The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-08-30
A ROMANCE OF FORT GEORGE
ISLAND.

Fort George Island, winter resort at
the mouth of the St. Johns river, Fla
which is coming into fashion, is the sub.
ject of an enthusiastic writer in SoRIB~
NER for September, who relates the fol-
lowing story:
The young owner of the island, cult
waiting hundreds of acres and raising
enormous crops of cotton md sugar, used
to build schooners in ship>yard of his
own, and imported slaves directly from
the African coast, selling to his neigh
bors such as he did not want. He 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; per-
haps he preferred life of freedom and
independence. 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, child ten years old. He pros
posed 10 buy her, but she was favorite
child and her father could not part with
her. Persuasions were for a time una.
vailing, 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 treat
ed with consideration and brought up as
becomes kings daughter. The plant-
er promised, and, strange to say, he kept
his word. She was kindly cared for and
we'll educated, and in course of time be-
came the planters lawful wife. She had,
according to tradition, with the excep>
ton of dark skin, none of the usual
negro characteristics. Her handsome
features were regular, her hair smooth,
her presence dignifed and command
ing. Her husband seems never to have
regretted his unusual course, and her in.
Auence overher captive countrymen was
unbounded. In addition to her position
and superior intelligence was the con~
sideration of her native rank, which to
them at least was a source of unques>
toned right,
The establishment was kept up in all
most pnncely 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 :;
white artisans of various kinds were con-
stantly employed, making quite large
community aside from the hundreds of
slaves upon the island. And over all
this, in her husbands long and frequent
absences, reigned our dusky princess,
as absolute in her insular domain as her
savage father in his native wilds. She
had strong and powerful mind, and
womanly kindness and sympathy as
well. One old negro, who died some
time since, so old that no one could re-
member 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 ministered to by the
'mlssis' own hands, and how they all
loved and always prayed, Lord bless
Ma'am Hannah Every morning as
she stood upon this very spot the field
hands passed in review before her, each
gang with its driver, going to their daily
work. She inspected them all, picking
out such as were unfit for labor and
sending them to the hospital or to light
er tasks and every night in the same
spot she heard report of the day, ex~
amined into all complaints, and with
strict justice adjudged each offenders
punishment; and without her order not
a lash could be given.