The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-10-25
LARRY CANTT'S WEEKLY LETTER
By T. Larry CAN'T
davs in The up-country.

Guiding the sllverware, china and
| other furnishings. Except few mod
| ern chairs and tables, rot an article
: in the house was less than one hun
dred and sjxty-ive years old at the
time of my visit, and all of the fur
nishings are most carefully preserved.
What a Golconda would these old fur
nlshings be to- antique seekers of to-
day. The bedsteads, bureaus, tables
and all else are Of solid mahogany,
and of style dating back two CEN
turies or more. And the solid and
heavy silverware, china, vases and
other dining room and parlor adorn-
ments, were in full keeping with the
| old mansion. The Chinaware was in
itself priceless treasures, such as are
seen in these days only in broken sets.
But here every set has been careful
! ly preserved by generations of Gun
ninghams. For instance, there is a
beautiful China cup, one piece from
set of dozen that had been acci-
dentally broken more than century
ago. AS the piece could not be re-
placed, this. cup was sent to France
where the broken pieces were so neat
" cementcd together that it required
the closest inspection to detect the
repairs. To inspect these treasures,
to an antiquary would be like an ar
tist visiting one Of the great collec-
tions of the Old World. The Gun
ninghams would never part with a
single article from their home, and
from generation to generation the fur
rishings Of this old mansion have
been kept unbroken and carefully pre-
served.
Capt. Bob Cunningham, the owner
of this estate and home at the time
of my visit, was gentleman of cul-
ture and refinement. He fought gal
lantly under the Stars and Bars, for
courage is inherent in his family.
Capt. Cunningham talked freely
with me about his ancestors, and had
no apologiessto offer for their espous-
al of the British side during the Revo-
luton. He told me that the Cunning
hams belonged to the nobility of Eng
land, and Sir Patrick Cunningham, his
great grandfather, as also his brother,
known as "Bloody Bill'' Cunningham,
was appointed by King George and
commissioned to come to his Province
OF Carolina and survey the lands for
settlement or grants to favorltes. IN
surveying the section known as
Greenville. Anderson, Laurens, Abbe-
vile and other counties in that sec
ton, they selected, on the banks OF
the Saluda river, large territory
that they knew to be the richest and
most valued lands in the state for
their own possession, and the tract
was granted them by their king as a
reward for loyalty and their services.
The present farm of the Cunning
hams, including the old Rosemont
mansion, is a small part of this grant.
After the victory Of the colonists, the
republic confscated the lands of all
Tories, and the feeling against the
Cunninghams was especially bitter.
But owing to the fact that some men,
bcrs of that family had married into
tried and loyal American families, the
slice now held by the family was CIV
en- to them.
And l will add that among the por-
traits and ether pictures saw at
Rosemont, were many distinguished
Carolinians of past times, as the hos
pitality of the Cunninghams was un-
bounded and the old mansion the
scene Of many grand social entertain
ments. Among the beautiful women
of the past, who lived at Rosemont
and were related to the Cunninghams,
were several lovely girls named Birds,
and who in their day rivalled for
grace and beauty the Gibson girls.
Owing to the great beauty Of the
Misses Bird, the house was called and
described as '"The Aviary;;" 1 saw
among the later pictures in their gal
le7y those of Tabor, the handsome
Young man Of Charleston who was
killed by Rhett IN duel, as also that
of VIM. L. Yancey when young man
and many others.
Capt. Bob Cunningham stated to
me that his family were not traitors
to the Republic, but would have been
the blackest traitors had they desert
ed their king and united with his
enemies. They were royalists and IN
taking sides against the colon!sts