folder 24: Autobiography of Charles A. Hentz, Part I

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Our neighbors were Col. Cheatam, whose fine large two story residence, in a large yard was on the next lot north of us -, & a good stiff walk up there-; with whom Dr. Ravell, his son-in-law, resided-, a tall slender gentleman, who sometimes practised in our family -- and the Logan family, who lived across the road from them Mrs. Logan, a widow with 2 daughters I believe-; the eldest of them, Eliza, who had been a pupil in our school, married Mr. Thurston, who was a brother of Mrs. Pearsall -- Mr. Pearsall lived afterwards in the Cheatam house -- (the C. family having moved into the country on the Reserve --). Mr. & Mrs. Pearsall were great friends of father & mother -- Mr P. was a large man, who talked badly through his nose on account of a deficient palate-; & the forefinger of his right hand was missing. He owned the Eagle Hotel at one time, and on Christmas night it was burnt down. I remember, the bitter cold night, with what awe I stood in my night clothes, looking, shiveringly through the window at the immense flames rolling up in the Heavens -- this was before they became our neighbors. He afterwards built the splendid bridge that spanned the River, just at the lower end of the Muscle Shoals-; connecting Florence with Tuscumbia-; the Pearsalls had 3 children going to school with us. Gratis the eldest, who was a sweetheart of mine. Letty & Tommy-; Letty was a white haired, lisping little thing, who was a great friend of sister Callie. An old lady Mrs. Brandon, lived next to us towards town, just beyond & opposite the brickyard. She had an old negro woman named Creesy, who

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milked her cows, and always made a great fuss at it in the cow pen. "Sow huzzy - how buzzy &c. &c." -- I remember a pun that father made over this old negroes name -- "Why am I like a freemason when I go by Mrs Brandon's --" Ans. Because I am used to "See Creesy." (Secresy)

Dr. Todd -- an old bachelor physician, with two old maid sisters, lived back of Mrs. Brandon's-; in a two story house, with a long row of tall Lombardy poplar trees along the side walk in front of his house-; he attended mother once in a severe attack of pneumonia -- I remember the bleeding & cupping-, the old fashioned treatment from which it is wonderful any one even recovered -- next on down town was the handsome residence of John Simpson; the richest merchant in the place. I have spoken of the Simpson boys -- John & Bill, the youngest, were pupils in our school-; Jim older than these I did not associate with. Isaac the eldest, was drowned in the Blue hole at Cypress Creek; an event that filled me with horror-; he was taking lessons on the flute with Mr. E. Thomas, the music teacher of the Locust Dell School -- as I passed the house on my way down town I occasionally heard them practising Wrugg's duetts together-; and the sweet strains inspired me with strange desire to learn too. Father bought me a nice boxwood, 8 keyed flute -- a very sweet instrument-, & gave me lessons himself-; he had learned late in life, & did not execute any but the simple keys-; so I soon out stripped him, & played much better than he did. He called me in at recess every day, & made me practice 1/2 an hour,

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very much against the grain with me-; but he was inexorable. I had to Forego my play, & -toot my flute most unwillingly

My first acquaintance with my future brother in law. Dr. John W. Keyes, was about the 1st of May 1840 to 1841-; he had brought his two sisters Mat & Jennie to school-; he was a pupil in La Grange College in 42 & 43, wore a broad brimmed black hat-, was sedate & seemed so learned & far ahead of me in learning & Knowledge of the world, that I felt in awe of him. He came with his sisters at the time of one of our May Day celebration-; the young ladies were to walk from Locust Dell to Mr. Logan's in procession, and there get their queen & march back with her, with music & singing-; the goddess Flora presided over this procession, and had a pole with a large wreath twined around it, that was too heavy for the young ladies to carry, and Jno. Keyes was asked to relieve them of its weight -- which he did -- Some of our town boys were grumbling at being thus cut out -- I heard Bill Soffarans, one of my Sunday School class mates saying, in a joking way, that he would like to give him a licking -- His two sisters came as boarders, Mat was very fleshy & rosy -- & had a very sweet face-, I remember the first time I saw her-, sitting on one of the school benches in

The following notes appears on the margin. On a visit to me in Sept 1892 Dr. Keyes added the corrections in the note below

Not Yet Mat was queen I came on a visit I offered to carry the pole -- My offer was declined but afterwards the pole bearers asked Mrs. Hentz to tell me they would accept my services as the pole was more than they could manage.

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a corner that I could point out now if I were in the room; she was weeping-, homesick, & amongst strangers, some of the illmannered scholars had been laughing about her fleshiness, & wounding her feelings-; she became Mrs. Judge Jones, a prominent lawyer of Florence, & for many years held a prominent place in the society of the place-; was a lovely Christian character -- always bright & happy, & making others happy around her; she raised a large family of interesting children; and died within a year or two, & left a happy memory behind her -- Jennie had very black hair -- had rather a petulant disposition I thought married a Mr. Patters, & died of consumption many years ago-

With regard to the Simpson family, a dreadful tragedy had occurred before we went to Florence-; at a large party, given either at Mrs. Simpson's or elsewhere, Mrs. Simpson was promenading with Dr. Harrington, an eccentric, very intelligent, witty man,- thin, dark-skinned, with a strong disposition for fun-, then a bachelor-; as he was promenading with Mrs. S. he in a jocose way, introduced her to several persons as Mrs. Harrington-; Mrs. S. very foolishly, became terribly offended at this, and complained bitterly of it to her brother -- a hot headed young Irishman -- named Patton, who next day hunted Dr. H. with a cowhide in his hand-; and came up with him in Mr. Simpson's store-, and immediately assaulted him furiously with the cowhide. Dr. H. apologized, and did all in his power to pacify him, but in vain-; and as Patton was about to kill him in his insane rage, he drew a sword cane that he had with him

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& pierced him through & through-, over & over again-; killing him on the spot he gave himself up at once exonerated -- not even placed under arrest. Harrington's after life was saddened & blighted by this occurrence. He was our neighbor afterwards in Tuscaloose-; & often played chess with father -- both being very fond of it. I met him too afterwards in New Orleans, following the Daguerreotype business-; then developing into photography-; he took a picture of me then, in what was called the Talbotype process -- on paper.

Father -- who was of a restless, roving disposition, by & bye, got tired of Florence, and made a visit to Tuscaloosa, then the capitol of the State, taking his painting material with him, with the idea of devoting himself to portrait painting --

Before telling of our move to Tuscaloosa though, I must tell of two summer trips made by our family, during our stay in Florence -- One was to La Grange mountain, then the site of the College that was afterwards moved to Florence, & the buildings erected just across the road from Locust Dell, on our old Hill -- We were the guests of Prof. Tutwiler during this visit-; one of the professors in the institution -- Since a distinguished teacher in Southern Ala-; now dead. We had a delightful visit-; he had a little daughter Maggie-; a small, frail little thing, who, with a delightful, cracked little voice, every morning, when asked, "How are you this morning Maggie-; always answered "I feel some bettah" -- of late years I have often seen contributions from her to the Century, written from Germany-; an accomplished woman -- Joh Keyes was then a student at La Grange-; he had a

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