"Our Family Keepers"
Most of you
are familiar with
William Lowndes Yancey,
secessionist and "fire eater" of the Confederacy.
Probably by far the most famous member of
the Yancey family of America.
Research recently published
by Mrs. Rose Ellen Morton provides some interesting tidbits
of information many may not be aware of concerning this member of the
Yancey Family.
Some interesting information from her research
William Lowndes Yancey
once fought a duel with US Representative Thomas Clingman in 1845.
Both men fired - and Clingmans bullet went thru Yancey's hat and Yancey's
bullet went thru Clingmans lapel.
Both men walked away unharmed.
His wife, Sarah Caroline
Earle, had been blind in one eye from her childhood.
A probable reason no photos/sketches exist of her - due to her self
conscious nature of the fact.
Many of William Yancey's
slaves descended from slaves once held
by Arthur Middleton a signer of The Declaration of Independence from
South Carolina.
These are just a few
interesting tidbits of information that Rose has included in her research
concerning the Yancey family stories.
BUT these are just tidbits that pale to insignificance to the
importance of a much greater and important story. A story that has been
waiting to be told for over 150 years . . . . the story of those who across
many generations lived the life of plantation slaves - from the plantations
of Arthur Middleton, then being sold to the family of George Washington
Earle and finally being inherited by William Lowndes Yancey via his marriage
to Sarah Caroline Earle. It is the story of Cesar & Judy,
Agrippa and Mary, Ninner, Ella and their children and extended
families and many others who worked as household or field slaves on the
Yancey Estate - who as individuals and as a group lived a life that few
today could even begin to comprehend. Then finally after decades and
generations of slavery, bondage, death, violence, abuse - they finally saw
the light of freedom as Abraham Lincoln declared the slaves free - within
six months, Master William Lowndes Yancey himself had died. Many have
recorded the genealogy and history of the branches of the white plantation
owner's extended Yancey family. But few, if any, until now
have documented and shared the story of those who intimately knew the family
- as they worked and slaved in the fields and in the house on the Yancey
Plantations.
The interesting truth of the matter . . . through her research Rose has come
to know the history of the William Lowndes Yancey family
at least in some ways - better then the vast majority of William Yanceys own
white descendants.
The history is just as much HER story as it is theirs - the story of William Lowndes Yancey's family is HER family story too . . .
For information about
obtaining a copy of Rose Morton's book "OUR FAMILY KEEPERS" -
published in 2005.
Please feel free to contact her at :
historysearchers @ yahoo.com
She is most interested in sharing her book and her stories with others of
the Yancey family - both Black and White.
Any who wish to better understand the story of life during the years of
slavery in the Southern United States would benefit much from reading this
book.
A favorite quote of Rose:
"A people which takes no pride in the noble achievement's of remote ancestry, will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants........Macaulay
Rose's Mother and her sister