In the preparation of this little book, it has been my earnest desire to secure my information from reliable sources, and so far, I think I have succeeded in doing so.
After writing the preceding chapters, it occurred to me that I would like to read them to some member of the Carr family, before giving them to the public. So Rev2. Luke Fort, of Guthrie, Ky., came to my home, May 13, 1911, and spent a good portion of the day.
Rev. Fort, in antebellum times, belonged to Mr. Lawson Fort. He is sixty-four years of age, and the most of his useful life was spent on the Fort plantation3. He was married during the 70’s to Annie, youngest daughter of Uncle Horace and Aunt Kitty Carr.
Rev. Fort not only endorsed4 as correct what had already been written, but he gave me additional[63] information that I consider both valuable and interesting. He spoke5 in part as follows:
“When I first heard that you wished to talk to me of a family I loved so well, I was afraid I could be of but little assistance to you, but after hearing you read what had already been written my mind was awakened6, and the old scenes came back to me.
“I was the son-in-law of these dear old people nineteen years, and twelve years of that time, (after Father Horace’s death) Mother Kitty lived with me.
“It was while I was a tenant7 on Mr. W. D. Fort’s farm. After the day’s work was done, we used to gather around the fireside in winter, or on the front porch in Summer, and listen to her talk. Everybody liked to hear her talk. But after she broke up housekeeping and had no cares, if possible, she seemed more interesting than at any period of her life. My regret is, that I did not take more note of what she said.
“Her theme was religion, for she was an every day Christian8. During her widowhood, she went to live awhile with her son, William, who was at that time living at Indianapolis Indiana, but she was not satisfied, and soon returned to Tennessee. At her advanced age, she could not get[64] used to the great difference between town and country life.”
From Aunt Kitty we turned to Uncle Horace, and Rev. Fort continued:
“Father Horace had his own peculiar9 style of preaching, and often his sermons would be made up entirely10 of some good religious experience he had especially enjoyed.
“He was partial to the Gospel of John, and the best sermon I ever heard him preach was from the 15th chapter and 1st verse, ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.’ Feeling the infirmities of old age coming on, and knowing that Altheus had chosen the ministry11, he often put him to the front in the pulpit, while he sat back, in his humble12 way, and directed the service. While sitting beneath the sound of his voice, in Scriptural language he doubtless thought to himself, ‘This is my son, in whom I am well pleased.’ He seemed to be getting ready for Altheus to step into his shoes, and carry on the good work he had begun. The foundation had been laid.”
Rev. Fort then paid fine tribute to the memories of his white people, Mr. Lawson Fort, and his pious13 wife. To the latter he said he owed his first religious impressions. When a mere14 boy waiting about the house, she talked to him of salvation15 in a way that he understood, and he[65] was led to trust his Savior at an early age. And after he was a middle aged16 man, she often invited him to attend devotional exercises in the seclusion17 of her family room; on one occasion she requested him to lead in prayer, which he did.
Rev. Luke Fort, Guthrie, Ky.
Never having heard of the colored meetings held on the Fort plantation before the war, only in a general way, I asked Rev. Luke Fort if he remembered one, and he said he did, very distinctly. It was during the middle 50’s when he was about seven years old. It was Saturday night, and the first time he ever heard Uncle Horace preach.
The service was held in what they called Aunt Margaret’s house, a large, comfortable log room, with a shed at one end, and an upstairs. There were two doors in the main room, opposite each other, and facing east and west. Along between ten and eleven o’clock the meeting reached its most enjoyable stage. The good old time songs were making their souls happy. Uncle Horace led the songs, and his face wore that placid18 look that seemed to speak that no wave of trouble would ever roll across his peaceful breast, when a rap was heard at the front door, and before they had time to think, in rushed a band of patrolers!
As they came in at the east door, the confused[66] congregation made hasty exit from the west door.
The news was quickly conveyed to the kind old master, who sent his son, the late Sugg Fort, to the scene of excitement. Young Mr. Fort approached the patrolers in a very dignified19 manner, and informed them that his father had sent him to tell them that their services were not needed on his premises20. It was before the county line had been changed, Mr. Fort’s residence was then in Montgomery county, instead of Robertson, its present location, and the patrolers were from Port Royal.
(For the benefit of a younger generation of readers, I will state that patrolers were organized bands of white men, appointed in each neighborhood, for the purpose of going about at night and keeping order among a doubtful element of colored people who left home without passes, or written permission from their owners. The unfortunate condition of affairs demanded it, and still more unfortunate was it, that the appointment, or office, too often fell into cruel and inhuman21 hands.)
There lived at Port Royal, a fine looking colored man by the name of Dean Dancy, the property of the late John A. Dancy. It so happened that Dean was masquerading this particular Saturday night without a pass, and unluckily fell into the[67] hands of the patrolers. Knowing they would deal roughly with him under such circumstances, he compromised the matter by telling them, if they’d let him off just this one time, he’d pilot them to a negro meeting, where they could find a housefull of people without passes, and this was why Uncle Horace’s meeting was so disturbed.
Monday morning Mr. Fort ordered his saddle horse brought out unusually early; he rode over to Port Royal and informed Mr. Dancy of what his boy Dean had done, and the trickster had to make some pretty fair promises to escape punishment.
On the same night that Dean Dancy led the patrolers to molest22 the quiet worshipers on Mr. Fort’s plantation, an amusing scene was enacted23 in a dry goods store at Port Royal. It was during the late fall, and several of the village clerks had put up a notice that they would pay liberally for a fat, well cooked o’possum, delivered at Dancy and Kirby’s store. Joe Gaines, a tall brown skinned man belonging to W. N. Gaines, gleaned24 the persimmon trees round about the Gaines premises, and failing to find an o’possum, conceived the idea of substituting a fat house-cat. After it was nicely cooked, he stepped out by the light of the moon, with his pass in his pocket, and hope in his heart of bringing back a silver dollar.
[68]The clerks from the other business houses assembled at Dancy and Kirby’s, where a spread was set for eight o’possum eaters. Dr. J. T. Darden a young physician from Turnersville, had a short time before located at Port Royal, and was invited to the feast. When the dish containing the supposed delectable25 marsupial26 was uncovered, it was observed that the young physician began to view it with a suspicious eye. He called Mr. T. M. Kirby to one side and told him the carcass was not that of an o’possum and they must not eat it. Upon closer examination it was very plain that it was a cat.
Without a word, Mr. Dancy walked to the front door and turned the key, locking them in; a pistol was placed on the table, and Joe was informed that he must devour27 that cat, or suffer the consequences.
It required the effort of his life, but he choked it down. If Dean and Joe ever had good intentions, Satan certainly run rough shod over them all that Saturday night.
Along with the progress of colored churches within the past four decades, that of orders, and societies is worthy28 of mention.
Within a short distance of each other, they have, near Port Royal, both Odd Fellows and[69] Benevolent29 Society halls. Of the latter society I shall speak more in detail, from the fact that it is much older as an organization, in this community, and has done so much for its members. It was organized, October, 1872, in a little log school room, on what was called Sugar Camp Branch, on Miss Ellen Yates’ farm.
Dennis Neblett, a good colored man of that vicinity, was the prime mover in the enterprise, and called to his assistance in its organization Granville Wilcox and Henry Roberts (col.), of Clarksville, Tenn.
They organized with thirty charter members, and Dennis Neblett was elected President, which office he faithfully filled for thirty-seven years.
This feeble but faithful little band met three years in Sugar Camp Branch school room, after which the house was moved farther down the creek30, on Mr. Henry Rosson’s farm. Being too remote from the majority of its members, they lost interest and failed to attend the meetings as they had formerly31 done, so the officers adopted the plan of meeting in the homes of the members, and occasionally at the churches.
The change awakened renewed interest, and from that time on, it gradually increased from thirty members to something near one hundred and fifty. Its noble mission is to assist the[70] disabled, nurse the sick, and bury the dead.
In the early 90’s they bought a lot on the principal street of Port Royal, on which they erected32 a very modest little hall. They were fortunate in making this investment at that date, as the remainder of their treasury33, $200.00 (two hundred) deposited in a Clarksville bank, was lost during the failure of several banks at that time in Clarksville. After meeting at Port Royal lodge34 a number of years, they decided35 to purchase a more suitable location. The old Carr home near Port Royal had been dismantled36, and the land was bought by Mr. Joshua Ford37, a prosperous farmer of District No. 5, Montgomery county. Mr. Ford disposed of his purchase in lots, Jerry Fort (col.) being the first purchaser of five acres, on which he built a comfortable little home.
Jerry and Harry38 Grant, as Trustees for the Benevolent Society, were appointed to purchase three acres of the same tract39, adjoining his, for a burying ground, and also a parade ground for the society. The purchase was made, but afterward40 sold for residence lots, now owned and occupied by Jane Davis, Lecie Hollins and George Watson.
A large tobacco barn on the opposite side of the road, fronting the Fort home, had been used for several years as a shelter for the society when the[71] members gave barbecues and other out-door festivities. This barn, including one-quarter of an acre, was bought by the Trustees, the building sold to Sim Polk (col.) and moved to his farm on Parson’s Creek, and a nice Hall, Benevolent Treasure No. 7, erected on the site, at a cost of something less than a thousand dollars. This building speaks well for its enterprising members, and is an ornament41 to the roadside.
Added to the membership, is a juvenile42 branch of the order, consisting of about fifty polite boys and girls, ranging from four to sixteen years of age.
In its first organization, 1872, this society was known as Benevolent Society No. 3, but a few years ago changed conditions made it necessary to reorganize, after which it was called Benevolent Treasure No. 7. Its present officers are as follows:
Sim Polk, President.
John Person, Vice-President.
Waymond Polk, Assistant Secretary.
Willis Northington, Chaplain.
Wright Watkins, Lizzie Dortch, Chairmen of Sick Committee.
Demps Trabue, Chairman Executive Committee.
The meetings are held semi-monthly.
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1
brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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rev
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| v.发动机旋转，加快速度 | |
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plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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endorsed
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| vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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6
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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tenant
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| n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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seclusion
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| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
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placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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inhuman
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| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
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molest
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| vt.骚扰，干扰，调戏 | |
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enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gleaned
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| v.一点点地收集（资料、事实）( glean的过去式和过去分词 )；（收割后）拾穗 | |
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delectable
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| adj.使人愉快的；美味的 | |
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marsupial
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| adj.有袋的，袋状的 | |
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devour
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| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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31
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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32
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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dismantled
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| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
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Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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41
ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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42
juvenile
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| n.青少年，少年读物；adj.青少年的，幼稚的 | |
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recording
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| n.录音，记录 | |
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treasurer
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| n.司库，财务主管 | |
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