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From this point, we have no correspondence until March 31 and April 4, 1858. In the first of these, Samuel, still at Clifton, wrote to Rachel; the second is a similar letter to his brother, Andrew Jackson III. Both letters reflect the gravity of some very bad news, telling of ?the entire destruction of the dwelling on the Russ Place.?
Samuel narrated that their father ?had engaged some workmen to make some repairs and for the entire house to be painted.? One night, after the carpenters had finished and the painters would have completed their work the next day, a fire spread through the house and the workmen barely escaped with their lives.
Samuel made clear in his letters that the parents had planned to take up residence at the Russ Place. He wrote, ?I had placed old uncle Ben and Creasy 0 up there to take care of the place and have a garden by the time Ma and Pa came down.? His regret was deepened by the realization that ?it looked so fresh and pretty and Ma I knew would like it so much better as the parlour and dining room was made considerable larger.?
In the letter to his sister, Samuel at one point seems to confess to being in the depths of depression, saying, ?I will try and cast all in to forgetfulness and try and [illegible] to disperse the dark and threatening cloud that seems to o?er hand our fortune, all my labor last year proved fruitless.?
But then, pivoting in the extreme, Samuel became positive: ?I will not look on the dark side of the book of fortune, but will buckle on my armor and battle my way through this broad Universe [illegible] and clear away all imposing obstacles.? He concluded his letter by telling Rachel of the ripe strawberries that he had recently eaten, and his Irish potatoes, radishes, lettuce and peas.
Within a few days of Samuel?s letters, his father wrote two very poignant letters to his wife, Sarah. Both list New Orleans in the dateline. In the first, Andrew Jr. stated, ?Our beautiful Little Residence there is all burned down and now lies in ashes....? Evidently very distraught, he asked repeatedly, ?What shall become of us?? and ?What shall we do?? along with the exclamations, ?Alass, alass, alass.?
In Andrew Jr.?s second letter, after expressing similar thoughts of dejection, he too turned positive: ?I shall go to Clifton -- & do the best I can - I intend to put Ned and Phill - with a good carpenter - Mr. Johnson - and rebuild - this summer and hope by the Smiles of Providence - to have all ready for us by the fall....?
While there is little detail about construction in the subsequent letters, it is apparent that Andrew Jr. was optimistic about the date of completion. In a letter dated December 1, 1858, Samuel mentioned to his mother that the new building was progressing.
By February of 1859, Sarah had returned to Clifton and wrote to son Andrew III that ?our house is not near finished. Your Pa thinks it will be completed in one month, but I think there will not be sufficient time in three months....? She went on to say that she liked the building very much.
Sea Song Plantation
In a letter dated July 27, 1859, Sarah mentioned to daughter Rachel that they are very comfortable in the new home. She wrote of fruit, shrimp and alligators, of the ?city folks? and ?old residents [who] live like nabobs.? She described ?two good dairies built under the house, which I shall find a great convenience. They are airtight, and I think will be cool.?
Before closing the unusually long letter, Sarah mused about a name for the house: ?You perceive we have yet found no name for our place. We cannot all be pleased with the same one. I proposed as yours was bird song our should be sea song, but Samuel did not like it - Pa says Ocean Wild, Samuel Ocean View, I Idle Hall with many more I wish some of you could settle it for us
A year later, Sarah again wrote to Rachel. This letter is datelined ?Sea Song, July 16, 1860.? She described bathing from the 600-foot long pier that Pa had built, telling of the white caps and the large bath house. As she reported that ?John has just returned from the Bay with your sweet letter,? it is evident that mail service was now from ?the Bay,? rather than Gainesville, as it was for Samuel at Clifton.
Courthouse Documentation
There is documentation in the early deed books of the Hancock County courthouse. Not only do the records pinpoint the exact location of the Jackson property, but they also make clear a fundamental change in the family and their residence. This is found partly in an 1861 deed involving ?the late residence of the said
http://www.hancockcountyhistoricalsociety.com/history/seasong.htm
4/2/2009