Is Miss Kitty Stray Cold?

Many of the friends of Bloomsbury, specifically friends of Miss Kitty Stray, have asked about her and winter. Miss Kitty Stray elects to be an outside cat. With our weather continuing to be cold, with some freezing, we have found a winter plan that she loves.

She spends most of her time on the veranda of Bloomsbury. In fact, on cold days like today, she spends most of her time in her house. She has a good-sized, heated cat house. It is not bothered by guest traffic; it is up off the cold porch; it offers two ways in and out; it does not snow or rain into the house, and, it offers heat when she is in the house. Yes, an automated pad heats the inside when she makes contact with it. And, she keeps her favorite cat blanket inside the house.

Since food and hydration are also essential during really cold weather. She has her own feeding station. She is fed dry food twice a day, and she constantly has fresh water. A tiny pinch of sugar keeps the water from freezing too quickly and it gives her a little energy boost. On really cold days, she gets wet food which is easier to digest in really cold temps.

It is true that she prefers spring weather, but she also loves her heated house.

Quaker Cemetery: Joseph Brevard

In addition to all the things to see and do in Camden while staying at Bloomsbury Inn, we continue to highlight some interesting sites in the Quaker Cemetery.

Joseph Brevard has been described as upright, unostentatious and industrious. Born July 19, 1766, Joseph entered the revolutionary service in 1782 at the age of sixteen. He was commissioned a Lieutenant in the North Caroline line, filling this position until the end of the war. His brother Alexander described him as delicate and small of statue, and felt sorry for him when it came time to mount the guard. Joseph became a secretary to General Arnold who was in command of Philadelphia. It seems that young Joseph had a fine hand at writing. Joseph Brevard had seven brothers, besides himself, who fought in the Revolutionary War. His family performed distinctively or patriotically.

At the end of the war, Joseph settled in Camden, South Carolina. In 1789, he was elected by the Legislature to the position of Sheriff of Camden District. He was only twenty-three and served well in this arduous post in those unsettled times. In 1792, he was admitted to the bar, and on March 17, 1793 he married Rebecca Kershaw.
A successful lawyer, he began in 1793 the compilation of the law reports which bore his name and continued to do so until 1815. In 1801, he was elected a Judge. In 1802, his wife Rebecca passed away. Judge Brevard continued on the bench until 1815 until ill-health caused him to resign.

In the next few years his health improved, and in 1818 he won election to Congress and served one term. In 1821, at the age of fifty-five, Judge Brevard passed away at Camden.

Judge O'Neall made the following statement concerning Congressman Brevard: "In every situation and office of life he did his duty. What more can or ought to be said, unless it be to say that he feared God and kept his commandments, which is declared in the inspired volume to be 'holy duty of man.'"

History-rich is an understatement concerning Camden, South Carolina. As you visit, you will quickly learn from Dr Bruce A. Brown of Bloomsbury that you must visit often and visit soon if you want to learn more.

Quaker Cemetery - Captain Benjamin Carter

Captain Carter lived from 1758 until 1830. A revolutionary war veteran, he lived in Camden for fifty years. He enlisted in 1776 and was considered a gallant soldier of the Revolution. He participated in the Battle of Camden, Brandywine and Germantown. He also spent the winter at Valley Forge.

A great story is told of him concerning the Battle of Camden. According to Judge O'Neall "This old soldier (Captain Carter) said that he commanded a company on the extreme left of Gates line, at the Battle of Gum Swamp (Battle of Camden) and at the first fire all of his men fled. Left alone he went to the Captain next to him, whose men had also abandoned him, and asked what was to be done. He received no satisfactory answer. Whereupon he said to his neighbor: 'I'll be d---d if I am here to be shot down.' He jumped on his pony, which he had fastened in the bushes, left the field, and said: "I suppose I was the first man out of reach of danger.'"
Despite this tongue-in-cheek story told by him of the disaster at the Battle of Camden, Captain Carter was a popular man in Camden. He kept an open hospitable parlor and dining-room for his neighbors where wist and loo (card games) parties were sometimes conducted. While some gambling may have occurred, there was never excess characterized in these meetings nor evil attributed.

Captain Carter was an old bachelor. He was a kind man, with a warmth of heart and yet could be rough and brusque at times as a bachelor could be. Captain Carter passed away on January 20, 1830. His best friend was Benjamin Bynum who died six years after him on July 9, 1836. They are buried side by side with headstones that are duplicates of each other.

Sunday afternoons during the fall season are a great time to visit the cemetery. It is located about 3 miles from Bloomsbury...a very easy drive...some prefer to walk!

Agnes of Glasgow

The oldest grave of fame associated with the Quaker Cemetery is really not in the cemetery proper, but a few hundred yards prior to the entrance. The grave site is that of Agnes of Glasgow. Agnes of Glasgow lived from 1760 to 1780. She was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and followed her lover Lt Angus McPherson, a British Army Officer, about the world. Agnes knew he had been sent to America. She stowed away on a ship in order to reach Charleston, South Carolina, and believed that he was in Camden. Hearing that he was wounded, she searched from town to town and finally arrived in the Camden area. Agnes then became ill and died. Folklore lends that she was buried, under the cover of darkness, in Camden by King Haigler of the Wateree Indian tribe. This story is suspect as King Haigler was slain on 30 August 1763 by the Shawnee tribe, while he was traveling between the Waxhaws Settlement on Cane Creek to a Catawba town on Twelve Mile Creek. His death was 17 years before Agnes arrived in Camden. Nevertheless, it is known that she came here looking for Lt McPherson, died, and l was buried here in Camden. Many believe she walks the Quaker Cemetery at night looking for her lost love. Who knows, when you visit Bloomsbury, you might spend an evening by her grave watching for the truth. Come to Camden, enjoy her history and enjoy a lovely evening at Bloomsbury Inn!!

Quaker Cemetery was established by Quaker settlers around 1750. Samuel Wyly, conveyed four acres of land to the Quakers in 1759. It was conveyed for the rental of "One Pepper Corn Per Year" for 999 years. The purpose of the land was to build their house of worship and to provide a cemetery for the Quaker community. The Cemetery is located about three miles from Bloomsbury. The cemetery has grown from four acres and to approximately 50 acres today. Growth was through deeded property, purchases, and of course, gifts from the community. The cemetery is now maintained by the Quaker Cemetery Association and other citizens who visit local grave sites regularly. Our local cemetery is rich with history from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI, and WWII. Several Quakers are buried there. The cemetery includes seven veterans of the American Revolution, 210 Confederate graves, three medal of honor winners , and three brothers killed in WWII. Many Bloomsbury guests visit the cemetery. In the next series of blogs, I'll be writing about different persons who rest in this wonderful, old cemetery. Come join me!

Quaker Cemetery

Camden, South Carolina and Bloomsbury hosts interesting Civil War history. The Civil War is full of curious facts of how families split over the issues. One example is from the White House itself. Four of President Lincoln's brothers-in-law wore Confederate uniforms. They were Mary's brother George Rogers Clark Todd and her half-brothers Alexander Todd, David Todd, and Samuel Todd. Her brother, Dr. George Rogers Clark Todd (Colonel, CSA) was a surgeon who lived here in Camden, SC. He is quoted as saying that Lincoln was "one of the greatest scoundrels unhung." Dr. Todd is buried in the circle at the end of Quaker Avenue North, Quaker Cemetery, Camden, SC Alexander Todd was killed at Baton Rouge. Samuel Todd was killed in the Battle of Shiloh. David Todd was wounded at Vicksburg and later charged with brutality to Union prisoners in Richmond, VA. One of Mary Todd Lincoln's sisters was married to Ben Hardin Helm, a Confederate General, who was killed at Chickamauga. He had spurned a personal offer of a commission from President Lincoln. Mary's other two sisters were married to Confederate officers. Come visit Bloomsbury, visit Quaker Cemetery, and explore Civil War history!

Who Names Nail Polish

The amazing questions of life never end...who names nail polish? Have you noticed that "red" is now "Friar, friar, pants on fire"? "Pink" is "Hot Tub Toner". "Midnight in Moscow" is not blue. Polish comes in so many colors and by even more names! Do you know the name of the color you are currently wearing?