Archive for May 2011

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Remembering Isaac Seabrook, Company C 21st USCT

Remembering Isaac Seabrook, Company C 21st USCT

 

Isaac Seabrook, born on Edisto Island about 1840, enlisted in the United States Colored Troops (USCT) in Hilton Head, SC on May 11, 1863 [1]. Isaac was one of six young men born on Edisto who enlisted that day. The others were Prince Seabrook, Peter Seabrook, James Seabrook, Ishmael Seabrook and Edward Seabrook, all born on Edisto. Whether the young men escaped to Hilton Head or fell in with Union troops on Edisto Island remains a question for further research [2].

Isaac Seabrook was 16 years old when he enlisted to serve a three-year term in the military. He was placed in Company C, 21st USCT. He was mustered out in Charleston, SC on April 25, 1866.

History of the 21st USCT

The 21st USCT was organized from 3rd and 4th Regiments, South Carolina Colored Infantry, March 14, 1864. The 3rd Regiment was organized at Hilton Head, SC in June of 1863. The 4th Regiment was organized at Fernandina, FL in July of 1863. Both units were re-designated 21st Regiment USCT March 14, 1864.

The 3rd Regiment, organized in Hilton Head, saw duty at Jacksonville, Fla., till April, 1864. They were moved to Hilton Head, SC, thence to Folly Island, SC, April 18. They served on Folly Island, Morris Island and Coles Island operating against Charleston, S. C., till February, 1865.

From June 30 to July 10, they served in an expedition to James Island, SC. They saw combat action on James Island July 2. The Regiment served garrison duty at Charleston and Mt. Pleasant, S. C., till August, 1865, and at various points in SC and GA till October, 1866. They were mustered out October 7, 1866 [3].

Freedmen's Bank Record, Isaac Seabrook

Sometime in 1868, Isaac Seabrook opened an account at the Freedmen's Savings and Trust (Freedmen's Bank). The account register contains many biographical details as well as the names of Isaac's family members [4].

The information Isaac supplied for the account register was:

No. 2756 Isaac Seabrook, "C," 21

Where Brought Up: Same Place

Where Born: Edisto Island

Residence: Seabrook Landing, SC

Age: 20

Complexion: Dark

Occupation: Farming

Works For: Himself

Wife: Lizzie Williams

Children: Richard Ford

Father: Alfred

Mother: Katie

Brothers: Simon & George Ford

Sisters: Margaret & Nanny Ford and Nanny Jones

Signature: Isaac Seabrook X His Mark

Life After the USCT

Isaac may have changed his name to Ford (the surname of his immediate family members) sometime between 1868 and 1870. In his Freedmen's Bank application, Isaac Seabrook listed his parents as Alfred and Katie, his wife as Lizzie, his son Richard Ford and brothers Simon Ford and George Ford.

The 1870 Census finds the following household in Beaufort, SC in 1870 [5]:

Ford, Isaac,  Age 24, Male, Black, Farmer, Born SC

Ford, Jane, Age 21, Female, Black, Keeping House, Born SC

Ford, Richard, Age [illegible, very faint], Male, Black, Born SC

Ford, Rose, Age 2, Female, Black, Born SC

Ford, Albert, Age 50, Male, Black, Farmer, Born SC

Ford, Katie, Age 50, Female, Black, Keeping House, Born SC

Ford, Simon, Age 22, Male, Black, Farm Labor, Born SC

Ford, George, Age [illegible, very faint], Male, Black, Farm Labor, Born SC

 

1880 Federal Census, Hilton Head, Beaufort, SC

In the 1880 Census, Beaufort, SC,  we see [6]:

Ford, Isaac, Black, Male, Age 37, Farm Laborer

Ford, Lizzie, Black, Female, 28, Farm Laborer

Ford, Richard, Black, Male, 13, Son, Farm Laborer

Ford, Rose, Black, Female, 11, Daughter, Keeping House

Ford, Romeo, Black, Male, 8, Son

Ford, James, Black, Male, 5, Son

Ford, Mary, Black, Female, 1, Daughter

Also in Beaufort in 1880 we find:

Ford, Alfred, Black, Male, 70, Farm Laborer

Ford, Katie, Black, Female, 69, Keeping House

 

Military Pension Index

That Isaac may have changed his name to Ford is further supported by a pension index record in the name of Isaac Seabrook alias Isaac Ford, for service in Company C, 21st USCT [7]:

 

Death Certificate, Hilton Head, Beaufort, SC

A death certificate for Isaac Ford may also support that hypothesis the Isaac changed his name to Ford. The certificate, below, states that Isaac Ford, Black, Male, Farmer died May 4, 1920. His parents are listed as Alfred Ford and Katie Ford, both born in SC [8].

 

We recall that Isaac Seabrook who served in C Company, 21st USCT, listed Alfred and Katie as his parents. His siblings were listed with the surname Ford, as was his son. If this is your family, the possibility of a name change is certainly worth looking into further.

We remember Isaac Seabrook and honor his service in the 21st USCT.

 

References Cited

[1] and [2] National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Compiled Military Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served With the United States Colored Troops: Infantry Organizations, 20th through 25th; Microfilm Serial: M1823; Microfilm Roll: 32

[3] U.S. Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System; database online, http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/index.html, accessed 31 May, 2011.

[4] Ancestry.com. Freedman's Bank Records, 1865-1871 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.Original data: Registers of Signatures of Depositors in Branches of the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company, 1865-1874. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. Micropublication M816, 27 rolls.

[5] Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Year: 1870; Census Place: Hilton Head Island, Beaufort, South Carolina; Roll: M593_1485; Page: 171A; Image: 345

[6] Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Year: 1880; Census Place: Hilton Head, Beaufort, South Carolina; Roll: 1221; Family History Film: 1255221; Page: 142A; Enumeration District: 46

[7] National Archives and Records Administration. Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. T288, 546 rolls.

[8] Ancestry.com. South Carolina Death Records, 1821-1955 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Original data: South Carolina. South Carolina death records. Columbia, SC, USA: South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

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Slave Dwelling Project Visits Laurelwood Plantation in Richland County, SC

 

Joseph McGill's Slave Dwelling Project Visits Laurelwood Plantation in Richland County, SC

 

 While my last few stays afforded me the opportunities to stay in slave dwellings in the states of Texas and Louisiana and gave me the opportunity to have many other people share that experience with me, it was now time to get back to basics, sleeping in the slave dwellings alone.  That opportunity would come at Laurelwood Plantation in Eastover, Richland County, SC on Friday, April, 15, 2011. 

The property had just been purchased from the Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation by the young couple Jeremy and Jacqueline Thomas from England.  A public gathering was planned at the site to celebrate the sale.  Participants at the gathering included the new property owners; representatives from the Palmetto Trust; family members of the previous owners; descendants of the original builder; the press;  other interested community members and a stray cat.

This would be the second time that the Slave Dwelling Project and the Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation would intersect.  The first was my overnight stay at a slave dwelling on Morris Street in Anderson, SC.  I was confident that this stay would be equally as pleasing.  As I approached the dwelling, my confidence for sleeping in it began to diminish.  When I entered the dwelling I became thoroughly convinced that my overnight stay there would not happen.  Surrounded by trees, although still standing, the dwelling had lost some of its structural soundness. 

My desire for self preservation overrode my desire to proceed with the project.  All was not lost, with the permission of the new owners I was given permission to sleep on the porch of the big house and given access to the big house if it became necessary at some point during the night.  So there I slept at Laurelwood Plantation on the porch of the bighouse alone with the company of a stray cat that made its presence known throughout the night.

I left there with the assurance from the new owners that before restoring the big house, they would restore the slave dwelling first.  They will live there while the big house is being restored.  Thank you Palmetto Trust for having an easement program that will ensure historic buildings will be restored and a special thank you for finding owners for Laurelwood Plantation who will not shy away from any of its previous history.

The next night, Saturday, April 16, I was scheduled to stay in Cheraw, SC in a slave dwelling that was restored by Bill and Susan Malloy.  I was also scheduled to give a lecture on the Slave Dwelling Project prior to the stay, at the Southern African American Heritage Center in Cheraw.  The lecture was a success.

 When I got to the beautiful home of Bill and Susan Malloy, Bill reminded me of our first conversation.  It was a result of my overnight stay at Hobcaw Barony in Georgetown, SC.  Staying with me that night was a writer for the Charlotte Observer by the name of Eric Frazier.  Bill contacted me after reading the article that appeared in the Charlotte Observer about the stay at Hobcaw Barony.  Bill and Susan did not disappoint when they served a meal of baked beans, coleslaw and ribs for dinner.  I was thoroughly impressed by the restoration that was done to the former slave dwelling.  One of two located in their back yard, the spacious building was complete with a gas heater; a refrigerator stocked with beer and water; and several easy chairs; this could easily qualify as the ultimate “man cave”.  The Malloys currently use the space for their music room.

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Business Cards: Does this look familiar?

      Does your stack of business cards look like this?  Find yourself shuffling through a stack like this to find the contact info for the new friend you met at a recent conference?  Now you can carry all your businesses cards with you right in the palm of your hand with a mobile app called CamCard Lite. Read more