The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-09-05
a Romance Of Fort George Island.

Fort George Island a winter resort
at the mouth of the st. Johns River,
Florida, which is coming into fashion
is the subject Of an enthusiastic writer in
Scribner for September, who relates the
following:
The young owner of the Island, culti-
waiting hundreds of acres and raising
enormous crops ofcottOn and sugar, used
to build schooners in a ship-yard of his
own. and imported slaves directly from
the African coast, selling to his neigh-
bors such as he did not want. lie was
unmarried. Perhaps no one OF the
daughters of the neighboring planters
could be persuaded to share the lonely
life which could hardly have appeared
attractive in any woman's eyes; perhaps
he preferred life of freedom and inde~
pendence. However that may have
been, he was in the habit Of going occa-
sionally TO Africa himself and OF buying
his slaves from the native chiefs. who
disposed in this way of their prisoners Of
war.
During one Of these visits, while en-
gagged in bargaining, he was struck with
the grace and beauty OF the chiefs
young daughter, a child of ten years old
He proposed to buy her, but she was
favorlte child and her father could not
part with her. Persuasions were for a
time unavailing, but at length the savage
father, unable to resist the glitter of the
white mans gold, agreed to part with his
child upon condition that she should be
treated with consideration and brought
up as becomes a kings daughter. The
planter promised, and, strange TO say, he
kept his word. She was kindly cared
for and we'll educated, and IN the course
Of time became the planters lawful wife.
She had. according to tradition, with the
exception of a dark skin, none OF the
usual negro characteristics Her hand
some features were regular, her hair
smooth, her presence dignifed and COM
manding. Her husband seems never to
have regretted his unusual course, and
her influence over her captive country
men was unbounded. In addition to her
position and superior intelligence was the
consideration Of her native rank, which
TO them was a source of unquestioned
right
The establishment was kept up in al
most princely style. The sons were sent
to England to be educated; for the
daughters French and English govern
esses were procured, and established in
separate houses near the mansion while
artisans of various kinds were constantly
employed making quite a large commu-
nifty aside from the hundreds OF slaves
upon the Island. And over all this, in
her husbands long and frequent abeence,
reigned our dus<y princess, as absolute in
neT lOsuldT uOuldll us HeI edNdSO io1hSl
in his native wilds. She had a strong
and powerful mind, and womanly kind
ness and sympathy as well. One old
negro, who died some time since, so old
that no one could remember him other
than old, used to tell how he was brought
over when young to this Island, where
he had lived ever since, and how he and
others, sick and exhausted, were minis>
tered to by the missis own hands, and
how they always love her and always
prayed, Lord bless Ma'am Hannah
Every morning as she stood upon this
very spot, the hands passed in review be-
fore her, each gang with its driver. going
to their work. She inspected them al,
picking out such as were unfit for labor,
and sending them to the hospital or to
lighter tasks; and every night in the
same spot she heard a report of the day,
examined into all complaints, and with
strict justice adjudged each offenders
punishment; and without her order not
a lash could be given.