The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1896-08-19
north bank of Red river9'
"'Yes,' / answered, he was Mr..
Maroditl Ga1honn3


Meredith Calhoun
"'Well, he was my Legree," con
cluded Mrs. Stowe, land never be-
fore have | so clearly indicated
the identity of the character in
real life from whom my Red river
planter was drawn
''All this was very curious and
most interesting to me. Mrs.
Stowe requested that nothing be
said or written by me relative to
the identity of the cotton planter
as long as she lived. / gave the.
promise, and have never mention.
ed the conversation until now. l
gave the promise, and have never
mentioned the conversation until
now. l think there can be no
harm done to the living nor injus-
tice worked to the dead in my tell.
ing at this time what l know of
the original of Legree.
Gin 1892 there was a great
rush OF emigration from the older
slave states to the lands on the
Red river in Louisiana and Ark
ansas. Among the buyers was a
gentleman who had been the chiet
confidential clerk Of Stephen Gi.
rard, of Philadelphia, when that
eccentric millionaire died III 1881.
His name was Meredith Calhoun.
Just above the rapids of the Red
river (from which the parish Of
Rapides takes it's nancy was a
tract of exceptionally well located
planting land. There We're in all
something over 10000 acres and
through the agency OF James Bow.
lie (the gentleman who adapted the
celebrated knife christeucd tol
him to the requirements OF mod,
ern civilization) this property fell
into the hands of Meredith Gal.
houn, Esq, late Of Philadelphia.
He paid down in cash s3OO,OOO.
aud the property was cheap at
that price. Instead of burning up
the heavy forest that covered 20,.
600 acres of this estate, the owner
erected great sawmills aud cut and
sawed timber that other planters
would have burned, into the most
desirable lumber. Thus he almost
paid for the work of clearing, for
there was an active demand fol
lumber all along the Red river,
where 50 many new plantations
were being established. Slaves
were another commodity in which
the movcmement could have beeu
quoted as active, supply hardly
equal to the demand, holders firm,
prices generally advancing.' On
each estate there were always 4
few old family servants retained
by the emigrants from the Older
states, but most OF the slaves were
imported from Africa who assisted
these Red river planters to make
fortunes on those fertile bottoms,
where one crop OF cotton or sugar
was worth ten uf cereals VI five OF
tobacco.
"Men Of Auglo.saxon blood in
these days had but lutte time, aud
often smaller inclination, for the
cultivation Of what this genera.
ton would call the 'estheiic side
OF life, aud were disposed to jecI
at the "andy, or lis We Of to-day
call him, the 'dnde,' but though
Calhoun was bowling swell iu
the fashion of his period, those OF
rousher mould were usually very
civil in his presence. Aud besides
his petit maitre' tendencies, he
had rather remarkable personal
ity. Almost five feet eight in
statue, his figure combined grace
and activity in an unusual degree.
In repose his eyes were of dark
gray color, but in moments Of *.
citement or anger they seemed to
be of a deep, cat.like green. Al
ways smoothly shaven, aud i'm.
maculate i:riinen, he was some
thing of a curiosity to a commune:
ty where his ppculiari,ies were
held to. Indicate tffeminacy to, a
degree that must he Incompatible
with seal grit rs understood
amopg the fighting men OF the
Carolinas, Kentucky and rennes.
secs
"'You'd better not try him. said
Col. James Bowie grimly at the
suggestion.
1T Glanced one day shortly af
ter Col. Bowie had expressed this
opinion that Mr.. Calhoun happen
ed to offend a man name Williams
Tie latter, physical giant, was
tipsy enough to he without reason
and qnnrrelsome besides. There
was a Shot, and then Williams
staggered forward, his head hal
severed from his body by an awfu
slash from Il nine-inch Bowie kuifi
in the hands OF Calhoun.
"'I never beheld a human be
ing who looked 80 much like Satal
incarnate as did Calhoun when h,
killed Jack Williams said thu
late Gen. Montfort Wells, OF Rap
ides parish, as he told the story
williams had killed three mel