CIVIL WAR BUTTONS FOUND AT GREEN MOUNT!

On February 13th I was outside in the snow trying to help my son get the driveway more driveable. I was using a shovel to move some snow around and when I was walking back up toward the house I saw a button lying on the ground. It had just surfaced from the freezing and melting of the snow. A lot of pieces of broken dishes and glassware surface in this one little spot next to the well pump, but never a button before. There it was, like someone had dropped it yesterday. Actually it had probably gotten dropped in 1864 or so. Here's a picture of it.

It is a Yankee Staff Officer's button and it's worth maybe $30 - $40.00.


So we figured that was a pretty lucky find. My husband got his medal detector out a few weeks later and checked around that spot some more, but only found trash like aluminum foil and even an aluminum pie pan. So we're thinking maybe they used to burn trash in that spot or something when the last generation of Fleets lived here. Who knows. But yesterday, March 27th my son and I were back out there working on defining the area where we park and he scraped a bunch of dirt away so we could get some gravel and put down. Well, I was raking the dirt getting out the clumps of grass and another button just rolled out of the dirt. I couldn't believe it. But this is in the exact same area where the first button was found. And this button was just like the one I had found in February. Another Yankee Staff Officer's button. I thought, darn, that was lucky. Neat! So I put it in my pocket and kept raking. Guess what?! Another button within a minute of finding the last one rolled out of the dark dirt. This one looked different though. So I took it inside and called my husband who was out of town. I was looking at it under a magnifying glass describing it and he said, "That's a Maryland button and it's worth maybe $200." So I was happy! We won't sell it of course, but it's fun to find these things. I called my nephew and he came with his son and checked all over the spot with his detector. Aluminum foil and cans is all we could come up with. Weird! I think that area being near to the old well, may have been a resting spot, like a shady sitting area. And perhaps when the Yankees were here at Green Mount, which they were a couple of times, they lost some buttons! The pictures below are of the two I found yesterday. The photos are really crummy. But the one that's blurry really looks just like the button pictured above. The one on the right with some gold showing is really pretty and the picture doesn't show all the detail the button has. It's two people standing on either side of a shield in the center and then MARYLAND is written along the bottom circular edge. Really nice.

Yankee Staff Officer Button & Maryland Button

I'm not trying to be greedy, but I sure would rather find a Confederate button. But, I am really thankful that I found these.

The man who founded Wendy's Restaurants has passed away. His name was Dave Thomas. I remember reading something he said once which was "The harder you work, the luckier you get." I truly believe that is true. It's like if you work hard, you are rewarded in ways you would never expect. I'm very appreciative of the small rewards that were given to me from the soil at Green Mount. It made all that raking and shoveling worthwhile! I only wish these buttons could talk!

It's November at Green Mount 1880 ~ some pretty songs and poems that apply still today...

Green Mount

November 3rd, 1880

We opened our exercises by reading the 33rd Psalm. Then we repaired to the music room and Loulie played the "Bohemian Girl" and would have played it very well if she had not gotten confused. Little Mattie read "Thorns & Roses" which she read very nicely. Sallie read Mr. Martins Scalpl??? (I can't make out the word) She read it very well and we all enjoyed it very much. Mattie Kate played "The Shepherd Boy" and she played it very sweetly. We also enjoyed that very much. Lou read "Sowing and Reaping" from Proctor and she read it very well. Miss Lou read the description of the Exquisite State Dinner Service Executed for the White House and a description of a beautiful set table, and also How Gold makes Wealth. All three were very interesting and we all enjoyed them very much. Miss Florence did not play because it was too late, but hope we will have the pleasure of hearing her next time, as we always enjoy her music so much. Nannie read a piece called "Smoking My First Cigar."

Nannie

Green Mount

Nov. 10, 1880

Our exercises were opened in the school room by reading the 34th Psalm, and then as usual we went to the music room. Mattie Kate read a piece called "Little Things" showing how some persons can stand bravely in the battles thickest smoke, and bear with great fortitute life's heavy trials, while little things completely warm them. Nannie played "Captain Jenks". Lulie read "Joy Bringers". Lou played "Home Sweet Home". Miss Lou read an account of the Chantaugua Literary & Scientific Circle. Sallie played "Thornless Roses". Miss Florence ended the exercises by playing "Rock of Ages" & "Dead March to Saul," which we all enjoyed no little.

(not signed)

OLD FASHIONED JONQUILS AND OCTOBER MINUTES

The weather lately has warmed the buds of the jonquils and they are blooming. Some that are here have a frilly flower, which I believe are an old variety. I have moved about 100 bulbs the past few days, some of this variety and others the typical yellow bloom. It's really easy because one stray clump of jonquils will yield about 30 bulbs and they are easy to divide and replant. I think of next Spring, because there should be flowers blooming all over the place! I hope so. If you would like a bulb or two of these frilly jonquils, please let me know...I'll send you a few. You may email me at flytiger@bealenet.com and just put in the subject line, Jonquils, or something like that. Thanks for reading. Tere

Green Mount

Oct. 27, 1880

We opened our exercises by reading the 32nd Psalm. Then we repaired to the music room (as usual) and Nannie played the GOlden Dream March very well. I am happy to see that she has impoved since she came. Lulie read a piece on "Education" by John Melton. Lucy read a piece on the same by Bishop. Both were very good. Lou played a Lunatine (?) that had more instruction in it than beauty. Sallie played the "Song of The Brook" to which we listened attentively, Lucy particularly as she has taken it, hopes to soon be able to play it for me as well as Sallie can. Cousin Lou & Florence sang "What are The Wild Waves Saying." We enjoyed it very much.

Lou

THE MINUTES CONTINUE...and photo of writing tools

I haven't written anything on the blog in a handful of days because the weather has lured me outside. I thought about a line in Gone with the Wind and I think it was spoken by Big Sam. He said something about Rhett Butler once and maybe it was in reference to the baby Bonnie Blue Butler, but it went something like this: "That baby works on him just like a tonic." Well, the warm Spring weather does that to me and I can't help but be outside digging and transplanting the jonquils which pop up randomly in places around the yard. I want to leave some where they are, but they need dividing so I have a wonderful supply of jonquils to move into beds throughout the yard here and it really helps me to not focus on worries. My goal is to do what a friend of mine did at another old house nearby and that was to have a garden viewable from every window of the house. Isn't that a great idea? So, I'm working on it.

The photo at the top is a beautiful writing box that has been here at Green Mount since probably about the time the Evergreen Society's journals began. It belonged to "Lou" the eldest daughter and it still holds one of her name cards as well as the points and inkwells she used. Some of her entries into the minutes were probably written using these. I don't know what sort of pen clipped into these various points, but maybe someone reading will know. If so, please comment below and share with us. I guess I could google that one. Perhaps a wooden pencil of some sort slipped into the points and has somehow gotten misplaced or broken. It's a pretty set though. I should try to write something using these implements. It is more laborious to write using such tools, but it's fun because it reminds me of painting. Penmanship sure has gone by the wayside for most of us. I really do appreciate beautiful handwriting though.

Speaking of that, the next two journal entries must have been written in an ink that fades easily. I had to use a magnifying glass to be able to read the minutes as they were barely visible on the old pages. But here they are...

Oct. 12 (not dated, but should have been around that date)

This is really not my time to write this record, as I am not next in age to Lucy, but as I am one of the old scholars, and all of the old ones have to write before the new, it falls to my lot to perform this task.

We opened our meeting by reading one half of the thirty first Psalm. Then Miss Florence read Lucie's account of the last meeting which was very amusing and which we enjoyed very much especially as she was not here to take part in our entertainment herself.

Nannie played her own arrangement of "Mockingbird" which was very pretty. Mattie repeated a very pretty piece called "Perserverance", very well, much better than she ever repeated anything. Lou played Les Borders due Rhein very well, and Miss Lou complimented her.

Lulie read "A Lament for the Reapers" which was very appropriate at this season. Mattie Kate read "Half Way Doings" which is a very good sermon preached by a negro. Sallie played "Mountain Zephyr's."

Miss Lou read a very pretty piece about a walk which two boys took. One of them did not enjoy the walk at all, while the other saw an endless number of interesting things. There was a very good lesson to be learned from it, but I have not time to write it here.

(not signed, but could be Sallie...?)

Green Mount

Oct. 20, 1880

How sorry I am that I'm so old. For Miss Lou says that all of the old girls must write first & this evening falls to my lot. I think I can safely say though that after Miss Lou has read this, she will very sweetly excuse me for further services. We opened the exercise as usual by reading a Psalm. Then we all adjourned to the msuic room & Lucy took up the collection.

Lulie played "Bohemian Girl" which I thought she played very well considering "She didn't know it." I believe though most of the girls say that when they get up to play. Nannie read "Hold on, Hold on, Hold on." It teaches a very good lesson which I don't remember. Lucy played "Shall We Gather at the River" which was followed by a sweet little verse from Mattie.

Sallie read "Rock Me to Sleep." It shows how very important sleep is and also the importance of going to bed early. Mattie Kate played "Angels Voices Ever Near."

Miss FLorence and Lou were not present having gone to the marriage of Dr. Henly and Miss Dora Walker. I am glad he has at last married the object of his choice for I hear he has been in love with her ever since he was a little boy in dresses. I think it teaches a good lesson of perserverance to the end. I would write some more but Miss Lou is calling me to walk.

NF

GREEN MOUNT GARDEN & MORE MINUTES

I hope you don't mind me adding a picture of the garden area we fixed out back yesterday. We planted early peas and beets for now. The soil here is beautifully rich, a dark brown, and contains a high content of sand. It grows the best sweet potatoes around! I have only had a garden once before, which was last summer and I hope that I am not setting my hopes too high, but cannot help but be anxious about the food this garden may provide. I love beets, squash, tomatoes, snaps, corn, and sweet potatoes!


When Fred Fleet returned from Appomattox at the end of the Civil War, he and one of the former slaves put in a small garden. This being compared to a 3000 acre farm that just a year or so before required the work of 50 slaves and all the boys in the family. It would have been late April 1865. The Fleet family & the two formerly slave familes they stayed, survived off the garden and whatever else they could get. It was a lean year. I couldn't help but think of all the people who have worked the land here at Green Mount when my son and I were working on this small plot. I am really thankful to have this opportunity. Please wish us luck! I hope some of you are gardening too. I had no idea how much pleasure I would get from such a simple task.

And now, here are more minutes...

Sept. 22, 1880

I had to make the humiliating confession that my record of the last meeting was unfinished & as a punishment for such unpardonable negligence we voted that I should write again. We were very glad to welcome to our Society Miss Lulie Starke who played for us the Spanish Dance, _______(she didn't complete)_____ . Lou read with much feeling "The Death of the Flowers." It reminded me of the sad & sudden deaths of our friends Howsie Toombs & Nellie Rice, cut down like the flowers by the early frosts. I trust we may find them again in that Beautiful Land where the flowers never fade, & partings cannot come.

Lucy played Recreation No. 24 & Mattie read "Try Try Again" (by T.H. Palmer). Nannie read Tennyson's beautiful lines beginning "Break, Break, Break".

Mattie Kate played for the enjoyment of us all Gimbel's Var. on "Old Black Joe."

Sallie read a piece called "The Mountains of the Moon" which was followed by an animated discussion of what is really there; & by the expressed hope that we may have an opportunity to see it for ourselves "one of these days."

Sister then played "Music of the Sea," & then we adjourned to hunt ?ors (can anyone figure out what this 4 letter word would be?) in the Mount woods. We were very successful in finding them & had such a funny happy time, that we will not soon forget it.

Although not signed the minutes were written by M.L. Fleet ~ Lou

If you click the page image below you can read her writing and see what you think it is...please comment below if you have an idea. Thanks! Tere

Green Mount

September 29, 1880

After the usual opening exercises all the members of our society assembled in the music room. Nannie played "Reiter Galop" a piece which she learned by ear. I hope she will soon be able to play some tunes by note. Mattie read a piece beginning "A million little diamonds," & was followed by Lulie, who read "Our Ships at Sea." Then Lou played "Remember Me," a very pretty tune which we all enjoyed. Lucy read ____she did not complete__________ & Mattie Kate a funny piece in colored English called "Keep Gittin." Sallie played "Song of the Robin" very well, so of course we listed to it with pleasure. Sister read something about Ole Bull, the most famous violinist in the world. Then she played "Last Hope". Then the undersigned played "Whispering Winds," which closed a very pleasant meeting.

Florence Fleet

Green Mount

Oct. 5, 1880

Oh me! What a cross it is to be the oldest girl in school; for they are responsible for almost everything that's happening, and worse than all, they have to be the first ones to write the Wednesday evening record; and have all the others taking notes from them (ironically speaking)----

We all joined in reading the 30th Psalm, and then adjourned to the music room, where after the unusual exercises of reading the record, taking up the collection & etc. Lucy played "Giloam" which was followed by a sweet little verse from Mattie. Then Loulie played a very pretty Amusement which we thought she played very well, but she didn't seem to think so. Then Sallie read much to our interest an account of the introduction of the beautiful little girl known as "Smilax." Mattie Kate then gave us "The Crown of Roses." Her rendition of it was enjoyed by us very much. Lou then read one of Mrs. Proctor's beautiful poems called "Words". I echo one of her sentiments viz: That words have their spirits. Yes this is a subject worthy of deeper meditation than we give. Then how careful we should be to give only kind ones. Nannie read a comical extract. Then Cousins Lou & Florence played "The Light Calvary." It is needless to say that we enjoyed it hugely. Cousin Lou as usual had on hand a vase of beautiful flowers & these together with the interesting exercises of the evening kept our eyes, ears & noses wide open. This closed our happy Evergreen Society.

L.F.

FACES , REMEMBRANCES AND FIRST MINUTES OF NEW SCHOOL YEAR 1880-1881

Here again are the family faces of Green Mount. If it were not for Benny, so much history would have been lost forever. His journal written from age 13 until his death at 17 1/2 from which his niece Betsy Fleet wrote the book Green Mount is without a doubt the greatest material treasure here at the Fleet home place.

Dr. Benjamin Fleet ~ Pa (1818-1865)


Maria Louisa Wacker Fleet, Ma, Mrs. Fleet (1822-1900)

Benjamin Robert Fleet ~ Benny (1846-1864)

David Wacker Fleet (1851-1937) & James William Fleet (1856 - 1927)


Alexander Frederick Fleet ~ Fred (1843-1911)

Maria Louisa Fleet ~ Lou (1849-1917)

Florence Fleet (1852-1903)

Betsy Pollard Fleet ~ Bessie (1854-1904)

Another Betsy Fleet (see below), who was Willie's daughter died in 1996. "Ma" would have been her grandmother. In her lifetime she had written both Green Mount and Green Mount after the War and had found the journals from which I am typing this blog. She referred to these journals in her books as well. However, her preface in the second book GM after the War I would like to share before we begin the minutes for the next school year. Below her photo I hope you will read her words. She wrote beautifully and it's interesting to me that she felt the way she did as a child, having very little self confidence. She is pictured in her Navy Uniform, proof that she overcame that feeling of inferiority.

She was born in 1902, was an officer in WWII, a rare position for a woman in her day. She never married, but left a legacy of words that continue to educate and enlighten us today. She died in 1996. We miss her and her sister Mary very much. There are so many questions we wish we could ask them today.

Betsy Fleet (1902-1996)

Preface in Green Mount After the War, by Betsy Fleet, 1978:

Among my first memories are those of the "Green Mount Girls" who used to spend a day or sometimes many days at Green Mount. They would look intently at my two sisters and me for some trace of resemblance to my aunts, Florence, Betsy, and Lou, and my grandmother, Maria Louisa Wacker Fleet, who had conducted the Green Mount Home School for Young Ladies. Invariably they looked away without saying anything and we could sense their disappointment. We wondered how anyone could be as talented and beautiful and good as everyone said our grandmother and aunts were. We never knew them, for they died before we were born, with the exception of Aunt Lou, whom we knew when we were very young. On the occasions when the former "school girls" came, there was always a large dinner, and afterward we were allowed to come out of the kitchen, our accustomed dining place when there was company, and join the guests in the parlor. We found footstools and usually seated ourselves behind the chairs where the "the girls" sat, as we were shy and didn't like being stared at.

About the same time Martha Ann Gaines Baylor arrived and was greeted by the former students as warmly as they had greeted the family. She was tall, spare, very dark and had the aristocratic bearing of some of her race. She always described herself as a "Green Mount family piece." Her grandmother, Milly, had been the mammy for Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin Fleet's children and her mother, Mary, had been the cook. They stayed with the family all their lives, even when Gen. Philip Sheridan and his men camped in the front fields and took their husbands, Joshua and Harry, away with them; the men escaped, however, and found their way back. Martha Ann put on a snowy white cap for these occasions and innumerable starched white petticoats under her black dress. She always reminded me of asymmetrical cedar tree.

Then the reminiscences began about the absent ones, and everyone contributed all she presently knew about them, some of which was so sad that tears accompanied the recounting. At that point Martha Ann, who had to a great degree that "peculiar gift" which an old negro preacher referred to when he prayed "O Lord, who has given thy people a peculiar gift of mimicry, teach them to mimic thy Son,"would say, "You jes' ought to seen Nancy get happy last Sunday at Morning Star Church." Nancy had waited on the table when the school was in session. Martha Ann, who had the most supple body, in fact was double-jointed, would in imitation of Nancy get up and shout and exhort; increasing in momentum, would show how Nancy made a flying leap over the pews and how it took six men to catch her. When one thought he had succeeded, according to Martha Ann, he found his arms full of starched petticoats.

The conversation inevitably turned to "dear Mrs. Fleet," and one after another spoke of what she had meant to her. When "Father sent me here just after Mother died," one said (that would have been Sallie Blount) "I felt, and I am sure I saw, a warm glow of light and love radiating from her; in fact, I still feel her comforting presence." Aunt Lou was so overcome that she spread her handkerchief over her face. Martha Ann got to her feet and with short, quick steps walked the length of the room, saying, "As Old Miss would say, "Now girls, don't let the clouds obscure the sunshine!' "It must have been a perfect imitation, for everyone in the room burst into spontaneous laughter.

Always we wondered what our grandmother was like. From where we sat we could see her portrait over the mantel, but the serene young girl in early nineteenth-century dress holding a red bird on her finger gave little clue to the "dear Mrs. Fleet" and "Old Miss" who dominated the conversation. Now she comes to life for us in the letters and papers found in trunks and boxes in the Green Mount attic. Some of the letters written during the Civil War were published with her son Benny's diary in Green Mount (1962); many of the remaining letters are presented here...The letters show how "Ma," widowed before the war ended, on a plantation ravaged by both armies, with no money and little credit, kept her home, educated her six children, and held the family together by using her only resources--education, love, courage, and a firm and abiding faith in God.

I hope these pictures and the words of Betsy will help us return to the years here at Green Mount, where the "school girls" continued to hold their meetings of the Evergreen Society. The girls flourished and were groomed in the most contemporary and yet lady-like fashion of their day.

Their minutes begin...

Green Mount Sept. 15, 1880

With very thankful hearts we met to reorganize our Evergreen Society. The short vacation which had intervened since our last meeting was filled with many mercies & pleasures for us all.

Sallie was elected President & Mattie Kate Vice-President. Lucy was re-elected Treasurer, & we decided that the duties of Secretary should be equally divided among us all; consequently it fell to my lot to write first.

Lou played "Beauregard's March" & Mattie Fleet repeated the Frost. Nannie played "Chachouca Waltz." Mattie Kate read a pathetic story of how "An Innocent Amusement" proved the ruin of a promising boy. Sallie played with a great deal of expression "Chant du Berger," & then Lucy read a charming little story full of good lessons called "Rob's Magic Mirror."

Mattie Kate suggested & we passed unanimously the resolution not to use any slang, but to strive together for the improvement & happiness of each other both in & out of school. I hope we may have as happy a session as the last, & that each one of us may try to make the Wednesday evening hour, fuller than ever of pleasure & improvement.

M.L. Fleet

THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR...FEWER GIRLS...

SESSION 1880-1881

I thought it might be helpful to give the roster of girls attending for the next school year 1880- 1881. They are as follows with R representing a returning pupil and N a new one.

Sallie Lee Blount (R)

(She's the girl whose autobiography you find in earlier blogs and became a renowned artist ~ portraits her specialty)

Mattie Kate Fauntleroy (R)

(I found a card with her name written on it the other day in a little ledger book ~ like the ones students give out when they graduate. It was beautifully handwritten

Mattie K. Faunt Le Roy). I'll add a photo of it tomorrow.

Fleet, Lucy (R)

(She is somehow a cousin to the Fleet sisters who teach the girls. I'll try to figure out the connection. She refers to Mrs. Fleet as Aunt M.Lou)

M. Lou Henley (R)

Nannie F. Sale (N)

She would be from a nearby home on the Mattaponi River in Walkerton called North Bank.

Loulie Starke (N)

If you've been reading up till now, you will recall many of the people mentioned. But for someone just beginning, here are the family members. Mrs. Fleet is the mother of Lou, Bessie (aka Betsy)and Florence who are the teachers at Green Mount. Mrs. Fleet stayed busy managing the house and the once 3000 acres of farmland. Her boys are Fred, Benny (deceased 1864 - killed by Union troops near home), David and Willie. Fred returned to and graduated from UVA after the Civil War and moved to Missouri to start a military academy. He was very successful. David graduated as a civil engineer from VMI and went to Missouri for a while with Fred, then moved to Washington Territory. He became a prosperous and respected citizen there. And Willie at this time attends the University of Richmond, a student of law. He became a judge in K & Q County and lived his life out here at Green Mount. Dr. Fleet, the father of this family, husband to Mrs. Fleet, has been deceased 15 years by this time, having passed away a year after Benny in March of 1865, just one month prior to the surrender at Appomattox. Mrs. Fleet commented in a letter once that "You know, March had always been a bad month for us." But she has managed to live to be 58 by this new school year, provide well for her children and not only educate all of them, but extends the offer of academics and music to young ladies under her loving care, as if they were more of her own.

In a magazine article written in 1980, one hunred years later, by Mrs. Fleet's granddaughter, whom she never knew, also named Betsy, daughter of Willie mentioned above; she describes the period of the home school girls with the following words:

"The girls at Green Mount were not cloistered, however, and they were given ample time to flirt innocently with the boys of the neighborhood. When amateur theatrical performances or concerts were given at Aylett, (a nearby waterfront community), the girls were allowed to attend. Occasionally during the school year, the girls were allowed to attend well-chaperoned parties. The Green Mount School also held parties and invited the Aberdeen boys to feast on such victuals as ham, beef, sausages, fish, apples, and brandy peaches. (uh-oh!) Since some of the girls were week boarders only, they went home for the weekends. Sometimes they invited a classmate or two to accompany them, and, if they had a brother who attended Aberdeen Academy who had also brought a classmate or two home, a house party might result. The young people danced "the old Virginia Reel" and quadrilles, and played games - all night long."

Note about Aberdeen Academy:

The Aberdeen home is still standing and once had a schoolhouse next to it. That structure burned years ago. Wayne and Betsy Watkins live in Aberdeen today and attend St. Stephens Church as do I. They are a sweet, fun loving couple and appreciate the history of their home very much and have told us many things that connect it to Green Mount. The Fleet sons attended Aberdeen Academy prior to college and the boys who schooled there after the Civil War would sometimes serenade the girls here at Green Mount, standing below their bedroom windows.

Sallie Blount once wrote, "Our weekly excitement was to go to church. I cannot give the preacher credit for the intense interest we felt in going to the small Baptist Church called St. Stephens, situated in a grove of oak trees. It was here that we first saw and met the Aberdeen boys. Col. Councill had a select school of boys, from fifteeen to the early twenties, at his home called Aberdeen...

These young men would meet our vehicles in the grove a short distance from the church, and we would pair off walking to the church. After services they walked us back and helped us into our vehicles. These short walks gave food for conversation for a whole week..."

Here are photos of Aberdeen today as well as St. Stephens Church. Both are within just a few miles of Green Mount, on Route 14 ~ The Trail.

The 3 photos above are of Aberdeen and the two below are of the church which sits about mid-way between Aberdeen and Green Mount.

FINAL MINUTES OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR

Green Mount

June 17th, 1880

We have been interrupted very much of late by our examinations and been obliged to give up our meeting for two weeks, but we determined we would meet again before we part perhaps some of us forever, but hope not. We took some time getting the account straight, and found we had $1.50 which we decided to send to the Foreign Mission. Lou played "The Battle of Prague". Mattie repeated the first verse cousin Lou taught her. It runs thus_____ "If ever you're inclinded to do aught by false, unkind or worthy blame, First find a spot where God is not, wherein to do the same." I think it is an excellent rule, and it would be a great deal better if would act up to it. Mattie Kate read " __she never filled in the blank__". The author appears to have possessed a very vivid imagination. Sallie played "Crown of Roses," very well with great expression. Vir was absent as Cousin Ruth has come home & is sick. Lucy was also away as she had to stay at home on account of having to start Charlie to Missouri. We are all delighted to hear that cousin Belle & all of aunt M. Lou's little grand children are coming soon, & that cousin Bess is coming too. It did us good to see how much pleasure it gave aunt M.L. Well, this is the last day that our "Society" will meet, for the session of 1880. It has been a pleasant session. We part, some of us I fear forever, but I hope if we never meet again on earth, that we may meet in that home above.

M. L. Henley

Many of the girls never played on Green Mount's Weber piano ever again...
and

the upstairs bedroom which was used as one of the dormitory rooms, has a closet with several hooks on the interior walls. Each hook is marked with a single initial. Probably these hooks were assigned to the girls for each to hang a dress on. The closet became empty once more as the Green Mount/Evergreen Society Young Ladies departed for their homes.

FINAL MEETING WILL POST ON FRIDAY 3/12/10

It was so gorgeous today, I couldn't help but stay outside once my inside work was done. Have to be off and running early tomorrow, so better get a good night's rest. I will post the final minutes of the Evergreen Society for the 1879-1880 school year tomorrow. There are more years after this one; we are far from over...

I thought I'd add a few Green Mount recipes for tonight as it only takes a second to add an image. There was a box of recipes here at the house that were primarily Betsy's. She's the granddaughter of Mrs. Fleet (Willie's daughter), who wrote the two books about Green Mount. If it were not for her the diary and letters and even the journals I'm typing from would probably have been thrown away. Thanks Betsy...and thanks for the cookie recipes. Whenever I would visit Betsy and Mary with my two boys Betsy would always get cookies from a tin in her freezer. They were usually sugar or some kind of chewy cookie. She always had cookies on hand. The boys always loved getting them too.

Thanks! Tere

MAY'S MINUTES BEGIN...Spring is in the Air and so are Weddings!

It's beautiful today, a warmer than usual 60 degrees and the sun is shining. I found two flowers peeking out today in the front yard. Spring is in the air and it feels so nice after all the snow we have encountered. Is this a form of crocus?

May's minutes begin...

Green Mount

May 5th, 1880

Well! to my great sorrow, my turn has come to keep the record. I think I ought to be excused as it is my birthday, but cousin Florence would not. We commenced by reading 22nd Psalm. Vir read "The Question and the Answer," very well. Lucy played "Shall We Gather at the River", with a great deal of expression, and cousin Florence requested her to play it again. Lou read "I'm Growing Old." Sallie played "Love in May" splendidly. Mattie K. read "Sometimes", it is a beautiful piece. Cousin Florence played "Music of the Sea" & "Spinlede"(?). They are both grand pieces. Cousin Lou & Attie went to church to clean it up. We enjoyed the evening exceedingly.

Lou (M. Lou Henley)

May 12th, 1880

I am sorry to say that my turn has come again, and to tell the truth I am ashamed to write my account after all interesting ones which have been given. We opened by reading the 23 Psalm. Little Attie played "God Save teh King" very well. She has a decided talent for music and I reckon, will make a fine perfomrer some day. Jinnie read "I cannot forget" very well. Lucie read "How to Build Up a Character" which is a splendid piece and was read splendidly. Lou played "Fleetwood March" very nicely, but not as well as I have heard her, as she did not have her notes. Mattie Fleet recited a little humn beginning "The Lord our God is full of might." Sallie read "The Cross and the Crown". Mattie Kate played "Juanita" beautifully. It is one of my favorites, and I enjoyed it very much. Atie read "The Compass bewitched" very well. I am delighted to record just here that one of old and loved school-mates Miss Ellen Y. Garlick was present and added much to the enjoyment of the evening by playing "La Fontaine" splendidly. Miss Lous wished me to record that two more of her girls have been married. Miss Ella Faunt Le Roy to Dr. Webb, April 21st 1880 & MIss Millie Belle rump to Mr. Dew, May 11th 1880. I must also record that the birthday present which we gave Miss Lou, a set of vases, has been nearly finished and have been brought in to brighten us up.

I have looked ahead to see there is only one more entry for this school year. I will post it separately...

THE MINUTES CONTINUE...APRIL BEGINS...

Green Mount

April 7, 1880

Miss Lou has decided that all of the girls shall relieve the Secretaries by each one's writing in her turn. This week it falls to my lot I am sorry to say. I am almost ashamed to write after the interesting records of the last two meetings written by Lucie and Vir. We opened by reading a part of the 18th Psalm. Then we went in the music room and Miss Lou read us the interesting record of our last meeting written by Lucie. This was followed by some exercises from Lucie. It was very well done. I think Lucie believes in the verse which Miss Lou is always quoting to us; viz:"Whatsoever thy hands find to do, do it with all they might." Then Vir read "The Old Man's Motto" very well. This was followed by "Adalaida" (possibly Adelaide by Beethoven) from Sallie which she played beautifully. I think her musical talent is almost as great as her talent for drawing & that is saying a great deal. Lou read "Night" by Byron, which we all enjoyed. Miss Florence & Attie (this may be the young guest mentioned in an earlier entry dated March 31st) played "Secret Love", very well. It is a very bright a & pretty duet. Attie has improved a good deal in her music & bids fair to become a fine performer at her no distant day. Mattie Kate read "The New Danger of Courting." I think there is danger of the phonographs becoming a very bothersome invention, at least to some people. Mattie repeated some little scraps very nicely. We excused Miss Lou as she was fixing to go to Miss Julia Latane's wedding. I hope I won't be called on again to keep the record, as, there are so many who can do it so much better than I can.

Green Mount

April 14, 1880

The girls tell me it is my turn to keep the record of this evenings proceedings. This world is full of two classes of people, those who do the work & those who stand off with folded hands & say how much better it ought to have been done. As I wish always to be found among the workers, I'll take my turn & try to do my best to give a pleasant account of this pleasant hour, which comes in the middle of the week to relieve the monotony of our daily duties. The girls always have a little private session which they open by reading a Psalm. Then we assemble in the music room & often taking up the collection proceed to the business of the hour. Vir. played "La Marseillaise" the National anthem of France, & did it very well. It always reminds me of a thrilling story I read when a child of the ?. Attie read an account of a very sagacious horse. It is wonderful to think how much sense some dumb animals exhibit. Sallie read the "Celestial Visitor", we hope to see soon in the shape of a brilliant comet. There followed quite an animated discussion about comets in general & this one in particular. Lou played Valentines arrangement of the beautiful air "Home Sweet Home." Mattie repeated some lines on our Heavenly Home. Lucy read "How Slate Pencils are Made", & Attie told us of a more interesting account of how they make "Lead Pencils." Mattie Kate played with good taste & time Prof. Gimbel's variations on "Old Black Joe." Sister (I believe they refer to Florence as "Sister") read a piece from some good teacher on "Does it Pay" to vary the school exercises occasionally in this way, & we all agreed that it does. This had to close our enjoyable & profitable hour, as the time was out.

M.L.F. (Lou)

Green Mount

April 22, 1880

I have also been persuaded (though much against my will), to give the account of our society this evening. After the usual opening exercises we assembled in the music room. The treasurer's accounts being a little mixed, a few moments were first spent in getting them straight. Then Vir read a very excellent piece called "Carving a Home" which we would all do well to remember. This was followed by the beautiful hymn "Nothing but Leaves" which Lucy played with much expression. I think there would be fewer heartaches if all sisters would treat their brothers as they are advised to do in a piece which Lou read. Attie played "Away with Melancholy" so nicely that the girls encored her, & then she played a very pretty little Waltz. Mattie Kate then read a piece caled "Home Reading" which we all thought good. Then last but-not-least came Sallie's piece "Titannia" which she played well & which we all enjoyed.

Florence Fleet

Green Mount

April 26th, 1880

We opened exercises by reading the 21st Psalm. Then Vir played "Blue Bird Echo" very nicely. Sallie read "The Happiest Life". Which we enjoyed very much. Lou played "Gen. Beauregard's Grand March" very sweetly & we all enjoyed. Lou read "The thin Partition between Life & Death". It is really a serious thing how we think we are so far from it & we are so near to it. Attie played Fra Diavolo & then read the Baby's Sermon. Mattie Kate played Styrienne Waltz. I think it is beautiful & she played it very well. We excused Miss Lou as she had to go to the P.O. Miss Florence played Crown of Roses. We encored her & then she played Thornless Roses. We enojoyed the evening very much.

Attie

MRS. FLEET'S DRESS

Today is Saturday, March 6th and the weather is a sunny, chilly 40ish degrees here in King and Queen County, Virginia. I'm glad to be able to walk the yard and get some fresh air and also have the time to "blog" a little. The vacuum can do without me a while longer, right? Everyone is gone except me and the 6 dogs (of course.) I can do as I wish for a short time.

One thing that you will see when reading this blog is that entries will retreat into the past as they seem to apply or come to mind. I hope that as long as we continue with the minutes from where we left off, these entries that give us a view into the events that preceded the girls attending school here, may serve to broaden the understanding and attitude that Mrs. Fleet and her daughters had in regard to teaching and caring for these students, many of whom were boarding here. I think the background that brought this family to the era of the homeschool for young ladies, only helps us to understand better not only what the family had been through, but from what various circumstances some of the girls may have come from as well. Events that happened here were not unlike some of the experiences these girls may have had also.

As mentioned in an earlier blog, I wanted to add a photo of Mrs. Fleet's dress from about 1858. This would have been her dress when she was in her mid 30's and probably one she would have worn to church. Mrs. Fleet must have been all of 4'10" ~maybe! Her dress measures 48" in total length from the neckline to the bottom of the hemline. So she was petite to say the least. One thing that always stands out in my mind about her gumption relates to a story during the Civil War. Her son Benny had passed away March 2nd 1864 and in June some Yankees came to Green Mount. After the affair had ended she wrote to her oldest son Fred, who had been wounded at the Battle of the Crater in Petersburg and was at a cousins house being cared for in that same town. Having received a letter from him that he was being cared for she replied in a letter to him this account:

"I have been through so much and suffered so acutely that my strength has well nigh failed, but I never felt so little like giving up in my life. We have a plenty left to live on and though all of the servants are gone but Milly, Mary and her children, I don't work any harder than I did before, I can't. We had a sale on Friday week to dispose of some of the hogs, &c. and realized $2233.85 from 25 hogs, one head of cattle, three lambs, some fish, vinegar and useless things about the house and plantation. I am afraid you will hear dreadful accounts of the Yankees' depredations but don't be uneasy, the Lord will provide. They left most of the corn at Old Hall, they took all of the cattle, sheep, hogs (except a pig or two, a few old fowls-enough to give you something to eat if you can only come home). They left the garden, the house, the farm and all of us alive.
Lou will tell you some of the proceedings of Saturday, Sunday and Monday and leave Tuesday for me. On that day we saw some deserters enquiring the way to the Rappahannock (river) and congratulated ourselves that the worst was over. About eleven o'clock three Yankees stopped at Milly's house, rested awhile under her porch and then walked to the barn and went to sleep under the apple tree. After a little 4 more came from Sam Wilson's into our front porch, one walked right into my chamber and commenced searching my wardrobe, I thought of my watch which was in the bureau, came in and got it out and met Lou at the door. I then went down into the cellar to hide the milk for that and the bread was all our dinner and when I came back one of the children told me two of them had Sister in the chamber with the door locked. (This would be Florence-see her photo in a previous blog)

Imagine my feelings! I don't know how many seconds passed not many - my mind was complete chaos - but the door opened, my child came running to me and threw her arms around my neck and commenced screaming, one of the men pointed his gun at us and gritted his teeth. I told him to shoot and stood perfectly still. One of them took her hand and told her to hush, they wouldn't hurt her. I said, "Take your hand off my child." He then said "Take her in your chamber and lock the door inside and he shan't come near." I carried her in the chamber, gave her water, threw some in her face, fanned her and so kept her from fainting. She asked if I thought the Lord would protect us now - If I thought he could. We prayed together and she told me what had alarmed her so much after locking the door, one of them, the greatest devil of the party asked her how old she was, she replied, "Thirteen." The other one said "That's too young." He told her to hold his naked sword while he tried to unlock Pa's desk with a bunch of keys out of his pocket. The other one asked her for the gold and silver. She had presence of mind to tell him if he would let her go out she would get it. When she got out she got three teaspoons (the only ones we had) and handed them to him. He said he didn't want them, he wanted money.

Just then I came up and we locked ourselves in the chamber. One kept guard at the door while the other went all over the house helping themselves to whatever they wanted. After a while they went out to Milly's house, drove away Joshua and frightened the women almost to death. Mrs. Dunn then thought of the men at the barn and went around and claimed their protection. They came to the house and sat in the yard by the porch. Just then David, who had walked with Peachey home (just think if she had been here) came up and the four demons in human shape gave him their canteen to fill with water. Upon carrying it to them they made him drink some to see if it to see if it were poisoned and then laid down under the apple trees to play cards till night, apprehending no danger. Mark all the points and see the hand of the Lord. In about an hour more or less, we saw a young man ride up about Benny's appearance who called on the three in the yard to surrender, they did it at once and I seeing five or six other of W. C. Fleet's men ride up, ran down to the gate and begged them to go and take the others. The same youth, Henry Lewis, started down with David to pilot him and I had the great satisfaction of seeing them taken. That was a scene, I assure you. Milly started down to the gate clapping her hands and thanking God. All of us ran down and I told our men to take care of them and not let them go till they heard from me. That evening Sam Wilson's daughters came and told us of the men's shameful conduct at their house of their saying they wanted to stay all night and sleep with them. Next day Pa came up and got some clean clothes and I told him all about it and some of our men heard the Wilson story and they said to me they should never annoy another woman and they never will. But there are plenty more like them, and if I were a man I would never take a prisoner I would consider it my duty to rid the world of all such monsters. God can have mercy on them he chooses but if I could, I would rid our fair Virginia of every foe who presses her soil. Of the hundreds who were here there might be three or four who might be termed gentlemen - if they had not been Yankees. About as many more men - all the rest were brutes and demons in human shape.

Then after some description of Pa being so distraught over the situation and his hands having fled and his fields in ill shape she writes... I have not seen a word about your coming home. You don't know how many hopes and dreams I have about your being able to spend a month or so at home with loving hands to wait on you and loving hearts to anticipate every want...

I'm not sure where Pa was when all this occurred, but most likely away from the house attending to a sick patient or off conducting some business as was often the case. One thing, with him being a doctor, Yankees would have most likely taken him as well if they had an opportunity to do so, because he could have been forced to tend to the sick or wounded on their behalf.

This is just one of the many examples that shows Mrs. Fleet's spunk and determination to take care of her children. Please remember that she was a loving woman and she was caught up in a most brutal war and had lost her son Benny and feared for the safety of Fred and all her family and friends, just like you or I would have. It was a different time, and we cannot judge and we certainly don't know exactly what she felt. I would only hope that I would have had even half as much courage as she. None of us knows what we would have done in the same circumstance.

The Evergreen Society Minutes Continue...

Green Mount.

March 17th, 1880

We opened exercises by reading 17th Psalm. Vir repeated a very sweet piece of poetry called "Wishing." It is great pity that every body does not make such wishes. Lucy read a piece viz. "Daughter and Wife." It would be very well if we would obey its advice. Lou played "Old Rosin the Bow." Mattie Kate played "The Last Smile" very nicely.

Green Mount

March 24th, 1880

It is not my duty to keep the record of this meeting, yet Miss Lou has imposed the disagreeable task upon me, and all on account of my talking so much. We opened by reading the 18th Psalm. Lucie played "Willie's Favorite". It is a very difficult piece & she plays it quite well considering the length of time she has been taking lessons. I think with her desire and determination she will soon be a fine performer. Miss Lou then read a very humorous piece by "Uncle Remus". The heroin was an old hare- was very cunning even more so than "Reynard" who is considreed the most cunning of all beasts. Sallie repeated a beautiful poem "Kohen Linden" (?). I didn't hear much of it but of couse it was done well. Mattie Kate repeated "The Rainy Day", one of my favorite songs. Comparatively these have been but few such days in my life. She also repeated The Inquiry. It is very beautiful & it is very pleasant to know that there is a resting place from sorrow & sin "In Heaven." Miss Lou read another piece - The Restoration of The Jews. The author seems to be of the opinion that they will not return to their earthly home- Palestine, but will forsake their sins and turn to God. Sallie played a very bright and pretty piece, Silvery Trumpets. I think she must inherit her musical talent. Vir repeated The Psalm of Life. It is a splendid piece as most of Longfellow's are. Lou read "The Reaper & the Flowers. "The Reaper will carefully keep the little flower until its mother goes to receive it again. The meeting was closed with some sweet music from Miss Lou. She alwaays adds much to our enjoyment by giving us some of the sweetest. I hope the next we meet dear Miss Florence will be here & we will enjoy her music as well as her presence. This is our last meeting before Easter. I hope we will all enjoy it, and come back refreshed & ready to work diligently until June.

I believe that "not brief" journal entry by a talkative student may have been written by Virginia Bagby, because below that entry, which so far is the longest one we've had, was written in what looks to be Miss Lou's handwriting the following note:

Vir. Bagby

Vir. was telling the girls how they ought to write, when I very quietly suggested that she should do it. She has kept such an interesting record that we have determined to give each one of the girls a chance to make theirs as much so. Among the valuable lessons they will thus learn is the one we ought all to know & practice. Viz: Put your self in the place of any one whose work you wish to criticize & you will find that it is very much easier to say how a thing ought to be done, than it is to do it.

While I'm thinking of it, I will add a list or roster of the girls in attendance the school year dated 1879 - 1880. Their names follow:

Virginia Bagby

Sallie Lee Blount

Bettie Lee Carlton

Mattie Kate Fauntleroy

Lucy Fleet

Sallie Browne Fleet

M. Lou Henley

Rosa V. Latane

Mary Reynolds

Lelia Smith (music)

I think that journal entry has been my favorite so far! I'll type out one more for tonight which will carry us through the end of March.

Green Mount

March 31, 1880

Cousin Lou seems determined much against my will to have me and the secretaries in the arduous task of writing down little interesting things that we will enjoy reading over by and by. I am detrmined to do my best but I think she will be strongly tempted to erase my name ffrom the illustrious list she has provded; however I'll proceed. We read a part of the 18th Psalm after which we went in the music room where Cousin Lou read us Vir's nice record of last week's performances which was followed by "The Brook" from Mattie Kate. She played it very nicely and I enjoyed it particularly as it is one of my great favorites. Then Sallie read More than Beautiful. The heroine of this piece was a lovely Christian woman, who wasn't pretty, on the contrary was naturally homely but in addition to this she was terribly burned once (while at an entertainment) which disfigured her for life, but instead of bemoaning her sad fate she continued doing good and making thousands of friends wherever she went. Not content unless she was making someone happy. Oh that we could (like her), scatter kind words and loving smiles along the rugged pathway of life & probably be the instruments in God's hand for reclaiming some sinner from the error of his ways. Lou then played "Le Tremolo" very nicely, which was followed by "Wishing" from Lucy by Mary Lawrence which Cousin Lou enjoyed very much as it advocated very strongly the virtue of work. Cousins Lou & Florence then played Turkish Reveile which we thought beautiful & beautifully executed also. I am glad to record the return of one of our most cherished members who also brought a very sweet little girl with her whose company we enjoy very much. With many apologies for this, I'll be pleased to resign on futher services.

S. B. Fleet

I will now add an exerpt from Sallie Lee Blount (Mahood's) autobiography because I'd like to share some photos taken in Richmond that show the place she lived before being sent to Green Mount. Sallie's father died in a shooting accident at the age of 46 so her mother was by this time a widow.

At the bottom of p. 12 in her autobiography Sallie wrote:

"After this, we went to Richmond to live. Uncle Charlie Morrison wrote Mother proposing that she quit teaching and make a home for him, Grandfather and Uncle John. Uncle Charlie had a prospering drug store on East Broad Street between 25th and 26th Streets."

This photo shows that block of Broad Street, between 25th and 26th. I don't know which exact storefront was the drug store, but would have been one of these.

"The furniture business in Petersburg had failed. Uncle John was a graduate M.D. so could easily take his place in the drug store.

We lived in a grey brick house on East Grace Street midway the block between 25th and 26th Streets on the side next to Broad Street. Our front yard contained box bushes, a beautiful bush of false japonica or flowering quince, a mimosa and a large locust or honey shucks tree. The back yard was long and had a plum tree and a large symmetrical English walnut tree, and a stable at the end. I could run out of the back gate, across a lot to the back of Uncle Charlies drug store. This is the block of East Grace which backs up to the same numbered block on E. Broad, where the drug store was. If you go midway down this block there is only one brick home and it has beautiful trees and shrubs on its side yard and a structure out back. I actually talked to the couple living on the left side of this brick home and they were so sweet. The man spoke to me mostly and said the house had been built in the 1840's and the structure out back could have been a stable, he hadn't ever thought of that. And that he did not know what the original color had been, but now it's painted this burgundy or dark red, which is quite attractive. I told him about Sallie and that when the large Walnut tree blew down she was heartbroken. But it was from the clay that upturned that she discovered her artistic talent. She molded animals from the clay and later in life she was a renowned artist in the Richmond and Lynchburg areas.

This red brick home, which is actually two dwellings is the only brick home midway of the block. I don't know if the house would have been divided as it is today. The photo of the side yard is to the left of the red brick structure.

When going around to the rear alley you see the backyard, now fenced in and the structure which may have been the stable. The alley being her easy route to her Uncle's drug store.

March 2nd, 1864, Benny died

It has been 146 years ago today that the tragic death of dear Benny occurred. Some of the details of his untimely passing are mentioned in the previous blog. As I sit here in this room typing, I am just across the hall from Benny's room where I'm sure many of his diary entries were penned. His very first one reads, "Monday, January 9th 1860. On this day I have commenced writing a journal of my life and doings which may prove both useful and interesting hereafter...." I hope Benny somehow knows his words have done far more than he ever wished for. They are windows to a world we will never experience except through writings like his. Because of Benny's journal it is easy to imagine with accuracy what went on here daily. He gives us glimpses into the work loads each of them carried, the worries of war, the foods they ate, the dancing and singing they enjoyed and the natural curiosities of a young boy discovering his responsibilities and talents. We have furnished his room much like it might have been when he was living.

It's a small, cozy area upstairs and on the wall in a border type fashion, I painted one of his diary entries. I always thought this one line showed his enthusiasm for life and his youthful view of the world. It goes like this: "May 5th, 1860. When I awoke this morning the sun was up and the birds were singing and I hoisted my window and opened the shutters and it was the most beautiful morning I nearly ever saw."

Tonight, when you gaze out Benny's one window, snow is softly falling. The flakes are large. Benny's body was laid to rest in the family cemetery out back and there is little mention of him in letters afterward. It was just too hard for the family to discuss. His journal and uniform was set aside. Benny was to have joined Col Mosby's command just two days after his death. In preparation for military life and much to Benny's satisfaction his uniform had been locally sewn and a horse had been purchased for him by his father for $1,000.00. A Canadian horse and in Benny's words, "he is fat too!" But Benny never lived to enter the Army, yet he died a soldier's death. His uniform we never found during the restoration process, much to our dismay, and my husband recalls that once Betsy mentioned that she remembered her mother, Nannie Burke Fleet, once burning an old uniform out back in the yard because it was full of moth holes. It's too bad it did not get saved. But his journal did and is safely stored.

I cannot and do not want to even begin to imagine the sadness that was in this home at the time he died. I don't think his father ever recovered. His mother, a tiny framed woman, the mother of 7 children, had lost her Benny. The son who she claimed was the only one of her boys that had as much energy as she. When the war was brewing, she mentioned in a letter to Fred who was off at college, that she didn't wish to even think of it, but that father would not let that be. Later in the war, after she had lost Benny, had experienced the occupation of her home for three days by the Yankee General Sheridan and his troops and had become a widow, she described the Northerners as "monsters." Her outlook on life and the way she and her family had been treated instilled in her a negativity that even she would never have thought she was capable of possessing. Life moved on though and she pulled herself together and met the challenge with every ounce of her body and soul. She was not one to give up and she inspired others around her. When the year 1873 arrived she had survived the worst, and she opened her home to these young girls and loved them as her own, educated them and changed their lives forever. So it is again time to read some of their minutes and be reminded of the joys they experienced here.

(I have added a page to this blog which is a letter written to Mrs. Fleet just a few days after Benny died. To read this letter look on the left hand side of this screen near the top and you will see in bold the word Pages and beneath that the title "A letter of sympathy to Mrs. Fleet when Benny died..."

Click on those words in that sidebar area and you will find the text of that letter.)

A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE FLEET FAMILY CHILDREN and Mrs. Fleet (Maria Louisa Wacker Fleet)

I was thinking that it might be helpful to give a brief description of the Fleet family, because the children are the center of Mrs. Fleet's life. Her determination to educate her children was paramount. According to an article written by Betsy Fleet, Mrs. Fleet's granddaughter and published in the Virginia Calvacade Winter 1980 issue, "Maria Louisa Fleet was born in 1822, was the daughter of Dr. Jacob David Wacker, a native of Austria who settled in King and Queen County in the early nineteenth century, and Maria Pollard, also of K & Q Co. Her parents died before she was eight years old, and she went to live with her guardian, Colonel Alexander Fleet, and his wife, Betsy Pollard Fleet, at their home, Melville. (I am assuming then that Maria was the niece of Mrs. Betsy Pollard Fleet, who was probably a sister to Maria's mother). Colonel Fleet gave careful attention to young Maria Louisa's education, providing private tutors for her until she was old enough to attend Mr. and Mrs. Keeling's School for Young Ladies in Richmond. (Here we see a similarity in the school she began at Green Mount to her own educational upbringing.) At eighteen she had finished a course of study that included English grammar and literature, German, French and music. She returned to Melville and in 1842 married Colonel Fleet's younger brother, Dr. Benjamin Fleet, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania medical school. (Dr. Fleet had been raised directly across the road from Melville in his home place called Goshen. Both houses still stand today. If going toward Tappahannock from Richmond, the houses sit, Goshen on your right and Melville on your left as you travel east on Rt. 360. They are almost mirror images of one another. This area is called St. Stephens Church, VA. These houses are about 5 miles from Green Mount, also in St. Stephens Church. Dr. Fleet was the 14th child born to his parents at Goshen. His mother died after his birth.)

Dr. Fleet took his bride to a farm he had recently purchased in King and Queen County, called Pickle Hill. Without delay she changed the name of her residence to Green Mount. Between 1843 and 1856, Maria Louisa bore seven children: Alexander Frederick, in 1843, Benjamin Robert in 1846, Maria Louisa in 1849, David Wacker in 1951, Florence in 1852, Betsy Pollard in 1854, and James William in 1856. During these years Maria Louisa Fleet had little time for anything but running her household and raising her children. 'Anybody who says children are no trouble, is either lying or not doing her duty,' she once commented."

I must pause for a few hours to go to a class. I take an adult tap/jazz class which I love and try hard not to miss. More later...

Having returned from dance class and eaten a semi-late supper, I'm glad to be able to continue this blog entry. The article written by Mrs. Fleet's granddaughter is wonderful and is a good summary of the two books, also written by her titled Green Mount and Green Mount After the War. The first book, published in 1962 is primarily the diary of Benny (Robert Benjamin) born in 1846, the second oldest child to Maria and Dr. Fleet. He began his diary in 1860 and it ends just four years later at his untimely death in 1864. Actually, Benny died March 2, 1864, which tomorrow will mark the 146th anniversary of that date. He was 17 1/2 years old and was "murdered by the Yankees" as his father, Dr. Fleet wrote in the family bible. Benny had gone to scout out a report of Yankees coming across the Pamunkey River, into King William County and headed toward K & Q County. He and two other local "homeguardsmen" came upon the Northern troops and were fired upon. Benny was shot in the arm, fell off his horse and bled to death beneath a pine tree just a few miles from his home. Another of the men was shot in the abdoman and barely survived, but he did and was able to tell the story. The third local man got away unharmed. Benny's horse came back to the yard empty. The next morning they used his dog to track him and found his body. Benny's diary tells us a tremendous amount about life here just prior to the Civil War and during it as well. There were some hard, hard times, but Benny was clever, industrious and devoted to his mother and father and siblings.

His older brother Fred who had begun his first year of college at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, just prior to the war, left college and joined the Confederate Army as soon as the war began. He fought under General Wise in the 26th VA Infantry. His family wrote letters to him and he wrote back and those family letters are chronologically interspersed in the book Green Mount along with Benny's journal entries. A year after Benny's death, his father passed away from an acute blood disorder in March of 1865. The war ended one month later and Mrs. Fleet was left with her remaining six children, no slaves except for two of the 50 who stayed on, and no usable money. A quote from the dust jacket flap of Green Mount After the War reads: as she lamented in one of her letters, "I never thought I would see the day when I am unable to borrow $200 on three thousand acres of land." Her son Fred had literally walked home from Appomattox and we found his parole paper here in the house when we moved the furniture back in after restoring the home. His parole was like a "permission slip" allowing him to return home with his personal effects and his horse. He shared his horse with another local man, a Watkins boy I believe. Watkins had been wounded more so than Fred and couldn't walk too well. So they took turns using the horse and made it back to K & Q County.

There was a very lean year that followed. Along with the two slaves and their families who stayed on, Fred raised a garden and the family and two slave's families merely survived off it and whatever else they could manage to get. But, Mrs. Fleet was determined that her children would be educated. Her story of survival and perseverance is remarkable, and I'm sure there were many women like her in the South. Fred went back to UVA, completed his education, his younger brother David attended and graduated from Virginia Military Institute in Lexington as an engineerand the youngest child, Willie, graduated from the University of Richmond with a degree in law. The daughters, Florence and Betsy also attended college out west in Missouri and graduated. Upon returning home, they encouraged their mother to allow them to start a school for girls. That is how the school began and opened its doors to day students and boarders in September of 1873. Mrs. Fleet had done without many of the things she had been accustomed to having, sacrificed for her children, paid off debts slowly, and continuously. She never lost the respect of friends, neighbors or businessmen, nor did she ever lose the admiration and love of her children. Her faith in God is so evident in her letters and even in the structure of her school.

It's getting late and I will post again soon. I'll add photos of Benny, David and Willie. The students here never knew Benny of course, but they did meet Fred, David and Willie. There is a funny story to tell about Willie coming home from college while the girl students were in attendance here. One of the journal secretaries, Sallie Blount describes him in great detail in her autobiography. You can find her tale in a previous blog that shows several pages of her autobiography. I haven't even added the photos taken in Richmond over the weekend that pertain to Sallie and will need to do that next time as well.

This entry has been a very brief summary of Mrs. Fleet and her life here at Green Mount, the births of her children, the death of Benny and her husband and the creation of the GM Home School for Young Ladies. I should add that none of her daughters ever married. When Mrs. Fleet passed away in January of 1900, between 300-400 people attended her funeral here at the house. Her daughters Florence and Betsy both passed away just a few years later and the oldest daughter Lou, lived on a little longer, outliving both her younger sisters. The boys all married, had children and did very well for themselves. Young Willie became a judge in K & Q County and lived out his life here at Green Mount while Fred moved to Missouri and David ended up a prominent citizen in Washington Territory. Willie finally got married at about the age of 40 to a local girl, Nannie Burke and they had 4 children. Their three daughters were named, Betsy, Mary and Florence, the same as Willie's sisters. Their son was William Fleet. Their daughter Betsy is the granddaughter of Mrs. Fleet who transformed Benny's diary and the family letters into the two Green Mount books. My husband, children and I were friends with Betsy and Mary before they passed away in the late 1990's. They told us several wonderful stories about the Fleet family and they remembered their Uncle Fred, the Civil War soldier and said, "He would give us rides around the yard on his shoulders, and he always had lemon drops in his pockets." Thanks for reading!