Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-08-26
Romantic Chapter of history.


Romantic Chapter of History.
The Petersburg (ya.l Express recently discovered
GONE Incl tents local history which afforded proof
as it was urged, that GARIBALCI, the "FRANcIs
MAsIoN of Italy," was OF Virgins stock, and
descended from one JonS JOHNSTON JONES, who
died in Blanford Va, about 1861 The Dallas (Als
Gazst!s "sees that story and adds a remark sble
ard interesting sketch, which will at least amuse
the reader Here it is:
Garibaldi is said in the Petersburg (Vs.) Express,
to be descendant of Mr.. John Johnston Jones who
died at his res denee in Blanford about the year
1857. Ii is fact that a besut full young daugh er
of this Mr. Jones' eloped from Petersburg about the
year l75S with Italian tight rope dancer, named
Garbsl1i, who, having smassed an i'm nense fortuae
in this country, returned to his owa dear native q-
y, where large family and unsllOyed felicity bless
ed the union between himself aud his beautiful
young Blanford bride. Mrs. Garibaldi CORES pond
ed with her faker until the day C the laters death;
and letters subsequently, sent over by the children
OF Mrs. G. leave but le doubt of the fact that the
warrior Gsribad now in Italy, is direct descend
ant OF the J5nes family, well aud favorably kuown
in Blanf0rd during the first half of the past cen
fury.
We can tell astrsnger story than the foregoiOg
and just true, Ia fact, if trath is stranger than
fiction, one can doubt the little romance We are
about to record:
In the year of grace. 1872, there came over with
Gen. Oglelhorpe, when he founded the colony of
Georgia, a little CoTsicau dancing master name
.rlo BounapaIte As the Weseys and George
Whitfield possessed considerable iufasnee over the
sstLleIs (hey had just laid the foundation of the
Methodist church and as most of said Sc te!s we're
discharged debtors from English prisons, and con
sequebtly, nCtin dancing eondItioa, lrO received
no professional encouragement. In extreme dan
ger of irving for he had no money! ne was freed
to labor with an axe AMI spade for a lYiug fer sew
eral months, when Scotch trader Damsd MeGilva-
re- came t. Savannah. With gang If Muse gee In
dians, to trade with the settlers. MoGlVsry II n
lived on the banks OF the ChzttahJ0chee, in the
midst Of the MuscOgee netian, ana had been a
trader among them, since liza, fqfShich year he
took part in the Tebeilion-headedb by the Irls of
Mar and DerWsn water-fOr tue restoration Of the
royal hou Of Stewart TO the British throne aud was
compelled like great many of his valiant country
men, to save his neck By emigration. He found
a home three wives, and thriving trade among the
Muscogee IndaUs and having acquired snug Z. NJ
peteacy, uDb0unded influence, and taste for Iudi-
an life, he had no desire to leave the genial clir.4t
and generous soil of the Museogpe oaunry for The
bleak and barren bills of his sive lsnd or to ex-
change his position OF the head men OF the
nation, for that of t:cksman 10 soma thievipg
Highland laird, whoze chief employment was 10
steal cattle, levy black mall or TO engage in any
civil broil that might be brewing So he remained
McGilvary was the ancestor of Bill Weatherforl
Judge Meek's "Red Eagle" He had three cabins
full Of children, and becoming acquainted vita
Carlo Duonaparte, and his accomplishments, he sue
ceeded in engaging him TO teach his half-breedI 10
dance and fiddle: for reading aud wiring. he
didn't for sneh accom- plishmen,s, being but
Indifferent scholar himself.
MeGilVary was not, of course, Presbyterian,
but Jlcobite of the Claverhouse or Tom Dllziel
school, id ling, dancing aud drinking were ths
delights of his soul, when he could sp8re time from
his trade or money making, which he loved equally
as well, if not little more
On cola and gusty day in March, 1733 McGil-
vary ard Carlo BounGparte turned their backs on
0glethorpes town, and their faces to the west Ich
one was mounted on an Indian pony, and they were
accOmpane by about thirty Indians few on po-
nies but most of them on f0ot-armed With the fOw
ling pieces and nusket3 they had bought from the
skipper of Bristol brig that was lying in the riv
er. train of 40 or so pask ponies carried MsGi!-
vary's stock of merchandse, which he had purohas-
ed from the aforesaid skipper, by bartering ths
petries he had collected during the past Ia
the course of fifteen or twenty days they reached
McGilvarys cabins ana Carlo at once entered upon
the discharge of his duties. as dSneing and music
master. He was undoubtedly the first '1aGitre de
dGRsd," who taught the exhilsrsting and graceful
art between the waters Of the TOmbigbee and the
Savannah
Although Carlo made little or no progress with
his pupils, (fOr the boys preferred hunting and fish
ing, and the girls the manufacture Of Wsmpum belts
aud mOcoasins, to dancing or musc,) yet he soon
became immensely popular with the rude sous of
the forest net as fiddler, not as dancing master,
but drummer aud performer on the bIgle, for
on these two instrum ents he as perfect as he
was on the fiddle, and he had one Of each in his
| luggage
With the bugle he could call the tribe TO the
council house, assemble them for the hunt or the
war path, or animate and encourage them at the
ball play. With the drum he made music for the
| green corn dance, aud other fashionable Indian
dances for that is the kind of music Indians prefer
when they "trip the light fantastic toe." lie was
the drummer and trumpeter Of tue tribe. His fiddle
had no charms for their ears and he only played or
! it to please himself and his patron McGilvary.
There was scarcely sn Indian within enc hundred
miles but had heard him perform on the drum and
trumpet, and his fame extended 10 the distant wig
vans of the Cherokees, Chiekasaws and Choctaws
From nearly every Muse gee who heard hiFa '
| or beat, he received skin Of some description
mostly beaver and otter skins-Which were very
valuable. At the end of one year he had quito as
large stock of peltres as Mc6iivary had purchag-
ed during the same period, BY this time he had
/ won the heart Of McGivary's oldest daughter, a
strsppiDg half breed lass Of eighteen summers who
| had jet black hair and eyes, and the prominent
cheek bones of her aboriginal and Celtic progeni-
tors. They were married, not according TO Indian
fashion, but by mish priest from the Spanish
trading settlement Al the south of the Cahaha
River He lived happily WITH HIS wife for thr-e
| years-continuing to blow snd beat to the admi-
ration of the Indians, and claiming as a lIghl the
contributions that we're hrst voluntarily made to
| him-when she died, leaving him 8 diseonsolate
| Widower and two chldren-a boy and girl-the
latter the ancestor of ''Red Eagle" which accounts
| for his fighting propensities.
At the time of his wife's death, in the spring o
! 1877, Carlo Bounspsrte was as rich as McGilvary
and his heart yesrre1 for The little island in the
| Mediterranean, where he frat saw the light With
a large stock Of peltTnss, worth at lesst SIS 00C
and as much more in Spanish coin, he left for the
settlements, after prom sing the Indians, however
that he would return in few months, and leaving
*Thee military post at Cahaba, during last century
human and brass found abundance
last year. the Baptist Church. by the railroad hands, wheI