Document text
Approximately 2800 Words
SOUTH CAROLINA WHIMS' PROJECT
LIFE HISTOB)C.
TITLE; ThI DOU''
Dots, of First Writin&
Name of Person Interviewed
Pletitious Name
Street Address
Plaoe
Oecupation
I ame of Writer
Name of Reviser
TI FAMILY AT ROME.
March 31, 1939
Mrs. Liao, Mahal (obits') (nos Annie
Gilchrist)
Mrs. Lofton Smith
Apartment 164 Broad Street
Charleston, So Co
Lady of leisure.
Martha 3. ?inokney
state office
rcaiLt "70116ht family" substitute for °Gilchrist family°.
Project 16456
Martha S. Anokney
March 31, 1939
‘'harleston, 3. C.
TIL 1)07'01117 F' lL ATRAA•
44FL Hiqaas
Mrs. Ladson Smith is small, slender and dainty, She in the
youncest member of her family, a widow, and the last of her line,
the now lives in a modern apartment an Broad Street, the dividing
line between "Down Town" and *Up Towle.
This ill her story,
"You know our old home at the corner of Be. Street and Ashley
Avenue, a biz brick house of three stories set in the midst of a
large ,ardene Each floor contains four large rooms and dressing
rooms, The entrance is from the garden through the piazza into a
reception hall. On the left is the drwwini, room behind which is
the library, better known as Papa's study, and an the rijat, the
dining room and pantries* The kitchen was on the outside, as in
all southern homes built before the present century, The roams
are of fine proportion and beautifully finished by first slams
artisans, Each member of the family had a separate bedroom. Of
course, there was a Guest room, a Prophet's Chamber, as it were,
always ready for the expected guest.
"A hundred years aco When the city was dependent upon (Materna
and deep wells for its water supply, the house had a Inca cistern
and tanihwhich was carefully cuarded,
"The house was handsomely gurnished, but not in one period,
There were beautiful pieces inherited from both sides of the family;
Project #-1655
Vartha S. Pinckney
Charleston, Se Co
March 31, 1939
TH1 DOUGH? X PAM:4 AT HOKE•
Page 2
art treasures collected in travel and portraits. (Papa did not
believe in family portraits in the drawing- room.) They were
placed in the dining roam or in the library. There were minis..
tures by celebrated artists si some blueseyed golden haired
ladies, painted by Pierre Henri or Vallee', in the eighteenth
oentury. Others were of haughty plain persons, painted abroad
and a few by our limn Charles traitors well known for the perfec-
tion of his art. The miniatures were oarefully wrapped in
flannel and put away in trunk or chest. Most of them have been
given to the Gibbon Art Gallen'.
"There is no use to mention silver. We like other southern
families owned silver that was brought over from England.
"My father was a lawyer by profession. He had a masterful
mind and had made money; but also lost it, for he was an idealist
and a visionary. He spent thousands on 'shams which were not
practicable at the time, or for some reason or ether, fell off of
the tree before they matured. He lived before his time. The scheme
which cost him one hundred thousand dollars is only remembered
by the row of piles extended from the mainland wirers creeks and
marsh to Sullivan's island. The idea was perfect; to connect the
larLo barrier islands with the mainland. This has since been ao-
oomplished by the building of a double driveway and draw.brides
from Mount Asasant to Sullivan's Island and to the Isle of ?alms,
over almost the exact route where his piles are still visible.
Project #-1685
Wartha C. Pinckney
Charleston, S. C.
March 31, 1939
THE. DOUGHTY FAMIL AT HOME.
Page
"Pupa was a dictator in his own home. His decrees were
never questioned there was no appeal from his judgments, for
when any of us applied to llama her answer would be, What did
your father say', or 'ask your father'.
"Papa was a strict Presbyterian; but joined the Episcopal
Church and all of us attended services regularly. He believed
in education for his children in fact, it was always accepted
as a necessity and we were expected to do our part whieh he
said was to take the most of our opportunities. .aaPa Was a
strict but lovint, parent. ilama was quite willing for him to
assume the management. They were never known to have an argu-
ment. She liked to do the housekeeping in the old time way,
with Negro servants whom she had trained into her ways. She
enjoyed walking quietly among her flowers. The gorceous gera-
niums on the l. war piazza, and the colorful borders of the Ear.
den were her especial oars.
"There were four of us. Emma the eldest, as you know, was
r,n artist, devoted to her music, drawin, and painting. The last
was her specialty. With talent and temperament and such a strong
nature, it seems hard to believe how she could have so entirely
resiEned her will to he fathers wishes. He was her idol and his
word her law.
Project #.465,
Martha S. Mmokney
Charleston, S. C.
March M., 1939
7,1T ITT,' I M::, A' tfr t"
loae 4
"IuKysta was named after Mama and looked more like her. She
was talkative and clever, but with no particular talent for fine
arts. :er forte was hcmsekeoping.
"My brother Robert was next in age and the last of his name.
Frail, slim and critical, he was pampered by all the family.. Emma
said, 'The only thing Robbie has to do when he comes in the house,
is to open his mouth,.
"Then came little no, spoiled yes, I could oven get around
Aiwa, I was once accused of kissing a boy troh the fence. I
must have been very small. I do not admit I was zuilty. Ueverthe-
less, P&p' told ma if I ever went near the fence he would put soap
in m Y mouth. I had a devoted attendant in my nurse Mom Hannah, who
escorted zit to school until I war:. nine years old. She had been a
nurse for fovr generations. The had been given to my mother's
grandmother, Liarbara Jenkins, by her father. Mom Hannah was always
faithful nnd devoted to the family, and we cave haremmtreare and
conside:ation. She died when I was nine years old.
"Robbie and I must have aimed Emma much annoyance at times;
hut she never showed it. We went into the drawinc room when the
boys Game to 800 her, nc 11;v-lod tu evorythincs often gigclinC
and sometes mimicking what we saw. ,Irk an occasion when a ywing
man was oomin,l_. to 800 her, we knew he was 'going to proposes, so
Robbie suLgested that I Lo under the sofa and hear what he was
going to say. It was this very sofa (touching the sofa on wLieh
Project #-1.655
Martha 3. 2inckney
Charleston, 3. C.
March 31, 1039
THE DOUGHTY FAMILY AT HOME.
Pae
she sat). He came in the door Nat opposites and sat on the sofa
above me, still for a whiles then he leaned down and caujit me,
and pulled me ,:Alt dh„ I was 1:lad1 He took me right to Papas and
I was punished, but Robbie got off scot free. Emma was very angry
with the younL; man said that she could have manaFed it. Emma
was in her teens, I don't think be had anything to propose. Bator*
Emma said, 'Yes, I could have made a very good match if it hadn't
been for Robbie and Annie.'
"The Piaster Military Academy was just across the Avenue and
the boys liked to visit at the Doughty home. .111.ey knew the rules
and conformed to them. There was Charlie Deans handsome and dei.
bonair; Larry Holmes, called 'The Constant Idiot's and others.
Emma was very popular with them. She would laugh and jolly them
alonL, but did not care for love makin 'Neckin,) had not come
in but would never have appeaTed, with her training.
"Valentine's day was carefully observed. One of the earliest
valentine from Larry Holmes started thus: 'Sweet Emma, my dear.'
On this occasion he had asked a frined to address the envelope.
'Well', said his friend, 'What is her name?' 'Ohs' exclaimed
Larry, 'that would be tellincl„ and he loined in the howl of laughm.
ter at his expense. Charlie's valentines were quits different .b
the pressure of his hand as he clasped her's in the dance; a look
deep into her eyes; happy times spent at the piano, when Emma played
Project #-1655,
Martha S. Pinckney
Charleston, S. C.
March 31, 1939
THE DOLToiiTY FAULr AT ROMA.
AO 6 M.
his accompaniments. He sang the songs that all of us loved, in
his rich tenor voice.
"Album days came. Larry's contribution was:
'A perfect woman, nobly planed;
Tomas, to comfort and command,
And still a spirit warm and bright,
With something of an angel's light.'
'I can't remember Charlie's tribute to Album days. I think
it was;
'To live and die for thee'. Album days cams and went,
and so they grew up but ?ape didn't realise that they were
crowin up.'
"At sixteen, Emma was a delight to behold. Of medium else,
alert and agile in body and mind, her deep blue eyes, naturally
grave, could sparkle with merriment if humor struok her keen sense,
or melt to tenderness behind their lcng lashes if touched by sympa-
thy. Her ready laugh was never critical in its tone but happy and
carefree. With her changing moods and expression, yet always i's
liable and steadfast, when you came down to it, she was a Imenber one
favorite; so individual that no one wanted to call her by any name
save her own.
"Emma was attending the best school in Charleston for young
ladies and by this time had finished with music and drawing teachers,
and thouLh brimming over with mischief, her school duties were ocasi.
Project
Martha -1‘, iliatopalez7
Charleston., C.
March 5l„
ern"
(-17TIV
LY AT HalEir
7
Dieted with unique precision. In appearance, If one knew the
family, she was a feminine replica of her father, T.e fine head,
with deep net eyes of dark blue, the white complexion and brown
wary hair thus far she was like him. Her hands were particularly
noticeable; broad, with an obviorn curve on te mtside; the fin1;ere
ion and supple, bendinj; back; the hands of an artist.
"In music she excelled. The piano was her instrument. A brand
piano, etood in the drawinc room at. h6aio. No one knew when she had
first started to sketch from nature. After her school days she
studied ender famous artists a nd these eketehes developed into oil
paint Inn.
"We were never allowed to o out at ni,yht without ChaperonaES.
If we were to be out at dark Papa had to know all about it befre.
hand, atna onld relax completely in tho enle-.1ent.of life. On
one partivJar afternoon she went to a band, concert on the Battery,
with a Jr1 friend. She was very ftppy. She didn't know why, but
now and then renemherrd thal r.Thari:le had said he wculd join her
there after business hours, rhea he did come she saw him _ar off.
He had 80er Iler, and llfted his bat in his debonair st:le. A friend
was with him P.nd they joinee the two Lirls. After a while, Charlie
suuceeted that they Le a little further from the music, no out under
the trees he told her hew a man loves a Jr1 whamie has loved from
boyhood, siac-._ for :mei Emna didn't know the sun had set or that dark.
nese had come on. 3h* was much startled when she found it out for
Proect 46.166
Martha S, Pinckney
‘h-larleston„ S. C.
Mach Si, li)39
WOW00.00.
RNA.
8
she realized that for the first tLie she ied brolzen her father's
rule. It was niL,ht iven the, zot to the -,ateway at hame and
Charlie came in.
"The center walk into the 4;aeT.on was throu64 a crove of Grano
trees, east and west of the path. :loses were everywhere in
fusion. A Lady rankc.!:%Ire reacTled to the secund )iazza„ and white
star les amine vied with it an the other side. -A) the west, far
back, a huLe ma6nolia heralded the rlenth of May with inoense from
its olden heated blossoms. A tall fountain divided the path
halfway o the house, Nadia& streams of water into two
basins, dirturbinL; the red and fish in the depths of the lower
and larLer x:riin„ end tjwinkl1r the flowers of the dee- border
around the rcrIntaine This is where liar:Ja and Charlie parted.
IA was in !Is stIldy and ac1 c()Le out twice to ask Mhere's
tt
rizmi.a? Erara catia in lno,
ahe thouht it jest for her to handle
the siturtion herself."the strtAi, 'Pape, there was music on the
Battery,- He looked r— her 'JO steadil, and, frownin
walked off to hIt study te111z. hr to follow. .he was there for a
lonL ;tfter VA1 Intervew she paused just lent, enouda to ask
Yana to excse hel, and went u? to her roam. he next mornin4.,,s mail
brovttit her a letter from Charlie, She took it up to her roam• At.
tar .a whi7e she went out sketchin and came back in time for dinner.
what afternoon Charlie came, I never saw him look handsomeer, as he
2roject
7,!artha 111017107
Charlotor, C.
March 13, 1939
WIL DOVGHTY IA MY AT HoME.
Pee* 9
walked rapidl from the i:ate, where he removed his hat, and we
saw that wa.k,e of fair hair ECIo!re hs brow. 3everal of -As were
on the piazza. re Game up with some bright banter, and a word
for each, Charlie was one of us, and he was at !ilme, nm7.4* and
he went into the drawin room. They came out in short time, and
he was sayirk, somethinz softly about itoniijhtflo
Prig; visit that niht was his laat for lap& told him if he
was aspirin to his daujter's hand he could never come to the
house ajans and that he would not e'en consider him as a suitor,
Charlie would not take a refusal, so Papa ordered him 7ut of the
a
house. Charlie was only ottin small salary, and he had a mother,
a brother, and two sisters. One sister did marry, and the other
was a sdhool teadher•
1114414 did not want Emma to marry, he said she was not prac-
tical, but artistic, and would b happier devotirr: herself to her
art. That was txt10. Enna was not practical. Yes it may ha7e
been selfish* he wanted her in the home, and she was needed.
Everyone called on her, and she was entirely unselfish.
"Finally, broken and spent, Enna reined everythinE; to her
fathers elates, saying that he must know best. Charlie left the
state and he died before Papa.
*Years after, Emma formed 'The 3keteh Club' for the oncou;.s6-0—
ment and development of local art. At first the meettnce were at
Project 165F:
Martha 34, eince7
Charleston,
March 61, 1JeY)
77E 7CT'T,71- 7.17_T: IT
Pa e 10%0
private residences, later their headquarters eretv established at
the el.bbes Art Gallery. The best artists were enLaLed each ioar
as instrectors. The finest pictures were sent to exhibits North.
South and est. Fana won blue end red ribbons, and many other awards.
Theae pictures on re: ral are Yers e 'Five Tail :alma! showing
sand Ouness with an oc&al back_round, reproduced by special pormls.
dion„ in a re- ent edrcational )ublications ancient oaks and lily
pelves on the 1:lantaticnso hisfe)rical buildinso curious pic#uresquel
lanes of the city p old wharvee alone Rebellion Roads; raci1714; yachts,
and boats with folded sails. This picture of Philadelphia lane she
painted tc rter several times. 'eu wild notice the portraits of
cid They leved to sec 7Aer cone alone down the lanes with
ca tool. arej easel 'to eake pictures' and always melte her cturtsiim•
All these eaintins won awards. Mere are =any others.
tl7Then Wm. FinL Mai to set_ eapa as a suitor for Ule hand of
Arellsta„ he met with the sa7le reception and flat refusal which Charlie
Dean had rece'ved. Tilliaa ead been attentive to Au6usta for so*
tine,
e ens certainly never diseouraeed; but when he came as a
suitor he was chared with presumption. Papa didn't seem to consider
any an good enough or his dantern. 911ian Rini; was smart and
capable; his financial condition was soluid and he evidently left noth.,
ine unsaid which riibt induce Papa to look favorably on his suit.
NothinL that he said availed9 except to aneer Papa. William was
iemominiously turned down, and ordered out of the house, with the
Projcct 13
LartIA
.s
rferr 0" r V '7
nandate i-er to T.etarn,
of fellowin,:, ,a's course, shi kept
this story ezaled differently.
7.14 Old not petia,n to the
11011,48.
13.
1L741.5 ttl.' hac. no idea
on C -le sul•1:lects so
re and talus ta
hc,d S&L'. ,Ecto :;aeotLrLs clse7heres and secretly vlade tleir pinns.
Mr. Kin Goflfco1r. tt 'onr of his friends, steady ylunc business
men, ,o cy!!-onally assisted the loq.erss accompanied them to the
ChLrais vttntisned the %;c.mia.Ee and sw tez afel off on their
honelmoen tr.. Thoy ten called 71non Pa;& Lo notify hi of Ills
dau,t(.r Aaneia e. After a short L forv,al interviews apv, an
none (1 the nrOter to the r And instructed thert to look throuh
and beyond each oriA ii of t f,ILT. =rdlans of the mutual: :,latch
as :ton as '.re should la,. Os° aded that Awt.sta had commIt..
ted ar .in and was no 1 nLer to /-,e recollined by the
family.
"Auusta wart never tor:17er er nor, corecpertlys
by mothers thr/Lh i.er ,1uWand continled to succeed and becane a
wealthy Tnn. •Xter ratherfs death durin a business depressions the
fortunes of the family failed. The property at the corner of 7'ee
treet and Ashley Avenue had to e sol.d. It wqs purchased by one of
the four witnesses. to Aucustats weddinc from whom WaR bou:ht by
in, Neither he nor his rife wanted to live there. Fe
converted it Into a hospital for a ti- es then derided to prerent it
P“)jcet t-16.
Alrio
Ohz:aoAton, C•
ii,croh ic
DOMITY FAMiLY AT HOME.
Pat,e m. 12
to the Moose° of south Carol ins as a home for homeless ladies
of the Episcopal Churoh, Which it is today, and so the bronze
tablet on the front of the house states."