Mr Boatwright letter to William C DeBruhl September 2, 1852

                        September 2, 1852
                                                                        Columbia, SC

Friend William,

We have just been blank with one of the most terrific floods that ever visited these parts.  Nothing in the annuals of our county; has ever been known to equal it.  And the loss of life and property is incalculable.  All our bridges with exception of Congaree, has been carved off.  Western Bridge, Broad Rive, etc.  Charleston R. R. Bridge.  Both the Augusta Bridge all cut off.  We have as yet not heard of the extent of damage done, but fear the result.  Wm Spencer Brown and a few of McCollum’s were swept away and drowned.  Since all the Negroes on the Plantations below saved their lives by seeking shelter up the house tops and the fear a good many of them is lost. All the stock on the River Plantation are all gone.  None left as many plantations. Your friend Jesse DeBruhl has lost his entire crop.  Every foot of his Plantation is under water.  And his family escaped with their life, remained in a tree for a number of hours before rescued.

The Greenville R.R. is wrecked all to pieces.  They have had no mails for the last your days and all communication is cut off.  There is no knowing when we will receive any goods from Charleston few train tracks work as track or their Bridge is gone.  And what are we to do. God only knows. Corn and flour may run up amazingly and communication is every ones concern.

I must try to arrange some way to get our goods or fear we are in a bad way for many articles but our neighbors are in like predicaments.  And it cannot be arranged.  I have not time to tell you all the particulars.  It was a fearful time last Sunday.  Nearly all Columbia was torn about.  The Bridge, looking every moment to see it give away.  The water was running through. The water was running through the town and the current of drift wood and pressure against it was alarming.  But this noble structure stood the mighty torrent and was only a little injured.  All the houses and Fred Green, hills were swept away.  The hill under the Bridge entirely gone and we never entirely gave way in foundation it has ruined.  Fred W. Green and may a plantation and the news here today is that Augusta is infinitely worse off that we.  It was 8 feet water in the road.  Augusta and Hamburg completely enveloped in water.  All that plant are water comes here but their crop there has been a good many lives lost in Augusta and Hamburg.  It will make the county very sickly; and it will require medicine.  For my impression is there will be really sale for them.  I will order Opium and Morphine from Porvey & Whitman.  As he cannot wait.  I have them longer.  There is none in town.  We wish Pumice Stone, Umbilical Trusses about ½ dz and some Oil of Wintergreen. 1 pt of Sarsaparilla.  There you can fill at your leisure.

B. L. MacLauchlan dead. Alma Adam Edgar and we have heard today Wm C. Preston is dead.  Wm L. Brown’s lady has not yet been found.  McCollum farm was today.

Greenville R. R. Bridge, Camden R. R. Bridge both gone and the house at junction of the true ready, bedded in water.  Featen and Welsh & Mr Curry at Aston have but all their homes with everything in them entirely swept away and they respect in beat.  The rise of the River was awfully sudden all in one night and part of a day.  No one had any idea of it.  Stanley on coming home had not passed over the R. R. Bridge but 5 minutes before it was swept off. Saw it go. Well this is bad new blank  for a letter,  I will stop for the present.  We are all doing well. Your friend’s all well. 

My best respects to My B and all you family.

Regards closing to be remembered.

Thy blank, blank

Mr. W. Boatwright

1852

Aug 27-28

Landfall near the AL/MS border as a Cat 3 hurricane. Moved northeast across central GA and SC as a TS before moving off the coast near the NC/SC border.

Letter from Stephen C DeBruhl to Brother William DeBruhl July 8, 1858

                                                            Abbeville, SC
                                                                                                July 8, 1858

Brother William

I received yours of the 2^nd the day before yesterday and would have answered yesterday had not Parker been out of town.

I have just seen him and got the desired information.  He says he paid you six hundred and sixty 91/100 Dollars ($664.91) on the 4^th August 1857.  You are mistaken as to my owing you a letter.  I wrote to you some months ago and have never heard from you until now.  I expected to meet you in Columbia on the 4^th May at the Quitman calibration but was disappointed.  I was down applying for Equity and was admitted without difficulty.  By the by I am rising in the world, I now boast the title of Major in the Abbeville squadron of Calvary having been elected last Friday.  My friends however came nearer having to having bury one than vote for one in that day.  I was practicing for our tilt (which came off on Friday) on Thursday evening and the horse I was riding ran against the post which held the head for us at striking me full against it & consequently knocking me off.  My sword, I think, stuck my chin cutting it very severely and also tow of my fingers.  The blow came very near dislocating my jaw bone which is still quite sore.  My hip was also badly bruised.  I have not been able to eat anything except hominy & such soft things as do not require chewing until a day or two past.  I am now getting better tough.  I suffer a good deal still.  The rest of the family are all well.  Willie is getting on finely.  Col Marshall’s family are all well at present.  Cousins Mary came up yesterday and is looking I think as well as I have seen her for a number of years. 

I wish you could get off for a while and come spend some time with us as we are all very anxious to see you.  Don Mc Laughlin is established here in the Drug business with Dr. Gordon.  They are doing a very fine business.  The remainder of the town is pretty much as you left it with the exception of Bob White who ‘tis said intends talking to himself a wife in the person of Miss Sallie Belcher. 

I believe that our dull town affords nothing that will interest you especially as it is now if possible more so than usual.  Write to us soon & often.  All send their love.

Yours truly,

Stephen C DeBruhl

J Foster Marshall letter to Capt Wm Barkuloo July 7, 1859

                                                                                                Abbeville, C. H., SC
                                                                                                7^th July, 1859

Capt Wm Barkuloo,

Dear Sir,

Stephen informed my yesterday that you desired me to send you out the balance due to you as guardian of your son from the Estate of Sc. DeBruhl.

It will be out of my power to do so for some time to come as it is now a season when we planters never have any money.  I may come across some one who may have some money to loan, and in that event I will cheerfully avail myself of the means to furnish you with the balance.

I had made no preparation to meet this balance, supposing you intended to draw on me as you have done hereto before for William’s support; but as I have above said, I will avail myself of first chance to raise the funds and send it to you. Little Susan has gone up to Williamston for her health which is some better than it has been.

Aunt Susan is not well, and I fear her disease is a deep seated one, which no physician can cure.  Stephen’s habits of late have distressed her and Susan very much and I fear will be the cause of both their deaths if he does not learn this place.  If you can do anything to get him out where you are, or to Florida you will confer a lasting blessing on his family.  I a going to make one more effort with him; and if I fail, I am done with him until he reforms.  This is not the place for him/ His association must be broken up or he is a lost man.  What I have written is in confidence.

Respectfully yours,

J. Foster Marshall

Answered Sept 5, 1859

Stephan C DeBruhl letter to his brother William DeBruhl Jan 11 1858

                                                            Abbeville
                                                                                                Jan 11, 1858

Brother William

I was very much gratified by the receipt of your letter of December, 25 and pleased to hear that you anticipated a Merry Christmas.  I hope that all your pleasant anticipation were more than realized and that you found Miss Herman both pretty and agreeable.

I would have answered your letter immediately but was so much engaged enjoying myself that I really had not time.  We had the merriest  Christmas that I have ever spent.  I will give you an account if it & let you judge for yourself.  In the first place Alex Weir invited some six or seven young ladies from Pendleton & Anderson to spend Christmas holiday at his house, all of whom came down; as of course such an I influx pretty young ladies created quite an excitement in our usually quiet town.

These ladies having arrived On Monday before Christmas, Weir, gave then a party the next night (Tuesday).  At said party I was glad to see our friends, Don Mc Laughlin who came up to see about forming a partnership with Dave Gordon, in the Drug Store.  I do not know what was the result of his visit.  The next night (Wednesday) there was a very pleasant party at Mrs. White’s at which Don was also present.

The next Thursday night there was a hot supper given by the ladies of the Episcopal Church.  On Friday night a party at Mrs Miller’s which I did not attend, having been invited to another in the county before her invitations were sent out.  On Friday morning, Dolph Williams and myself started for Ros Tatum’s to attend an affair at Capt Portlow’s about half a mile from Tatum’s, John Portlow, whom I expect you recollect having seen at Tatum’s when we were there, having married the night before.  We arrived at Tatum’s about fifteen minutes after four, having driven over about as muddy roads as you can and found him & five other young men disposed as follows, two in bed, one on the lounge & the other three over a pitcher of delicious punch which you may well suppose was very refreshing to we way worn travelers.  

Having incorporated ourselves with a few glasses of the fragrant beverage rested awhile, we put ourselves in readiness for the party.  On our arrival at the party we found quite a number of the bright eyed rose cheeked lasses of the country interspersed with a few jewels from Georgia. Having passed the evening in conversation, music & dancing we broke up at a late hour every seeming much pleased.  Our party reached Tatum’s again between 1 & 2 o’clock when we again called the pitcher into requisition & soon had ½ gallon of steaming, fragrant care dispelling punch to which I assume you (if assurance be needed) we did ample justice.  Having restore the waste caused by the exertions at the party we all retired at an early hour (5 ½ o’clock) to our virtuous couches.  We rose the next day bright as larks & went over to Portlow’s for breakfast & after having thoroughly discussed the Turkey hash we adjourned to the parlor for a game of Euchre whist was kept up till we began to feel quite sleepy & thirsty when we again returned to Tatum’s & satisfied thirst, hunger & drowsiness. Sunday we spent very pleasantly in Georgia & started bright & early Monday morning for home in order to be there Monday night to a party given by the young men & of whom we were managers.  After again trapping through the mud all day we arrived at home about sun down.  Having with some difficulty removed the mud from us & put on clean shirts we once more felt right side up & proceeded to the Marshall House when we had one of the finest parties it has ever been my fortune to attend.  The next day I was at a dining party till after sun down & a party again at night which wound up my Christmas festivities & as you may imagine pretty nearly wound me up.  I am very sorry that I will be unable to come to Brunswick during the “Grand Regattas” as I will be as busy as bee until May.  Fraser Livingston marries the day after tomorrow so that he will alas be unable to come.  He marries Miss Fannie McCain.  Bill is worse off than either of us being over head & ears in love & I think will only get out by a kick.  He is after Miss Clara Kilpatrick & is now I think gone to Pendleton.  Jim Martin marries Miss Abrams on the 26^th this month.  Eph Power was to have been married tomorrow morning to Miss Kate Giles but the Old Squire has “over sot the whole affair”.  It seems that the Squire objected at first but finally gave his consent (being told by his daughter that she was determined to marry him), to their marriage but would not give them a party.  The consequently determined to marry tomorrow morning & proceed immediately to Cokesbury where his mother was to give them a party.  The arrangements were all made accordingly, the party in course of preparation, invitations went out & when alas the Old Squire calls the whole family together, Sons & sons-in-law, daughters & daughters-in-law to consult upon the matter the result of whose deliberations were that it could not be, Poor Eph I am sorry for him but he has the consolation that he not the only man who has been treated in that way.  I believe I have given you all the news afloat about our muddy town.

We are all well at present & have been so except myself.  I was quite sick the week before Christmas with fever & have been suffering very much for a week past with a large boil on my neck produced by a blister which the Dr. applied when I was sick.  It has got a great deal better but not entirely well yet.  I wish you would write to Wallace about the hire of Lewis for the two months that he was with Drummond.  It would be very acceptable at this time when money is as scarce as hen’s teeth.

Col Marshall made a final settlement of father’s personal Estate on Friday least.  It resulted better than he anticipated having amounted to a thousand dollars more than he expected.  The share of each distributer is $2,067.10 hence there is to you deducting your note & interest ($1552.68) which amounts (514.42).  We had a very heavy rain last night which continued with some abatement nearly all the but the sun has at least come forth & is now shining quite warmly,  too much so I am afraid to keep clear.  Write soon & tell me how you enjoyed your Christmas visit.

Yours truly

Stephen C. DeBruhl