The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-02-06
Ante, Inter and Post
Rcllum Reminds
ceuceS.

in Lynchhurg, Virginia, IN the
year 1900 and died at Richland,
Rapi,'es parish La, i'll 1876.
He was ii successful tObacconiSt
in Lynchbnrg.
! He first married Miss Elizabeth
Ann Walton, of Lynchburg, a first
cousin OF Madam LeVert, Of Mo
bile, Ala. Two years later she
died, leaving no children. Sabse-
qucntly he married Miss Henriet,
ia Dandrilse Scott, of Fauquler
County Va. a granddaughter OF
Patrick Henry, Of Revolutionary
fame, by VI holn he had five chill
dren. The eldest, Elizabeth Ann
Bailey, named after bis first wife,
and the only survivor, Mrs. b. b.
rcrdlcton The next boy who
died while they were on a
visit to Louisville, Ky. The
next, a boy WHO died in New
Orleans. Next Hattie Bailey, who
married Maj. A. ". Mckee and
the fifth Sally Butler, who married
John l.. Mcauley.
Grn'l. Bailey moved with his
family to a plantation in Mississip
pi. Not satisfied he sold and pur.
chased the Hoprwell plantation,
near Lake Providence La, to
wEich place he removed his fami.
~ and negroes and was a success.
| full planter until 1856, when hs
sold "iIopcwelI' aud purchased
the "Rici!land" plantation, Rap
iIes parish, near Alexandra.
Here be gave full scope and
means to bis wife, woman Of
splendid requirements and taste,
20 establish and cmbellish an ideal
home. a beautiful house was
erected and finished in the most
elaborate sty lie. Landscape gar,
deners employed to lay out tic
grounds, several acres in extent.
Trees of every description plant
ed, from the North Carolina spice
to the Magnolia and spreading
Oak, intcrsperSed with the Larest
Cedars, Sweet Olive, Lygustrums
and other choice shrubbery. 4
row Of stately cotton wood trees
lined the front, along which the
public road passed. On the North
side OF the grounds, Bayou Rohc:t
wound itself around, fringed by a
row Of weeping Willows, forming q
most pleasing prospect, and here
the children as they grew up Were
wont to paddle their little canoes
and boats.
Having done all that Art could
do, Mrs. Bailey was now willing
to wait patiently and let nature dc
tho balance and it was with great
pleasure and pride that she lived
to see place once barren and IN,
cared tor, transformed under her
care and supervision, into one of
The most beautiful and lovely
places in the country. 1t was the
pride Of her youth aud comfort OF
iler old age to live here.
But alas! sad changes have TAX.
I'll place. Cruel war had come
and left its bIighting imprint OF.
everything around and now it was
no longer IL question Of how to in.
vest money, how still further or.
nament the homestead. Fortunes
had been swept away, and the
question arose, how are we to re.
bnild our shattered fortunesi How
even make a living9 1t was tc
tho solution of this problem that
all in the South, had to devote
themselves. How well it has been
solved, the general condition OF
the South to-day, must be the IN.
Swer.
1t was the custom of the plant
ers, in ante bellum days, to spend
but a small portion of the year Oh
their plantations. First class and
competent Overseers were entrust.
I'd with the plantations and the
making of the crops. In May OF
early in June the "Great House
WAS closed and the family hicd
them to the Green Briar, White
Sulphur or some other Mountain
resort i'll Virginia for the summer,
thence to New York City for q
while and return to the plantation
home for little rest prior to win.
iering at the Old St. Charles Ho-
tel in New Orleans. Such was the
custom of the Bailey family. But
the result of the war brought with
it ruinous changes. The loss of
slaves, destruction and reconstruc-
ton following the wake OF The ar
mics. Heavy mortgages left by
thcugh,less and short sighted own,
ers OF property, who instead of
settling promptly with the Banks,
left the principal unpaid, only
paying the interest and Investing
the surrlus from their crous in a,i.
dltional negroes, un,il at the close
Of the WIFI, scarcely a plantation
but what was 80 heavily incnml,er
cd that the titles passed ont Of
the hands Of the original owners.
When Gen'l. Banks started his
expedition up Red river, Gen'l.
Bailey was at home, bis family
were in i'ouston, Texas. Gen'l.
Bailey was regarded as being OPP