A Child of Misfortunes Part Six - Letters Eight and Nine

By TRB

It is hard to imagine the legal authority men had over women until relatively recently. Women did not even have the right to vote until 1920. Rebecca Codwise, however, lived during a time and in a place where women had virtually no rights. Women were denied all property rights. As an example of the crimes committed and attempted against women, there was a man named James Abeel, who lived in New York City and had been a Colonel on Gen. George Washington's staff. During the Revolution, some of his friends had been killed. He was surprised to discover that after the Revolution, property speculators were able to steal the homes right out from under his friend's widows. Angry and frustrated, he and Colonel Henry Rutgers, also of New York City, helped in creating a law awarding all property owned by men killed during the Revolution to their wives. Rebecca did not have any such laws to help her. Danish Law was the law of the island, which was considered, along with St. Johns and St. Thomas to be Danish territory. The Danes even had a Governor (Von Schotten) stationed in the islands, who had been a close friend of John Rogers and was now helping to keep a roof over his daughter Rebecca's head. When her mother died in Denmark, she left the equivalency of $2000 to Rebecca. This amount would have been more than enough to pay off the mortgage on their sugar plantation, Mt. Victory, with money left over. But in a legal sense Rebecca did not own the money left to her. James, her husband, did. James owned everything of hers, even the money and things given to her by other people. And this was the law. It took James more than a year to get back from Denmark. The bankers on St. Croix were aware of Rebecca's financial legacy and were waiting for his return. Inexplicably, when he arrived back, he asked that the bankers lend him enough money to purchase the sugar plantation and refinery Bethlehem, whose ruins can still be viewed today as part of a camp ground on St. Croix. James was busy dreaming about success on St. Croix, which, with the money problems at Mount Victory, had eluded him, while his wife was dreaming of America and her children who were still there.

Table made by a slave on Rebecca's plantation.

Doctor George W. Codwise

Mount Victory, June 8th 1830

My Dearly Beloved Son

It is a very long time since I wrote you, but I have been waiting for your return to New York [he had been on sea duty with the Navy.]as I wrote you by the way of St. Thomas when you Father first went to America [to see their young sons, and attempt to secure loans from relatives] which letter I am afraid you never have received as you have not mentioned any thing of it in either of your letters to me. As I am anxious you should get this, I have enclosed it to our kind

friend Mr. Atterbury whose family feel a sincere regard for our family.

I frequently hear from Mrs A and it is the only way that I get any information of my two poor unfortunate children [her sons, David, 16 and John, 13.

They were now students at a boarding school in NYC.] Mrs. A speaks of your Uncle and Aunt [David and Patty Codwise.] neglecting them and says if she was acquainted with them she would not hesitate in giving them a piece of her mind as they have never seen the boys since they were placed at school. I am sure it is all Mrs. Codwise's doing.

I received the letter you wrote by Lieutenant Linch and the last one dated the15th of April, but regret that I did not see him as they lay off Bassin End for a few hours as the Captain was indisposed. I have now to answer your inquiry in relation to your Father. Out fate is fixed; he has not got the loan [his brother David had refused to give it to him.] and I suppose the next news you hear will be that we are turned off for I expect that as soon as Mr De Forrest [a bank official]comes to the knowledge of this he will sell the Estate. As yet it is a profound secret. I got my letter by the way of England. Governor Von Shorten forwarded it with his. He has been a kind friend to us and seems to feel very much for our family.

I am anxiously expecting your father as he mentioned he should leave Copenhagen [where he went to take possession of her inheritance and clear up some legal

matters regarding the property in St. Croix.]in one of the first spring ships. I do my Dear George beg you to come and see us as soon as possible. Some of our friends think your presence may be of some use. Your sister Agnes wrote you a long letter on that subject about two months since, and

requested your Uncle to keep it until your return as we were in full expectation that you would have been home.

I got a letter from James [her oldest son] a few weeks since wherein he mentioned he was going to be married and also spoke of the negligence of his Uncle and Aunt towards the children. I wish you would make haste and follow his example to the one whom I esteem, [by this she probably meant that she wanted George to complain about the treatment of the boys to his Uncle David] While writing this I received a letter from your dear Father which I send you for your perusal by his request. Though we have not got the loan we have other shelter and a support for the family for fifteen years [this might be a reference to the 18,000 pieces of eight left to her daughter Agnes by her deceased husband, David Burlock, who wrote special instructions into his will to insure that James Codwise could not get his hands on the money]

I am in hopes before the Carlo sails I will be able to announce the arrival of your Father.

All your sisters join with me in love to you, not forgetting your absent father.

Ever believe me to be, your fond and affectionate mother,

R Codwise

My Dear Son

You will find enclosed a few lines from Nancy. It is sometime since anyone has visited the family owing to the scandalous rumors that have been circulated respecting her Sister Louisa, [this might be the woman with whom George had an affair] The family are greatly mortified at this, and those who are formerly on terms of intimacy with them have now ceased to visit, and are recognized by the term false friends.

Most sincerely do we all feel for poor Nancy, and little is she aware how attached we all are to her. None of us have ever supposed she upheld her in her impertinence. The reason I have made this known to you is that from Nancy's letter one might suppose her character had been lightly spoken of.

Your Mother Rebecca Codwise

Dr. George W. Codwise New York

St. Croix September 20 1830

My Beloved Child

I leave you to judge of the pleasure it afforded us when we received your letter dated from Brooklyn for I almost despaired of your ever returnig to New York. I wrote you last by Captain Sands and he promised to forward it to you but I think you may still get it as I am sure that it will be sent to you. In it was enclosed a letter from your dear Father relative of his success in Copenhagen, [he had obtained her inheritance] We have him once more with us but he has not taken possession of his Estate [he had used part of the funds as a down payment on another plantation]as he had no means of supporting the slaves, as everything has been taken of that could be and he thought it best to wait until the crop [at Mt. Victory] commenced; he will write you by this opportunity.

Let me entreat you not to go to sea again, but get a business as soon as possible. Do pay Governor Von Shorten all the attention you can. Call on him frequently as his friendship to your father has been very great. You must also pay some attention to Mr. Oxholm and Dr. Stevens as they are particular friends of his. Try and have some conversation relative to our business as there is a petition on to Copenhagen from Agnes [her oldest daughter] to see if she can get a transfer on the Estate Bethlehem as the King [of Denmark] holds a second mortgage on it, and Mr. DeForest [the banker] is willing to give up his first priority mortgage on Mt. Victory and to take the King's second mortgage and to have nothing more to do with Mount Victory. [This refers to a second property on St. Croix, probably inherited by Rebecca, whose ownership had been in dispute for many years. This matter would not be settled until 1872, long after James and Rebecca's deaths, when DeForest's descendants were obliged to pay Agnes Marie (Codwise) Burlock (their oldest daughter) $2,000 for her share of the disputed property.]

He has already possession of Bethlehem but in case the petition is not granted Mt. Victory will be sold next year by Mr. De Forrest that great enemy of ours. Do see what is to be done with David [Codwise] as he has been in the capacity of a servant [he had helped them with legal and other matters]for some time past and we were waiting for your return before anything should be determined. I suppose you will see Captain Sands and he will be able to give you a full account of us as he spent the Winter here and I hope he was pleased with the visit. Since his return to New York he sent each of the girls a side saddle as a present. He is a most excellent hearted and generous friend. You must try and pay us a visit as I am very anxious to see you. Try and speak to Doctor Stevens and see if he can prevail on the Governor to let you practice here, as I am assured that Dr. Steadman will take you as he has no assistant at present. And the Old Doctor cannot undergo the fatigue that he did sometime ago. I should like you to be in St. Croix when Mr. DeForest is. I dread the sale of Mt. Victory as I have heard your Father say that as soon as he quits it he will not live six months, and I believe it will be the case.

I have the one-half piece of Linen which I gave you, and if you wish me to make it up you must send me a shirt that fits. If not, let me know if I shall send it on. You must remember me to the Atterbury Family when you see them; make the boys write me. I am more than grateful to the Almighty that he has spared your life (while at sea) and sent you back to see after them.

Mrs Atterbury has been the only one that appeared to feel for them in your absence. As to your Uncle David and his Wife, they have never seen or heard of them since they were placed at school. Mrs Atterbury wrote me about their neglect. If you think it best that David [one of the boys, who was having disciplinary problems in boarding school] should leave America and come out, you must let us know as your Father says he will do nothing without your advice.

Remember me to Sister Betsy Codwise and brother Christopher [Codwise] and all my old friends if they should inquire about me. All the Family unite with me in love to you May the Lord bless and preserve you is the earnest prayer of your Mother