The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-26


Before the acquisition of Florida by
the United States, a young adventurer
named Sammil wandered down to the
South land from the State of Maine, and
set up as merchant at Cows Ford
(now Jacksonyille), on the st. Johns
River, where, in his traffic with the red
man, the buccanneer, and the cracker,
he grew rich apace
Recognizing the fact that it was not
good for man to be alone, Young Sam
mil married wife, who, unfortunately,
was very much ''of'' color-in fact
negress. Sammil bought and improved
a beautiful plantation on the St. Johns
River, four miles below jacksonville,
and there lived for nearly half century
with the wife of his choice. Sons and
daughters were born, who grew up to
manhood and wOmanhOod, were sent
North and educated, given every advan-
tage, in fact, that money could procure.
am told that the men were intelli-
gent and the women beautiful and ac-
complished, but in the North they found
the charmed circle of society closed
against them, and returned to their
Southern home TO realize the existence
OF the same condition of things, to learn,
IN fact that, Notwithstanding their in
telligence and beauty and accomplish
ments and wealth, and the standing and
influence of their father, they were Ia
bOoed.
The men very soon accommodated
themselves to what they knew was the
inevitable, but the women chafed and
struggled, and pinned and died died
heartbroken. When at last the poor old
man realized the enormity of the crime
he had committed against his children
and against society, he gradually
withdrew from business and buried him
self away at his beautiful country seat,
where, in the society of his family and
in lavish attractions to the members of
1t, he sought in some sort to atone for
the irreparable wrong he had done
them.
Only q few days ago this man sank
under the weight of four score years and
crossed over the river never to return,
and one Of his old and trusted friends
invited ME to attend the funeral with
him.
Aboat left CLARK wharf at three p. m.
on a brightand beautiful day, and crowded
upon 1t were the friends of the deceased
white and black. Swiftly and silently
the boat glided down with the tide on
the broad and placid waters of the
grandest OF Southern rivers, and soon
we were at the landing.
The Sammil mansion is situated upon
an elevated platform, about one-fourth
OF mile from the water side, in the
midst of a magnificent grove of orange
trees, now laden with the golden and
luscious fruit.
At the mansion we found several hun
dred in attendance, nearly all black
After few remarks and the reading of
a portion of the Scripture by the attend
ing clergyman, the remains were taken
charge of by the Masons, of whom
large number We're present Eight
stalwart black men bore the coffin from
the house to the grave-all had been
slaves Of the deceased-and, rs with un-
covered heads and measured tread they
turned into the woodland path, the Ma
sonic fraternity closed in around them
and the procession moved forward
l never witnessed funeral that was
SO funercal as that one. Thc path to
the grave led through dense forest
Of live oaks and pines-the leaves so
thick that q ray Of sunlight could not
penetrate their dark shadow, while from
the limbs overhead hung the great
punches Of silver gray moss, as though
placed there for the occasion 1t really
seemed as though the forest had put on
the habiliments Of mourning. Then all
was so still, not a sound. There were
no vehicles in the procession-all
walked; and rs that long, black, slow
moving column wendcd its way in and
out through the windings Of that forest
path, the tread of its hundreds of feet
upon the soft and Welding sand, giving
back no sound, it was hard 10 direst the
mind of the impression that it was an
Illusion, that it was spiritual and not
real
1t was but a short distance. and soon
the grave was reached, aud there, in
the heart of the forest, under the Shadow
Of great live oak, garlandcd and fes-
tooncd in funeral garb, the family and
friends Of the deceased stood around the
grave, and bowed heads reyerently lis
tened to the beautiful burial service of
the Masonic fraternity-and never be
fore had it sounded so touchingly and
beautifully appropriate. 1t will be long
before the impression made upon me
there will be eradicated; it will be long
before | witness another such funeral.
1t was ineXpressibly solemn and sad
Jacksonville (Fya.J Cor Kansas City
Times