When President Davis and members of his. Jen taught Special Education in New Hanover County and Lancaster, PA for 9 years, focusing on intensive behaviors. who intended to go to medical colleges for their degrees. In 2004, Jack led the Historic Salisbury Foundation where he managed a robust historic properties redevelopment program and revolving fund, along with museum sites and advocacy campaigns for six years. I never knew. Alfred Moore Waddell in his 1909, History of New Hanover County notes that Bellamy's, Grovely Plantation was originally named Spring Garden.. Following graduate school, she was a preservation planner in the northeast Georgia Mountains where she spent a few years driving around promoting the preservation of historic buildings and landscapes. There are, for example, five major castles, a walled Roman town, and a UNESCO World Heritage site within a thirty-minute drive of his hometown of Pontypool. He held the rank of, captain assigned to coastal duty with his men, and fought. We had only milk and a barrel of scupperonong wine, made, the summer before at Grovely; when they tasted it and found it, too new and sweet, they pulled out the bung and let every bit, run on the ground. The work was extremely difficult for the enslaved workers but very profitable for Dr. Bellamy. bellamy mansion board of directors. Eliza wrote Belle "the Mirrors, Mantles, & gas fixtures are very little abused" but the "walls, paint, & floors shamefully" dirty. (portrait above fireplace. This turned the mansion into a public historic site. reception at the depot of the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad, My father, being a warm and enthusiastic supporter of, President Davis, and a Secession-Democrat, was very. The . Gareths interest in history began while growing up in Wales. A 4-year-old girl, a 3-year-old girl and a 1-year-old girl were also listed on the census. blood-hounds they rode up---and such awful looking men! Affordable Nashville Elopements start here! The Bellamy Mansion Museum is a stewardship property of Preservation North Carolina. Soon the family found creative ways to utilize the mansion. Ticket options include: General Admission, Guided Tour, Curator Tour & Civil War at Belmont. Guy Nixon, the butler and carriage driver for the Bellamys, would run errands, answer the door, and serve meals. Like a pack of. Ellen was 13 years old with four younger brothers growing up in the house. it still bears. George, the only one not pictured in the family parlor, was 8 when they moved back in 1865. Wanting to see more, Gareth came to North Carolina and, to his surprise, has lived in Wilmington for 25 years. While an undergraduate student, Cathleen worked as an intern in low-wealth historic neighborhoods in Atlanta, which sparked her passion for neighborhood revitalization and affordable housing. John and Eliza welcomed four of their own children into the Dock Street home before they moved across the street in 1846 to the former residence of the sixteenth governor, Benjamin Smith. Because these were urban quarters, they could easily be seen by the public from street level. Green, who owned, 4 slaves in 1830, was a well-to-do carpenter and contractor, in New Bern who amassed a considerable fortune by securing, large jobs in connection with the building programs of his, hometown. My father had to pay severely for this aid and participation, in the so-called Rebellion. The town was full also of, Confederate soldiers, who encamped at Camp Lamb, in the northern part of the city, at the present site of, Delgado Cotton Mills, now Spofford Mills (todays, area of Wrightsville Avenue and Dawson Street), and, in South Wilmington, drilling to aid in the defense, of the city and the fortifications of the river, He continues: We happened to be, my father and I, at, Grovely Plantation, when Fort Fisher fell, and Fort Anderson, was evacuated, and the Confederate troops retreated to, Wilmington. was removed from Montgomery, Alabama, to Richmond, Virginia. owned more than one slave in 1830: Mary Cruise, 3; Leuris Pajay, 4; John Walker, 44; Roger Hazell, 5; owned 5 black slaves. John Jr. attended Davidson College, and the University of Virginia Law School, and eventually became a successful politician in the conservative Democratic Party. Acting as a nonprofit organization, the Bellamy Mansion is home to many volunteers from the Wilmington community who are knowledgeable of the Bellamy family and the history of the home itself. Dr. Bellamy was a secessionist, and he assumed the honor of heading the welcoming committee when Jefferson Davis visited Wilmington in late May. 'till then how it felt to be hungry. 140-141), Opposition to Northern and Black Tradesmen: In what free time that leaves, she loves playing trivia with friends at the local brewery, going out to eat, and is an avid reader who is happiest curled up with a book and a glass of wine, and of course her cats! Standing in the middle of the plot, the enslaved worker could see only a maze of brick and stone. It was built at Fifth Avenue and Market Street from 1859 to 1861. In fact, Harriett was a first cousin of Harriet Beecher Stowe who wrote the abolitionist work Uncle Toms Cabin. Sign up for free. We've seen about 700-800 people here today, and it's just lovely to have our community back and on a beautiful sunny day like this," said Gareth Evans, Bellamy Mansion Museum executive director. A northerner living in Rhode Island until 4th grade, Dawn lived in the central west coast of Florida until she graduated from college with a BA in Womens Studies. Dr. Bellamy died just before the turn of the century in 1896, and his wife Eliza passed away roughly ten years later in 1907. (LogOut/ Sarah Miller Sampson (1815-1896) belonged to Dr. William Harriss, Dr. John D. Bellamys father-in-law, and was given to Eliza and John D. Bellamy in 1839, the year of their marriage and of Dr. Harrisss untimely death just a few weeks after the ceremony. Click here to view a full list of counties that Jack works with in the western region. Always a lover of historic homes, her background in retail management led her to executive support roles and eventually landed her on the doorsteps of Preservation North Carolina in late 2004. 11,823 were here. The Bellamys lived in the Dock Street home of Elizas newly widowed mother, Mary Priscilla Jennings Harriss. Eliza recalled Harriett spit tobacco into the fireplace. PNC has saved nearly 900 endangered historic properties, generating an estimated $500,000,000 in private investment. Robert was the only Bellamy born in this house, and when they moved back in he was about 4 years old. They were always, neatly dressed in the woolen and cotton clothes produced by. [1], John Dillard Bellamy, M.D. Restoration of Slave Quarters is supported in part by Save Americas Treasures Grant MR TONY BELLAMY, BORN IN NORTH CAROLINA CIRCA 1825 MARRIED ARBOR SULLIVAN PRIOR TO EMANCIPATION. Plasterers painstakingly recreated the three-coat plaster formula for the walls and ceilings of the slave quarters. Sign in. The enslaved craftsmen, such as brick masons, carpenters, and plasterers, were hired by Dr. Bellamy in what was known as the "hiring out" system whereby enslaved workers would congregate at the Market House near New Years Day and wealthy men would engage them in temporal contracts, usually in construction. News Sports Entertainment Port City Life Opinion USA TODAY Obituaries E-Edition Legals. 814 Oberlin Road on the Board of Directors of the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad. PO Box 27644 To underscore this, Bunnell recalled, that the " rich doctor was a free-trader who notwithstanding. Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design Arts 503 Market Street Wilmington, NC 28401 Office: 910-251-3700 Email: info@bellamymansion.org www.bellamymansion.org Gareth Evans, Executive Director, Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design Arts Oleander Company, $30,000-$39,999 Having a visibly pleasing slave quarter gave the impression of high social status for the family. Just before the (Yankee) army moved away my brother, Robbie, a four-year old baby, cried for food. was never married and died in early manhood; Robert Rankin, the youngest, was a very prominent druggist, Dr. Bellamys son William James Harriss Bellamy, later, a prominent Wilmington medical doctor, was born at, Wilmington in 1844. Eliza and Harriett were very different with one major difference being Eliza was a pro-slavery Confederate while Harriett was from a staunch Hartford, Connecticut abolitionist family. Just a few months later, his younger brother William would join the Wilmington Rifle Guards. Click on the link in that email to get more GuideStar . The capitalistic-minded free Negro owners of, slaves can usually be identified because of their extensive holdings, of realty and because of their inactivity in the manumission. It is assumed that it wasn't easy for Eliza Bellamy to be entertained by a "yankee" in her own home, but it has been reported that she behaved as a proper Southern lady, and acted with politeness. Leslie decided not to return to the classroom but instead pursued her lifelong dream of working at historic sites and museums. In February 1972 fourth generation members of the Bellamy family started Bellamy Mansion, Inc., in hopes of beginning preservation and restoration of the historic home. This was a devastating blow to the Confederacy, as Wilmington was the last major port supplying the southern states. In fact, Eliza was pregnant with her tenth child. "The Bellamy Mansion has made it through a civil war, arson and over 50 named storms," Gareth Evans, Bellamy Mansion Museum executive director, said. . She recently served as one of the Inaugural Co-Directors of Shaw University's Center for Racial and Social Justice. The Bellamy Mansion Museum of History and Design Arts is a non-profit educational institution dedicated to interpreting the social and architectural history of this unique site and promoting a greater understanding of historic preservation and restoration methods in North Carolina. Dr. Harriss was mayor of Wilmington at the time of his death]. Land of the Golden River, Lewis Philip Hall, 1980, Back With The Tide, Ellen D. Bellamy, Bellamy Museum, 1937/2002, Cyclopedia of Men of the Carolinas, 19th Century, Brant & Fuller, 1892 Bellamy Mansion Museum For the last three years, the Slave Dwelling Project has started its season with a sleepover in the slave dwellings at Hopsewee Plantation in Georgetown County, South Carolina. She wears multiple hats at Preservation North Carolina and manages the overall Endangered Properties Program administration. The fact he took Dr. Bellamys last name after emancipation most likely means he lived primarily at Grovely and only came to town when needed. Corning Foundation His son, John Stewart Stanly, born, a slave, was emancipated in 1802 and by 1830 owned eighteen, slaves himself. Bill is currently shooting a series regular role in the ABC pilot, NANA, alongside . On weekends, you will find her driving her Jeep on the beach especially at Fort Fisher, traveling to Raleigh to spend time with her big sister or participating in local vendor shows. Marsden Bellamy, the eldest of the sons, had enlisted in the Scotland Neck Cavalry volunteers before the official secession, and later enlisted in the Confederate Navy. Email:info@bellamymansion.org, Gareth Evans, Executive Director, Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design Arts. If it is your nonprofit, add a problem overview. Besides the various modern features, the home was also outfitted with luxurious wood, iron and metal works, along with lavish rugs, furniture, and other forms of dcor. Union officers took shelter in the nicer homes in town whose owners had been forced to abandon them. the spinners and weavers on the hand looms of the plantation. 919-832-3652 This old estate was, entered by Maurice Moore, in 1750, and was called by him, Spring Garden. He afterwards sold it to John Baptiste, Ashe, who changed its name to Grovely Plantation, a name. Maggie has lived in Tarboro, North Carolina for the last decade and shares her home with her three spoiled cats, who really run the household. Long hair down to their shoulders, not cut since before the war. John Caruthers Stanly, a free-black in New Bern, was one, of the leading barbers of the community and he used the, profits which he earned at this occupation as his initial, investment in plantations and town property, making him, one of the wealthiest men and slaveowners in Craven, Known as Barber Jack, Stanly was said at one time to be, worth more than $40,000. In the battle that took place, Colonel, [Charles H.] Simonton, afterwards Judge of the United, ers flat, with other captives, and carried to Wilmington. "Funding like this will enable us to . Cathleen Turner is the Regional Director of Preservation North Carolinas Piedmont Office based in Durham. North Carolina Architecture, Catherine W. Bishir, UNC Press, 1990, History of New Hanover County, A.M. Waddell, 1909 Dr. Bellamy hired James F. Post, an architect in Wilmington who had been the supervisor of the construction of Thalian Hall, designed by the renowned John M. Trimble. He went on to become a farmer and ran Grovely Plantation for his father when he grew up. 0:00. Chesley was almost 6 years old. Five of the city's 10 doctors fall victim to the fever. The pedimented gabled roof is, crowned by an ornately decorated cupola, in imitation, My fathers residencewas erected by him immediately, preceding the Civil War. Cabinet arrived in Wilmington, on the way to Richmond, people welcomed them, en masse! In 1861, Robert Rankin was the last born of the children and the only one to be born in the mansion on Market Street.[1]. The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick. It is a contributing building in the Wilmington Historic District. This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990-N. Cooperative Bank Leslie Randle-Morton, Associate Director, Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design Arts. Now as the Director of Education & Engagement at Bellamy Mansion Museum, she is learning the world of non-profit work and enjoying her time learning more of Wilmingtons history! In a deed from Maurice Moore to John Baptiste Ashe, dated December 5, 1727, in which Moore is described as, of Bath County,: he conveys 640 acres on the north side. Aaron was an enslaved carpenter who continued as a carpenter in Wilmington after emancipation. Prior to that he worked at Historic Wilmington Foundation for nine years, ending up asAssociate Director. While in school getting her Bachelor of Fine Arts, she fell in love with architectural photography, and specifically historic architecture. Now in its 32nd year, SpringFest is an outdoor festival featuring juried arts and crafts, antiques and . III, 1928 many other buildings overseers houses, The manor house, in which we spent a great part of our, summers, must have been built in Colonial times and was, a very substantial and comfortable structure. One of them really, escorted the McLauchlin's home safely, they having asked, for protection. He grew up to become a politician, lawyer, and U.S. We are grateful to this group of individuals who devote their time to the betterment of Belmont Mansion. Dr. Bellamy kept 24 enslaved men between the ages of 18-40 living in 9 slave cabins. The, two-story porch features Corinthian columns similar to, those at Thalian Hall, and the entry is heavily carved and, set in an arched surround. Interested in buying an historic property in North Carolina? Change). The Bellamy Mansion, built between 1859 and 1861, is a mixture of Neoclassical architectural styles, including Greek Revival and Italianate, and is located at 503 Market Street in the heart of downtown Wilmington, North Carolina.It is one of North Carolina's finest examples of historic antebellum architecture.It is a contributing building in the Wilmington Historic District. Northern-Occupied Wilmington: The building is now one of the only original, fully restored urban slave quarters open to the public in the country. Post-fire restoration efforts included stabilization of the slave quarters and near completion of the mansion's exterior restoration, but a full interior restoration required more money and time. She lives in Raleigh with her husband, daughter, and Scottish Terrier, and still loves exploring all that our state has to offer. War and Refugeeing at Floral College: about GuideStar Pro. (September 18, 1817 - August 30, 1896) married Eliza McIlhenny Harriss (August 6, 1821 October 18, 1907) on June 12, 1839. Three of the brothers are pictured in portraits. She joined Preservation North Carolina in the summer of 1998 while completing her degree in Business Administration from NC State University. After her death the house stayed empty, except for few rare renters until 1972, when the Bellamy Mansion Inc. non-profit organization was founded. John D. Bellamy, Jr. recalls in his 1941 Memoirs of an, Octogenarian that According to family accounts, the, idea for the design of the imposing main house came, from Bellamys daughter Mary and was given to, James F. Post, who had become a prominent local, architect as well as contractor. Post was born in, Caldwell, New Jersey who was drawn to Wilmington, by the building boom which followed the completion, Referred to as an architectural maverick, the styling, of the mansion weaves architectural elements of the, Classical, Greek and Italian Revivals with an extravagant, eclecticism unmatched elsewhere in Wilmington. My parents permitted me to go with these boys into the woods, and on the streams until church time, when I would accompany. Thus, the physical design of the complex directed enslaved workers to center their activity upon the owner and the owner's house. From 1899 -1903 John Jr. represented North Carolina as a United States Congressman, and served as the Dean of the North Carolina Bar Association from 1926 to 1927. Since 2017, Leslie has been not only the museums operations manager but also the research historian for the site. Thanks for signing up! Grovely," in Brunswick county, is located on Town Creek, and consists of nearly a thousand acres, my father having, bought many adjoining tracts to keep settlers from coming too, near to interfere with his Negro slaves. Arsonists set fire to the mansion causing extensive damage to three levels of the home's interior. I recollect well, having gone down in a buggy to[the bridge]. [1], After the devastating fire in March 1972, Bellamy Mansion, Inc. faced a whole new set of challenges regarding the restoration of the home. She even described the basement as "more like hog pen than anything else." Generous Sponsors As Executive Director of the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough, Cathleen focused on the preservation of Hillsboroughs historic, cultural, and natural environment with a focus on heritage tourism, the arts and downtown revitalization. Jen moved to Wilmington in 2009 to attend UNC Wilmington and earned her Bachelors degree in special education with a dual license in elementary education. The mansion began to take the form of Bunnell and Posts ultimate vision.[1]. Jack Thomson is a native of Western North Carolina and attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Hunt, Jr. He left for two years in 1837 to study at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and he returned to Wilmington in 1839 to marry Eliza, Harriss' eldest daughter and take over Dr. Harriss medical practice following Elizas fathers untimely death in July. Help us get you more of the nonprofit information you need, including: An email has been sent to the address you provided. The mansion was even furnished with gas chandeliers to light the large rooms. [1] came whistling through the air and falling like rain all around us! Is this your nonprofit? In 2001 the carriage house at the rear of the property was reconstructed and became the museums visitor center and office building. [1] John Jr. described his father as an "ardent Secessionist, Calhoun Democrat, and never after the war reconstructed." Dr. Bellamy was so proud of South Carolinas secession in December 1860 and so dismayed that many prominent Wilmington families "would not take part in the celebration of South Carolina's withdrawal from the Union, he bought all the empty tar barrels in Wilmington and had them strewn along Front Streetand had a great bonfire and procession at night, three days before the Christmas of 1860. Born to a white man who was also his master, he was known to be nominally an enslaved man, but treated as free. The Bellamy Mansion Museum of History and Design Arts offers historic tours, art. 2020. Visit BelmontMansionEvents.com to review options to Elope in Nashville at Belmont Mansion. Learn more "We have 80 volunteers. Tags Around Town With Rhonda Bellamy Culture/Arts Mary Bradley His projects there included a log barn reconstruction for the Charlotte Museum of History, stabilization of structures at Historic Brattonsville, SC and work on several landmark properties in Charlotte and in Mecklenburg County. Only one of the four daughters of Dr. and Mrs. John D. Bellamy grew to marry and have children. The Bellamys, then moved into Stewards Hall on campus which was, their primary residence though they traveled back and, forth to Wilmington. The existence of free-black craftsmen in antebellum North Carolina. (Don't see an email in your inbox? Rhonda's guests include Gareth Evans, director of the Bellamy Mansion, Bill Stevenson, president of the Cape Fear Jazz Society, and Manny Santos of Mangroove which is the August act.