The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-03-06
LETTER FROM TEXAS.
DR., Dabney Writing a History
Wants all Information
ObfainabIe.
THE TOWN OF TRENTON.

Bonham. Tex, Feb. 81, 1908.
EDITOR UNION TIMES:
Here is an item of news coming by
the way OF Bonham from Virginia.
Prof. Il. H. Dabney, of the Univer-
sity of Virginia, is collecting data
from which to write history of the
South during the Reconstruction
period, that is to say from 1865 to
1876. He wishes to communicate
with people in possession of books,
pamphlets, files of newspapers, let
ters, or printed matter containing
facts relating to that period. Infor-
mation throwing light upon the fol-
lowing subjects will be appreciated
by Prof. Dabney: The economic
condition of the South in 1865; the
attitude of different social classes to-
ward each other; the extent to which
ante-bellum partisan political feelings
revived; the feeling of Southerners
toward the North and the Union and
towards Northern settlers in the
South; the conduct of the negroes
and the feelings of the whites toward
them in 1876 and afterwards; Lin
coins Reconstruction Policy in Ger.
tain States, the Freedman's Bureau
aud its workings; Northern teachers
of negro schools and their treatment
by the whites; the influence of Presi-
dent Andrew Johnson's policy upon
Southern Political action; the motives
of State legislatures in plscing the
laws limiting the freedom of negroes;
the working of these laws; the emb-
tive for rejecting, the I4th afnend- ::
mcns in 1866; the exact mSshods Of,
controlling negroes, whether by de-.
ception, intimidation, violence or
proper personal influence; the per-
sonal characteristics of the military
commanders and the civil officials of
States, counties or cities; the actual
management of financial, judicial
and other affairs by The reconstruc-
ton government; (upon these sub.
jects the Carolinians can furnish in
formation which may "stagger hu-
manity;" the fraud or force employ
ed, either for or against these govern
ments; the effect of Johnsons i'm
peachment upon Southern opinion;
the Loyal League; the Ku Klux
Khan; the Knights of the White
Camilla and similar organizations and
80 forth. Prof. Dabney is qualified
in every way to handle the matter he
has taken in hand. He has an
uncle in the person Of DR.. Benz.
Dabney, of Bonham, Texas, through
whom the above information reaches
the correspondent and l am satisfied
that the readers Of TIE TINES will
gladly cooperate with Prof. Dabney
in an undertaking, the object of which
is to do justice to Southern people.
Allow me to add in this connection
that Prof. Dabney has an aunt (Mrs.
Susan Dabney Smedes) who is an
authoress, having written delights
ful story, 1.-The Memoirs of South
ern Planter" the scene of the story
is laid in Mississippi. Mrs. Smedes
home is at Sewanee, Tenn. Prof.
Dabney's father, VIrginius Dabney,
is also writer, Don Milf" being
one of his books. He was, at one
time, a teacher in the Preparatory
School in Princeton College. The
family came from the coast planta-
tons of Gloucester county, Virginia.
Did you ever hear of Trenton
Texas? We'll Trenton is small
town II or 18 miles southwest Of
Bonham, in Fannin county. Trenton
or near Trenton was the home, for a
long time, of. Mr.. julius Kiser, a
Unionite, known to many of the
older readers of the UNION TINES
And Joseph Pridmore, another
Union boy, lived and taught school
at Trenton for some time. Joseph
married at Trenton, Mis-. Lemons
about ten years ago. Trenton was.
until recently, the home of a lady
who will be qrite prominent, from
the fact that she assumes pleasant
task to be performed at the Confed,
crate Reunion at New Orleans ir
May next. The lady is a dapghte,
Of an ex- Confederate soldier of whom
it is said he has not yet surrendered
or been wholly roco Instructed, but be
that as it may; you have been intro