The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-05-27
OLD TIMES IN THE SOUTH.

Dear Aunt Jennie:-A little rel
forty-one years ago, as a boy of ten
years, I sat on the front porch at
Buxton Place." the home of my pa
rents, Jno. Buxton Williams, and
Temple, his wife.
The mail had just been received;
all were anxious to hear the news.
Fort Sumter had been fired upon! Ny
mother said, "The wal has begunG"
She was a brave and patriotic woman.
She sent four fair boys to fight for
their country; one alas! never came
back, but fell with his country's flag
shattered and torn at Malvern Hill.
Those we're trying times. People
did many things that would cen inn
possible to those who have come upon
the stage of action since then. As
the war progressed sugar, salt, coffee,
and dry goods became luxuries to be
enjoyed only by those who were fortu-
nate enough to get small quantities
that had run the blockade. The ladies
wore dresses spun and woven at home,
as did the men and boys also. For cof-
fee we used okra seed, sweet potato,
rye and other substitutes; for salt, the
dirt from the smokehouse was boiled
and a little and a very inferior article
was secured. But there were brave
hearts then. Mothers could bid their
boys good by to go and fight and never
shed a tear.
Buxton Place was a large twelve
room house just completed as the wal
opened, so was not elegantly furnish
ed, but be it remembered there was
room and food for many soldier boys
to and from Lees army, also refugees
from cold Virginia" and eastern
North Carolina. I can not recall a
time when there was not one or more
refugees at Buxton Place. Col. Sol
Williams, my fathers nephew, married
a daughter of Capt. r. B. Pegram of
the Confederate Navy. Well do I re-
member seeing this tall digniied man
as he came to tell the sad news of Col.
Williams's death to his daughter who
a few days before Ga bride of a few
days only had hidden him farewell.
He fell at Brandywine.
Among other guests that enjoyed
the inequalities of Buxton Place was
Mrs. G. @. Clay, wife of Hon. G. G..
Clay, formerly U. S. Senator, then
Confederate States Senator from Ala
bama. She was said to have been a
power behind the throne at Washing
ton and Richmond. A noble woman!
q think she still lives in North Ala
bama.)
Ny mother sent beds and blankets to
the refugees in Warrenton besides pro-
visions. While we had few Iuxuries it
seemed the good Lord kept his store
houses open to US; there was meat and
bread in large quantities. Ny father
furnished one hundred bushels of
corn, -four, meat, and fodder in pro-
portion to the Confederate States
Government in one year, and still he
had an abundance for all his people,
both white and black.
Now a word as to the negro. As a
slave he was faithful. During all
those four years of war my father
never had a single one to show the
least r~estlessness or dissatisfaction but
worked faithfully to support their
young masters fighting to perpetuate
their slavery.
The end of that war of wars came
at last, and then came times to try
mems souls. Boy as I was, well do I
remember seeing my dear father try
to reason with his former slaves.
They seemed to have had the utmost
confidence in all that he said until he
would try to convince them that the
detestable carpet Dagger and scala
wags were not his friends. Joe Tur-
lei saved the State, and we never
thanked him.
Ny letter is too long.
JONAS C. WILLIAMS.
Wn-~0- a. Mt ~