The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-12-15
Of Charleston society I?

The two-story brick residence, 81
Hasel street, first belonged to Col.
William Rhett, the protagonist of that
family in this State, who came to
Charleston
y = y "When hearts beat hard
And brains high-blooded licked two cen.
turtles SINCE"
His most dashing exploit was the cap
ture Of two-ariaed piratical sloops, com
manded by the celebrated Steed Bonnet,
which blockaded this port in ,171S.
Bonnet and his crews were turned over
o the authorities, tried, convicted and
hanged where White Point Garden now
stants. Old Nicholas Trott's Charge 20
the. jury, in his own autograph. with
Hebrew annotations,, can be seen ut the
Charleston Library. Col. Rhctt was a
man of great force, and one Of the most
prominent figures Of his day. He died
Of apolexy on the eve, Of his departure
for the Barbados, of which he had been
appointed Governor.
In our country the house was the
scene of an elegant hospitality. as the
residence Of Mr.. John Stoney. In 1918
Wade Hampton, Lieutenant-G General G.
S. a., Governor and Senator from South
Carolina, was born there. And now let
us vary our subjects a little and talk
about men.
PI.AsTERER N SCULPTOR.
Clark Mills, who afterwards attained
celebrity MS the sculptor of the eques-
trian statue Of Jackson and the statue
of Liberty which surmounts the
rotunda Of the Capitol at Washington,
started business in Charleston as a
plastcrcr. The marbleized front Of Mr..
w. b. Smiths residence. on Broad street,
attests today the excellence of his
work. The late Mr.. Normand NJ. Porter
and DR.. Il. Y. SimonS, struck with his
critical taste, general intelligence and.
evident aptitude for modelling and
sculpture, employed hill to nuke bnsts
Of prominent Carolinians Of the day.
His success is said to have surpassed all
expectations, thdngh I + hardly think the
bust Of Calhoun executed for the City
Council in 1916 , fine specimen OF art
or indication Of after fame.
In 1948 designs for a statue o. Andrew
Jackson were called for, and Mills, after
much study and trouble, produced ut
his studio. at the corner of Gadsden's
alley and Broad street. where the bank
now stands, a model of the celebrated
equestrian statue Of Jackson, which
was accepted by the committee. The
horse was poised on its hind legs, and
the balance was perfect. After much
trouble and encouragement the figure
was successfully cast in bronze. and
erected amid tho hearty acclaim of the
art world, and Mills, the plasterer found
himself famous. After the acceptance
Of his model he left Charleston and the
wife Of his youth. Mills morals seem
to have suffered by the cultivation of
his artistic nature, for before long he
attempted to::marry at the North. A mar
rage certificate from the Rev. DR.. Post.
OF the Circular Church. nipped this little
scheme in the bud.
Ap'opos of tho equestrian statue Of
Jackson, as a truthful chronicler I must
state on the authority of Col. Arthur P.
Hnyae. one Of his aides. that Gen. Jack
sons position during the battle Of New
Orleans is quite the reverse Of Mills
conception and anything but heroic. AS
a fact, the General was suffering from a
severe attack Of NAL az est0mac-in
the language Of the rabble, stomachache
and vas not on horseback and was en-
gagged in rubbing his stpmach against a
cotton bale.
JOHN C. FREMONT.
In the journal Of the faculty Of the
College Of Charleston FOR 1881, is found
this entry; "John G.. Fremont was this
day dismissed for habitual irresularity
aud inesorrigible neglect" Talking some
time ago TO n Of our learned md hest
beloved city divines, an alumnus Of the
College. | asked what, If anything. he
knew of Fremont. He told me thnt
they were classmstes and that Fremont
was dismissed i'll the last term of the
Senior year. Though tactu,n and re-