The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-31
John ROYAL ROBERTSON.


Mr.. Robertson came to st. Andrews
parish from Nottaway county, Virginia
in 1928. He was a typical pioneer In the
circumstanc that he had received a
classical education and brought with
him many slaves. His young wife was
one of the prominent Cooke family of
Virginia.
This gentleman settled a fine estate adj
iacent to the Windsor plantation and
convenient to "Prairieville Square He
was induced to emigrate thither by favor
able reports from his uncle, John ID.
ROYAL. who preceded him and who mad
settled an estate on the east bank or the
Black Warrior, at point Thereafter
known as Port Royal" With this uncle
had come two young maiden sisters OF
John r. Robertson One of these mar
ried Asa B. Winn, an emigrant planter
from Virginia. and the other married
Robert Macon.
Mr.. Robertson was known as remark
ABLY successful cotton planter. An in
stance of his resourceful mind In an
emergency may be given. The rich virgin
soil had responded freely to the labor
of cultivation and the cotton seemed to
cover the earth. so that the only way
to determine from a short distance even
at what spot the mules and plowmen
would be found was to watch for the
shaking of the stalks as they moved along
| the rows.
In August daily rains set in. The cot
ton weed grew enormously while the
| fruit shed so as to litter the ground be-
low. Seeing the inevitable result, crop
failure, Mr.. Robertson conceived a meth
cd of cultivation Intended to arrest the
effect of the continuing showers upon the
weed He caused to be shaped at his own
shop. by his slave smith, long, curved iron
blades or knives. These he attached to
the light pillow stocks and ordered every
male to the fields, pruning cotton roots.
The effect was wonderful. The weed
ceased TO grow and the fruit ceased to
shed. A phenomenal crop was harvested.
| Mr.. and Mrs. Robertson. reared large
family of sons and daughters.
| MINOR w. GRACEY.
This gentleman, from South Carolina,
owned the "Waldwie" plantation and
lived on 1t in admirable style with his
wife. also a South Carolinian. He was
tall. with head full of prematurely
white hair 'Waldwie" Joined Mr.. Rob-
ertson's estate Here hospitality ruled.
The grounds considered apart from
the plantation were some 40 acres In eX-
tent, devoted to orchard, vegetable gar
den. etc After breakfast the saddle
horse of the lady of the feuse was
hitched In the back yard. where she
mounted for a daily inspection of the
house premises.
| Mr.. Gracey died of yellow fever In the
fall of 1853 contracted at Demopolis. In
| 1865 Mrs Gracey married the attorney
general Of Virginia. Mr. w. P. Bocock.
one of four distinguished brothers OF that
state. The wedding was very elegant
| entertainment
| Mrs. Bococb remained an active factor
| in Canebrake society. with the hearty
sympa thy of her very intelligent husband.
She organized a "Chess club" with week
| ly meetings in the late afternoon at her
home. "Chess club" was rather the ex-
cuse There were chess players. true. but
.he couples who walked the grounds as
the sun faded away. who went within
doors to dance as the hall and parlors
were lighted, and who gathered at the
supper table at 10 o'clock. gave zest to
the recurring meetings Mrs. Bocock was
president Of the Chess club: Mesdames
Alice G. Duggar John William Tavloe,
Walter E. VIM. and Misses Anne Tay
loe Eugene Lyon. Evelyn DuBose. Lou
lisa DuBose were vice presidents. Waver-
lily w Duggar, ESQ.,. was secretary.
There were no children at "Waldwie,"
but Mr.. and Mrs. S. N Steele and their
children lived there. Mrs. Steele, sister
of Mrs. Bocock, and her husband mer-
chant and live stock breeder at Prairie-
Vile.
JOHN COLLINS.
This was the largest land holder of ST.
Andrews parish. In the latter part of his
life his connected plantations were per-
haps ~ to IS miles in length. His career
as cotton planter becomes interesting
here because he was an exception to al
most all the other planters In the foun-
dations Of his life. He came from yir-