The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-18
BURIED HEIRLOOM.
Strange War Story From
DoWney.
Buried by an Arkansas Planter Thirty
Years Ago-fiis California Heirs
Not Forgotten.

o. G. Moores, merchant Of this city, on
the 4th INST. received by express from
Arkansas a box containing o lot of solid
silverware. it being q part Of handsome
table service which cost upward of 500,
and belonging to the estate OF Lucien j.
Greening. The plate received was the por-
ton of the set distributed to the California
heirs, says the Downey Champion,
among. whom are E. G, and Scott
Greening Of DOwney and A. r. Greening of
Los Angeles and the children of Rev. Will
liam Moo res, deceased, Mrs. Julia Butler,
Mrs. Fanny T. Kerns, Mrs. J. o. Butler,
Misses Edna and Orlando Moores and o. G.
MooTes Of Downey, Mrs. L. V. Giascock
and William Moores OF San Fernando,
Joseph Moores OF Ontario, Cal, Mrs. Lucien
Harris Of Los Angeles and Charles w.
Moores of San Francisco.
These heirlo0ms of the GreenIng family,
aside from their intrinsic value, are of more
than ordinary interest from the fact that
they have but recently been taken from
their hiding place where they were buried
nearly thirty years ago, the circums stances
connected Herewith being an Interesting
episode OF the War of the Rebellion.
In April, 1868. the people of Ouachita
County. Ark. received the startling news
that General Steel with his Federal troops
was moving from Little Rock toward
Shreveport via Prairiedean. The greatest
excitement prevailed and many of the
planters hurriediy collected their vaIuables
and slaves, loaded up their wagons and
moved out on the road for Texas as place
of safety.
Among those who made an effort to save
their slave property was Lucien j. Green
ing. wealthy planter of Ouachita. General
Steel with his forces was then moving rap
idly southwark, while General Banks was
pressing forward up Red River. At Prairie
dean, thirty miles from Mr.. Greetings resi-
dence, General Steel was confronted by
General Prices Confederate cavalry, where
q spirited engagement took place. On
the evening before Planter Greenng
had everything ready for tina departure of
bis wagon train on the morrow. His fam
lily with few house servants were to re-
main Oh the plantation, the object of the
Texan trip being to place the slave property
beyond the reach of the Federals. The
sllverware, which had been carefully packed
IN box, was after nightfall secretly carried
into the swamps about half mile from the
residence by Lucien Greeniug and his
nephew, E. G. Greening one of the Downey
heirs, then lad of about II years of age.
a place TO bury the Valuables was selected
10 the FORK OF q large chincapin log in the
bend of small running branch. Here the
box was left for the night
AT an early hour in the morning young
Greening slipped out unObserved, and while
the booming cannon of the contending
armies startled the wild birds in the soli-
tude OF their forest home the Young man
under the excitement of the moment bent
to his task with will and soon had a hole
down about four feet. The box was rolled
In, the dirt sohdly tramped down and the
spot hidden by covering of leaves. The
treasure safely buried, the wagon train
moved on to join the refugees Tor Texas.
Young Greening accompanied his uncle on
the trip. He made but a short STAY in
Texas, and on his return the spot where the
box was buried was pointed out to sister
ana TWO uncleS. Soon after he Joined the
Confederate army and served fourteen
months. At one time General Prices army
went into camp on the ground where the
box was buried. The big forked tree was
burned and nothing left to mark the spot
Lucien Greenlng, the owner of the plate,
was man OF eccentric character. The re-
verses OF the war weighed heavily upon
him and his peculiar traits became more
noticeable. After peace was restored and
all was again quiet at Ouachita the buried
treasure was referred to by relative, but
the old planter absolutely refused to go
near the spot or allow the box to be taken
up, saying, 1T is time enough 10 get 1t
when it is needed" The old gentleman
had no children, and after the death of his
wife he abandoned his plantation resi-
dence with its expensive furniture, piano
and costly bric-a-brac, leaving for months
no one in charge while absent with rela-
tiyes. Life had no further charms under
The happy past before the war" was all
that was left to him.
Death came to the old planter suddenly.
he dropped dead without warning Heart
disease, the physician called it. Since then
all who knew where the treasure was
buried had died except an uncle, Reuben
Box. and the one who deposited it ia its
hiding place. The Arkansas heirs, after
fruitless search, communicated with Mr.
Greening at Downey. The location of the
buried treasure was so firmly fixed in his
mind that his directions given by letter
enabled the heirs to find The spot readily
Not veStige OF the box remained. The
articles were just as we saw them on Tues
day. The sugar-bOwl. caster, cakedish and
punehb0wl still had the clay soil adhering
to them as when found. The pieces are all
of solid silver of uni Iue pattern and elabo-
rate workmanship. Among the lot were
several sets of table and lea spoons and
forks. All the pieces of the set bore the
monogram of Mary A. Greening NJ. A. g.
Each of the California heirs will get
part OF what has been received. which will
be kept as heirloomS, aud preserved as
mementoes, of the stormy times of the
war.