Saturday, April 24, 2010

Male Children and their Importance


Mary Boykin Chesnut never had a child. This was probably one of her greatest disappointments. James Chesnut, Sr. had two sons of his thirteen children, who lived to adulthood. John was the eldest of the children and James, Jr. the youngest. James Chesnut Sr. would never know that the Chesnut name would discontinue in Camden after the death of James, Jr. in 1885. James Chesnut, Sr. knew that upon his death his son, James, Jr., would inherit Mulberry Plantation. Upon James Jr’s death, the property would go to James Sr's grandson Johnny Chesnut, son of John Chesnut. Unfortunately, Johnny died in 1868 at the age of 31. Thus, the property remaining in the family, lost the name of Chesnut.

How important was the bearing of male children? In Catherine Clinton’s book The Plantation Mistress, she discusses the disappointment of not having a male child:
“Their disappointment can be rationalized. Southerners without sons were faced with genealogical extinction. Only sons would continue family traditions and carry on the family name. But this preference for male offspring went deeper than genealogy and inheritance; it was part of a larger ideological framework that proclaimed men superior and women inferior. As the South expanded its hierarchical social system, gender roles became even more rigid. The function of the dynasty was to merge social and political systems within an economic unit: the family. Wealth, power, and status derived from this source. The family was not merely a mirror or microcosm of society, but an instrument; the home provided a training ground for the culture as a whole, and the favored status of males was generated as well as reinforced by domestic roles. Whatever indulgence a daughter might receive from her parents, she was never granted complete freedom of choice; her options were severely curtailed by her gender" (p. 46).

In this quote we see two important points. The first point was that male sons were tremendously important. And second, those males were given favored status.

Besides Mary Boykin Chesnut's personal disappointment, she also had to bear the implication of not providing that "all important" male heir that her father-in-law desired. It is no wonder that childbearing was such a strong influence in her life.


by Bruce A. Brown

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

A Saint

Mary Boykin Chesnut…who was she really? I have found that in my discussions with an author, history buffs, and family that there are many views. A popular one is that she was an abolitionist and feminist before her time. The theory comes from her comments in her diaries. She ridicules the institution of slavery and displays her frustration in the role of southern belle that she has been thrust in.

I believe that Mary was highly intelligent, strong willed, and could wield her pen like a sword. She loved the life of the big city. She basked in the light of Washington, Charleston, and Richmond. With these cities came a social life that she would never experience again after the Civil War.

She loathed the role of women in the ante-bellum south…to always be supportive, submissive, graceful, and content to live in their husband’s shadow. She detested the institution of slavery, not because it trampled the natural rights of mankind to be free. Instead, she despised slavery because of the sexual abuse exercised by some white male plantation owners, the need for constant discipline to get the job done, and the cost of supporting large slave communities. She believed that for every slave worker there were two others either too old or to young to work.

Yet, she never turned away the benefits of slavery or the role of women in society. Never did she release a slave or refuse the attention of slaves in her everyday living. She never publicly advocated the abolition of this horrific institution and only in a letter to her husband did she vent her frustration. Of course, this letter has not been found to support her statement.

Mary loved the social life and attention given to females. The benefits of being treated like a lady from courtesies granted her sex to the acceptance of moods and statements made by a woman because of her gender. While the previous statement reeks of male chauvinism, there can be some perceived benefits to being put on a pedestal.

Mary Boykin Chesnut was special. Special because she put to paper what many other women felt in the ante-bellum south. Her observations provide us a view of her world in a turbulent time with a candor rarely exhibited.

General James Chesnut, Jr. must have been a saint. by Bruce A. Brown

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Baked Sweet Onions


Katherine Brown, right, shares her Baked Onion recipe with Ben and Pam Schriener, Bob Vaughan and Joy Clausen, after shopping at the Kershaw County Farmers' Market.




Baked Sweet Onions




(of course, you must begin with fresh, sweet onions from the Farmers' Market)


Clean, slice onions, 1/4 inch thick


Spray a glass baking dish with olive oil


Single layer the onions in the dish


Salt/Pepper to taste


Drizzle with 1/4 cup half and half, just enough to keep onions from sticking and to retain moisture


Bake 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes


Serve hot as a side dish. Chill any left overs, and serve them on a fresh garden salad tomorrow for lunch. Enjoy!