Because the property's slave quarters were constructed only a few years before the abolition of slavery, they are some of the best preserved examples of urban slave housing in the country. In her tenure at the Bellamy Museum Leslie has written tours, developed permanent exhibits, spearheaded school tours and camps, and helped oversee the expansion of the museums interpretation. by my father) held his services on each alternate Sundays, baptizing infants and marrying the slaves. Sign in. Chrissy was born in North Carolina and has primarily resided in Raleigh. If it is your nonprofit, add geographic service areas to create a map on your profile. She loves to travel, and loves the beach and mountains equally, but is always excited to visit new places. She also served as co-chair for the Special Education Department at Middle Grove Middle School. After college, Jack excelled as a third-generation home builder and real estate agent, eventually working as a project manager for Lee Morgan Inc., a historic restoration general contractor in Charlotte. Generous Sponsors Slave quarters and a small carriage house, both made of red brick, were also on the property. She is thrilled at the opportunity to contribute her administrative background and her enthusiasm to assist Preservation North Carolina in recognizing and protecting the historical places and spaces in her home state. When shes not working you can catch her hiking, camping, and canoeing around the state with her husband and 5-year-old pit-mix, baking anything sourdough, or enjoying a beer at a local brewery with friends. He has two young daughters with his wife, Jessica, and the family likes kayaking, travel, playing with their dogs, and pretending to listen when Dad talks about history. [1] In the 1990s his great-grandson, William B. Gould IV, edited Goulds diary into a book titled, Diary of a Contraband: The Civil War Passage of a Black Sailor. Early in 1860, Bunnell sent drawings for window sashes, inside trim, and the 25-foot Corinthian columns for the, colonnade to the factory of Jenkins and Porter, on, (North Carolina Architecture, pp. Masons, brick makers, and. After the family settled back into their home and Dr. Bellamy restarted production at Grovely, he was, of course, using paid labor. In 1860, Wilmington was the largest city in North Carolina by population and was number one in the world for the naval stores industry. Gen. Joseph Hawley wrote about Dr. Bellamy to another Union officer upon receipt of Dr. Bellamys oath of allegiance to the federal government stating, "As a specimen of the temper of certain people I inclose a copy of an application from J.D. William B. Gould, a mulatto, was owned by the Nixon family and was a plasterer who was hired out by Dr. Bellamy. Cameron Foundation In 1860, he had 82 enslaved workers living in 17 "slave cabins" at Grovely, while the family lived in a "comfortable and pleasant" home that was "no stately mansion." Visit BelmontMansionEvents.com to review options to Elope in Nashville at Belmont Mansion. Bellamy Mansion One of North Carolina's premier architectural and historic treasures, offering tours, changing exhibitions on history and design arts and an informative look at historic preservation in action. -- being wounded in the shoulder and knee at Gaines Mill. the Parthenon atop the Acropolis in Athens). Mary Elizabeth (Belle) (18401900) would be the first, followed by Marsden (18431909), William James Harriss (18441911), Eliza (Liza) (18451929), Ellen Douglass (18521946), John Dillard Jr. (18541942), George Harriss (18561924), Kate Taylor (1858-1858), Chesley Calhoun (18591881), and Robert Rankin (18611926). By February a large portion of the pine frame had been erected, and in March the cornices and the tin roof on the mansion were completed. My father had to pay severely for this aid and participation, in the so-called Rebellion. Plasterers painstakingly recreated the three-coat plaster formula for the walls and ceilings of the slave quarters. ", Founded in 1939, Preservation NC (PNC) is the state's only private nonprofit preservation organization that serves all NC counties. Having grandparents living in Wilmington, Jen spent many of her summers at Grandma and Grandpa Camp, as her family called the trips to visit them. The architect James F. Post, a native of New Jersey, and his assistant, draftsman Rufus W. Bunnell of Connecticut, oversaw the construction of the mansion. The Bellamy Mansions Slave Quarters are currently undergoing lots of construction in order to restore them for viewing purposes. It was a night to live always in his memory, and of which he was ever afterwards proud!" Understandably, all slaves did not show the ability for skilled, trades and only the most likely were taught a trade. . prominent at the reception; he escorted me across the mall, and introduced me to the President, who put his hand on, my head and said to me, Young man, you will live to be, a good man and make a valiant soldier, I know. The train, departed shortly thereafter, carrying the visitors to, Richmond, where they established the new capital, The town of Wilmington was transformed with colorful, characters during the war, and the most daring were the, blockade runners who brought goods in and out of, Wilmington. This board includes prominent members of the Nashville community who have experience in historic homes, history, community outreach and development. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. During this time, 14 properties were permanently protected by preservation easements and cash reserves for the non-profit grew from $55,000 to $850,000. Henry Taylor was another carpenter who worked on the house. Grist Plantation was a turpentine plantation in Columbus County, near Chadbourn, North Carolina. His medical practice was successful; however, the majority of his wealth came from his operation of a turpentine distillery in Brunswick County, his position as a director of the Bank of the Cape Fear, and his investment, as director and stockholder, in the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. author, by his side, bearing a torch upon his shoulder! By August 21, he received a presidential pardon from Andrew Johnson to retrieve his plantation land and commercial buildings, but the Bellamy House on Market Street was still under military control. Ms Cameron sold her Bellamy's stake for $36 million, selling at $1 a share, only to watch the shares rise substantially after it went public. came whistling through the air and falling like rain all around us! Please check your inbox in order to proceed. Click here to view a full list of counties that Jack works with in the western region. CEO, Board Chair, and Board of Directors information; Additional tools and resources; And more. (Yankee) Captain Sharpproved a "friend in need" and, treated mother and sister with respect, but was a thief, with it all; he showed us a pocket full of jewelry and s, aid that he had "captured" those handsome rugs in, Cheraw (South Carolina). Ticket options include: General Admission, Guided Tour, Curator Tour & Civil War at Belmont. In May 1859, Post hired Bunnell to be an assistant architect. and John Walker of New Hanover County in 1830; and the 24 slaves owned by John Crichlon of Martin, County in 1830. Being politically-active in antebellum Wilmington and having. They were mostly from Indiana and Illinois. The Bellamys, then moved into Stewards Hall on campus which was, their primary residence though they traveled back and, forth to Wilmington. Daniel, Johnson, who planned to reopen the school. [2], As a young man, John Dillard Bellamy, Sr. inherited a large piece of his fathers plantation in Horry County, South Carolina at about age 18, along with several enslaved workers. PO Box 27644 who were either owned by black or white carpenters. It was largely through his own industry that, James D. Sampson was able to become a respected and, wealthy citizen in Wilmington. When my father moved to Wilmington in 1837. Bellamy, which explains itself. On hot days, the windows of the belvedere were propped open to create a vacuum effect to naturally cool the upper floors of the home. Although Dr. Bellamy wanted his home constructed with classic style, and in an old reliable fashion, he was very much interested in modern utilities and innovations that would allow his family to live in comfort. bellamy mansion board of directors. Box 27644
By the time Dr. Bellamy and Eliza Bellamy moved into the house in early 1861, they had been married twenty years and moved in with eight children who ranged in age from a young adult all the way to a toddler. She has executed numerous major fundraising campaigns to help the organization protect some of North Carolinas most special historic buildings. Click here for a full list of Preservation NCs Board of Directors. The relentless masonry was broken only by the stark escarpment created by the rear of the adjacent buildings- the backs of kitchens, stables, or neighboring slave quarters. Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Jen has wonderful memories of her grandparents taking her on tours of downtown Wilmington and watching fireworks from the top of the old parking garage across from the Battleship. In August 1850, he was elected to succeed Col. James T. Miller. Joan, our nurse, a very unattractive Negro wench who, already had two children (never been married), rode down, in the ambulance with (Yankee Captain A.) Ante-bellum North Carolina, Guion Griffis Johnson, UNC Press, 1937
Nine months from, that night she gave birth to twins, both mulattos, who, Free-Black and Slave Artisans in North Carolina:
We had nothing to eat, no wood (they had burned up every fence, no fire)! Seven enslaved female African Americans lived in this building including Sarah, the housekeeper and cook, Mary Ann and Joan, nurses, Rosella, a nurse and laundress, and three children. The Bellamy Children:
Today the Bellamy Mansion is a fully operational museum, focusing on history and design arts, and a Stewardship Property of Preservation North Carolina. We do not have financial information for this organization. Tony Wrenn, in his . 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. She lives in Raleigh with her husband, daughter, and Scottish Terrier, and still loves exploring all that our state has to offer. [1], While the family was still at Grovely Plantation, Federal troops arrived in Wilmington on February 22, having pushed many of the Confederate troops inland. Belmont Mansion is fortunate to have a Board of Directors that help to guide the workings of the home. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Cape Fear Bank. PNC has saved nearly 900 endangered historic properties, generating an estimated $500,000,000 in private investment. Eliza wrote Belle "the Mirrors, Mantles, & gas fixtures are very little abused" but the "walls, paint, & floors shamefully" dirty. 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. Donom Mumford, a free-black brick mason of. Grovely Plantation was "an almost ten thousand acre" produce plantation on Town Creek in Brunswick County, now a present-day Brunswick Forest development, on which Dr. Bellamy raised livestock and crops such as "wheat, oats, corn, and peanuts." stone dressers were in demand in North Carolinas growing towns, and the protestations of white workers were not strong enough, to cause a ban to be placed on the use of free Negro, Free-black slaveowner John Y. Chrissys interest in both human and cultural history led her to pursue degrees in Anthropology and Dance at UNC-Greensboro. On this episode of Around Town, Rhonda speaks with Gareth Evans, director of the Bellamy Mansion, and Primus Robinson, president of the Cape Fear Jazz Society, who talk about Jazz at the Mansion, a summer jazz series that kicks off on May 13 with contemporary jazz quartet Burning Bridges. The Bellamys lived in the Dock Street home of Elizas newly widowed mother, Mary Priscilla Jennings Harriss. Less than a month later, the unthinkable happened. He procured a band, of music, and headed the marching column himself, at Front, and Market Streets, with his little son and namesake, the. Negroes, who lived in cabins on The Line. He raised wheat, oats, corn, peanuts, and other grains, and his barns were. He held the rank of, captain assigned to coastal duty with his men, and fought. Like a pack of. "The Bellamy Mansion has made it through a civil war, arson and over 50 named storms," Gareth Evans, Bellamy Mansion Museum executive director, said. Although Dr. Bellamy was described as a man with somewhat conservative taste, he needed his home to be both modern and comforting, accommodating to the large number of people living in it. Its construction began in 1857 and was completed the latter part of 1859, or early in 1860. My mother was made to taste all food, before they would, for fear she had poisoned it. In the early 1870s as the children grew older, Mrs. Bellamy along with her daughter Ellen, made plans to surround the property of the home with a beautiful black iron fence, which would enclose a picturesque garden to be laid out by Mrs. Bellamy herself. The Jazz @ the Bellamy summer jazz series runs May 12 through September 8. In 1860 this was a construction site. In her spare time, Leslie can be found traveling to see friends, to explore history, or to attend one of the many concerts she so enjoys. Julianne manages Preservation North Carolinas education programs including the Shelter Series, annual conference, quarterly magazine, exhibits and publications. Over the next twenty-two years Dr. and Mrs. Bellamy welcomed ten children to their family: 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. 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 was a secessionist, and he assumed the honor of heading the welcoming committee when Jefferson Davis visited Wilmington in late May. (A99). [It is noteworthy that. The mansion began to take the form of Bunnell and Posts ultimate vision.[1]. Aaron was an enslaved carpenter who continued as a carpenter in Wilmington after emancipation. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 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. Dr. Bellamy lived here until their new. and from there to the Carolina coast, with Sir John Yeamans. North Carolina, Rebuilding an Ancient Commonwealth, Vol. After several years freelancing for Our State Magazine, Walter Magazine, and many local interior designers and architects, while also acting as a content curator at a large art firm, Annie decided to follow her heart and make the jump to a career in historic preservation. for protection. Aside from being an operational museum, the Bellamy Mansion is also available for weddings and special events rentals. Originally built as a private residence for the family of Dr. John D. Bellamy, a prominent plantation owner, physician, and businessman, the mansion has endured a remarkable series of events throughout its existence. Corning Foundation Besides his own activity, he sent. More than likely, they resided in small rooms above the carriage house. Interested in buying an historic property in North Carolina? New Bern, owned ten slaves whom he employed in his business. Raleigh, NC 27611-7644
Chesley Calhoun unfortunately died at the young age of twenty-one, while studying at Davidson College.[1]. After their wedding, Bellamy took over Dr. William James Harriss' medical practice in July 1839. 140-141), Opposition to Northern and Black Tradesmen:
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. nother great-grandchild of John D. and Eliza Bellamy, Robert R. Bellamy II, donated money to purchase the lot adjacent the mansion to create parking. In 2006, he participated in the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders at Stanford Universitys Graduate School of Business. [1], After the official end of the war in April 1865, the Federal Government seized southern property, including land, buildings, and homes of Dr. Bellamy. 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. One of them really, escorted the McLauchlin's home safely, they having asked, for protection. Maggie Gregg, Eastern Office Regional Director. Eliza recalled Harriett spit tobacco into the fireplace. NC Humanities Council I recollect well when the seat of the Confederate government. In March 1861 the family prepared to move into their new home on Market Street, and held a housewarming party, as well as the celebration of two cousins' weddings. Learn more to eight hundred heads of cattle, and a like number of sheep, and never killed less than fifteen hundred heads of hogs, per annum, with which he used to feed his slaves in, Brunswick county, Columbus county (turpentine farm, at Grists, now Chadbourne) and the slaves of, He planted, during the War, about two hundred and, fifty acres of wheat, which seemed to thrive in that soil equally, as well as in the wheat growing section of the State. Leslie decided not to return to the classroom but instead pursued her lifelong dream of working at historic sites and museums. 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. Already have a GuideStar Account? 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. 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. Building : Bellamy, John Mansion (Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina) Architect-carpenter: Post, James F., 1818-1899 Contractor: Artis, Elvin, 1820-1886 Architect: Bunnell, Rufus, 1835-1909 Plasterer: Price Family Carpenter: Taylor, Henry, 1823-1891 Plasterer: Gould, William Benjamin, 1837-1923 Carpenter: Howe Family Built: 1859-1860 He read, medicine in the office of the noted physician, Dr. William, James Harris, as was customary in those days for students. Valerie Ann Johnson, Oxford Chairman Dr. Valerie Ann Johnson is the Dean of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities and Professor of Sociology at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. 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. 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. Sarah seemingly retired and by 1866 was living on Red Cross St. with her husband, Aaron Sampson. Upon his death, Dr. Harriss left behind his wife, along with seven children and fourteen enslaved workers who were also living at the household. 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 P.O. Cathleen Turner is the Regional Director of Preservation North Carolinas Piedmont Office based in Durham. In 1996, he was inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Gov. This fence and the garden have been maintained throughout the years and remain on the grounds of the mansion today.[1]. RBC Centura Bank 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. (The Free Negro in North Carolina, pp. This board includes prominent members of the Nashville community who have experience in historic homes, history, community outreach and development. The channeled tin roof allows for quick and effective drainage, and insulation; due to Wilmingtons high heat and humidity levels in the summer months Dr. Bellamy also wanted the large, door-sized windows of the first floor to open all the way, disappearing into the wall. "To advance through research, education and symposia, an increased public awareness of the Cape Fear region's unique history. A Durham native, Myrick attended Brown University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received his Masters degree in city planning and a law degree in 1978. 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. Very few of the skilled occupations were, without some free Negroes, and many came to be looked upon as. Click on the link in that email to get more GuideStar . Only 117 other men in the entire state owned between 100 and 199 enslaved workers out of a slave owning population of almost 35,000, meaning John D. Bellamy was in the upper echelon and of the planter class. Bellamy Mansion Board of Directors L-R: Emma Hendren, Bambi MacRae, Hugh MacRae, Guided audio tour (smartphone required; bring earbuds or headphones for best experience). Two months after moving into the new home, on May 20, 1861, North Carolina officially seceded from the Union. Closed due to the war, the college, was composed of two connected buildings, Parsley, moved his family there in 1861 and occupied the, front house. [1] While studying in South Carolina, she had taken a liking to a nearby home in Columbia that featured a similar design, and so she shared her ideas with Dr. Bellamy and eventually with the draftsman, Rufus W. Bunnell. In fact, Harriett was a first cousin of Harriet Beecher Stowe who wrote the abolitionist work Uncle Toms Cabin. We had quite a large. Each of the small bedrooms on the top floor had vents that traveled up and emptied into the belvedere at the very top of the mansion. focus more time on his large planting and business interests. Since its completion in 1861 it has endured occupation by Union officers during the Civil War, arsonists' attempts to burn it to the ground in 1972, and most recently the ravages of Hurricane Florence. Don Floyd restored all the original light fixtures. It was through this lens that she became familiar with Preservation North Carolina. A verification email has been sent to you. According to John D. Bellamy, Jr. his father told him concerning the home at 5th and Market the "amount of its cost was only one year's profit that he made at Grist." Office: 910-251-3700 Long hair down to their shoulders, not cut since before the war. Post himself was, not known to own any slaves though he employed many. Its mission is saving historic places important to the diverse people of North Carolina. Belmont Mansion is fortunate to have a Board of Directors that help to guide the workings of the home. German merchants, all engaged in blockade-running, shipping cotton to various European ports, and, especially to Constantinople. from skilled free-blacks and slaves for his construction projects. two sons to Virginia one in the army and the other in the navy, and was preparing to send me, another son, in the event the, The diary of a Northern occupation commander mentions that, on Wednesday, February 22, 1865: My troops are put in camp, around the town, and I assume command of the placeand. South Carolina, John Bellamy, the first of the name in Carolina, was an original Grantee of St. Johns Parish, Charles Town . 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. [1], After the devastating fire in March 1972, Bellamy Mansion, Inc. faced a whole new set of challenges regarding the restoration of the home. The house had sustained extensive damage to its plaster work and much of the original wood had been destroyed. (LogOut/ Son John D. Bellamy relates his experience at the end of the war: When Fort Fisher fellthe Federal troops marched to, Wilmington and took possession of the city, and immediately, seized my fathers residence, at Fifth and Market Streets, and, used it for headquarters; first, for Admiral Porter and General, Alfred Terry, the General Schuyler Colfax, and later General. Ellen was 13 years old with four younger brothers growing up in the house. (Don't see an email in your inbox? He later took on Dr. William W. Harriss as a partner in 1846, and retired from medicine about 1850 due to ill-health and to. Rufus Bunnell noted on January 2, 1860, that "Hundreds of (N)egro slaves huddled about the Market House sitting or standing in the keen weather" to renew their contracts.