Traveling Through the Back Roads of the Antebellum South - An 1847 Journal of North Carolina & Georgia
Interesting manuscript journal of travel in North Carolina and Georgia by William R. Ward and a friend in the fall of 1847. The journal begins in Eutaw, Alabama, Ward's hometown. His traveling companion is referred to only as "W" which suggests that Ward may have created an alter ego to keep himself company while traveling alone (for example, at one point he describes the extreme loneliness of a stretch of Georgia country). Ward records notable people and places and experiences along the way, usually mentioning the owner of the lodging place each night, price of lodgings, price for oats for his horse, daily mileage, and the like. Along the route Ward opines about the towns he visits, for instance he was much impressed with the "fine dwellings" of Iredell County (NC), describing the residence of Colonel John H. Wheeler as "commodious and well furnished ... It indicates that the owner is in affluent circumstances, and that he consults his tase [sic] as well as his convenience." But Carnesville (GA) was "a filthy and savage looking little place."
The journal begins in Eutaw, Alabama, with the initial entry recording Ward’s June 1847 passage - possibly by stage and river routes - to Montgomery, and thence eastward in July likely by steamboat and/or rail to Charleston and Wilmington - major transportation hubs of the period. From Wilmington, Ward’s principal overland journey commenced, eventually traveling inland back toward home in Alabama, through North Carolina and Georgia, likely by a small single-horse gig or wagon, along a patchwork of public roads, post roads, and well-worn regional routes of the day.
Ward's recorded route touches the following towns and districts: Chatham County (NC), Salisbury (NC) - likely along the historic Salisbury-Fayetteville Road - then through Franklinville (NC), known for its early textile mills, then into Iredell County. The journey continued westward through Lincolnton (NC), near the route of the old Great Wagon Road, before crossing into Georgia. In Georgia, Ward followed interior roads through Villa Rica, where he witnessed environmental depredation due to gold mining and militia drills for the Mexican War. He then proceeded through Spartanburg and Pendletonville, toward Jefferson, Lawrenceville, Carroll, and other communities, observing both the natural landscape and the economic pulse of the antebellum South along the way. He arrived home in Eutaw on October 3.
In North Carolina Ward visited Col. John Wheeler (1806-1882), a prominent North Carolinian, State Treasurer and later Minister to Nicaragua who recognized the government of the filibuster William Walker.
At Franklinville (NC) Ward commented on the female workforce of the Franklinville Manufacturing Company's cotton textile mill: "The girls about fifty looked very well and were well dressed."
Soon after entering Georgia, he noted "hands picking Cotton."
At Villa Rica (GA) he saw Capt. John "Honest Jack" Jones drilling a company of troops for the Mexican War.
Near Tallapoosa (GA) our traveler stayed with a Mr. Little who shared his expertise with botanical or natural medicine. Little talked of Dover's powders (a quack medication containing opium & ipecac for sweating/fever), Calomel, as well as Lobelia (Lobelia inflata) - also known as Indian tobacco - used as an expectorant, antispasmodic, and in some cases in anti-smoking "cures."
In Carroll, Georgia Ward lamented the environmental degradation of gold mining operations:
The hills were uprooted for numbers of acres. It seems that man has lacerated this portion of old mother earth's bosom by his oft repeated blows, calling upon her to yield more plentifully of her rich stores, to appease his insatiable desire.
In sum, an evocative antebellum Southern travel account, with keen observations of people, place, and incidents along the route.
Excerpts here follow:
- Sept. 14th, 1847: Left Peterboro after dinner... stopped at Daniel Hackney's. He is a very agreeable, and well informed man and has represented the citizens of Chaltham ably and faithfully, for the last four years in the House of Common of the State of N. Carolina. He is regarded as an extraordinary man for his opportunities. He has been nick-named Daniel Lucker.
- Hackney was a pro-slavery Unionist. A Baptist deacon in 1833 in Chatham County, North Carolina. A Unionist throughout his political career as an elected representative in North Carolina’s General Assembly during the 1840s and 1850s. After the Civil War, he was licensed to preach in 1866 and then ordained as a minister of the gospel in 1871.
- Sept. 15th: Left D. H's after breakfast, travelled thirty one miles and stopped at Craven's. The old man 73 years old had the day before pas'd the last debt of nature. We passed through Franklinville, called to see the Factory were very much pleased. The girls about fifty looked very well and were well dressed. Passed through Ashboro: as we passed along the road W. espied and old acquaint. standing in the door and called her out. She weighs about 300 lbs. and said well W. I must hug you and cast her ponderous arms around his neck and burst into tears. Charges 1.60.
- Sept. 16th: Resumed our journey, travelled over the hilly portion of Randolph & Davidson. A portion of the country very barren. Land good in the neighbourhood of the Yadkin which we crossed at tracking pond about 1/2 hour by sun. Reached Salisbury about 7 o'clock P.M. which is a beautiful place, one of the largest of the inland towns of N. Ca. Stopped at the hotel kept by Sharer, quite an appropriate name. Found a great many people here. Travelled forty one miles. Bill 2.00. Cigars 2/6 [Haitter?] 1/ Bought carpet bag 3.00.
- Sept. 17th: Took up our journey passed through a rich portion of Iredell Co. Saw several fine dwellings. Crossed the Catawba, at Bates Ford about 6 o'clock P.M. This is a pretty large river and the idea of fording it is quite appalling to the novice in travelling. Stopped at Col. Wheeler's whose excellent wife furnished us with a fine supper. His house very commodious and well furnished is situated on the left bank of the river. It indicates that the owner is in affluent circumstances, and that he consults his tase [sic] as well as his convenience. Col. Wheeler had a chill this morning and is now laboring under the effects of the fever which followed it. He was elected treasurer of the State of N. Ca. in 1842 when the democratic party had a majority in the legislature, but the whig party deprived him of his office in 1844 and reelected Charles Hinton, a tried and faithful man. Slept in a large, carpeted and well furnished room No. 25. My companion W. got into a laughable difficulty. Travelled 32 miles. Expenses 1.50. qt of med /6. boy 1/ .15
- Colonel John H. Wheeler (1806-1882) was a prominent North Carolina lawyer, historian, and politician, born in Murfreesboro, Hertford County. He served as N.C. state treasurer, U.S. minister to Nicaragua, and long-time clerk of the federal district court in North Carolina. Wheeler was also a planter who enslaved numerous people on his Murfreesboro plantation, and his ownership of enslaved individuals became nationally visible during a noted fugitive slave case involving Hannah Bond (a.k.a. Hannah Crafts), the author of a fictionalized autobiography (The Bondwoman's Narrative), one of the first novels by an African American woman, recently published and edited by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Wheeler cultivated a refined literary taste and built a notable personal library rich in Southern history, politics, and European literature. Apparently Bond was able to read and used Wheeler's library, as reflected in literary allusions in her own novel. Wheeler himself authored Historical Sketches of North Carolina (1851) and Reminiscences and Memoirs of North Carolina and Eminent North Carolinians (1884).
- Sept. 18: .... left Col. Wheeler's passed Graham's foundry also a forge about four miles distant. Passed through Lincolton after dinner stopped at Mr. Norton's 14 1/2 miles from Lincolnton. Found the landlord to be quite an agreeable and entertaining old gentleman. Met up with collegiate acquaintances Messrs. J. Graham (who pressed me to call and stay several days with him) and Sumner. Passed through a grannitic country. Travelled 32 1/2 miles. Charles 1.50. boy 1/- oats /6. .15
- Sept. 19: ... crossed the Broad river on a toll bridge and several other small rivers. Stopped at an old man's house, whose name I disremember. He is a very pious old fellow, holds family prayer, but with all I would not advise travellers to stop with him as none of his admirable traits will relieve the hungry. Arrived in 7 miles of Spartansburg. Travelled 34 1/2 miles. Toll for crossing .25. Expenses for staying all night .70.
- Sept. 20: Breakfast at Spartansburg, a very pleasant and handsome little village. Arrived at Greenville about sundown, quite a flourishing and interesting place. Rather unlucky in our choice of a hotel had considerable fun with W about being tuck in so badly. The house had been newly whitewashed and argued well from first sight well we must learn and live and be more observant. Met with a man who asked if Va. was in N. Ca. Trav. 38 . Expenses Breakfast & corn .85. For the night 1.50.
- Sept. 21: ... Took dinner at Mr. Walker's 8 miles from Pendletonville, and here we found two very agreeable and interesting ladies the first who had much interested us, since the commencement of our journey: W. was very much taken with one of them, and I think would have remained for several days, if he had not found out that she was married. He was much pleased with the dinner, with the ? soup &c. Passed through Pendleton &c about 5 o'clock P.M. Travelled 7 miles and stopped at Maxwell's Ferry on the Senega River. Spent the night with a bachelor and faired much better than one would suppose for we generally consider bachelordom allied to rough living. Had a fine view of the mountains during the day. Passed in 3 miles of J. Calhoun's residence. Travelled 38 miles. Expenses Toll Bridge 2/ Ferreage 2/6 .45 Dinner .85 Staying all night 1.50.
- Sept. 22. Travelled through a tolerable rich portion of the country, crossed the Tugaloo river; entered Ga. met with people who had been to meeting accompanying home on their Georgia passage. Found these parts of the country rather unproductive. We passed many handsome residences today and yesterday the summer seat of Southern planters. Travelled only 26 miles owing to our horse being a little [foundered?]. Saw hands picking Cotton....
- Sept. 23. A very disagreeable day. Travelled all day in the rain, and got to M. Listen's six miles from Jefferson. Met some ladies and gentlemen going to a Georgia dance. I suppose too in Georgia style for they were riding double. Came across a very neat spruce young man with a beaver no less than two feet in length. Passed through Carnesville, a filthy and savage looking little place. Road very hilly and rough, I suppose that the people are not much given to working them....
- Sept. 24. This was quite a remarkable day with us. Passed through Jefferson, and arrived at Lawrenceville to night after leaving M. Lester's about 6 miles we remembered that we had left my old cloak nd was almost tempted to return after it, but W. would not consent to it. It was with deep regret that I had to part with my old faithful cloak, which had so often shielded my meager frame from the chilly winds of winter - Farewell to my old grey cloak! .... Some part of our harness broke and frightened our horse so that he did a little damage, but it happened just as we entered Lawrenceville. Travelled over a rough road scarcely ever worked, about 36 miles.
- Sept. 25. Left Lawrenceville half after nine o'clock travelled over a portion of a very rought road in the forenoon but a great many people going from a Baptist association, some on foot, some on horseback, some in gigs & buggies, some in carts and wagons, and some in every way that human ingenuity could divise. I was much surprised to see so many people when I reflected how thinly settled the country was. I suppose that they were collected from all parts of the country. Travelled about 30...
- Sept. 26. ... crossed Chatahoochee about eight o'clock A.M. passed in six miles of Marietta, and went through Sweetwater old town, formerly an Indian village, but not scarcely a vestage is left to tell where it once was. In future I shall travel from Lawrenceville through Decatur cross the river at Wilson's Ferry &c.
- Sept. 27. ... passed the Carroll Gold Mines. The hills were uprooted for numbers of acres. It seems that man has lacerated this portion of old mother earth's bosom by his oft repeated blows, calling upon her to yield more plentifully of her rich stores, to appease his insatiable desire. As we entered Villarica we saw Capt. Jones drilling a company of soldiers for Mexico... crossed the Tallaposa and stopped at Little's about a mile from the river. I was very much diverted at the old man. He gave a short history of his life - that he was one of the frontier settlers and that he used to sell liquor to the Indians. He had been reading G[unn?]'s family practice of medicine &c and talked a good deal about different medicines Callumy, Dover's powders (opium & ipecac for sweating/fever), Jallap and Lobely &c. He spoke in very harsh tones of the Steam doctors and said that there was one in his neighbourhood, and that he knew as much as he did. He said that the bridge had been washed away and that they were raising moneys to build one...
- 28th. This morning we entered Alabama, and met with the same pine barrens as we did yesterday... Saw some good farms in the vallies of the mountains of Benton County... Arrived at the boiling springs about dusk ... Travelled 36 miles ....
- 29th. We met again, to day, with a little mishap. How fickle is fortune! She is like a coy maiden, forever playing tricks on the weaknesses of mankind. It was bust a few days ago that we had the misfortune to loose [sic] my old gray cloak, to day we left behind the halter, which fretted W. pretty considerably. We had the old axium impressed upon our minds, never trust to appearances, from the fine building we put up at on the night of the 28th, and the bad fare we received. Passed through Talladega a flourishing village, also Mardisville. Travelled 36 miles
- 30th. Fortune seemed to dally with us to day... We travelled till nine o'clock at night and to our interrogations if we could stay all night the answer would be, I reckon that you can at the next house, and it continued such till we arrived at Montivallo travelled 42 miles
- Oct. 2. Travelled to day over a smooth but sandy road. Arrived at Greensboro about seven o'clock, and found it a very pretty place...
- Oct. 3. Left Greensboro a little after six o'clock and arrived at home about 2 o'clock P.M.