The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-06


The colony was founded by between three
and four hundred followers of Napoleon. who
had been exiled by the Bourbons after their
restoration. on March 4, 1917. congress gave
the exiies. then gathered in Philadelphia, a
grant of four townships al 81 per acre, on four
teen years time. condition that they Guilt
waite the vine and the olive, From the outsst
the colony seemed doomed to misfortune. The
ship on which they sailed from Philadelphia
ran aground in Mobile bay, but all on board
reached shore. The colonsts were totally un-
prepared for the work of clearing the wilder
and the difficulties of pioneer life. They
lacked teams and wagons and knew nothing OF
agriculture, and the provision that they must
cultivate the vine and olive proved great
hardship since the country was not suitable
Misunderstanding TO the location OF the
land granted them caused much distress. as
many colonists cleared and improved land only
to find that they must abandon IT. Inscrupn-
lous squattere added 20 the troubles OF the
colony, and IN two or three years IT began 10
dsintegrate, as many as could returning 10
France
The Bonapartists brought no negro slaves
and had no money with which to buy slaves,
The exiles not farmers in France ana
had been banished wearing the silks and vel
vets or court life. They brought little wine
and received from friends over the sea
No people Drawer. They dined and danced
in their log huts but in ten years disastrous
effort had driven most OF the colony away
single olive tree in Demopoiis and a grape
vine or two near Greensboro mark the places
they left. Demopolis-city or the peopte-the
h
from Bourbon rule, and Marengo, the name
given the county in which ii lies IN honor or
one Of Napoleon's great victories, togetner WIZ
few French names borne by the descendants
of those who remained serve TO show TO-DAY
that the country was once peopied by sons and
daughters of France. Though the French es-
tablished no characteristics civilization In Ma
rengo county, built monuments, and left no
houses to mark their impress upon the land, IL
lie still upon the people in refinement, in gentie-
ness. and in princely hospitality,
Aa he colony began o dsintegrate American
settlers moved in. many honoraely buying the
colonists' grants for fair consideration. Among
them were cultured and talented young men,
who not only cleared the land and put vast
areas under cultivation, but established civf-
lfzation Of the highest class. The land on
which the French had labored so vainfy TO grow
the vine and the olive responded beautifully
Ito the Southern cotton planter, and by 1soo
had become one vast area Of plantations pene-
trated BY numerous broad roads, and Inhabited
by thousands of happy and industrious people.
| living on estates maintained In highest cutiva-
ton. In the midst of this civilization there
| many stately homes among them pefng
some Of the handsomest mansions of the South.
| "Cainswood" ia Demopolis show place which
had been visited by architects from all parts
Of the county, and declared by emf
| nent authority the 'purest type OF Grecian ar
| chiteeture In America" 1t was built by Cen
| eral Nathan n. Whitfield on the site Of the
/ home Of George Strother Gaines, who was the
/ government agent dealing with the Chcctaws
I at the time the French settled namopohs. In
| 1898 "Gainswood" was the headquarters OF
General polk, BLUM Hail" another historic
| residence. In second only to "Gainswood" and
many other handsome homes erected prior TO
| the war between the States still found IN
Demopolis and the surrounding country
| During the war the country about pemop-
| oils suffered did thu remainder of the South.
| No section gave large proportion OF It's inhaot-
tants To the Confederate armies sent more
supplies to feed and ciothe the soldiers of the
! South At the close OF the struggle the people
adapted themselves TO new conditions. and this
| section is now more prosperous than ever IN It's
| history. The great plantations producing
| large quantities of hay and other foodstufgs,
as well q cotton. Alfalfa has been introduced
| with great and the live stock industry
| In being followed with profit Marengo county
| and the surrounding territory with a romantic
history is facing a future which gives every
promise Of seeing II Of the richest and m ost
/ prosperous sections of the country