The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-18
SOME NEW BOOKS.
Henry Laurens, Merchant and
Statesman Of south CarOiiua.

- American biography Is made by
DAVID DUNCAN WALLACE. professor of
history and economics in Wofford
College, in The Life Of Henry
LdurcnS tPutnams). As pre- sident
OF the Continental Congress Lau-
rens is pretty well "documented."
but aside from hat single, II most i'm
portant, chapter in an unusually inter-
esting American life record there Is a
surprising dearth " commonly access
sible material. Professor Wallace gives
evidence of indefatigable research ia
vored by fortunate advantages Of ac-
cess to the Sources and has put to-
eether the results Of his industry in
commendable style. neglecting none Ct
the desirable factors, and showing in
nice proportion Stne character, circum-
stances and achievements of this early
''Tarheel" statesman, planter and ma
Of business.
Laurens's ancestry was pure HUI
guenot on both sides. His father was
I.ar rou,a, rourors. b;s nathan
- - -
IS'"er vi i'es'e' 'aS h'"9S
great-grandfather C"grandfather' in
the text. Jean Laurent, as the name
~,as than commonly sne,,ed WAS "a
merchant in Rochelle, who died be-
fore 1851. His son Andre. grandfather
of Henry. refugee and emigre. fled
er., On r,u,,na than triad hi, for.
tuhes III i'e'''i" NV h'"'' wv" ""
to America, where ne settled nrst IN
New York and in 17l5 or 1915, in
c..r,o,o, Arars,s sor I.ar sam.
uei, VI 'on"' as he ."iie.o "a" I'M"
sell. was tne husuanu OF i'tster uias-
SCI anu ia'hei vi " suoIeI' 'n n
oios'apn9' WIZ" '"e' W."
ceI"s A"he,''"n uo'", a "" .a
oesah III III fanny n.'.o's Vi u
Lau.ehses' ma Ahu'e w"s a nan
=, pie'y' sn'e"ulless anu ioi,e "
cieaT from tne scart! rei'a'nins rec,
oros Oh ms 'ite' ana 1onh inneri'eo
these quai'ies anu II may De par
donapie 10 say ihcreaseu 'neir e"ec-
tivehess u! Incorporating wiz" III.
french inheritance 'He in''ue,.e VI
the american environment ~ I've
more oehhi'e, ne ieaIneu ms 'raue U,
saddiery so '~horousnly ana pursued
II WIN SO much not merely oi 'nuus-
Try out OF organizing ana business
nursing sense tha. ne peca'"e SUI
s.,,nn,.a Wv -. $3.50 20 h,s 60
a.. ~. III. tu..,. ..pra.rar.a
nH.s..a. , -
-, - nna,n,
sHH L. 49, $50
80,
az. 80 ,.., an,s,on. ans o,nisas
80 ...,,, - 49, ,,n.un,s
Ie", "'Nis NV q $500
pu' va 80. -. 90
vno vi .n'se 80 ..rns.,
w m - ~ a,..
1 - r,oat,ios.
- n,I.ssn 49,. :, go,
- r., ,harson.rau,
80. ~ 800 Narka, ui,h ,hoir
Comr,oa,,ia, u,har or.r,imcs tho
prod,c,s ~ o,ber pIapt.tiops are
forced IN no sold NJ lower prices"
Henry Laurens carried the family
fortunes still, further. Charleston was
doing pretty big business in the mid
die Of the eighteenth century. the
wealth of the planter was reflected
in the wealth Of the merchant. which
was based upon the needs Of the ex-
banding cultivation" The planter
raised staple products for export. such
as indigo and rice; the merchant i'm
ported manufactured goods. Henry
Laurens, disappointed in his eXpecta-
ton of high commercial connections
in London, settled down to the activi-
ties at home for which his education
had prepared him and for which his
fortunate circumstances supplied an
elevated foundation. His business ven-
lures were quite uniformly success
full. and there was a fortune in his
dozen or so OF well managed planta-
tons in South Carolina n Georgia
Abou l15o' when Henry Laurens
(born March b, led was becoming
established as a factor IN the pnpilc
life or his Colony, chPTIcston had pe-
u 10 develop that aristocratic charm
ior whicn IL mas ever since "eeH
noted. Many arlstocratlc iamlles o'
fteVolutionary times mad 10 go pack
out very rev generations 10 n the
shirt sleeves in their ancestry oiten
the shirtsleeve era was successor to an
carrier era OF luxury II high cui'iNa-
ton. TO many a ianiiy threatened
with decay n eNlnctioh settlement
IN colonial America nad peen a savior
AN agency OF TeStneTdtlDn. faHllleS