the ratliff/ratcliffe family · the ratliff/ratcliffe family publisher vann helms volume number 1...
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The Ratliff/Ratcliffe Family
Publisher Vann Helms Volume Number 1 Issue Number 2 November 2016
Our 61st Annual Family Reunion
So few traditions in this country have survived into the 21st century, but the Ratliff
Reunion is one of them. On Sunday afternoon, October 16th, we gathered once again
to celebrate our heritage, our ancestors, and our future. Bethel Church Community
Hall was once again the location, and the crisp October day made for the perfect
setting. Betty Ratliff arrived early with the iced tea. Jack was in Florida this year
celebrating his brother’s 90th birthday, and this was the first reunion he had missed
in many years. Our group was smaller this year, but no less enthusiastic about being
there. Dean and Penny Ratliff made the trip from Decatur, Georgia, and he brought
one of the largest collections of Ratliff memorabilia we’ve seen in years. We
managed to assemble everyone on the front steps of the historic old schoolhouse for
the remarkable family portrait.
So many branches of the family were represented. A number of folks were first
time visitors. You were dearly missed if you weren’t in this photograph.
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In the photo on the right, Kristy Davis is holding her 7
month old son, Liam, and with them is Carl Ratliff. Liam
and Carl received an award for being the youngest and the
oldest at this year’s reunion. Dean Ratliff drove in from
Decatur, Georgia, giving him the prize for having traveled
the furthest to attend the reunion.
We’ve already started planning next year’s gathering, and
it is shaping up to be a winner. On the third Saturday in
every October, Bethel Church teams up with two other
Methodist churches in southern Anson County to hold an
“All You Can Eat” BBQ and Bake Sale. We’re going to
make our Ratliff Reunion a two-day affair, with family
history tours traveling to Ratliff Burial Grounds, old
homesteads, and important geographic places. You won’t
want to miss the rare opportunity to get “Up Close and
Personal” with the places that have played such an
important role in our family’s colorful past.
The soldier to the right is Christian Stone of Florence,
South Carolina. He is the grandson of Rick Ratliff, also of
Florence. Christian will complete basic training at Fort
Jackson on December 14th, and will continue his training
in Airborne at Ft. Bragg starting the first week of January.
Like his granddad, we are all so proud of Christian as he
continues a long Ratliff tradition of serving his country.
Ratliff Vintage Photos
Charles H. and Elizabeth “Bettie” John Washington Susan Ratliff Ratliff Captain Eli Ratliff, son of Ratliff Braswell, daughter of “J.P.” Ratliff, son of daughter of Elijah, Elijah and Nancy Ratliff
Susan and John P. Ratliff, and sons. Lonnie Ratliff my G-G Grandmother
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Plantation Life along the Great Pee Dee River
When William Ratliff (1727-1777) brought his wife Susannah Thomas Curtis (1722-1778) from Maryland to
Anson County, North Carolina, in the 1760’s, they would settle on land along the western banks of the Great Pee
Dee River just north of the South Carolina border. William and Susannah had been married on June 3rd, 1759, in
St. Luke’s Parish Church in Queen Anne’s County on the Eastern Shore of the Maryland colony. Along with
William and Susannah came William’s son, Thomas (1755-1845), by his first wife Eleanor Burke (1722-1758),
and James (1763-1833), the eldest son of William and Susannah. They came to Anson County because
Susannah’s family had already homesteaded along the Pee Dee, and had encouraged William and Susannah to
come south and take advantage of the fertile farmland and plentiful wildlife that could be found in southern North
Carolina. It’s also thought that they followed another Ratliff, Richard, who had been married in the same Queen
Anne’s County church nine years before, and also settled along the Pee Dee River.
Thomas was raised by his step-mother, Susannah Thomas Curtis Ratliff, at “Sarah’s Fancy” in Queen Anne’s
County, Maryland, along with his step-brothers, Susannah’s children by Nathanial Curtis, and his half brothers,
John, James, William, and Zachariah Ratliff. Once the family was settled in Anson County, Thomas would
marry Sarah Diggs on March 6th, 1779. Sarah’s family had moved to Anson County from colonial Luisa County,
Virginia about the same time as the Ratliffs. Thomas and Sarah would live on land that Thomas had purchased
from James Parson in July, 1776. The Ratliffs most likely were Quakers, and attended regular meetings, where
detailed accounts of the members were written down.
When war broke out, Thomas enlisted in the Anson County militia, and according to noted Ratliff researcher,
Howard Hazelwood, was paid twenty-two Pounds on October 15, 1783, at the Salisbury District Office for
Revolutionary War claims, proving that he was a true Patriot. After the war, Thomas set out to assembling a large
plantation along the west bank of the Pee Dee River near Cairo. He was the Father of the “River Ratliffs” through
his descendants William (b. 1780), Elijah (b. 1787), Thomas (b. 1788), Sarah (b. 1790), Mary (b. 1795), and Julia
Elaine (b. 1797). Thomas and Sarah are believed to be buried in the family burial ground in unmarked graves on
the Plantation land, which was the Quaker tradition.
This is the Shady Oaks Plantation located in Ansonville along the Pee Dee River. The house was started around
1832, and was sparred after the Civil War. It had been enlarged over the years, and now serves as a Bed and
Breakfast. First hand accounts from a freed slave who had been owned by Elijah Ratliff were of a large house
with white columns, and ten foot ceilings on the first floor. He recalled the Ratliff family inviting many fellow
slaves into the house at Christmas, where a large cedar tree was covered with candles and fruit.
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It had always been assumed by Ratliff researchers that William Ratliff, our original settler, had died shortly after
writing his will in 1777, but in the last newsletter, newly found documents indicated that William would live
longer than that, possibly dying at the hand of a robber he was chasing in 1784. Here is that Last Will and
Testament of William, filed in February, 1777. It appears exactly like it was found on a family website, with no
spelling or other corrections.
You can see from this document that William Ratliff had become a wealthy man by 1777, less than twenty years
after arriving in Anson County from Maryland. He mentions his “manor Plantation”, and in addition to that
Plantation that he willed to wife Susannah, he also left over 500 acres to some of his children, all of whom were
still very young. None were yet even old enough to marry. He had become a very successful tobacco and cotton
grower. What seems strange about his will is that he only left 5 Shillings to his eldest son, Thomas, who was
twenty-two years old at the time, and serving in the Continental army. This seems all the more unusual in that
most of the Plantation would end up in the hands of Thomas, who then passed it on to his sons. Is it possible that
another Will might have been written after this one that changed everything entirely? We have Susannah passing
away in 1778, just a year after this Will was written, and when all of her children with William were still under
16 years old. Might that have prompted a new Will? Thomas and Sarah Diggs would marry just two years after
this 1777 Will, and a year after his mother died. Obviously something drastic happened that changed the course
of Ratliff family history. It’s my feeling that events, first the death of Susannah, then the premature death of
William in 1784, forced Thomas and Sarah to take over the Plantation, and care for his brothers and sisters so the
family could remain together. Their oldest child was William, born just a year after they married, and the long
seven year gap between William and his brother Elijah, happened by necessity because there were so many
children in the household to care for. Reading between the lines makes genealogical research all the more
exciting. By speculating on these things, future researchers might know what to search for in tying together these
mysteries.
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At this point, seeing the actual Last Will and Testament of Thomas’ son, Elijah, will connect so many names and
places in our family. Elijah was the main patriarch of the “River Ratliffs”, and the thirteen children that he and
Nancy Jernigan had together will tie all of us to the “River Rats” line. Although I chose a new type face for the
Will, I left it the way I found it. Back in those times, spelling was phonetic, and punctuation marks were not used.
I corrected some of the spelling, and added commas to make it easier to read.
In the name of God Amen, I, Elijah Ratliff of the county of Anson and State of North Carolina, being weakly in body but of sound mind and memory and disposing understanding and knowing it is appointed to men once to die and after this the judgment, do on this, the seventeenth day of October in the year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and sixty one, make and ordain this my last will and testament in the following manner (to wit), my wish and desire is that my body be buried with Christian decency and in such a stile as my family and friends may think proper and as it regards my worldly estate which God in his goodness has seen proper to bless me with. I wish it distributed in the following manner. First, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Nancy Ratliff all the lands whereon I now live, which lands is described under the following metes and bounds: Beginning at the certain Northwest corner of William Clarks lands (his lands on the north side of Island Creek) and runs a direct line to a poplar on the bank of a branch near where the old shop stood, then up the various causes of said branch to the Wall Ferry Road, then up said road to the line of the Walls lands, then around with my outside lines and with Wall and Spencer line to Island Creek, then around with my other outside lines until it comes to Island Creek again, then with William Clarks lands to the beginning (on which lands I wish my son Pleasant Ratliff to have a home and the privileges of a portion of the plantation during the life time of my wife Nancy Ratliff), also the following negro slaves namely big Ellick, Wesley, Laury, and her two children, Graham and Bukugan, Anthony and Julyan, Dina, Lucy, Caroline, & Wallis and Bone, also two of the horses (first choice) that may then be on hand, also as much corn fodder, wheat, and pork as may be necessary for her one year, also as much of the stock of all kinds as my executors may deem it necessary for her and it is further my wish and desire to all the property both real and personal which is contained in the above first clause of this my last will and testament should be hers to have use and enjoy all the benefits arising there from during her natural life; and at her death it is my wish and desire that all the lands willed to her should revert back to my son Pleasant Ratliff. It’s further my wish and desire that my wife Nancy Ratliff should have hold and enjoy all my household and kitchen furniture during her natural life and all the property not otherwise disposed of which is contained in this first item. It's my wish at the death of my wife it should be equally divided
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among all my children, each to share and share alike, and it's my wish further that my executors should attend to and see that there be no unnecessary waste of the above named property during the natural life of my wife, and at her death, the whole of it to be disposed of as above directed. I further give to my wife Nancy Ratliff the sum of five hundred dollars in money; which sum she can dispose of as she may think proper. (Second Item) I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah Terry the following negro slaves namely Sallie, Washington, Tom, and Harry, which Negroes I give to her during her natural life and at her death, said Negroes shall be equally divided among her three children namely Sarah Jane Lovin, Milton Terry, and Rachel Ann Clark, each to share and share alike. I also give to Sarah Jane Lovin a negro girl named Martha-Jane. I also give to Milton Terry a negro boy named Bill. I also give to Rachel Ann Clark a negro girl named Johanna, and here be it understood that I give the above named three negro slaves to my three above named grandchildren with all their increase to them and the lawful heirs of their bodys forever. (Third Item) I give and bequeath to my daughter Rachel Smith (widow of Benjamin Smith) the following negro slaves namely Rose, Warren, Betty, Anna, Isaac, Mary, and Anderson, which Negroes she has at this time in her possession, and I herewith give her the above named property with all it's increases, to her and to the lawful heirs of her body forever. (Fourthly) I give and bequeath to my son William Ratliff all the lands whereon he now lives which shall be described in the following boundaries. Beginning at the extreme Northwest Corner of William Clark’s lands (his lands on the North side of Island Creek) and runs a direct line to a poplar on the bank of a branch near where the old shop stood then up the various courses of said branch to the Wall Ferry Road, then a northeast corner to my bank, then around the back lines of my Neataway and Taylor lands (including two small entries) to my Christopher Clark lands, to the beginning, also the following negro slaves (which slaves he has at this time in his possession) namely Stephen, Harriett, and her two children, and Zach and Willy, and I have given the above named Negroes with all their increase to my son William Ratliff to him and his lawful heirs forever. (Fifthly) I give and bequeath to my daughter Winifred Smith, wife of Thomas Smith, all that tract of land containing two hundred acres lying in Anson Co which land was sold to Joseph Neale from Alan Carpenter and from said Joseph Neale to Elijah Ratliff, which land joins on his near the lands of Nelson Turner, also the following Negro slaves (which Negroes she has at this time in her possession) namely Silva, Anderson, Lizzie and her child, Elbert, Tommy, and Sass, and I herewith give the above named Negroes with all their increase to my daughter Winifred Smith to her and the lawful heirs of her body forever. (Sixthly) I give and bequeath to my son William Ratliff (in special trust and confidence) for my son John
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Ratliff, the following property, namely, all that tract of land whereon he now lives known as the Christopher Clark lands, also another small tract containing twenty one acres adjoining said lands on the South side thereof which I bought of Amos Liles, also the following negro slaves, namely Little Ellick, Ann and her two children, Frank and Peter, and Stephen, John, and Nealy, and here be it understood that I have the above mentioned property as aforesaid to my Son William Ratliff in special trust and confidence for the sole use and benefit of my son John Ratliff and his family, said property to be entirely under the controls of my son William Ratliff as trustee of my son John in such a manner as not to be subject to any of his debts, contracts, liabilities, or encumbrances whatever - and the whole of the above mentioned property, with all it’s increase; at the death of John Ratliff to belong to his lawful heirs each to share and share alike. (Seventhly) I give and bequeath to my daughter Frances Clark wife of James B. Clark, the following negro slaves, namely, Nancy, Sam, Hannah, Buck, and her child Lane, Lewis, Luke, Abram, and Henry, also a boy named Jim, all of which Negroes they have at this time in their possession and here be it understood that I give the above mentioned property with all it’s increase to the said Frances Clark and the lawful heirs of her body forever. (Eighthly) I give and bequeath to my son Henry Ratliff (in addition to two thousand dollars in money which I have already given him) the following Negro slaves (which Negroes he has at this time in his possession) namely Peter, Peg, Robin, and Jesse, & I now give him another named Perry, and I here give the above mentioned property with all it’s increase to my son Henry Ratliff to him and his lawful heirs forever (Ninthly) I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Diggs, wife of Eli Diggs, all the lands wherein they formerly lived known as the Curtis girls lands, it lying on Pee Dee River just below the mouth of Jones Creek, also the following negro slaves all of which she has at this time in her possession) namely Katherine and her four children, Peter, Jesse, Carolina, and Reuben – Jacob, Jon, and Tilla, and I herewith give the above mentioned property with all its increase to the said Elizabeth Diggs to her and the lawful heirs of her body forever (Tenthly) I give and bequeath to my son Thomas Ratliff all that tract or parcel of land known as the Job Curtis lands, a part of which lies on Pee Dee River, also the following negro slaves which negroes he has at this time in his possession, namely Big Frank, Mary and her two children, Peter and Richmond, Poll, Alph, and her three children, Jam, Riley, and Alice, with all their increase to him, the said Thomas Ratliff, and his lawful heirs forever. (Eleventhly) I give and bequeath to my son James Ratliff all the lands whereon he now lives, it lying on the south side of Jones Creek and known as the Henry B Jernigan lands, also a tract of fifty five acres lying on the north side of Jones Creek formerly owned by Henry B Jernigan, also eleven acres which I drew in the
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division of the Jernigan lands which eleven acres his joining the fifty five acre tract. Also another tract of land (number of acres not remembered) it lying on the Camden Road adjoining the lands of William Streater, Thomas Flowers, Thomas Streater, and others known as the Hinson lands. Also the following negro slaves. namely Riley. Ellen and her child Mary (which I bought of Knotts), Mike, Tempy, and Molinda, Patience and her child King, and be here understood that I give all the above mentioned property to the aforesaid James Ratliff with its increase to him and his lawful heirs forever. (Twelthly) I give and bequeath to my son in law John P. Ratliff (in special trust and confidence for the sole use and benefit of my son Eli Ratliff, the following lands (to Wit) all that tract of land whereon he now lives known as the Watkins lands also a small piece lying on the West side of a branch adjoining the aforesaid lands and known as a part of the Flowers lands. Also the following negro slaves (a part of which he has at this time in his possession) namely Sam, Ellen, and her five children, Ben, Sis, Riley and Harriett and another child name not known, Charity and her child, and George, and be it understood that I have the above mentioned property to my son in law John P. Ratliff in special trust and confidence for the sole use and benefit of my son Eli Ratliff and his family said property to be entirely under the controls of my son in law John P. Ratliff as trustee of my son Eli Ratliff in such a manner as not to be subject to any of his debts contracts liabilities or encumbrances whatever and the whole of the above mentioned property with all its increase at the death of my son Eli Ratliff to belong to his lawful heirs each to share and share alike x (Thirteenthly) I give and bequeath to my daughter Susan Ratliff, wife of John P. Ratliff, the following negro slaves namely Allen and Sarah’s two children, Vina and one child name unknown, Isaac Mitchell, Margaritt, and Charles, all of which Negroes she has at this time in her possession -and be it here understood that I give the above mentioned property with all its increase to the said Susan Ratliff to her and the lawful heirs of her body forever. (Fourteenthly) I give and bequeath to my son Pleasant Ratliff all that tract of land where I now live which boundaries is described in the first Item of this will with the understanding that he is not to come into the possession of all the lands which I have willed to my wife Also the following Negro slaves namely Lisa and child Vina, Ephraim, Matt, and Frank, Harriett, child Lizze Jane Also two milk cows and one fourth part of stock of hogs that I may have on hand at that time and here be it understood that I give all the above mentioned property with all its increase to the said Pleasant Ratliff to him and his lawful heirs forever (Fifteenth) I give and bequeath to my son William Ratliff in addition to what I have given him in the fourth item of this will the following negro slaves namely Cindie and her child with all their increase to him and his lawful heirs forever (Sixteethly) I give and bequeath
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to my daughter Rachel Smith (widow of Benjamin Smith) in addition to what I have given her in the third Item of this will the following negro slaves named Emaline with all her increase to her and the lawful heirs of her body forever (Seventeenthly) I give and bequeath to my Daughter Winifred Smith wife of Thomas Smith (in addition to what I have given her in the fifth Item of this will) a negro boy named Anderson which negro I give to her and the lawful heirs of her body forever (Eighteenthly) I give and bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Diggs wife of Eli Diggs in addition to what I have given her in the Ninth Item of this will one negro girl named May with all her increase to her the said Elizabeth Diggs and the lawful heirs of her body forever (Ninteenthly) I give and bequeath to my Daughter Susan Ratliff, wife of John P. Ratliff, in addition to what I have given her in the thirteenth item of this will a negro boy named Jefferson which negro I give to her the said Susan Ratliff and the lawful heirs of her body forever (Twentyith) I give and bequeath to my Daughter Sarah Terry in addition to what I have given her in the second item of this will all that tract of land where Milton Terry now lives known as the Jack place or Gould lands for and during her natural life and at her death I wish it to be equally divided among her three children Rachel Ann, Milton, and Sarah Jane. (Twenty first) And whereas there is a Considerable surplus of property which is not disposed of in this my last will and testament my wish and desires is that after my death my Executors dispose of it together with my growing crop that may be then on hand (all that part not disposed of in this will) and all the property which I may accumulate between now and the time of my demise may all be collected together and sold at public sale and money arising there from - first to be applied to the use of paying my just debts (if any) secondly to pay over five hundred dollars to my wife Nancy Ratliff and the remainder together with all the money notes accounts which may be due me at the time of my death I wish it to be equally divided between my wife and all my children and the three children of Sarah Terry, namely Sarah Jane, Milton, and Rachel Ann each to share and share alike; also its my wish and desire that all the property which I have willed to my wife Nancy Ratliff (the lands excepted) be sold at public sale and the moneys arising there from be equally divided among all my children and the three children of Sarah Terry, namely Sarah Jane, Milton, and Rachel Ann, each to share and share alike. Lastly I hereby nominate constitute and appoint my son William Ratliff, and my son in law John P. Ratliff, sole executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and making void any will and testament by me at any time made declaring this and only this to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I, Elijah Ratliff, the Testator, heirs to this my last will and testament set my hand and affix my seal - signed and sealed in the presence of us who have subscribed our names in the
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presence of each other as witness to the same Interlined before assigned. Witness W H Cox ... Elijah Ratliff (SEAL) S. L. Cox, Whereas I, Elijah Ratliff made and duly subscribed my last will and testament in writing having date the 17th day of October, 1861. Now I do hereby declare this present writing to be as a Codicil to my will and direct the same to be annexed thereto and taken as part thereof and I do hereby give and bequeath to my son Pleasant Ratliff one fourth part of the present growing crop also one fourth part of the Pork and stock of hogs also one fourth part of all my cotton Also one yoke of oxen and cart also one silver watch. In witness whereof I, the said Elijah Ratliff, have to this Codicil set my hand and seal this the 19th day of April in the year of our Lord 1862, Test W. H. Cox ....... Elijah Ratliff (SEAL) H. M. Diggs, State of North Carolina, Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions Anson Co. January Term, 1865. Then the foregoing last will and testament of Elijah Ratliff was offered for probate and duly proved in open court by the oath of W. H. Cox, one the subscribing witnesses thereto. I counted the number of “Negros” in this will, and it numbers over one hundred. Elijah Ratliff was a very
wealthy planter. His wife, Nancy, would pass away before Elijah, so that must have been the reason for the
codicil at the end. When Elijah married Nancy Jernigan, he was expelled from the Quaker church because
he married outside of the faith. When Nancy and Elijah died, they were buried on the plantation grounds, but
the location has been lost over time. Elijah donated the land where the Gum Springs Baptist Church and
Cemetery are located on the old plantation property, but most likely he was not buried there.
His father, Thomas, deeded land to Elijah on January 9, 1814, and he moved in with Elijah and his family,
where he appeared in the 1830 U.S. census living with Elijah.
May MacCallum, a Ratliff family member and Mount Calm Plantation Wadesboro 1791
Researcher during a presentation to the Richmond
County Historical Society on the history of the
Harrington Family Plantation.
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The OTHER Ratliff Family Reunion in Anson County
If you thought that our reunion was the only Ratliff reunion held in Anson County, you were very
mistaken.
Reverend Joe Ratliff was born on July 11, 1834, nearly 31 years before slavery was abolished, on
Thompson Creek (which is the dividing line between Anson County, North Carolina, and
Chesterfield County, South Carolina). Approximately ten years later he was sold at a slave
auction sale to Nancy Ratliff, wife of Elijah Ratliff.
In 1864 Joe Ratliff married Miss Sallie Marshall, and to this marriage was born 14 children:
Richard, Betsey, Joe Thomas, Sallie, Louvenia, Peter, Laura, Miley, Mary, Eliza, Carney, Joe M,
Maggie and Johnny.
Although born a slave, Rev. Joe Ratliff still had faith in God and confidence in his people. While
quite young, he realized that he was to preach the gospel, so he got a Bible and used every
method to learn to read. One night when he thought it was safe, he took out his Bible and began
to read. His master, Captain William “Billy” Ratliff caught him, and in an attempt to hide it, Rev.
Joe threw the Bible under the bed. Captain Ratliff retrieved the Bible and assisted “Uncle Joe”
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Ratliff, as he was affectionately called, to further his quest for knowledge.
In his second year of freedom, this fearless man of God began to build Brush Arbors, which were
usually built when settlements were formed into viable communities as temporary residences and
later converted to outdoor churches when a need for spiritual enlightenment was deemed
necessary by the village elders; and soon he began to establish churches. In 1866, the first church
he organized was Deep Creek, located in Wadesboro, North Carolina. Others that followed were
Sandy Ridge, Mt. Level and Timmonsville.
From 1870 through 1885, Rev. Joe Ratliff was so moved with the spirit of enlightening his people
that he secured men to teach night classes, and organized a school during the day. This desire to
better serve his fellowmen motivated the formation of the Zion Association in the year of our
Lord, 1872, in which he served as Moderator from 1872-1911. He loved Deep Creek Church and
School which was supported entirely by the Zion Association.
On September 1, 1915 Sallie Ratliff passed away and five years later, Rev. Joe Ratliff passed
away a few months short of his 86th birthday on May 17, 1920.
Today, their family reunion is one of the larger gatherings held in August over a three day
weekend. I’m sure that they would welcome the descendants of Nancy Jernigan Ratliff into their
family reunion if we wanted to join with them, and I can only imagine the variety of good food
that is served on their large table.
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Great-G-G-G Granddaughters of Susan and John Prescott Ratliff
Susan and J.P. would have been so proud of these two precious little angels. That’s Madison, two
and a half, in the large photo. Her sister Delaney is four and a half. They are the daughters of my
niece, Sherrie Helms Kukulski and husband Mark. The family lives in New Jersey west of NYC.
Sherrie is the younger daughter of my older brother, Eddie, and his late wife, Carol Slater Helms.
Their Great-G- Grandfather was “Uncle Tommy” Ratcliffe, grandson of Susan and J.P. through
their son Francis Alexander and his wife, Hellen Horne Ratcliffe.
In the photo, that’s Eddie, Delaney and
Madison’s grandfather, on the right, along
with “yours truly” in red, our sister, Nancy,
and baby brother, Wade. This was made in
2005. Our mother was Virginia Ratcliffe and
our dad was Walston Edd “Buddy” Helms.
We were all born in Charlotte, but moved to
Miami in 1958. The setting was Eddie’s
daughter Charlene’s home in Ft. Lauderdale.
Madison Ann and Delaney Carol Kukulski
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Nostalgia Paintings of 19th Century Rural Life
Long before Norman Rockwell was even born, another American painter was perfecting the
art of illustrating the daily life of a young country. Edward Lamson Henry, a Charleston
born, New York and Paris educated artist, found a way to capture the essence of everyday life
long before photographers had the technical skill to do the same thing. Back in those days,
people depended upon the traveling painter to document common scenes of Colonial and pre-
Civil war life. Edward Henry was the best of them all. Trained by the leading impressionist
masters in Europe, he perfected a unique style that told many stories in each of his works. In,
An October Day, we find ourselves at a roadhouse/General Store in a remote countryside. A
farm mother has come to buy necessities with her two sons, and is walking back home.
Another farm couple is heading in the other direction in their buggy after doing the same
thing. Another horse and buggy waits patiently for its driver to return with provisions. A man
on horseback, perhaps looking for a place of lodging, has just arrived, and is talking with
other men and boys sitting on the long porch. Two dogs are playing in the yard, and chickens
are looking for worms in the grass across the road. The road has many fresh tracks, telling us
that this is a very popular stop. Barrels and wooden crates sit on the porch, filled with salt or
sugar or freshly ground flour. In the distance on the right, we can see a barn or farmhouse,
giving a possible destination for the buggy. There’s a quaint humor in Henry’s work, and,
because of his great attention to detail, his paintings were treated by contemporaries as
authentic historical reconstructions.
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“The Latest Village Scandal”
I was first introduced to Henry’s work at an exhibition in Savannah in 2014, where I
marveled at his ability to combine simple country moments with exceptional artistic
technique. His work, In Sight of Home, shown below, is part of the Johnson Collection in
Spartanburg, South Carolina. Motherhood shows a mother breastfeeding her baby.
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Henry was well known for his depictions of American battle scenes. In The Army of
General Burgoyne, above, from 1902, he recreates the southern advance of British General
John Burgoyne as he approached Saratoga, New York. John Burgoyne is best known for his
role in the Revolutionary War. He designed an invasion scheme and was appointed to
command a force moving south from Canada to split away New England and end the
rebellion. Burgoyne advanced from Canada but his slow movement allowed the Americans
to concentrate their forces. Instead of coming to his aid according to the overall plan, the
British Army in New York City moved south to capture Philadelphia. Surrounded,
Burgoyne fought two small battles near Saratoga to break out. Trapped by superior
American forces, with no relief in sight, Burgoyne surrendered his entire army of 6,200 men
on 17 October 1777. His surrender, says historian Edmund Morgan, "was a great turning
point of the war, because it won for Americans the foreign assistance which was the last
element needed for victory". He also liked to show early railroad and canal travel, below.
“Passing the Outpost on the Old Kingsbridge Road”
British army shaking down Americans
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In, A Country Lawyer, Henry shows a client making a point to his lawyer. In the office, we
get a sense of the disorder that was present in many of these rooms of the day. Below, in his
Village Squire Entertaining the New Minister, we get a glimpse into the home life of a
wealthy family. Notice how they only used one oil lamp for the dining room.
23
Afternoon Quiet
Before the telephone,
people could not call ahead
to make sure someone
would be home. They just
went there hoping for the
best.
In Unexpected Visitors,
we see a woman knitting
and her husband standing in
the doorway as friends or
family arrive in their buggy.
24
In East Tennessee Kept In
A Country School Memories
Edward Lamson Henry may
not be well known, but
without his dedication to
preserving America’s past,
much of that past would have
been lost. He died in 1919 at
the age of 78, but he will live
on in the fine work that he
created.
A Moment of Peril 1890