Document text
Sunday July au, 1939.
ire. Isabel Barnwell,
Neuva isporanza
lap. New Hope) Planta-
tion,
\\Florida 13, yule.
to Fernandina, 6 m.
A DAY AT
Rose Aenhard, Writer.
NUM SSki!'ANZA, (el). NSW HOPS) PLANTATION
Aeoempanying Mrs. Barnwell and her daughter on a .unduy
visit to Nueva Asperanza (0p. Now Hope) Plantation, a ;punish
Grunt given to her great-grandmother, Margaret O'Neill, in
1792, was like glimpsing life of hundred years age, as
're. Barnwell related instanoes and reoulled historic happep-
info handed down through family lineage.
We left dueksonville at 11 416. in. in a pouring rain,
tr.tvoling north on 17 to Yulee, then right en Florida
13 to Zetterow's filling station a miles west of Fernandina,
where we stopped for milk, bottled drinks and a.z4wiuhes. We
had covered the distanoe in an hour by automobile, Aatd the
we had traveled away from the rainclouds, this section was
outside the loeal thundershower, but the *Ur was cool and
pleasant, tempered by the breezes from the -tlantio Ocean, two
miles eastward.
'That's all 114 laud across the road, said ,'re. Barnwell.
"That dirt road wa,1 put through my place by the road department
of Nassau County about six years ago. It extends for three
miles right through the center of the old plantation.
"By the way, this Zotterow family is the npurth genera-
tion of their name in Nassau Uounty. They used to own four
ten hundred acres over here to the right, but they have
sold most of it. It was wonderfully rich land, and belonged
25989
Nueva Asperansa PlantLtion mrs. Barnwell 2.
originally to a Mrs. Starratt. Th•) Goffin family now own
a oonsiaJrablo seotion which runs to the ...menu, River, giving
them largo beds of oysters. At one time they did quite 4
considerable business of ounning oysters commercially, in addi-
tion to disposing of quantities of fresh oysters oommoroially.
"I used to teach this boy, °soar Zetterow's father, who
one day brought his little sister, Irene, to school for the
day. Irene was about five years old. 6ome of tho children
had found a nest with two young birds in it, blown down from
a tree in 4 storm. My son, Woodward Barnwell, who was a
seoond-grader at tho time, brought in a little shrub, placing
the birds on a small branch. The birds got exalted from so
many childron chattering around them, and one, gathering
strength as it warmed up in thl sun from the east window, bet
gun to hop around on the floor, i.. the suddenly raising
it. wings flew out the open window. Little Irene ran to
Woodward and cried axoltedly,leno little bird flied out the
the window. Did you see it flew?,
"Oscar and his wife, Orb, run the filling station here,
and they have a small store in the back with supplies of
staple groceries. e it is open day and night, they relieve
each other at the work. I see Oscar is on duty now, so
guess Orb o is still asleep, having teen up most of the night."
"Oscar, how about some ice?" asked Mrs. Barnwell. "I
have 4 long Georgia watermelon in the oar here, and must
have t,ome ice to cool it."
Oscar brought out a 20 -lb piece of ice, well wrapped
in heavy piper, 4.nd Placed it in the :lax, with the cold
drinks alai mil A with some canned moats and a loaf of bredd
Nueva Aspiransa. Plantation Mrs. Barnwell 3.
to make sandwiehee when we artived et our destination.
"Turn left here," Mrs. Barnwell instructed the ohauffour,
Dallas, "and keep right on this county road until we gat to
the Avenue."
"The Avenue," Mrs. Barnwell exnlained,"is about mile
farther on, and turned west, flanked on either site by immense
old liveoak trees, leading to the yard gate ci the old plan-
tation manor house.
"You want to know how we rate this nice road? Well, you
see it was always just a country lane, sometimes with trees
blown aorose by storms, and about seven years ago I wrote the
State Aoad Department,ualling the r attention to the length
of time our family. the O'Neill., liar() been living here
ober a. hundred and fifty years paying tuxes and doing our
part towards the upkeep of the county, and asks& about their
building a road through the place, as it WAS 4 kind of county
highway. It was not long before they sent a survey party
out, and the result was this nice dirt road three miles long
and Shirty foot wide through our property.
"'Look at the cattle! livery year I fatten free about two
hundred head of cows and calves belonging to neighbors that
range free ov)r my land. There used to be fences, but they
are all eons now, and there is no way of keeping them in
bounds.
"The original grant to my great-grandmother comprised
1.073 aerie, given to her for distinguished services rendered
by my great-grandfather, Henry O'Neill, to the ::Tanish Crown
when Ylerida and 4 large part of Georgia was under '.;punish
Nueva' isperanza 21antation mre. Barnwell 4
dominion. The seat of govornment for this section was at
what is i.ow ate Mary's, Georgia, a Low 4iles northeef
Pernandina. M. great-grandfather was killed by a opunish
outlaw, and for this his widow was given thia.mmenas grunt
of land, a captain's nansion, and also a (Mar of MOntopiO
Sp. Mountain of Poaoe, a kind oS special award signed by the
Ling of ONLIA. Of this latter, i Just learned thy's* years
ago, through an interested friend who went to WW2* Una
found thfibr000rt of the grant, the pension And the sward
in the Spanish Archives in that city.
"After Henry O'Neill died, his widow, Margaret, marriet
Williwa Hollingsworth, of Saint Marys. They had two daugh-
ters, Alisa And Mary.
"Alisa Hollingsworth m.,eried a Ur. Baird, and Mary
married Levan lunby, an Anglie)mun. J y mother was a
daughter of Mary and Levan Gunby.
"In an old teed 1 was looking over three years age,
I discovered that my mother's grant -father, ltilliam Hollings-
worth, was given a memorial in Duval County, because during
the Revolutionary War he had with his troops won a battle at
'Cam New Hope' named for our New Hope Plantation. The
spot boars a marker also with this information."
Asiehe talked we were driven through the rich soil of the
old iou4hundred-acre cornfield, now grown up in shrubs and
young pine trees.
"The court divided the lent among the heirs year* mg,"
said Mrs. Burnwoll, giving each 174 aeros. This lot on the
right was my sister, Ilorence's share. ,She died many years
Neuva Noperansa lantation Mrs. Barnwell
ago, and her ohildrok now live in New Xork.
"The land to the left of the road belongs to my brother,
Dunbar, who lives in California.
"Through some litigation, I heard my father say, one
hundred and eightraoros went to outsiders.
"my parool is a little more than the other heirs, as
my husband and 1 bought out some of the others' share, end
1 have one paroel of 100 acres, one of on4 undred and seventy-
four acres where the old homestead is, and another small lot
of thirty-five sores, a little more than throe hundred acres,
all told.
"Who2o the land is aeared on the left is a section
belonging to my son, O'Neill Barnwell, two hundred and
ninety aores, goes down hero about two miles west to
Lanceford Creek, or us it is now known Clark's River
and east to the Amelia River.
"My land is all being turpentinod, Inider contract to
Powell and have. Mr. PolNell lives in Jacksonville, and
Mr. Shave, in Pornandina. They ploy ten cants a tree, which
brings in around five hundred dollurs per your. In six or
seven years, the turpentine will be exhausted, and I'll
have the tress back, either all dead or fit only for pulp-
wood'.
"Right along here to the left was the big four hundred
acre Qornfield, as 1 remember it when a young girl, end, to
the right, alter the war, was the vegetable sootion, where they
raised oarrots, cabbages, boots, potatoes, peas, and other
Motive Asp Jran.aa i?lantation
Pre. Barnwell 6.
garden truck, which was grown in such quantities that the
field hands used to gather it, cart it to the dock on
Lanoeford Cr4ok, and load it on barges, from where SLt was
leaded direct into freighters and shipped to the New York
markets.
"L. ter on it was planted in immense vineyards of
Niagara grapes, which did very veil at the beginning, but
finally died out, as thut species of 3rupo requires lots of
water, and this to for some reason, a partioularly dry sec-
tion.
"Well, here we ,Are at the xv)nue. It's only about hal(
a mile through this shady grove f big liveoaks to the house.
We have blon traveling north on the county road, now we ars
going due west on the avenue.
'Here is the 'arch' we passed unaer the arching limbs
of two lar9:e livemaks, one on either olds of the drive..
"In that big grove ov r there to the right was our
family schoolhouse, whore we wore taught by a tuhor until
we were sufficiently eduoated to go off to college.
"There at the end of the .Avcnue is Lanoeford Orcek,
or Clark's Aiver, us thaw call it now. mell the salt water?
The tide is out, and you cull swt a good view of the ',oyster
Tree' a liveoak almost in the river as the land has eroded
away. See the oysters clinging to the roots and the branches
that are in the water at flood tide?
The ohauffeur stopped the oar and got out to open the
gate to the yard fence around the honk), to keep the whittle
Neuvu Asperanza Plantation Hrs. Barnwell 7.
out.
"You ean park right under the old cedar tree, where
we'll have our luneh,* said Mrs. Barnwell; as he brought
the oar up under an age-old scraggly cedar, the main trunk
towering up for thirty foot.
We alighted after an hour's ride from ,Jacksonville ovor
almost the identioal route that used to require two and a
half hours in a light buggy drawn by a fast -stepping horse.
The three-story house built in 1882 from lumber used
in the Amtruotion of the original house, erected by pre.
Barnwell's father, henry O'Neil, when he brought his bride
to this spot in 1832, loomed stark and desolate. Minns
paint, the hand-hewn weatherboarding, the open porches run-
ning the full length of tho house on the south and west
sides, with the upplr galleries the same length. thshuge
windows with red -painted shutters from floor to ceiling,
indieated a grandeur one with the past century. The hand-
some hand -carved black walnut doors front, back, and in
the partitions of openinm rooms alone retained the hand
polished luster of one hundred and seven years.
The house faces west, on a point marking a wide turn in
the Clark River to the north. Between boxed hedgerows wide,
weathermbeaten steps lead up to the piazza, with band
wrought furniture, arm chairs and settees of oak and
palmetto strips, shaved with an adze and fashioned into
comfortable resting plaoes by hands of former stalwart inn
ed the family, now passed to, their reward.
Nowa Asperansa Plantation luso. Darn*ell 0.
We followed with mere or less roverenoe, as Mrs.
Barnwell, now fib, led the way down the side poreh to the
South entrance to the house *hire =La rls born in 10b.4,
where be all& her three eieters and four brothers let happy,
carefree lives in the glamoerous days before the War between
the Utates. Saving her cane she is recovering from a
brokeil right ankle euffored six months ago from slipping
on the stairwa4n the Jaeksonville home of her lifelong
friend, Mrs, Arthur T. williams she said: "Down through
that avenue of trees along the north bank of tho cove was
the double row of aahins occupied by the hundred slaves
owned by mg father. Pb. buildings are all gone, but some
of the old brick fireplaces and chimneys of the Gibbing,
remain, There *Ire twenty in all, and they extended south
Lot a half wile, as eaen cabin had its garden spot, its
pie -pen and ohieken house. 'ou can still see truces of the
road between he cabins.
"My father and mother planted those four magnolia
trees in the south yard between here and. the fenoe, and
also the big bay tree, *hen they came to live hare in
1032. One of the lovely old trees has died there is
the stump. a had /4 tree surgeon work on it, but it was
too far gone. The big one over there the last in the
row is twave feet in oircumforonea, six foot in diameter,
with a spread of gawk" feet. I believe it la the largest
magnolia anywhere around.
"One time an in3aranoe man cum° out here to look over
th) buildings, and said he would rather insure that tree,
us he believed it was a better risk than the house."
Neuva 3speransa Plantation Mrs. Barnwell 9.
"About fifteen hundrod yards northeast of the house
is the ola ()amatory wham my moth or and father, two infante,
and one or two other mombere of the family are buried.
There are no hoadetonas to indiocAe which in whioh. A strong
wooden fine. pilings painted white each year has long
ago boon torn down by wandering cattle, and I had the plot
enoloeed with a ooping of concrete, but I know it is all
overgrown with brambles and shrubs and now we would have
A hard time linding it.
the sound of our voices, a middle-aged woman Game out
of the front Aoor, and was introduoed us -"Mrs. Toomor."
"Tog see, Mr. and, Mrs. Toomer came through Jacksonville
and having boon informed by friends that Neuva Moporansa was
not cool/pied, askod if they might oome over for the summer
and make a few repairs, as everything is in such a dilapidated
condition. i gave permission for them to octoupy the plaoe
it is delightful hero in th) summertime. Mr. Toomor is a
musician, aad we thourrht maybe he could get some of my gongs
old plantation work -songs, srirituals, and negro melodies
that used to be sung on the illaoe, in shape for Publishing.
They have a boarder, a carpenter, and he is to fix the fence,
and do other work to help pay for his noiknm, board and lodging."
Mrs. ?comer acknowledged the introduction, and on being
asked where her husband WAS, launched into a detailed descrip-
tion of a near tragedy the %wing in of the old dock, which
g_vo way when a truckload of thnir frieuds from Jacksonville,
including the mother, father, two oung girls and a friend,
were orubbing ten days agl
Nowa Ssperansa Plantation Mrs. Barnwell 10.
Mr. Toomer, observing that in their exoitoment they were
all gathering in one spot, yelled frantioally from his positien
near the old well, fifteen feet sway, for emse of them to get
buck on land quiokly. Ale warning omme late, and us he
ran at the first cracking of the rotten timbers, he got on
the falling dook just an it went down with the other five an&
his wife, and wall, pinned undor a. fallen log which la4r across
both ankles.
The mother and father and Mrs. Toomor extricated them-
selves, the two young girls fainted and fell to the beach,
«cud Mr. Towner was unable to move.
The two girls eaoh had suffered sprained ankles, and
being uaable to walk, iN.re ()tarried to tha truck, along with
Mr. Toomer, and the father took them to a physioian in Yernan-
dintl as quiokly as possible.
The girls' injuriae turned out to be bud sprains, but
Mr. Toomer suffered' a broken right ankle, and was returned
to the plantation by his friends, who went brick to Jaoksonville.
He faeces sit weeks of invalidism, which he says is vory trying,
as he had planned to do so muoh to help restore the old plaos
and the outlying buildings.
The 4emers, from their own oonvorsation, are viotims
of wanderlust. They tell of motor trips through Oalifornia
and other waste:II states, with their possessions in a lord
or, their arriving in Ylorida last winter, and their plan
to stay at New Rope this summer, where they get rent free ant
..re 44b14 to subsist almost entirely on fish, oysters, and sea-
food brought in by the tide in Clark River, a. hundred yards
Nowa aperansa Plantation Mrs. Barnwell 11.
away, uniar tha high curving bluff.
"Isn't that just my luck! I am so sorry wouldn't
have had this accident bullpen fa: the world, and I do hope
Mr. Toomer dons not suffor too much. If it is poasible. I'lle
carry him back w.th ma tc
Jacksonvilla, where he oan havo
tho bonefit of a doctor's care and advice."
"Our friends a:o coming baok day after tomorrow in the
truck, and if he is still in ac much Ylain, they will remove
him to Jaaksonvillo awl ho can atil thore until ho is able
to walk."
We all'•ant in to see Mr. ?comer, who was proppod up in
bed in tho northwest room, with the salt brass* coming in
through the sashloss windows, reading some old detective
magazines, left by u lormer tenant.
The Toomers seam refined )loople, anxious to do what they
can to holp Yrs, Barnwell. They were both cleanly, but plainly
dressed, tho boddina: was clean, and the bare floors had been
scrubbed.
*Vandals have removod moat of the furniture." said
Mrs. Barnwell. "Thie bed Yr. Toomor is lyeng on, was built
by my son, iachibald, of California. He Was so tall
aix foot, four inAles thL,t we did not have a bed that was
oomiortable, so he mado this ona out of fat pine, and )46inted
it cherry red. He is coming in a week or so with his family
and will sta;,- hare for a month or so. He ts an architect aA4d
paint)r, .,nd plans to make some oil sketches of the beauty
spots of the old place.
Norma Seperanza Plantation -ra.Barnwell l.
"Yes, tho atovls h vo 411 L)eh romov)d but MA U
heater, and I suopose, Yrs. Toomer, kou hare to Gook on
that when it rains?"
'Yes, we mak() a fire in tho yard vhc14, it is agar,
and boil our vegetublos aud fry tho fish, but the heater
is tho only thihi5 vo h4v) to 000k on, in tha house," she
laughed. "The ,:o is uu oil stove, but it is so gummed up,
I do not incw whethor uo shall be able to got it to work."
The wide hall went throu.th the house from North to south,
a drawing room, with mouldings aid carved walnut round top
doors elosing aroh ih the hall, u brilliant white marble
firoplaoo and muntel-piooe bod in tho oontor on whioh
tho boardor, Mr. ,bhitfiold, was anjoying an afternoon siebta.
Auothor room adjoining it in tho baol. was whore Mr. Toomor
ht taken up A.8 abode, on tho opposito side wus the former
dining room, nov used as a kitchen, and to the southeust
what had bow years 4.4v, a high oellingod, funoi plast,,red
tho tall windows from floor to ceiling, the red
hand-madc shuttors,swinging baok and Jorth. the entire
north side of this room vas taken up by ah elegant old
fwhioned rosewooq pino. Tfr. 'room )r, before his accident,
h.4.d started rop irihg it. Tho felts had teen removed, and
only .4 in,' 4. kayo would play, but oven so, they gave out
wohderful harplike tones. It has six octavos, with six notes
ovfir, begihhi,47 with "01 alio nding in the treble with an
,t,
.Li d o '0" is two-thirds down the keyboard inotead of
in the oontor, and the look is not at middle "0" but twelves
keys beyond it.
Neuva Ssperansa Mre. lo4ruwell la.
Mrs. Barnwell limped iilto the bare room, and ran her
hands oarressingly over the old piano. "Thie was plven me
by my father in 1869, 'hen I vas only fifteen years old.
I was very fond of musics, and as tha Fedoras had stolen our
grand piano when we had to leave so hurriedly when the twenty-
one gunboats arrived in rernaudina harbor in 1861, we are
unable to have any musics after we returned i'rom our onfored
four years' stay on a plantation near White 6pringo for the
duration of the War between the 6tatee.
"The design.* was William V*hite, of New York City. You
will see the name on the silver plate here," she said. BUt
vandals hhd removed the silver name plate of the manufaoturer,
and only two gaping sorew holes in the base remained to show
whore the identifioation murk had been.
"Mr. white vas most rttstia the soroll aroutld the
top and three sides, marks it as of the Chippendale era. He
traveled throuIh Germany, -,ingland, France and Italy, and
incorporated the best in hie style of oraate (luso. The pian0
is known 4s an oblon-g grand.
"The inetrument belonged originally to an old Tentleman,
liev. Arohibald Baker, of Y'ernandina, who had two daughters,
for whom he k: bou,rht this beautiful piano. The two girls
died, and my father purehased the piano from kiov. Mr. Baker
and made me a -present of it on my fifteenth birthday. It
had only been in use six :0 re, so it was Teraotioally aS
good 48 new.
"By the way, I was married right here in this ram in
1877, and oelebrated mi golden wedding hero, too, and /47
imva &speranza Plantation lire. Barnwal 14.
bather snd mothor observed their golden wedding 4Anniverauxy
hero. I venture to 64y, ftom historiosl point, thst fuot
possibly cu.nuot ho dupliosted in tho Jtato of Florida."
We went throu,rh the) ir1or dovih side poroh to whst heat
tilJ old store -room Jaid hor f44th3r's iou, tho old
briuk flits Hi/411)0140d on r44ftors ih tha a44st
"Hero is vthoro m ;..1thor kept tho plt,11t4.tion supplies,"
said Hrs. B.rnoil."rhoro ikarl 1344rrols of flour, wugur, meal,
molseses 4AA syrup, uk o. pass, beans, slid food in the great-
est abundsnoo. The hoiro u14,vos 1,oul4 L:omo to the porch an&
eseh received his portion, snd oa,•ried it awsy to the family
cabin lawn ti,o lane o liveoska to -J U00kOIL
"The old kituhenewhIre tho fairaily food was cooked, stood
about tskenty feet on d this room, 44nd 44 °overact wiq led
.round to the b‘,.ck porch on tho north to the dining room.
"In the hall just outeito the tinin room is A pump, which
is ha d operated, and Lrings up tater from s dug well that sup
Plied wstor or household purposes.
"Just west of t. ho house is iinother wea, dug by my fstber
whol4 in it J-AXIO to livo litro in 18. It iewalled round
with brick ms4e by 1.3".14.ovis on Lhl plantAtion, and into are some
more, she said, ihdioa.ting sum* old fushioned brick almost
white, :.wd hard Aki ivory ILLJ.do of .qsnd, shall sad lime, molded
in flat witLire moulds, .4hd burnad in hand-faShionad kilns over
a hundred ye -re a4.,o, glazed vAth tin hot fire of tough hiokori
logs. Tha4 form borre c: the flower beds in the south,
garden, and platforme b -,fora the steps.
Nowa deplkansa Alantation *re. Barnwell lb.
"The yard well is about fifteen feet doep. It is tweet
water, fed by four different springs. ;hen .he tide comes
in the water rises in the well, but it never.beuomos salty,
nor hus it ever overflowed tho brick coping, which ire Sim
feet below the surface oi the ground. The old wooden yell
house is about to ()aye in, but I am Planning to have a
mechanic briek the well wall up to the surface of the
grcund, and build anew wellhouse. The water, as you see,
is drawn up in an old iron cooking pot, ono the slaves used
in cooking on the fireplaces, and it iv operated by a log
sweep, of heavy hard wood.
'When the tide is out, you LIA walk 60.1on the °reek
bad ;,,,AA see the w-tJr triukling down from the four springs
that 1)4,d the
By this time, Hrs. Barowell was tired and she 2.4 down
to rest on the palmetto slat couch on .ho south poruh, with
its clean moss filled ma tress J;cv :red with a white spread.
On 4 table with u goy yellow spread, the daughter, :les Lillie
Barnwell, laid out the picnic lunch. Mere were fresh biscuits.
which re. Barnwell had baked early in the day and buttered while
hot, sandwiches of cheese, hameand potted meat, cookies, plenty
of fresh milk, ginger Ale, 4nd coca -cola. After luncheon, the
watermelon was placed on the ice for later refreshment before
we started back to Jaeksoriville.
"I do not remember if I ever told you," said Mrs. Barnwell
from her rating plaoe on the _;ouoh," that my qrsat-grandfather,
Henry O'Neill, was a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary War, and
his futher was a Major. Henry was married in Laurens, S. C.,
Neuva &spararnia Plantation Mrs. Barmall 16.
to Miss Margaret Chambers, a native of Laurens. The. oamo,
down here in 1776, with nine ohildren eight eons and ono
daughter, named Margaret ior haomother.
"Henrry O'Neill wae tha 8000114 son. They lended about
a mile below here at what is now known as -110111's Grove,' rimmed
for ma.
"Another brother, Aber O'Neill, lived on this plaoe. He
married'Mury Andrews, who was my father's mother my grand-
mother. Mary Andrews hud two brothers, Unole iiobort and
Una° Thome, both very wealthy men. Unale Thomas Andrews
dug the old well in 1832. The red briok with which it is
walled, 1 um almost sure, were mud() on this place, and my
father Aid the briok work. There were u lot of briok m4•
out of olay, too, near Call ban. But I am :Limpet positive
the red briek were mede by slves on tho pluntation hers, and
I know the white- square tile -like brick were made here.
"Henry O'Neill shortly after he (vice down here worked
in some oapaoity for :!pain, and as 4 related before, was
killed by u renegade inaniard, foL- which my great-grandmother
was given this laud graht., the eension, and tiv, honorary
1)tter, with the blessing of the Ling of 6ain.
"DurinT the War of 181, .iber O'Neill was at the battle
front, and Mary Andrews O'Neill, his wife, (my grandmother)
was foroed by soldiers to flee her home in the middle of
the niAlt, a half mile from hors, and sPoLd the night in the
hollow of 4 big liveoa, with her three Children ,4 my father,
Aunt Mary and Aunt Jane. They stayed the next night and the
next. Vhen they returned home, thly found the house had
been burned and sverythin7 stolen, and many of the nogroes,
Neuva Asporansa Plaritation mrs. Barawoll 3,7
se wii. Pather put ix a olaim against the United. States
Govornment, through Lawynr liurritt, of Jacasonville, and was
awarded il2,000. damatea. Tho lawyar got half, and the bal-
anco oi 46,000 was 1ivtioc1 aqually batweon him and the two
"Just tho other day, I WaS lookin over some old papers,
and found a list of tho things my fathAr inuiuded in the
olaim for Mary And:aws It inuluded bOO bushels of
corn, 4 quaatity of rias, baans, and othor foodstuffs, in
aAdition to the house and furnishingw, she was a widow, as
103er O'Neill had diod aevoral yeare A)rovious.to filing the claim.
"I could mo to the exuot spot whore the old hollow oak
tree was whore ,ary spent threa day and nights with
hor Auall family, and i hava often *underfed if her bravory as
a woman Pioner in not worthy of t, mrkIr by MOO souioty or
hiater4141 orgaaization.
"after hor home was burn, mury clam) to this pluge
to live with tlOr brotho:, Thorm-le Androws, who thou owned it.
"MY people haro done rood work in this country, and
have always boon law-abiding, upstanding Doollle of mean' and
adueation. Talk about
backgroundl I have a doublo baok-
ground, it incluios both my mothor's and father's ancestors.
"My methoris un_le was a Vajor in the British 4.rmy
Major Gunby. Tho 4unbys ua o down hero from Goorgia, vhen the
Ooloniatal troops raidod that seution Goorgia was u part
of Slanish Ylorida at that time.
Neuve isperama Plantation Mrs. Barnwell la.
TM YUL.'42, FAMILY:
"Tho Xuloe family wore cur :riende and neighbors.
knew them evin before thu r. Tilly lived in Perno.uAiLw.
During tho latter rt of the fiur, Stator David ulee was
hold u prioonor on Dry Tortugas. He had b:en a classmate
ut vAtst 2oint academy with anaral U. b. Grant, and when
Grunt became PreAdont of the ',knited tates after Lincoln's
assaseination, an appoal- to him brought ienator Yulee's
release from Jeffereon 'eland. Hu was inoaruerated thore
about six months, and tho horrowe he endured there, as told
to our faUly latar bly Mrs. Yulee, were almost unspoakable.
Tho fa:A.1y lived in Forhai..iinautil 1875.
"On tha formation o:t the Fernandina aid tietlar Keys
'1L-alroad, enator Yule° asked a New York eunitalist, a
Ir. N. Dickerson to tOMA to Florida and aueopt the presidency
of the small railroad. daughter, Lille D. Barman., way
named 'Lox* ono of his &.1A.ghters.
"Then Yr. YulJo aold his ownership in thu railroad for
a suppolud dollrs and. moved 1,c, iiashingCon, D. G.
They had on) on, Wpkliffe, named _or his wife's family,
Governor V4ukliffe, of leutucky. Ho graduated from
Washt4.4tOn and Lee University, at Lexinton, V. Ho was
on of my girlhood beaum. Thor° war° thfee girls Mar ,caret,
who married a Ur. Parker, iannia, thc marriod an linglishman,
and elorida, who mi.friAd Lr. Neff. 'An was tho ioun;7eet.
By a otr:Age trick of fate, 7Iujor C'eneraI Nelson Milos during
tho war was the offioor who placted Senator Yuloe in prison,
and L.ter, in W. shin ton, zionator Yulee's daughter married
General son. They aro all dead now.
Beare. eparnzii Plantation Mrs. Barnwell 19.
i1870)
"I remembor ono day in Juno, ait-tr tho railroad w4.11 in
oporation, Mrs. Yalto and 1: -ho children oal._.1 out on tho tritin
to O'Neill etation *:h1.,JA wda about halt mile from our.houso,
the railroad ru..niw through our luni. ;:hi sent WSekliife
up to tho .ousa, to invit: aown to tho etAion for u pionio
lumoh.
'Tho horsoe war') 11rnassed to tha family wagon, and we
all pilld in. Ø. Yulle 1114 brought low big basket
oi lunah fried Ihiekan, home-mado oak°, pioklee, broud and
butt r, jollios and ptitve c dif.Zarant kinds, sweotmilk
and buttermilk, pile, ,ind other 0:oodies. e did not know how
to it4ko eandwiohee.
"We all laughod, ata, an1c1 L .7o:A time generally.'
..don in the ftornoon, -ha oonvereation turnou to Jenny
the 3wedish Xihtingalo, who v,aa touring tho Jnited otatee,
givih,T the masioully inclined th) booefit of her marvolous
voice.
"Mrs. Yploe asked 't*ould you like for mo to sing
ilomal .,:wAet Homo? It may not be us :cool 4;:s Janny Lind
rendition, but I'll Sing it Ampow.'
"lire. Yulee rae 4 very bl..utiiul iromun she hud
00012.4 tha sobriequet of 'th yukli e liadounal and I
sh2.1 never foL.got th) b‘lautlful pituro •ho xn..th e sho stood
in the mid011 of thl railrod traok at O'Neill 6tution, and hor
lovely voico out v,ithout aocomanialLant to the strains
oi tho familiar .ong.
tho 4 p. m. tram oamo along, tho *lulls* boarded it
an4 wont ruok to Yiruandina, e returned home in tbo
wagon. We had u grand time. It was- levoly 11111144Lug &Ay of
Nouva :isparensa Plantation Mrs. Barman
2C,
"You know there ia 6 funny kink in my family anoestry.
My great-grandmother, Auraret O'Neill, married Le. hollinge-
worth, after k<rot-grandf,.ther, Henry O'Veill wour. killed.
grand
That made her datii;Tter, NIT V;4La mylMother, u2.so a ste,,,-grand-
mother. Yuu ale, Noir-
j Tollingeworth, daughter by the asuond
marriage wae we.cried to Levan ,Junby, whose daughter, tiusan,
married my father 4,14clea t;,. O'Neill, do muat be riy step
grandmother, 411 well ua my mother! 14hat a mixap! By the way.
the O'Neill e were Irish and the lunbys %aro Ainglish. I
found the family roIationehip mixup through an old deed
where the Hollingowerthe w xis making soma property over to
Mary :i.ndrewa O'Neill,Akir O'Neill's wife.
"Before you go, I want you to look ovor the old flower
garden, whi,A1 runs from the steps here to the ienue past
tho old magnolia trees.
"That treo by wla ookair of the south porch is a bitter-
sweet o-1:ange, I Ac hot know how ol. it is, but it alws bears
A few :fruit. t tha othrir J3it °I ti:o porch is a sweet orange
the odt, of i„La ...rden are the crepe myrtles two
pink flowering, and ono purple. -i4e will have to got Dallas
to try to hen1 ov:r oomo ot the elendarer limbs and get some
of tIL) lovoli blossoms.
"The bed of green t2 .t ocvers 4 spaue of twelve feet
juet Lelow tte porch t s a yueJa filiamentoza (panish). it
wae planted there nearly a hurldrod 4a.Lre 4,43). lou see tho
lkoavea are lou, spike,, on a atom like a hand. The Plant
blooms early in May an't the blooms laat for six weeks. They
grow on a long stem, somethin like gladioli, the blooms at
the and eoming out 1.rst, and :.etting smaller and later to
Naive nsperansa Darnwill Xi.
*hero the flower stem branehes orf from the plant proper.
The flowers are shaded from u deep to light pink, with deep
yellow mottled eoloring Lear the stem. Th3y ate waxy
fragile, resembling an °rebid. The plant grows from u bUlbe
and kioes not always bloom every yaur. The loaves are 6" to 12"
long."Here are Immo seeds from the date palm by the well.
Tho dutes form, but it is too cold and the warm season toe
short for the dates to mature.
"Under the pink ever* myrtle to tha right there is a
bed of flowering almond. They are perennials, having a spicy
smelling yellow bloom. They, too, were planted originally
fifty years ago, when the new house was built.
"Over there by the old 'ell is a soupperneng grape,
which 1 wm trying to train up on the trellis. In the
back are auite a vineyard of ecuppernonge, and they bear
sufficiently each year to afford some wine and Jolly."
domebody turned the watermelon ovor and fount it was
cold, alad NJ.th Mies Lillie ourving it was equully divided
among among the party of seven, with a big slice handed to
Della., the chauffeur, who hud (Jumped most oi the Lay on
tbq rauning board and in the front seat of the automobile,
napping after luneh.
"I see the tide is coming in now," said Miss Lillie,
who had &reseed for the oeousional trip to her old birthplace
in a pair of her brother's white knickers and. a middy blouse
with u faded blue collar, old shoes aud ne se.oekinge. Tieing
a brilliant green handkerchief over her red hair and grubbing
the *robust, -"Whe's going erabbint?" aba oballamilii• Wo
ail volunteered, and salpAja away to the beaeh a hundred yarde
Chu's& deplransa rAmtation .4. Mrs. Barmvoll
away. Zven Mrs. Barnwell limped *limo; with the *there,. Uttt
rested on the up -turned seut of thn old buggy she use& to
drive to hor dmily duties as a country sohool te cher of
ilaseau ounty in the 1870's und 1880's.
We went down the steep bluff over thn exposed roots äf
tho old trees lining the bank, taking off our shoes and stook
tugs and wading into tho %vulva salt water.
Dallas parked himself under a tree where he oould keep
a watchful eye "to 830 that nobody fell in the *rook"
he said, 4nd vas much perturbed Itlien he had hardly settle&
down to sae the marehing fiddler crabs burrowing to safety
b<dere the incoming tide.
"What's dam tinge," he queried, much exeited.
"Fiddler °rubs," he was informed.
"I don't like dam fiddlume," he mumbled, am& in,appre-
hension they night smarm over him and eat boles in his epic*
and span navy uniform, or chew the visor of his jaunty sap,
he started with handeful of pebbles driving them into their
holes in the sand, leaving the erabbing (meld to sink or
swim, us fate might decree.
Miss Lillie in half in hour had corralled fifteen
crabs, big and little, and as it was newiroven o'clock,
we reluctantly waded out to the bank, which the water was
fast climbing, the bucket of crabs was turned over to Julies,
who gingerly lifted and dragged it en the end of a forked
polo until he placed it in the ear, jamming an old magasine
down hard to keep them in the bucket on the trip baok to
Jacksonville.
sew& 4speragsa klantation ler. Barnwell U.
The fall noon shown through the trees, forming weird
piotures in the ehelows of the big oaks with their worts'
of moss, as W3 wont down She AVOUtte to the main read through
the old 4antation.
The empty milk bettles.and the soft drink bottles sere
r:iturued to Mrs. %el:termer at the filling station, who in..
quire& with the kindly friendlineas of a neighbor if we hat
all hAd a good tine, and invited VA to stoP'ugein sim7 time
we passed their plase on Ylerida 13.
41 am so happy," maid Mrs. Barnwell, as she settled
back for the ride hone. "It to the first time I have been
or for six months, mod when I broke ay ankle early this
spring, I feared I elmht never be able to mai:* the trip
again:" I cm so thankful Ood him always basal so good
to me."
4e all felt thankful, toe, and appreelative of her
cordial invitation whioh had liven es suoh eeefireble daY
at qouve neperansa.
th, hiThway brilive over Lanosford Creek, or Olarkls
River, its nlv name, Mrs. Barnwell eapit "it Wks in the
swamps alonl this *reek where my sou, Woodward, used to
witch the big, thiftwinged man, flies. Liasetisms they
would rat away and fly high in the air and alappseer, and
he wo;.14 say -"Mother, eone day I'm going to fly like that.'"
Weedrard.Partivell was an aviator in the 'esorld war, and
a tIrwarde an inetruotor in the government aviation school*
lie was killed in a glider aeoltent, with a student -mil
at the oentroise on lemandina leach iu Yebruary, 111St.