Child of Misfortunes - Part Ten - Letters and other odds and ends

The Codwise letters were found among literally thousands of letters that various branches of the family had saved over a 300-year period. Rebecca Codwise's letters were folded into another piece of rag paper. I read them one afternoon. There were only a dozen of them with other scraps of writing. But from the beginning we realized they were special. Collections of letters from any woman are extremely rare prior to 1830, especially from a woman who was married in the 1700s and still wrote in the "old stile." So at first their content was not really examined closely: that they existed at all was fascinating enough. Or so we thought. Then the process of transcribing the letters began. First, we learned that Rebecca was Rebecca Rogers, daughter of sugar king John Rogers, who owned the largest sugar warehouse in New Yory City. He kept if full with the harvests of seven or eight sugar plantations he owned on the island of St. Croix. Rebecca grew up on St. Croix. Her father was in the business of the Triangle Trade, owning and often selling and buying slaves to work on his plantations. Rebecca was an abolitionist but kept that secret to herself until later in life.

She was married to James Codwise in 1797 and sailed to New York City for the wedding. James was from a wealthy New York City family, but had been a failure at everything he had ever attempted. Of course neither Rebecca or her father knew at that time. By marrying Rebecca, James Codwise came into possession of at least one of her father's sugar plantations, a significant amount of money and a sea worthy boat. An alcoholic and a degenerate gambler he spent all the money, sold the boat and mortgaged the plantation Mt. Victory to the hilt. One of Rebecca's grandmother's in Denmark was royalty and left a significant inheritance to her. By this time, Rebecca had shipped her children - she had eight of them - off to America to live with friends sbecause she did not have the means to take care of them on St. Croix and believed they would have a better chance if she sent them off. Her husband had spent everything and now was in trouble with the banks. Hearing of her inheritance (Which by law was his inheritance, because women couldn't own anything and she was his wife) he sailed to Denmark leaving Rebecca alone on the island, during the slave rebellion, hurricanes, with her ill health. He returned a year later having spent most of the inheritance along the way and using the rest to pay to bank on St. Croix.

No money. Rebecca had waited patiently for his return thinking some of the money could be used to sail to New York City, to be with her children, to purchase a house and settle far from the evils of slavery surrounding her on St. Croix. That was her last chance to start a new life, which went downhill from there. She died on St. Croix in the mid 1800s alone in a large manor house on the plantation. It had been years since she had spoken to her husband, James. Her communication to him was always through a third party. She saw two of her children off and on in her final years, but she never got her family back together. James Codwise out-lived her for more than a decade. They are bother buried on St.Croix

The letters, fragments of letters and some of Rebecca's cook book appearing in this chapter are from people in Rebecca's life. David Codwise, the Chief of Judges in NYC and the brother of James writes a letter to his niece who has just lost her young husband. A Mr. McBean writes to George Codwise before he sails off to medical school at Harvard, offering him a bottle of whiskey and some food for the trip. An abolitionist minister from New England writes an abolitionist poem for Rebecca Codwise. Rebecca writes about how to handle first aid situations and compiles a small cook book. The wayward father James writes to his son in New York City telling him how sorry he feels for himself and refusing a loan from his brother. Cornelia Codwise writes a first-hand account of a tidal wave that nearly destroyed the island.

Rebecca Codwise and the people who loved her or harmed her are, of course, from another era. Rebecca herself lived the life of a woman with no rights, but managed to get her point across when she needed to. She was as she described herself "a child of misfortunes," but she was many other things too, She was strong. She was brave, insisting her children go to America where they had a better chance at everything including schooling. Giving birth to eight children. Watching as one of her daughters died of a mere flu. Suffering with a variety of illnesses and complaining about it - but surviving. A lot of people depended on Rebecca and she never let any of them down. Using her many letters to New York City and those returned to the island, she could tell you how well her son was doing in Math a world away from the island. She would find out if her daughter had a cold, and send a home-made remedy by the next available boat. She always described herself as a "child of misfortunes,"but she was also, and perhaps more important, a woman of great strength. - TRB

David Codwise c. 1789

AT Right David Codwise c. 1818 the earlier picture (above) is c.1789

SOME OTHER CODWISE FAMILY LETTERS

[Excerpts from a letter to Agnes Marie Burlock from her Uncle David Codwise dated Jan. 6,1823. Agnes Marie had recently returned from New York to her parent's home In St. Croix with her two children Mary Rebecca and David following the death of her husband, David Burlock.]

"How shall I afford you consolation my dear Agnes, my almost daughter, under your severe bereavement. . . you must not allow yourself to sink beneath the pressure of this affliction.

God has need of you; he has interesting and important duties for you to perform. He has taken away your husband, the partner of your bosom, but he has left you two lovely children, memorials of the deceased who look up to you to protect their helpless infancy, to rear them up and form their tender minds.

"How frail and uncertain is life, and therefore, how awfully important it is that we should be continually prepared to render up our great account. There is no repentance in the grave - the moment we die our doom is fixed forever - the irreversible seal is stamped upon our characters, which gives us a passport to the joys of Heaven or consigns us to the pains of Hell. Lay this to your heart my dear child, and may you in the loss of your dear husband find that life is eternal. It is the fervent prayer of your affectionate Uncle .. .

"In laying your plans for your future life calculate on this as certain - that mine and your Aunt Patty's home and hearth will be ever ready to receive you and your little ones ... Need I add my dear Agnes how happy your Aunt and myself would be if it should enter into your arrangements to return to America..."

[She did return to New York City in 1829 with her daughter Mary Rebecca (young David had died of a childhood disease several years before). For nearly a decade, they lived with David and Patty Codwise, who were childless. During this time, Mary Rebecca met Nicholas Williamson, a family friend and business associate of David's, and they were married in 1838.]

[The following is a letter dated July 5,1827 from William McBean to Dr. George W. Codwise who had returned home to St. Croix after completing his medical studies in the States, and was once again preparing to leave the island, this time for a career in the U. S. Navy, and for good. McBean owned a plantation several miles from Mt. Victory, called "Prosperity".

He is also mentioned in a letter Rebecca writes to George several years later, telling him that a significant portion of McBean's plantation has been destroyed in a hurricane.]:

"My Dear Sir I send you herewith a half dozen bottles of "Old Shub" [a whiskey], some bananas, and fruits, and knowing that your Father has no sheep on Mt. Victory, I take the liberty to add a mutton for your sea stores [to eat during his return journey to the States], of which I trust you will do me the favor to accept. "Although I have had but little of your personal acquaintance during your very short stay amongst us, it has been quite enough to make me wish for more of it, and though we are about to part for a time, at least, I flatter myself with the pleasing hopes of being some times remembered by you with kindness. "Should I not have the pleasure of seeing you in Town tomorrow previous to your departure,

I beg to bid you farewell in this manner... I pray God to inspire you with sufficient fortitude to enable you to go through the severe task of parting with your Mother and Sisters."

[Excerpts from an anti-slavery poem written for Rebecca Rogers Codwise in 1832 by M. Warren, who was an abolitionist writer visiting Mt. Victory. Rebecca kept a notebook of 100 or so pages in which she asked her guests to write their favorite poetry. In sending her this poem, M. Warren was simply complying - belatedly - with her request. The subject of the verse is curious, however, since the Codwise family owned slaves, and suggest strongly that Rebecca shared in Mr. Warren’s abolitionist views – otherwise, under the circumstances, it is unlikely that a “gentleman” would write this to a lady. ]

"He sighs for the land where no Slavery reigns

Where to poor and unlearned Instruction is given

Where to all its "glad tidings" the Gospel proclaims

And guides the poor wanderer to duty and Heaven.

0 come that blest day when over this lovely isle

The heralds of Peace shall their banners display

When peaceful and holy the Sabbath shall smile

And Slavery and Darkness flee forever away."

[Excerpts from a letter to Dr. George W. Codwise in New York from his father James in St. Croix dated Oct. 22,1843. George had requested that his parents send his teenaged sister to New York to help him keep house.]

"... it will not be possible for her to come on until the Spring. Remember my Dear Son this is your most inclement season. It was just at this date I left here, you remember, in 1840 and had to cross and recross the Gulf seven times. And came in wretched and nearly lost, without provisions and nearly three feet of water in the hold. I shall never forget the month of November in the Gulf Stream..."

[And this, from the same letter, about the family's financial situation]:

"It is a long time since I have written you owing to the manifold misfortunes of myself and family, with the almost daily multiplied embarrassments I meet with; having nothing for the last twenty years but tales of woe to harrow up my Soul - to write that I had almost made up my mind to cease the knell of lamentation forever. . .

[In the letter below dated Dec. 16,1867, Cornelia Codwise of St. Croix described to her sister, Agnes Marie in New Brunswick, NJ, the destructive effects of an earthquake and tidal wave that occurred in St. Croix November 18,1867. Recently, she wrote, there had also been a hurricane that missed St. Croix, but caused considerable damage to the island of St. Thomas nearby.]:

". . . to answer your affectionate letter, the gale you speak of was not felt on St. Croix. Mr. Landerburg [her son-in-law who lived on St. Thomas] and family are all well, but he sustained a loss of over $7,000 on their estate. Every thing, with the exception of their dwelling house was leveled. The sea came in his store ... and most of the vessels sunk in St. Thomas's harbor... St. Croix has not been without her share of troubles and a visitation from our Heavenly Father... four weeks since we had a most terrific shock of Earthquake.

It lasted three seconds, and then followed the rising of the Sea upwards of 80 feet. And it broke in the town, and came up two streets above the Market. "It happened at ten minutes past two in the afternoon.

Had it happened at night hundreds would have been drowned. Several, however, were lost, and there is not a small house standing. On Bay Street, the large houses, many of them cracked, some the steps broken away, their pillars broken from under the galleries ... all the stores, the Sea rushed in and destroyed their goods, provisions and lumber. The vessels came into the town . . a brig and a sloop up to Fort Gardner, the American steamship Monongohila in front of Mr. Hill's and Robinson's store, her broadside to the Town.

We all rushed out and fled to the Moravian and Danish Church halls. "I was up on the hill over two hours not a hat on my head and only a pair of slippers on my feet. But my God daughter Elmira Warm gave me shelter for 10 days. I never saw my house for five days, and living that time never changed my clothes night or day. Even though her house was on a hill, we had to abandon it and go in a tent opposite it for two days ... the shocks were almost without abating ... the longest interval between them was one-half an hour, but most of the time 10,15, or 20 minutes. "Sister I have a house, but no home; I cannot feel safe in it.

Being so high, I occupy the upper storey, having rented out the lower quarters [She was still living at Mt. Victory, and having to parcel out the rooms to renters in order to make ends meet.].

We have already had 37 shocks. When it will end, God only knows - perhaps these may be the last lines ever traced by me. All the churches and schoolhouses are badly wrecked, and the Ministers hold services under the trees in the church and school yards ... Mr. Hill and Walker.... their loss has been over $10,000. The Sea rushed in their store and carried all away that it could, and what it did not carry was damaged. We have had another shock of Earthquake. Four up to the present. I am now sitting on my steps writing, ready to run down when a shock comes. What a dreadful state to live in. Pray for us, my Sister, that our Heavenly Father, in His wrath, which we justly deserve, may spare us . . .

" Excerpts from a book of "RECIPES AND HOME REMEDIES FOR HOUSEKEEPING"

written in the hand of Rebecca Codwise:

To polish stoves - Mix powder of black lead with a little alcohol, rub it in the stove with a piece of linen rag. Then take a wire brush, dip it in some of the dry black powder, and rub it to a beautiful brightness.

Cheap Paint for House or Fence - Fresh milk - two quarts, fresh slacked lime - eight ounces, linseed oil - six ounces, white burgundy pitch - two ounces, Spanish white - three pounds. Sufficient for 27 yards, two coats.

For Skin Eruptions - Mix oatmeal with vinegar to a paste. Rub into parts affected at night. In the morning wash off.

Cure for Corns - White pine turpentine mixed with plaster and spread on corns 'till they come off.

For Bone Pains - Use hot potato water; dip flannel cloth in, apply hot as possible.

For Warts - Oil of cinnamon rubbed in and kept on all day will make them disappear.

For Sprains - Use the white of an egg and salt mixed to a thick paste; rub well the affected parts.

Molasses Cake - One pound of butter, three cups of sugar, three cups of molasses, three cups of flour, four eggs beaten light, one cup of milk with a teaspoon of soda, two tablespoonfuls of ginger, one tablespoon of cloves, one tablespoon of cinnamon. Indian Pudding - Ten tablespoons of Indian meal, one quart of milk, the milk to be boiled and poured by degrees on the meal, and stirred well, half a tablespoon of ginger, a tea cup of molasses.

Currant Marmalades - Two and one-half pounds of sugar, two and one-half pounds of currants, two oranges, all but seeds, one pound of raisins stoned and chopped. Boil 'till thick, and jar while hot.

Wine Jelly - To one box of gelatin put three pints of boiling water, stir it until it is well dissolved, add a pint of white sugar when it is a little cool, stir in a pint of wine and the juice of one lemon, Stir it through a common hair sieve and set it to cool in warm weather.

Washington Cake - One cup of sugar, two cups of milk, two cups of flour, one table spoon of butter, a small teaspoon of soda, two cups of cream tartar, two eggs split through the middle and spread with Jelly.

Butterscotch Candy - Three tablespoons of molasses, three tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons of water, one tablespoon of soda, one tablespoon of butter. Boil without stirring until it hardens in the water. Remove from fire and pour into buttered tin and cut in squares