she did faithfully until she left us the 10th January, being sent for by her son & Husband. When she could she sold articles for us, going at all times, & would take nothing for her trouble. She frequently brought me grist, Molasses, & flour, which she said was my share of what she made. The old Mauma has acted throughout with the most perfect consideration, she was terribly mortified by Elizabeth being a teacher, & Gabriella, & Charlotte keeping a little School. She said to the Kenedys, “You see dem going long so; but dey has plenty of gould and silver in de bank; and dey is such an old family.—”
When Patty came to take leave of me she said “My dear Mistress, My dear Mistress”, with a great appearance of feeling, & brought a little oven in her hand, a present to the young ladies, they had often borrowed it from her during the war to bake cakes in their room. I asked her if she could not take it with her, she said “Oh, yes mam, but I always termined to give it to the young ladies when I went away,” and then she sent them a little clothes horse to dry their muslins on. I am thankful amid the wreck of all to have this example of affection and duty to always remember. 3 days before she went one of the servants asked her if she was going to bake for her journey, no she said I am going to wash my mistresses clothes, & so she did leaving every thing clean, tubs &c.
The old Mauma is living at Mrs Hankels her own choice, she has behaved with uniform kindness. Always when she got any thing nice she brought it to Lotty or Ella and they took it from her & seemed to enjoy it coming out of her pocket, wrapped in a piece of clean cloth, or a scrap of brown paper. During the hardest part of the war she was living at Mrs Irwins, and as they kept a plentiful table, & fed her well for her services, she saved some of her dinner every day for Harry, & he with the apetite of a growing boy, scarcely satisfied, went every night to see her, & eat her present to him.—
Lewis came home from Johnston’s Army, & Elizabeth had her long vacation of 3 Months, Lewis & Arthur gave us some anxiety from their dissipated tendencies. Harry returned to his School, at the College. Mr Carlise is an excellent teacher and we are most thankful he has this opportunity of getting a good education. Mrs Kenedys family were very hospitable, the boys and girls were frequently asked over there to spend the evening and Clementine & Mary established a Musical Club to meet every Tuesday evening at the house of the different members for the enjoyment of society, and the improvement of Music. This association was very pleasant and continued until the end of January.—
Lewis paid attention to Miss Clementina, and after a time was accepted, & is now married & settled at Frog Level, near Greenville, being the only Dr in the place & having the only Drug Store.—She is a very nice girl, educated & pleasant looking and mannered, a member of the Episcopal Church, so is Lewis, and now through Gods mercy he is a temperance man & I trust will succeed.
The wedding was a quiet morning affair, no bridesmaids, cake & wine, at the Grandmothers , and they set off early on Thursday morning for their future home, in a carriage, via Greenville, intended going the same day, 7th Feb 1866 but the coachman said it was a rainy day, & late, & he could only take them half way to a little way side inn.—
Lewis had $3000 to commence his married life on. I gave it to him, but as the property in New York was in the law courts, under the Confiscation act & could not be used until released Lewis Morris lent him this sum.—and he seems to be acting wisely & well with it.—
Mary Legge was married in October, quite a flourishing wedding and fixings, 9 bridesmaids & groomsmen. Col. Legge, the father of these young ladies, is a man of intemperate habits, and no morals, never pays any thing he owes, and does not regard his word. That such a person should occupy positions of trust, & honor in this place is a proof of the low state of morals. I am sorry Clementina was so sired, her Mother’s family are very nice people.—
Mr Grimball went to Charleston with Lewis early in November. Arthur went down with 2 wagons in charge to Mr Wagner with articles of value & importance, and got $50 for his services which bought him some clothes. Berkley went by the cars.—
Mr Grimball has lately got possession of his Plantations but is very much worried by his debts on them, & the accumulation of interest. The Morris’s refuse to take the places to liquidate the debt.—My Property in New York is by the laws of the State not amenable to the debts of my husband during my life, and I am permitted to make such disposition of it by deed, gift, or will, as I may see fit.—
Should I die intestate he might be held entitled to a life estate in the property, to which extent his creditors might claim. I have written to request Harry to write a will for me giving Mr Grimball a suitable portion of my property for his life, & giving it at his death to the children. The rest equally divided among the children, all sharing alike.—
My dear John has sent me a present of 2 hats, 1 a Jockey, the other a silk, fully trimmed, and 1 doz pair of stockings, 1 doz Pocket handkerchiefs, hoop, balmoral dress shawl, cuffs, collars, shawl, gloves. I am very much pleased at this, mark of his attachment. The two boxes, paper ones, came through Baltimore from a Miss Anna Wells to whom John is or was engaged to be married. They are in Charleston with Mr Grimball.—
The Wilkinses are living at their house Lamson Street Charleston. Mr Grimball hires a room from them for $15 per Month. Arthur has gone up Cooper River to keep a Store with Prioleau & Alston, for the negroes, he sent to Berkley for Calico of a blue ground, with sprawling red flowers on it, as best suited to the taste of the Customers. They are paid in Rice, & A. sees visions of great success before him.—The end of the war found the old aristocracy reduced to many straights to get on and applying for, & gladly taking, very inferior places. Henry Manigault and his wife are Steward & Matron of the Alms House in Charleston. Williams Middleton is renting out his rooms, James Heyward’s wife & daughters & W. H. Heyward’s are taking in sewing. Mrs Allston the Gov’ widow, keeps a boarding school. The Miss Manigaults teach in Yorkville,—and all over the State people are making efforts to support themselves, and adorning their reduced circumstances by their elegance & education.
Elizabeth has engaged with Miss Read for another year, and in consequence of this I suppose we will stay here another Summer.
We have engaged a family of our own former slaves as our hired servants, a man Josey, his wife Amy & daughter Delia for $16 per Month. The man $10, the girl & woman $6, they do so far very well.—