[Benjamin Franklin Johnston at Columbia, South Carolina, to Louisa Smith Bowen Johnston via Clifton PO, Russell County, Virginia, August 26, 1834, Box 1, John Warfield Johnston Papers, 1778-1890, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University].
A rare letter, of any extant, from Benjamin to his sister-in-law Louisa -- "My Dear Sister"-- focusing on the education of John Warfield Johnston [Jr.], her only son and Benjamin's nephew. Benjamin would be dead in less than three months, just shy of the age of twenty-six.
First, he gives virtually all credit regarding John's education to Edward William Johnston, who was living in Columbia at the time, and not the locale ("the South"). Edward was invested in the Columbia educational and political scene and was active in both. "The conversation he [John] has heard at Edward's & the books he has read under Edward's direction have done much more for him than any help of mine."
Benjamin notes that he himself stayed at "Cousin William's" (probably referring to William Campbell Preston) "until a short time before the commencement of the Spring Circuit. . ."
Nonetheless, he recommends that John next stay with him at Edward's rather than attend school in Abingdon, Virginia, under the tutelage of Mr. McVicker.
". . . unless the taste [for various types of literature, etc.] be. . . cultivated & habits of study be then found little will be done in after years . . ."
He doubts any family then in Abingdon will have a suitable variety of books to draw from. "Father's was the only family, of habits at all literary, in that whole county [Washington County, Virginia] -- it is now so scattered that Beverly remains alone . . ."
Too: "Here he can learn much from conversation -- there nothing . . . Even the journey here and back will learn him something . . ."
Edward "is better fitted than any . . . I know to attend to the education of a youth."
Finally, he sends his best to her father's family, "& to Rees & Joe when you see them next."
[Benjamin Franklin Johnston (1808-1834) graduated from South Carolina College in 1830 with an A.B.; apparently he was a lawyer or law clerk at the time of this letter.
Louisa Smith Bowen Johnston (1800-1873)
John Warfield Johnston [Jr.] (1818-1889) would turn sixteen on September 9, 1834. He later became a U.S. Senator from Virginia.
Edward William Johnston (1799-1867), married to Estelle, Marie Antoinette Estelle Costar (De Cressac Villagrand) (ca. 1802-1848); Algernon Sidney Johnston (1801-1852), brother of both Edward and Benjamin, was also active in Columbia at the time
Father = Peter Johnston, Jr. (1763-1831), married to Mary Valentine Wood (1769-1825)
William Campbell Preston (1794-1860), U.S. Congressman and Senator from South Carolina, President of South Carolina College
Beverly = Beverly Randolph Johnston (1803-1876), another of Benjamin's brothers
Rees = Rees Tate Bowen (1809-1879), Louisa's brother
Joe = probably yet another brother of Benjamin's, Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891)]
For their help and assistance, many thanks to the staff of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. For more information about the John Warfield Johnston Papers, here's a link to the guide.
A rare letter, of any extant, from Benjamin to his sister-in-law Louisa -- "My Dear Sister"-- focusing on the education of John Warfield Johnston [Jr.], her only son and Benjamin's nephew. Benjamin would be dead in less than three months, just shy of the age of twenty-six.
First, he gives virtually all credit regarding John's education to Edward William Johnston, who was living in Columbia at the time, and not the locale ("the South"). Edward was invested in the Columbia educational and political scene and was active in both. "The conversation he [John] has heard at Edward's & the books he has read under Edward's direction have done much more for him than any help of mine."
Benjamin notes that he himself stayed at "Cousin William's" (probably referring to William Campbell Preston) "until a short time before the commencement of the Spring Circuit. . ."
Nonetheless, he recommends that John next stay with him at Edward's rather than attend school in Abingdon, Virginia, under the tutelage of Mr. McVicker.
". . . unless the taste [for various types of literature, etc.] be. . . cultivated & habits of study be then found little will be done in after years . . ."
He doubts any family then in Abingdon will have a suitable variety of books to draw from. "Father's was the only family, of habits at all literary, in that whole county [Washington County, Virginia] -- it is now so scattered that Beverly remains alone . . ."
Too: "Here he can learn much from conversation -- there nothing . . . Even the journey here and back will learn him something . . ."
Edward "is better fitted than any . . . I know to attend to the education of a youth."
Finally, he sends his best to her father's family, "& to Rees & Joe when you see them next."
[Benjamin Franklin Johnston (1808-1834) graduated from South Carolina College in 1830 with an A.B.; apparently he was a lawyer or law clerk at the time of this letter.
Louisa Smith Bowen Johnston (1800-1873)
John Warfield Johnston [Jr.] (1818-1889) would turn sixteen on September 9, 1834. He later became a U.S. Senator from Virginia.
Edward William Johnston (1799-1867), married to Estelle, Marie Antoinette Estelle Costar (De Cressac Villagrand) (ca. 1802-1848); Algernon Sidney Johnston (1801-1852), brother of both Edward and Benjamin, was also active in Columbia at the time
Father = Peter Johnston, Jr. (1763-1831), married to Mary Valentine Wood (1769-1825)
William Campbell Preston (1794-1860), U.S. Congressman and Senator from South Carolina, President of South Carolina College
Beverly = Beverly Randolph Johnston (1803-1876), another of Benjamin's brothers
Rees = Rees Tate Bowen (1809-1879), Louisa's brother
Joe = probably yet another brother of Benjamin's, Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891)]
For their help and assistance, many thanks to the staff of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. For more information about the John Warfield Johnston Papers, here's a link to the guide.
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