The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-11-13
SEA ISLANDS in OLD TIMES,
THE WEALTH. AND LUXURY
OF FORMER DAYS.

Col. MlddlotOn Stuart, OF Texas, q
0ld-time Southern gentleman, Wa
born scvcnty-two years ago in the tow
OF Beaufort, $. g., the social center fC
years of the wealthy Sea Island cotton
growers. AS this once famous soctio
OF the Sou,"ern cotton bolt has bee
generally overlooked by agriculture
writer's of today, a Galveston New
correspondent requested Col. Stuart t
give him a brief account of the Sc
Islands of South Carolina, where th
best and happicst years Of his life wcr
spent. Col. Stuart said:
"l lived on Hilton Head, one of tn
scventy.livc miles southwest from
Charleston. Othor adjacent island
are James, Iidisio, Fcnwick, st
Helena, Coosaw, Lahy's, Port Royal
Paris, Bamwcll, Pinckncy, and other,
that do not now recall. Hutton Head
one of the largest of the group, is eigh
miles wide by thirteen long. Por
Royal Island is l0xl5 miles in extent
The town of Beaufort is on Port Roya
Island. 1t is u beautiful htlIe city oil
1900 or 5000 inhabitants, and prior
TO the civil war most of the Sea Island
cotton-plantors thcrcabout had their
summer residences in Beaufort. II
was indeed very fashionable town,
bcmg inhabited mostly by people of
Wcath, education and refinement.
North of the Coosaw river is a
small group known as the Hunting
islands. In ante bcllum days the
Hunting islands formed quite Il resort
Tor those planters who wcrc fond of
the chase. Every fall these islands
were visited by hunting parties of from
ten to fifteen planters, thoroughly
equipped with guns, dogs and provi-
sl0ns for weeks sport. They also
carried a good many negro servants
along. 1t was not unusual for party
of hunters to kill eight to ten deer in a
day. They had tho bcst-traincd door
hounds that money could procure.
remember two brothers, Abram and
Julius llugucnin, who kept a kennel OF
sixty dccrhounds. They took hunt
every year, each one carrying along a
good rctinuc of negro slaves. The
negroes of one brother wore red shirts,
while those of the other had blue
shirts.
Fishing was also highly popular
sport with the old Sea Islanders.
Catching dovillish was very popular
amusement on Paris Island and Hilton
Head. An enormous dvvil:ish, The
largest | ever saw, was once caught
which measured twenty-five feet from
feet thick. 1t was caught by Hon L..
William Elliott. Shccphcal, bass and
drum were abundant, too, and fur nish
ed great sport for us. After crops were
laid by many planters llockcd to Bay
Point with their families for five or
six weeks vacation and frolic. They
lived in tents and temporary sheds
while there
con! | tell you, those were great
times. EVcryh"dy hail plenty Of
money, and all were happy, the negroes
as well as their masters.
"Prior TO the civil war these islands
were in very high state of cul'iva-
ton, Sea Island cotton being the prin-
cipal crop raised. A good deal OF it
was also raised on the mainland along
the Coosaw river and Broad river, and
while tho quality was excellent, it was
far below the product Of tho islands.
This mainland Soa Island cotton used
to sell for twenty-five cents a pound
when that grown upon the islands prop
per brought from fifty TO sevcnty-l five
cents. The finest quality Of all was
raised on Edisto Island. This was
The 75.ccnt grade, the very perfection
of long staple cotton, the hnost, in
fact,Iproduced in the world. The same
quality of cotton cannot be reproduced
even on adjacent islands.
Sea Island cotton Is not nearly sc
prolific as the short staple cottOns
About 100 pounds of lint cotton pei
acre was the average yield when
lived on Hilton Head. 1t was put Ill
in 300-pound balcs instead of 45O o.
500 pounds, as the short staple planters
use. France was the largest buyer O
our long staple Sea Island cotton. Th'
great bulk Of the crop was used in th
manufacture of fine French laces. Ou
lands were enriched by heavy applica
lions of muck from the adjacen
marshes. This muck, consisting
mainly of decomposcd vegetable mat
ter, is exceedingly rich in plant food
We used to apply forty wagonloads t.
the acre,
"No one who never lived in o
never visited the Sea Islands of Sout
Carolina in the glorious old days c
City years ago can form proper cor
ception Of the luxury Of their owners
A number of large planters owned a
entire island each. Coosaw Islant
for example, formerly belonged to a
uncle Of mine, Maj. John G. Barnwel
Robert Chisholm owned an entil
island of 2 200 acres extent. Jchoss
Island belonged to a former governt
Of the State, William Aiken, who WI
a lnan of great wealth. Hon. Willia
Henry Trescot, who wae sent as con
missioner to China and also to Chilli
behalf of the United States under M
Blaine, once owned Balnwell Islam
The most important island of the q
tire group is Pinckney Island, ia
west Of Hilton Head. THIS large ar
valuable property was owned by Ge
Challcs Cotesworth Plnckney, of II
volutionary fame. He lived on tt
island in elegance and comfort, d