“Beaufort Memoirs”, by Lena Wood Lengnick, 1936

BEAUFORT MEMOIRS

A paper read to the Clover Club

May 25, 1936

 

 

 

 

 

SEA ISLAND HOTEL

This house was built by George Mosse Stoney, son of Doctor James Stoney

who came to this country from Ireland in 1774.  The house has immense rooms

and is usually remembered as the Nathaniel Heyward home.  Heyward bought it

from George Stoney and lived here until the war when it was taken over by

the Federal Army as headquarters.  Heyward was a wealthy planter with many

plantations (one of these on the Combahee now owned by Lawrence).  It was said

that to own one-hundred slaves a man was rich, two-hundred, very rich.  Hey-

ward owned over two thousand.  Much is told of him in Duncan Clinch Heyward’s

recent book, “Seed from Madagascar”.  In this book the curious may learn a

great deal about early rice planting.

It should be said here that at one time Heyward rented the house to

John A. Stuart whose wife was Claudia Rhett and who was the editor of the

early Beaufort Gazette.  He left Beaufort to become editor of the Charleston

Mercury and was considered a brilliant man.  He wrote the following about

Doctor M. G. Elliott’s house (in 1942, Doctor W. A. Black’s), “Sometimes a

planter had a head carpenter and several subordinates.  The Trescot house on

Barnwell Island, —which had just been completed at the outbreak of the Civil

-16-

War, was built entirely by Trescot’s own carpenters.  Such work as the window-

sashes, doors, and paneling being done in Charleston.  Congressman William

Elliott took this house down in 1876, floated it to the town of Beaufort, and

erected it just as it had been on Barnwell Island”.  (The house that stood

on this site before this time had belonged to Francis Stuart and his sons.

It was destroyed by fire in 1872-73.  See Doctor John A. Johnson’s papers).

Going back to the Sea Island Hotel, the handsome fence and wrought-iron

gates that surrounded it were removed when it was bought by the Knights of

Columbus in World War I for use as a recreational center.  The gates were

bought by Mr. A B. Betancourt of Charleston and may be seen at the entrance

of his house on Legare Street there.  After this war, this old home became

an hotel and was for many years managed by Mrs. Odell who was known for her

devotion to her actress daughter, her love for little children, and her kind-

ness to the sick.  The Sea Island Bath-house, for so many years the meeting

place of the young people of Beaufort, has been destroyed, but there are many

pictures of it in the scrapbook at the Beaufort Library.

THE ANCHORAGE

There were four Elliott brothers who emigrated to Charleston, and two of

their descendants came to Beaufort.  This family produced some splendid men,

among them ministers, writers, and statesmen.  The oldest Elliott home that

we know of is the Anchorage on the Bay (now an annex to the Gold Eagle Tavern).

Mrs. Hal Stuart thinks this is one of the oldest houses in Beaufort.  It was

built by William Elliott, father of William, Ralph, and Stephen Elliott, and

it may be pre-Revolutionary, or it may have been built immediately following

the Revolution.  For a while it was used as an annex to the Sea Island Hotel

and was spoken of as the Club House.  In Miss Towne’s “Letters”, she describes

Wade Hampton’s campaign in Beaufort in 1876, and says that she and some

friends stood at the Ladies’ Entrance to the Sea Island Hotel and listened…

*****

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SCHEPER HOUSE

This house, which now belongs to Miss Addie Scheper, was the home of

Lucius Cuthbert who married Miss Charlotte Fuller.  The Cuthberts were a fine,

old Scotch family.  The house has very beautiful cornices and wood-work in

the two front rooms.

This house was the childhood home of Doctor Lucius Cuthbert, one of the

finest Baptist ministers that South Carolina has produced.  He was a nephew

of the famous Doctor Richard Fuller.  His son, James Hazzard Cuthbert, was

the author of a life of Doctor Richard Fuller.  During the War, this family

refugeed to Aiken.  Doctor Lucius Cuthbert was one of my father’s (Mr. Wood’s)

closest friends.  The house was used as a bakery during the War and afterward

was bought by the Scheper family.

STUART HOUSE

Next to the Scheper house stands the house of Doctor Henry Middleton

Stuart in which Mrs. Hal Stuart now lives.  Mr. Holmes saved this house and

the Hamilton house for their southern owners at the time of the United States

Tax sales.

The third house in this block, on the corner of Port Republic and West

Streets, is an interesting old tabby building, supposed to have been built by

Colin Campbell.  Doctor Henry M. Stuart’s father and mother (a Miss Means)

lived here before the War; and on the large lot to the rear of the house, Mr.

Henry Stuart installed one of the first Eli Whitney cotton gins…

 

Ferdinand S. Mann, 1905-September 30,1966

 

 

FERDINAND S. MANN

Ferdinand S. Mann, 61, son of

the late Caroline S. Mann and

Daniel Mann, died at his home

in Berkely Springs, W. Va.,

Sept. 30.

Survivors include his widow

Georgia Mann; one sister, Mrs.

Leon S. Carter of Beaufort; one

brother, Muse E. Mann of Col-

umbus, Ga.

Mann was retired from Civil

Service in Washington, D. C.,

and had made his home in

Berkely Springs.

Funeral services were Sun-

day, Oct. 2, in Berkely Springs.

(From the Beaufort Gazette, October 6, 1966)

 

Daniel Mann, Jr., 1907-1908, Beaufort, South Carolina

 

Mr and Mrs Daniel Mann have the

heartfelt sympathy of their many

friends in the loss of their little son,

Daniel, Jr., who died Monday night,

after an illness of some time, at the

age of one year.  Though very deli-

cate since his birth, the parents of

this lovely little baby were hopeful

of his life and his death was a sad

shock to them.  The funeral services

were held at the home Tuesday after-

noon and were conducted by Rev. A.

B. Watson, pastor of the Methodist

church, and the remains were laid to

rest in the family lot at St Helena

Episcopal Church.  The pall bearers

were:  Messrs Allen Paul, Theodore

Heyward, Charlie Danner and Harold

Scheper.

(From the Beaufort Gazette, September 3, 1908)

Isabelle Mann, Born & Died in 1908, Beaufort, South Carolina

 

Death of An Infant.

Isabelle Mann, the bright little

daughter of Mr and Mrs Daniel Mann,

died on Friday night Oct. 2nd age

three months and two days.  The in-

terment took place on the afternoon

of the 3rd at the family lot at St Hel-

ena Episcopal church, the ceremony

being conducted by the Rev. A. B.

Watson.  The pallbearers were Dr.

M. G. Elliott and Mr W. J. Thomas.

(From the Beaufort Gazette, October 22, 1908)

Henry G. Mann, 1849-1898

 

 

After an illness extending over some

months from Bright’s disease, Mr. Henry

G. Mann, long and favorably known and

having many friends, died at the residence

of his mother, in Beaufort, Tuesday.  The

funeral services were conducted by Rev. W.

L. Githens, in St. Helena Church, yester-

day morning, in the presence of a large

number of sympathizing friends, and the

remains were interred in the family lot.

The pall bearers were Messrs. H. T. Danner,

M. O’D. White, J. M. Baker, M. D. Boin-

eau, J. N. Wallace and D. W. Crocker.

Besides a most affectionate and aged moth-

er, deceased left two brothers and several

sisters to mourn his loss.  Mr. Mann was

about 49 years of age and had been engaged

in mercantile business all his life.

 

Meisher C. Mann, 1866-1898

 

 

Death of Meisher C. Mann

For a long time the condition of health

in which Mr. Mann was precluded any hope

of his ultimate recovery, and death came to

the relief of his suffering.  Mr. Mann was

32 years of age, and was very popular with

the young people of Beaufort, his native

town.  The funeral services were held at

St. Helena Church, Thursday last, Rev. Mr.

Githens, the rector, officiating, and the re-

mains were interred in the family lot.  Mr.

Mann was a member of the order of the

Knights of Pythias, and Beaufort Lodge

had been very attentive to him during his

illness.  The following Knights acted as

pall bearers:  Messrs. W. R. Bristol, M.

Cohen, A. W. F. Alaina, J. H. Jones, J. M.

Lengnick, and S. H. Rodgers, Jr.  His

mother, brother and sisters have the sym-

pathy of the entire community.

(From the Palmetto Post, October 20, 1889)

*****

His parents were Daniel Mann and Agnes Reis Mann.  His brother is Daniel Mann who married Caroline Sanders.  His sisters are Emily Mann, unmarried, and Louisa Mann who married E. A. Scheper.

The name “Lengnick”?  Remember that name.  There’s a post coming up soon mentioning an article about Beaufort memories written by a Lengnick.  The pallbearer J. M. Lengnick was also a pallbearer from Meisher’s mother Agnes Mann.

Caroline Sanders Mann, 1872-1961

 

Funeral services for Mrs. Dan-

iel Mann were conducted at 4

p.m. Tuesday in the Carteret

Street Methodist Church with

the Rev. R. S. Kaney officiating.

Burial was in Evergreen Ceme-

Mrs. Mann died Monday morn-

ing at the home of her daughter,

Mrs. Leon Carter of 137 N. Her-

mitage St., after an extended ill-

ness.  She had lived here for 60

years and was a member of the

Methodist Church.

Surviving in addition to Mrs.

Carter are two sons, Muse E.

Mann of Columbus, Ga., and Fer-

dinand S. Mann, of Washington,

D. C. and Maryland; three grand-

children and three great-grand-

children.

Pallbearers were Howard Bo-

yne, Jack Woods, J. C. Long,

Claude McLeod, Gary Black and

H. K. Snell.

The Anderson-Greene Funeral

Home was in charge.

(From the Beaufort Gazette, February 16, 1961)

Want to know something circularish?  She was living at 137 N. Hermitage when she died.  Sugar’s step-grandmother was living at 127 N. Hermitage at that time.

 

Daniel Mann, 1862-1930, Son of Daniel & Agnes Mann

 

 

Obituary of Daniel Mann, Beaufort Gazette, May 1, 1930

Mr. Daniel Mann, one of Beau-

fort’s oldest citizens, died here Fri-

day morning, April 25, after a short

illness.  The funeral service was held

at Carteret Street Methodist church,

Dr. W. C. Kirkland officiating, inter-

ment following at Evergreen ceme-

tery.

Mr. Mann was born in Beaufort in

1862, having reached the age of 69

years at the time of his death.  He

had devoted 50 years of his life to

public service in the city and county

of Beaufort and State of South

Carolina, holding the office of Inspec-

tor in the South Carolina State Board

of Fisheries, chief of police at Beau-

fort, deputy sheriff and sheriff of

Beaufort county.

Conservative and conscientious in

all of his dealings, he was loved

throughout this section, and has num-

erous friends and business acquaint-

ances throughout the state.

He is survived by his widow, Mrs.

Carrie Sanders Mann, formerly of

Charleston, three children, Mr. M. E.

Mann, of New York; Mrs. Robert M.

Neighbors, Naval Hospital, Charles-

ton; Mr. F. S. Mann, of Beaufort; one

granddaughter, Miss Roberta Neigh-

bors, Charleston, and two sisters,

Mrs. L. C. Scheper and Miss Emily

Mann, of Beaufort.

The active all bearers, all of whom

were associated with him in the

court house, were:  Messrs. J. G.

Black, J. E. McGill. E. B. Rodgers, J. E.

McTeer, R. L. Varn and Gerald Mc-

Teer.  The honorary pallbearers, old

boyfriend friends, were Messrs. H. T.

Danner, Sr., W. F. Marscher, M. L.

Rowell, Frank P. Colcock, G. Sanders,

Dr. Hal Stuart, Dr. William Stein-

meyer, W. J. Thomas, W. R. Bristol

and Dr. Van Smith.

The floral offerings were very beau-

tiful, the entire grave being covered

with wreaths and pot plants.

The death of Mr. Mann removes

one of Beaufort’s oldest and most be-

loved citizens and the sympathy of

the people of the entire community

are extended to the bereaved family.

Because I Can’t Stop Thinking About Agnes Mann

(This is the ninth part of a series.  If you would like to start at the first part, click here.)

I’ve got Agnes Mann on my mind.

If she was a hotel keeper in 1880, perhaps I can find which hotel.  Perhaps I can’t.  Regardless, I’m curious to know more.

I found the Beaufort County Library has a collection called the Beaufort District Collection.  When I went online, I found they had an obituary index online.  Here’s the link: CLICK HERE.

I found Agnes, and some of her children.  So it seemed reasonable to send the nice librarians an email to inquire of such a thing.

The website said that the librarians can take your request, copy the desired obituary, and mail it  you, all for the low, low price of $5.00.  However, the email I received in return from the nice librarian said that they recognized my email address as a local one, and if I wanted to pop in, I could copy it myself for ten cents.

I just happened to have ten cents burning a hole in my pocket.

Sugar was at work, and I called him to warn him that I might need to go to Beaufort.  He said great, we can go next Tuesday.  I said maybe no, I might not get next Tuesday off, and I need to go now.  Without him.

*****

It was so simple.  Someone has created an obituary card file using 3×5 index cards and the actual obituary.  I found Agnes, and some of her children, and her grandchildren.

 

 

MRS. AGNES MANN.
Death of a Good Woman and De-
voted Mother.
After a long period of suffering, Mrs.
Agnes Mann, relict of the late Daniel
Mann, and a very old resident of Beaufort,
departed this life Saturday, at the resi-
dence of her daughter, Mrs. L. C. Scheper,
in the 78th year of her age. Mrs. Mann
was the fond mother of a large family, and
had much sorrow in her journey of life,
having seen pass from her nine children,
the most of whom had reached manhood
and womanhood. She bore her cross with
Christian fortitude, and was an example to
all who knew her. She left surviving her
two daughters, Mrs. L. C. Scheper and
Miss Emily Mann, and one son, Mr. Daniel
Mann, besides many grand and greatgrand
children. The funeral services were held in
St. Helena Church, Sunday evening in the
presence of many friends. Rev. J. B. Camp-
bell, of the Carteret Street Church, con-
ducting the ceremonies. The remains were
laid to rest in the family lot in the
same church yard. The floral offerings
were very beautiful. The following
gentlemen were pallbearers: W. J. Thomas,
R. R. Legare, H. M. Stuart, Jr., J. M.
Lengnick, W. R. Bristol and W. F. Mar-
scher.

(Obituary comes from the Palmetto Post, July 19, 1906.)

Now this was confusing to me.  If Agnes Mann was “laid to rest in the family lot”, where was she?  We didn’t see her marker, and I know that her husband Daniel Mann had a marker, although we didn’t actual find him.  Don’t tell me that this is another plot with no markers.

I told the librarian that we looked for Agnes’s house, which, according to the 1900 census, should be at 117 Craven Street, but the numbers were off. She suggested that we look at the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, and gave me the web address.

*****

When I got home, I used the web address that she gave me, but you can use this handy link to look at all your choices:  http://library.sc.edu/digital/collections/sanborn.html.

If you want to jump right into the action, go HERE, which should be Beaufort, South Carolina, in 1899, for sheet 4.  Zoom way in, perhaps 4 left-clicks, and you’ll see at the bottom of the page,  Craven Street, with the  building numbers next to them.  If you can find the Tabernacle Baptist Church, look at the building to the right, 117 Craven Street.  That’s where Agnes lived the following year in 1900.

Below is a download of the Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for 1905 for the same neighborhood.  If you enlarge this map, it fragments too much to be legible, but you get the idea of what you are looking for.

 

And if you go to a google map, you’ll find that the house is still standing.

You know what this means, don’t you?

We have to go back to Beaufort.

Letters From Mrs. Harris E. Willingham To Edward Lawton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Harris E. Willingham

224 East Hunting Towers

Alexandria, Virginia

Jan. 17, 1965

 

My dear Mr. Lawton,

Yesterday I

mailed you the picture I

have of Peter Jones Trading

Station and Blandford Church

on Well’s Hill, built between 1734

and 1737, when Peter Jones

was vestryman.  It is now a

Confederate Memorial Chapel.  I

have a copy of “Bravest Surrender”

A Petersburg Patchwork, by Catherine

Copeland with illustrations by

P. Hairston as well (Copyrighted

1961 by P Hairston Seawell, Newport News

which has a prettier picture of

the church and one of

“Folly Castle” built 1768 by Peter

Jones a descendant of Peter Jones

for whom Petersburg named (a bachelor).

I enclosed a little picture

of “Springfield”, where I was born

and where in 1814 my great

grandfather Wood Jones married

Elizabeth Trent Archer, daughter

of Peter Field Archer, son of

John Archer of “Archer’s Hall”, Bermuda

Hundred and Elizabeth Trent.  “Archer’s

Hall” was burned by Arnold on his

way up James against Richmond

and Petersburg.

“Springfield” is falling down.  The

old parlor was panelled and here

the 18^th Ga. Battalion officers slept

the night of the evacuation of

“Fort Jones”.  “Springfield” on Powhatan

side.  “Fort Jones” on Amelia Co side

opposite.  Flat bottom boats brought

things down the Appomattox to be

shipped on Richmond & Danville

R. R. to Richmond.  An old map

I have gives a number of buildings

at Mattoax.  Grandfather held

rank of Captain in Confederate army,

detailed during war at Mattoax

as Postmaster & Freight Agent.

After Lee’s army passed over and

Fort evacuated, he had all

the Freight piled on the Iron trus

bridge and set fire to it from

our side, “Springfield” on the

line of march, evacuated by family several times because of raids.  The

armies camped in the yard

burning fences and outbuildings

for their camp fires.  After the

surrender Grandfather was

ploughing a garden with an old

blind mule, all he had.  Union stragglers from Appomattox

coming by started to take this, but

one said, “let the old devil make

a living if he can!”  We were

terribly poor!  Barred by Iron-clad

oath for 2 years, Grandfather

then became Postmaster at Mattoax.

He did active fighting against Kautz’s

raid at Flat Creek, Amelia, where

the Yankees were repulsed

in their effort to destroy Mattoax

bridge.  After this the 18^th Ga. Battalion

was stationed at Mattoax.  “The

Oaks” was some distance

from Mattoax.  I wonder if

“Fort Jones” named for Gen. Jones

or for my Grandfather who

was “holding the fort” there before

the Savannah Volunteers came

to help.  The scrap-book made

by Aunt Bernie (Hibernia Lewis Jones)

was made on “Mattoax ticket-book”

(paper so scarce).  They wanted

to run a road through the

fort across the river and a

mile through “Springfield” about

20 yrs ago and sent me

blue prints showing the road by battery

and how it would come through

my land (60 ft wide highway for

a mile)  I refused to give gratis

this mile.  I had a given already

permission to widen roads –

Grandfather right of way for R. R.

and a siding, a mile from Mattoax.

So I do have a drawing of

battery of “Fort Jones”.  Twenty-three

Yankees were killed at Flat Creek.

Lee sent reinforcement by Burkeville

to help them.  Grandfather cared

for wounded and dead who were

buried at Mattoax.  Many Northern

families came after the war to

thank him for his attention, and

his letters home to let them know.

The dead buried in a trench with

boughs over their faces to protect

them.  Grandfather kept prisoners

at various times in the old

parlor at “Springfield” – Gone with

the wind!  I did not expect you

to use picture of Springfield

and grandfather, but thought it would

interest you.

I don’t know anything about

Miss Boyd now,  but William Mason

daughter Mrs. Norfleet used to

live in Washington.  I can write

my cousin in Richmond, and

see what I find.

My husband descends

from Benjamin Themistocles Dion Lawton

and wife Jane Moss daughter

of Dr. George Moss.  I have a

picture of her and a Christmas

card from Harris’ cousin Mrs.

Broadus Willingham of Macon,

Ga. said, I believe, they had a

picture of Dr. Mosse.  I must write

her.  I have “Our Family Circle”,

and a “Family History”, by Ann

Willingham Willis.  I don’t want

to divert you.  Keep on with

your work!  More power to you!

Sincerely,

Lynn Lewis J. Willingham

P.S.  I belong to D.A.R., Colonial Dames

of America, “F.F.Va”, Jamestown

Society, and Nat. Soc. Dau. of Barons

of Runnemede and in last

Vol III, “Living Descendants of Blood Royal”,

so you see I am a foolish old

lady about genealogy.

S.S.J.W.

 

MRS. HARRIS E. WILLINGHAM

224 EAST HUNTING TOWERS

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA

Jan 23, 1965

My dear Mr. Lawton,

I thought

you would like my picture

of Peter Jones’ Trading Station,

and I treasure the Blandford

Church picture as my Peter Jones III

was vestryman when it was

built.  I had these made

36 years ago, and they were

not expensive.  I did not go

to the expense of having them

copied to send you as you

said you could have it done

free down there and I knew

time was important.  I would

like them back soon as you

can have copies made as I

keep them in my “Peter Jones

Genealogy,” by Fothergill and

would hate to lose them.

“Springfield” has about fallen

down.  This was taken many

years ago.  Father died in 1924

and his sister lived there for

a few years afterwards.  It is of

no value except for timber,

played out land!  Sentiment for me!

The Southern has cut out passenger

trains, and all the neighbors

moved away or died, even the old

darkies.  I thought you would be interested

in seeing Grandfather who guarded the bridge

before 18^th Ga. Battalion.

I wrote my cousin in

Richmond to find out about Miss

Lizzie Boyd and “The Oaks”.  I will

let you hear.  Copy my notes

on “The Oaks” and send them

back.  How far back have you

gone on Sam Jones family have

you gone?  I infer you descend

on another line from Abram Jones.

I copied my Mallory line

from Va. His. Mag. and it had

picture of Hatton Conyers in it which

I had copied.  This gave Tempest Family

married into Washington family.  Battes

make us eligible for 16 lines in Barons

of Runnemede.  I joined on Randolph.

Sincerely,

Lynn Lewis Willingham

(in the left margin)

We are in “Our Family Circle.”  I wrote

Willingham corrections for reprint.

Tom Lawton wrote Lawton corrections.

 

 

 

Mrs. Harris E. Willingham

224 East Hunting Towers

Alexandria, Virginia

 

My dear Mr. Lawton,

I am

flying to Louisville, Ky to spend

a week with Harris Jr.  I had

this little scratched notes on the

Jones Family who lived at “The

Oaks” after the war.  It was a

quaint little place like out

“Springfield” – “Fort Jones”, on a

high bluff overlooking the Apomattox

river at Mattoax, Amelia Co. guarded the

iron-truss bridge of the Richmond

and Danville R.R. which was

the main artery from the South

for Richmond (near Southern R.R.)

I’ll write more when I

get home.  I am 70 and have

cataracts, but going strong and

love history.

I knew Miss Garnet here in Washington

now dead, who was of this branch

of the family.  She belonged to Club of Colonial Dames.

Aunt Anna may have made

mistakes in what she told me

but I put it down thinking I

would write a piece about”The

Oaks” because my family loved

the people there and admired

their struggle.  The girls put cloth

tops to old shoes, but were always

pretty, gay, and popular.  Everyone

was so poor!

Merry Christmas!   I have

wonderful things on the Battes,

Mallorys and Bishop Vaughan.  My

Sarah visited Chester Cathedral

when she an her husband were

in England 7 years ago.  They are now in Geneva

Switzerland Larence Biedenharn

Jr. Prof of Nuclear Physics at Duke,

on a years leave to study and with

grant from Nat. Science Foundation.  I

am in “Living Descendants of Blood

Royal” Vol III on Randolph & Isham lines.

Our Batte line is traced out on pp 589

591 – to King Henry I of France.

Hastily,

Lynn Lewis J. Willingham