Keeping the Legacy Alive

What an exciting day of sharing information about family history.  My Saturday started early with the Fort Jackson Landowners Descendants Reunion.  Reggie Seay, a great, great, great, great (not sure how many greats) grandson of James Seay who we believe was the builder of Laurelwood, did a wonderful presentation of the history of Laurelwood.  His presentation included some amazing video which showed the original hand hewn beams that Laurelwood was constructed with are still structurally sound and intact.  They don't build houses like this anymore.  Laurelwood was built to last!

Reggie Seay doing a presentation on Laurelwood

Reggie has also done some extensive research about his family.  I am looking forward to learning more about James Seay and possibly finding the sites of other plantation homes he may have built.  It has been a blessing to get to know the descendants of James & Sarah Seay. I think it's pretty amazing how an old southern plantation is still at work bringing families together, uniting the past with the present.

Photo by Cliff Tucker

 Also on display at the Ft. Jackson Landowners Reuinion was a series of paintings of brother and sister Jasper & Lillie Campbell painted by family member Florence Keels wife of the late Thomas "Buddy" Bailey Keels the grandson of Mary Julia (Campbell)Bailey who was also sister to Jasper Hampton Campbell.  Florence wrote to me after she saw my blog back in July of 2010.  We have been corresponding since then and she has shared with me so much great information about our relatives.  Florence feels about Laurelwood the way I do.  It's a special place that holds lots of memories of love and laughter.  It's hard to explain if you've never felt a certain way about a place but there is something different about this piece of property that when you step onto the grounds you just know you are on an extraordinary piece of the planet!

Paintings done from old photographs by Florence Keels photo by Cliff Tucker

I have to admit one of the highlights of the day was meeting Florence in person.  I already felt as if I knew her because we have been corresponding through email. But it was a delight to actually meet her in person.  She and her son drove down to SC especially for the Landowners Reunion.
To top off an already great day, we were invited out to the country home of my cousin Becky Dunn (Lillie Campbell Dunn's) granddaughter.  Becky and I also connected through Florence and my blog.  We didn't even know each other existed until last year.  Becky invited us out to her home for an evening meal.  When I stepped out of the car at her house I thought I had "died and gone to heaven"!  Gorgeous house, barn, horses, flowers, garden all out in the country.
And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, Florence presented Becky and me with one of the portraits she had painted.  Becky received the one of her Grandmother Lillie Campbell and I received the one of my Grandfather Jasper Hampton Campbell.  Here we are in the photo below with Florence in the middle.  I was beyond thrilled to be the recipient of the painting of my Grandfather.

Florence in the middle presented her paintings to Becky and me.

We had a delightful evening together.  Becky's sister Bobbie and her husband Randy were there also.  Florence and her son Michael (who is an outstanding piano player) were there. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening.  We walked out to an old barn that's over a hundred years old and I just had to show you a picture because it is so beautiful.  Note, this property is not at laurelwood but just wanted to show it because it is incredible.

Florence and her son Michael in front of 100+ year old barn

Close-up of wooden barn with pine beams

Look at the construction of this barn!  Solid as a rock!!!  Does anybody else get as excited as I do with history and seeing these rare treasures?  I love it!  Would you just look at those pine beams and how they fit together to construct this barn.  I think it's quite fascinating.

All in all, it was a wonderful day of learning about our history and developing relationships and keeping the legacy of Laurelwood alive.