Undated Entry(possibly just after Christmas break)

Lou is very much complaining this evening, and has just asked me to write the record for her, reminding me at the same time a friend in need is a friend in deed. I hate very much to do it, but to prove to her I am her friend I suppose I'll have to take the disagreeable task on myself. I have only five minutes to write it, so hope all mistakes will be excused. After reading a Psalm we assembled in the msuic room. Miss Lou read "Value of Time and Knowledge", Mattie Kate played "Pique Dame." Miss Florence read "Begin Well." Lou read "Childhood Trust". Nannie read "Gather up the Fragments." Sallie read "Girls as Housekeepers." Lulie attempted to play "Silvery Waves", but broke down as usual before she had gotten half way through. Lucie was not with us to add to our happiness, for which we were very sorry.

Unsigned Entry as well.

Everyone is mentioned above, so whoever wrote this is one of the students.

The Roster for the School Year 1880-1881

Blount, Sallie Lee

Fauntleroy, Mattie Kate

Fleet, Lucy

Henley, M. Lou

Sale, Nannie F.

Starke, Loulie

When referring to Miss Lou and Miss Florence, they are the Fleet sisters who are teaching the girls here at Green Mount Home School for Young Ladies.

TA-DA! QUINCE JELLY!

I decided to try and make the quince jelly instead of the cheese. It turned out pretty nice I think. It tastes sort of like peaches and sort of like honey and then I guess the different taste is that of the quince! It is very good. I think it would be real yummy on some hot, homemade biscuits or piece of thick whole wheat toast! Probably wouldn't make a bad PBJ sandwich either. The owner of Green Mount was here last weekend and he remembers eating quince jelly here as a child. He was anxious to try it again, so I guess one jar is to keep and one jar is for him! Hey, maybe next year my friend and I can enter some in the VA state fair! The judges probably wouldn't even know what it was...

VISITORS AND AN OLD RECIPE

Yesterday, Monday, October 4th, I was so thrilled to have company here at Green Mount. Jon and Kristen Ober of Mathews County stayed for a portion of the day and were the best company. They were so interested in the history of the home, the family, the artifacts, the story of the Fleet family in general. We exchanged books, I receiving as a gift, the third book written by Jon, A Game Warden's Field Notes III, (thank you again!) and they left with copies of Green Mount After the War and the Autobiography of Sallie Lee Mahood which I could only loan them, but I know we will all enjoy reading each other's books. Fine people are the Obers and I hope they will visit again.

Today, by the way, is our oldest son's 21st birthday. Alex is celebrating I suppose in a modest way. He's stationed in Afghanistan, being a member of the 173rd Airborne Unit (Army). We miss him a lot, pray he's safe and hope to see him in December when he's allowed a whole month off and will be out of Afghanistan, stationed in Italy. Then he, his Dad, his brother Tyler and I will have a big group hug and be thankful for many things.

I am not actually writing a journal entry at this time. The reason for this post is to share with you a couple of old recipes I found in a cookbook here at Green Mount. The book is titled Miss Leslie's Complete Cookery and was printed in 1841. There is a quince bush out front of the house and I've always wondered what it was. After finally learning what the name of the fruit bearing bush was, I read where Ma (Mrs. Fleet) once made quince jelly and sent it to her oldest son Fred when he was in camp in the Confederate Army. She encouraged him to share some of the other foods she sent, but to keep the quince jelly for himself. Here are a few pictures of the quince bush and the fruit and a typed out copy of the recipes in this old book. It's fun to read some of the instructions such as the part about "if you are obliged to use river water..." I guess times have changed a little. So, I've picked me some quinces and since I don't have many, I think I'll try to make the quince cheese. A good friend of mine who wins blue ribbons at the state fair every year is going to try making the jelly. She got some of the quinces I picked earlier. She won two first places this year and two other ribbons as well. I don't know if you can buy these bushes around, I suppose you can and if you'd like to try making an old-timey treat here is some information that may assist. I also found a recipe on line for the jelly, so there are people who still make this. I had never heard of it until moving here. The photo of the jelly I found on line was a pretty pinkish color. I also learned from that reading on line that the quinces have a lot of natural pectin, so none has to be added.

QUINCE JELLY

Take fine ripe yellow quinces, wash them and remove all the blemishes. Cut them in pieces, but do not pare or core them. Put them into a preserving-pan with clear spring water. If you are obliged to use river water, filter it first; allowing one pint to twelve large quinces. Boil them gently till they are all soft and broken. Then put them into a jelly-bag, and do not squeeze it till after the clear liquid has ceased running. Of this you must make the best jelly, allowing each pint a pound of loaf sugar. Having dissolved the sugar in the liquid, boil them together about twenty minutes, or till you have a thick jelly. In the mean time squeeze out all that is left in the bag. It will not be clear, but you can make a very good jelly for common purposes.

QUINCE CHEESE

Have fine ripe quinces, and pare and core them. Cut them into pieces and weigh them; and to each pound of quinces, allow half a pound of the best brown sugar. Put the cores and parings into a kettle with enough water to cover them, keeping the lid of the kettle closed. When you find that they are all boiled to pieces and quite soft, strain off the water over the sugar, and when it is entirely dissolved, put it over the fire and boil it to a thick syrup, skimming it well. When no more scum rises, put in the quinces, cover them closely, and boil them all day over a slow fire, stirring them and mashing them down with a spoon till they are a thick smooth paste. Then take it out, and put it into buttered tin pans or deep dishes. Let it set to get cold. It will then turn out so firm that you may cut it into slices like cheese. Keep it in a dry place in broad stone pots. It is intended for the tea-table.

I tasted one of the quinces uncooked and they are SOUR!

As always, thank you very much for reading. I promise to post the next journal entry very soon.

December 22nd, 1860, another Wednesday!

Since last posting I finished Helen's Babies. It was a great read and even more special since I know someone here read it 130 years ago. I have sent it to my sister-in-law, who read it and is passing it around. I highly recommend it. A simpler time with many the same dilemmas as we have today. Now on with a new post...The ink has faded drastically on this entry, some straining of the eyeballs to read, but it's worth it!

Green Mount,

Dec. 22, 1880

This is the last record for the year 1880 & the unpleasant duty of keeping it falls to my lot. The task is particularly sad to me today, for well I know that some of us at least will be absent from our accustomed places when the last record before next Christmas will be read out in our Society. I know though that we will carry away with us pleasant remembrances of the happy hours spent in our dear Society. In a few days now we will be at home & how the thoughts cheer us up for the few remaining days. After much talk about the coming Christmas we went on with the usual exercises. Nannie played "Brattleboro Waltz" which was followed by a piece called "Coming Down the Chimney" from Lulie. Lou played "Old Black Joe" (by Stephen Foster) beautifully. We were all pleased at the manner in which she played it. Truly the old saying is verified in her case viz: "Practice makes perfect." Mattie Kate read "Poor Old Aunt Crown and the Christmas She Didn't mean to Keep," which shows how happy one child is capable of making a home. Lucy read "Christmas Thoughts" (see page on left of screen) very well indeed. Miss Lou read "The Sleet" which was very appropriate as the ground was covered with snow & the trees with ice. Sallie ended the very pleasant evening with "German Triumphant March" which she played beautifully. I hope we will all come back greatly uplifted from our Christmas holiday &be ready to meet bravely the trials and temptations which must come sometimes to mar our happiness. "And though it may be hard to understand, the way through which He leads your life is not mine. May we not safely trust the gracious hand that brings to us so good a Christmas time."

M. K. Faunt Le Roy

DECEMBER 15TH, 1880

It has been almost 2 months since I last posted something. I am ashamed of myself. My only excuse is "summer." How busy the days have been since our son graduated from high school in June. We have been back and forth to the beach irregularly and life seems more topsy turvy than usual. When we are actually more busy with work there was more of a routine. But I think summers are supposed to be this way, don't you?

So tonight the house is quiet, all alone, except for the five doggies who keep me company. I've been doing necessary work all this Saturday and am indulging myself with a reward of blogging!

Since my last post I googled the book Helen's Babies from which Mattie Kate read an extract. I found it for sale, very inexpensive too, and ordered it. I'm reading it now and although it was written in the latter part of the 1800's I find so much commonality in the words of the author and life today. So, if you have an interest in this book, look it up on line and if you find it, yay! Or if not, let me know and I'll loan you my copy, when I get finished.

So, here is the next entry in the minutes of "The Evergreen Society": Of course it is Wednesday afternoon about 3 o'clock...

Dec. 15, 1880

I shall have to ask the members of our Society to excuse the way in which this record is written, as I very carelessly neglected to write it until this last hour. We opened as usual by reading a Psalm, and then we assembled in the music room. It was Lulie's time to play first, but she seemed to think she was not prepared, so we allowed her to read, as she promised to play next time. Nannie read "The Page" a very pretty piece of poetry describing a dear little boy. Mattie read a beautiful little piece called "A Moment." (this poem is not the one she read, but the title is the same and I thought it may be similar...)Lucie played "The Song of the Brook" very well indeed. I think she ought to be congratulated. Her mother told her when she first commenced music, that she wanted her to take it, and though it was harder than anything she had ever taken, she persevered and learned it. Sallie read "The Old Year and the New." Mattie Kate closed the entertainment with a beautiful piece called "The Tremolo", which we enjoyed ever so much. We were obliged to excuse Miss Florence from playing, because as we were very sorry to say Miss Fleet was sick, and she did not like to leave her so long. In my haste I have forgotten Lou who read a lovely piece called "Unrest."

Helen's Babies and more...

Dec. 8, 1880

Our Evergreen Society assembed as usual at three o'clock. Lucy read a scrap called "Too Candid by Half" (this is by John Godfrey Saxe, famous for The Blind Men and the Elephant) which made us all laugh. (See "Pages" on left side of blog to read "Too Candid by Half") Nannie then played a bright little waltz called "Fairy Wedding." Lou played "Monastery Bells" with good taste & time. Mattie Kate read some extracts from "Helen's Babies" which were so much enjoyed that the girls requested that the whole book might be read to them in reading hour. Sallie ended a very pleasant hour by playing "Nearer My God To Thee" with variations.

It's December, 1880

Dec. 1, 1880

Well you may know that I was anxious for Cousin Florence to go to the party, as I consented to keep the record for her. After the usual proceedings Lucy played (while the girls sang) "Beyond the ___?_ and the Weeping". Lucy played it very badly but, the girls sung it very sweetly. Nannie read a very sweet piece called "A Dream." Then Loulie played with much expression "Shepherd Boy." It's a very sweet piece, but the old lady became quite ?palsaic" before she got through, this however didn't destroy the beauty of the piece. Lou read "The Force of Examples." The substance of the piece is this: An old lobster gives her young daughter a scold for walking backwards whereupon she says, "Why mother it would be quite presumptuous for me to change the fashion which my "Great Grand Mammy" & even down to my Mammy. To illustrate this I will use a quotation from the first part of the book. viz: "Put yourself in the place of anyone whose work you wish to criticize and you will find that it is very much easier to say how a thing ought to be done than how to do it." Mattie repeated a piece called "Gentle Words and Loving Fondly." I wish our tongues would roll off some of these oftener as Sister Blount said the other day that her head was about to roll off & I think we had better roll out some gentle words than she should lose her "pretty" head. Cousin Lou read "Counsels for TheYoung," which if we would practice them we would be so happy and everything would be all right. Then as usual we reserved the best for the last, which was a beautiful piece called "The Music of the Sea" by Mattie Kate. She did full justice to the piece. Cousin Lou then marched us out to walk which of course ended a pleasant evening.

B

REMEMBERING THOSE WHO LEFT US...

This past Tuesday, April 27th, 2010 we said good-bye to our little friend Fred. He'd been with us since a cold snowy day in January 2001. He passed away on a warm sunny day, just the way he loved for the weather to be. Fred was around 14 years of age. He was found on the side of the road, shivering, lonely, abandoned. My husband sited him and stopped. He said, "You look like you could use a friend." We tried to find his owner, who probably did not want to be found. We were lucky to have our little buddy Fred. Sometimes we called him our small speckled pony. He never hurt a flea and followed me everywhere. He could be encouraged to howl, and when he did we said he was singing Happy Birthday! Only the past few months was he no longer trudging up the staircase behind me. But, he'd wait patiently at the bottom or bark if he wasn't sure where I was. He had been having kidney issues for which he was medicated; a small scoop of aluminum hydroxide powder with his meals worked wonders for him. The vet said he wasn't expected to live through last August. Well, he's our little rebel and he lived happily until Tuesday. His last week was rough though as his condition deteriorated rapidly. We couldn't let him suffer, and he was. We took him to our vet, Dr. Forrester who lovingly let him rest eternally. She was as heartbroken as we were. He was in my arms sleeping and we said our good-byes. We'll miss our little Fred and his grave is just out the window next to where I'm typing. I wish everyone I knew was as true a friend as he. One of our friends, Tom from New York, said, "I know dogs go to heaven, because it wouldn't be heaven without dogs." That made me feel so good. Thanks Tom and to all of you who have sent your sympathy. Fondly, Tere

Fred at the door of Green Mount and playing Santa and just hanging out in the yard here.

Fred's last nap at home and his little grave in the side yard.

This is the first pet we've had to bury here at Green Mount. Makes me wonder how many are buried here throughout the yard and gardens. As much as the Fleets loved their animals, I'm sure there are many such graves and each one special.

With all that said, I would like to add a few more pictures. The owner of Green Mount visited the other day and brought with him the family Bible.

Fleet Family Bible

Recording of deaths of Fleets from Civil War era.

Pa, Ma, Florence, Fred, Lou, Bessie, Willie and his wife Nannie. There is no record of David's death.

Benny's death, written by Pa...on the facing page.

Benjamin R. Fleet was murdered by the Yankees on Wednesday 2nd March 1864 in King Wm Co. near Mr. Anderson Scott's, whither he had gone as a Scout where he met the Advance Guard of the Enemy dressed in Confederate Uniform, and was killed by them. Aged 17 yrs. 5 months & 1 day.

A FEW MORE MINUTES...ICE SKATING TIME!

Nov. 24, 1880

It seems a very short time since the beginning of the session when I kept the record of our first meeting. Since then our days have glided by peacefully & I trust profitably, with few sorrows & many joys; among the greatest of which I must record the baptism of three of our girls, the 2nd Sunday in this month. After reading the record above, Nannie played with good time & taste "Weber's Last Waltz." Loulie read July (?), & Lou played with Sister "The Turkish Reveille." Mattie Kate read the beautiful poem called "God's Plans" or "Lo??? Time." Lucy read some good advice of Spring (?) viz: "Never stop a plough to catch a Mouse." Sallie played with good expression Gottschalk's "Last Hope," & we sang "The Rose Bush" after which we adjourned to enjoy sliding on the ice which has formed rapidly during the past unusually cold days.

M.L.F. (Lou)

There is a small spring fed pond just across the field to the right of the house. It has grown up a lot and the owner of Green Mount would love to clean it out and clear around it so it will look similar to how it was back during the 1880's. I hope we can do that. It's a beautiful little pond and it is where the Fleet's used to get their ice and go ice skating. We even have two pair of the old ice skates here at the house. If I can find them I'll add a photo. But here below you can see the view from the yard in the direction of the ice pond. Then the second photo shows where the ice pond is, just beyond those reed like weeds. You can actually see a glimpse of the water between them if you look closely. It's very swampy now. I would love to clean it up and especially think we should relic hunt the area and the mud that we dredge out of the bottom. No telling what could be in that!

FINALLY...MORE OF THE MINUTES...

Green Mount

November 17th, 1880

We opened our exercises by reading the 39 Psalm and then Lucy played "Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still" which we all enjoyed. Then Nannie read "Lessons on Contentment," Loulie gave us "Gen. Smith's Grand March." Lou read for our enjoyment "Life and Death." Mattie Kate sang much to our delight "Little Emily." I wish she would sing oftener in our Society it would add so much to our enjoyment of all. Sallie read a chapter from Astronomy called "The Morning Star", the first of which ran thus "The Universe is God's name writ large." What a beautiful thought!

Mattie Ella Fleet

I took a few photos of the Fleet Family Cemetery today. I am planning to weedeat and clean it up this weekend. It sits out in the middle of the field out back. You can see the house in the bottom photo. This is where Lou, Florence, Betsy, Benny, Willie, Ma and Pa are buried. Lou was the oldest and lived to be in her 60's. But Florence and Betsy both died at 50ish, around 1903, only a couple years after their mother passed away. Willie married a Nannie Burke from North Bank and they are both buried in here too as are two of their daughters, Betsy and Mary Fleet. These two daughter never married which is true of all the sisters of Willie also, and his two daughters are the two sisters that I knew. They were so sweet. Tomorrow would have been Mary's 101st birthday I noticed when I was reading the tombstones again today.

MORE CIVIL WAR BUTTONS FOUND

I feel like I've neglected a friend by not having been on line lately. I was gone to Nags Head over Easter for 5 days and returned home needing to prepare for company. All is behind me now and went well. I will be typing more minutes later today!

Some exciting news is that when I was getting ready for my company to arrive yesterday around noon, a friend came by and wanted to relic hunt. He and his buddy found two more buttons. His buddy dug another Yankee Staff Officer's button and Scott found a VIRGINIA BUTTON! We think it probably came off Fred's coat. And the other buttons were most likely cut off Benny's uniform. I'll tell you more about that later. And I'll try and get pics. I was so busy yesterday I forgot to take photos of the two they found. Those two new finds were from the same dirt I found my 3 buttons in. Amazing! We think it has something to do with being near the old well and probably a trash barrel that was used for burning in the 1900's.

Thanks for checking...Tere

OK...adding button and small coin like piece found by Scott Alley of King and Queen County. He came over with a friend and found this button in the dirt near the house where the other buttons surfaced and the small coin or token, which we haven't a clue about was found out back between two trees in the field. This location we have been told is where some of the slave quarters were located. Great finds! Poor photos. If Scott gets these photograhed and emailed to me I'll exchange my pics with his.

UNIDENTIFIED SILVER COIN OR TOKEN ABOUT 1/3" IN DIAMETER

VIRGINIA BUTTON, EARLY NEW YORK MAKER MARK ON BACK...GREAT CONDITION!

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