The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-07-28
Family REUNION.
Characteristics Of Some Of AbbeviIIe's
First Settlers.

Washington, D. c., June %, 1909
Editors Press and Banner:
In the Press and Banner of this
week l notice the item which tells Of
two brothers meeting, after 43 years, at
[the home of their sister, Mrs. Susan ]. I.
Britt (nee Bouchillon), of Sandover.
have to-day letter from one of
them (Thaddeus w. Bouchillon) tell
ing of the reunion which was had of
the six remaining children Of the late
Joseph Leonard Bouchillon at the old
home at Bordeaux, where Henry M.
Bouchillon, one of the six, now lives.
He says In the letter:
1--WE had the privilege on the 18th of
assem- bling at the old homestead, the
place of our birth where all were,
reared, and discussing child and girl
and boyhood days while we pointed
out the old familiar objects which, still
remained-the old familiar stones, the
old oak trees, the old corn crib built of
logs, the old harness house, the old
store house, the bubbling spring pour
| ing forth its water second to none, the
sloping hills and depressions over
which we roved and played during,
our childhood. During the noon
hours, we, with others of our kinsfolk,
partook Of sumptuous repast pre-
pared by the wife Of our brother Hen
ry; and, before we parted for the day,
We assembled in the room, the six of
US, our ages ranging from 81 to 81, and,
with one Of Henry's daughters at the
piano, we sang the old familiar song,
IN on rar NV God IN Thao
"This meeting Of old brothers and
sisters I am not able to describe. /,
had not seen Benjamin for 43 years;
then he was a mere beardiess boy, now
an old grey-headed man. BE left for
his home in Florida Oh the 18th. I
will leave next week for my home In
Mississippi" ~
It Is remarkable-the vitality, the
long life and the large families which
ran with so much of the old Huguenot
blood that settled at Bordeaux and
from there spread to other parts Of the
country. Golden weddings which
speak Of q happy home-life, were nu-
merous among that people.
Joseph Leonard Bouchillon; whose
surviving children have just met each
other again at the old Bordeaux home
stead, was one of three brothers, each
Of whom reared large family and re-
joiced for more than fifty years with
the wife of his youth. John Bouchil-
lon and his wife. who went West and
are buried in Texas, lived together
over 81 years; James Segang Bouchil-
lon and his wife, who also went West
and are buried in Mississippi, lived to-
+gether over 81 years. Joseph Leonard
Bouchillon and his wife lived together
at Bordeaux over 81 years.
Isaac Bouchillon, a first cousin to
the three brothers above named, mar
rried Guillebeau with whom he lived
for more than SO years. They are bur-
led In Floyd county, Georgia, where
one of their children is still living at
83 years of age, honored and loved by
her descendants Of three generations.
Mrs. Susan J. Britt, mentioned above,
and her husband, the late Joseph s.
Britt, lived happily together for more
than SIS years Ito be exact, IS years16
months and Is days) and were the.pa-
rents of seven children, all Of whom
are still living. The lady who was
honored at Montgomery, Alabama, as
the oldest and most cherished survival
of the early days of the town, and who
in December last died at SO years Of
age, retaining all her faculties to her
last day (Mrs. Lucinda Susan Foun-
taine), was of this Huguenot strain,
transported when little playful girl
from South Carolina to Alabama.
She was of the Covin-LeRoy blood
and first cousin to the Bouchillon
brothers above mentioned.
If properly written, an account of
the habits and home life Of the Hugue-
nots who settled in Abbeville| county
and of the impress of their blood as 1t
blended by intermarriage with others
and spread into other States, contrib
uting to what Is best and loveliest in
the domestic character, would be
most interesting chapter in the history
of our Southern people.
AIfhoua Tohna0n