Louise "Biddy" Hammett's Book

Walter F. McClure Family McClure Family 1923 Jeanne McClure Sanders with son

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Louise “Biddy” Hammett’s Book

UDC

Virginia Sanders Mylius

<gmylius@charter.net> ·
Birmingham, AL

Complete notes and sources available upon request.

Mrs. Louise “Biddy” Hammett’s book about Carrie Fall Benson has recently been released, and it’s a marvel! Over 500 pages, and a true work of love; an incredible book full of history and Southern relationships, and humor. Congratulations, Biddy!

Here is a current write-up about the book:

"I Must Sing! The Era with Carrie Fall published by LaGrange College, was launched by the College and Troup County Historical Society & Archives at an event May 4, honoring the author Louise "Biddy" Barfield Hammett of Columbus, Ga.

The book is a biographical history of LaGrange native, Carrie Fall Benson (1891-1949), whose father and grandfather Benson were Montgomery merchants, in the old Exchange Hotel building, during the latter part of the 19th Century. Her parents spent their early marriage at Decatur.

Eustace Conway Benson, of Montgomery, went to Decatur, in 1887, immediately following his marriage to Lucie Fauntleroy Todd of LaGrange, and opened Benson's Haberdashery. Lucie Fauntleroy Todd Benson, was a descendant of Alfred the Great, “University Wit” Robert Greene, William Lovelace, and Rev. Gen. Nathanael (the way he spelled his name) Greene.

Carrie Fall Benson was a playwright, poet, and short story writer. She became the first librarian at LaGrange College in 1922. (According to the Library of Congress, LaGrange College, founded in 1931, is the 3rd oldest women's college in the United States, the oldest being Salem College in North Carolina and Lindenwood in Missouri, respectively.)

During her life, Carrie Fall Benson won every award and acclamation offered to women literary writers, except being a poet laureate and winning a Pulitzer, yet she may have inspired a winner of one of those. She was widely published from Texas, North Carolina, in New York, and Chicago, and in every poetry publication of her day, as well as the Atlantic Review and others. Her work is in several volumes of the Sidney Lanier Memorials.

Because the body of work by Carrie Fall Benson was long believe to have been burned, very little was heard about her, after her death in 1949. In the late 1980s, Biddy Hammett was fortunate in finding a four drawer filing cabinet, filled with her original manuscripts, in the basement of the LaGrange College Library.

Work on her book has been ongoing for 20 years. LaGrange College supported the publication of the text that provides Miss Benson's own history of the college (the only known written history of the school) as well as the only history of the old Baptist College at LaGrange that became defunct in 1917.) In addition, a general synopsis of early education in the region is included in the text, with a summary of Southern literary writers, where Carrie Fall Benson is placed among the earliest women writers in the genre of realism.

What Yankee troops, under General Wilson and Col. Oscar LaGrange did in Alabama and Georgia is expanded in the text, with several of Benson's relatives being important in the Confederate Congress. Her great-grandfather's sister married Clement Clay. There is much other historical information related to Georgia, Alabama history, and history of the South, along with elements of national history. Tombstones and other documentation show Carrie Fall Benson's Palmer Gr- gr- grandparents were friends of Georgia Washington.. Washington actually named her gr gr mother Mildred Washington Palmer, for his little sister, who had died. There is a history, of Eufaula, Alabama's colorful early cotton broker, William Flewellen Robinson, whose son established Robinson-Humphrey Brokerage and whose grandson brought American Express into the company, that brings that family into view for modern readers.

Decatur, Alabama of the late 1880s is introduced, with a chapter entitled, "The Bensons of Decatur, Alabama:" Dr. Foster Benson (wf Susan Seay, also Benson's relative), the 5,000 acres purchased by Major E. C. Gordon that surrounded Decatur, plank sidewalks, the McCartney Hotel, railroad development, river boat traffic, with the river boat captain, J. M. Todd (her relative), being then a five time major of the fast growing town.

Perhaps, the most important thing in the text are the Appendixes that provide a large amount of Benson's writing. She was one of the earliest writers of realism in the United States, beginning when she was the age of sixteen. A manuscript, The Pen of Carrie Fall Benson, containing the body of her work will hopefully be forthcoming.

The entire text further presents a history of the southeastern region, including, Muscogee Creek Indian history, DeFuniak Springs and Mariana, Florida, during the Florida Boom. Much about the development of folk drama that developed in North Carolina correlates with education in the South, the development of American literature, and historical personalities, who created the South as it is known today. Also railroad development from Pine Mountain, Columbus, to Florida and other Alabama railroads are seen with the Benson merchants of Montgomery and Decatur, Alabama.

I Must Sing! The Era with Carrie Fall Benson has an introduction by Dr. Stuart Gulley, President of LaGrange College. The academic editor was former head of Columbus State University History Department, Dr. Hugh I Rodgers. There are 416 pages of text; 37 pages of end notes, 65 pages with appendixes; a 6 page bibliography, and a 29 page comprehensive index.

The book may be purchased online or by telephone, using a credit card, [(706) 880-8215] from LaGrange College Bookstore @ $29.95, plus shipping."

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Henry Waring Todd married into the (our) Watkins family. And Carrie Fall Benson was a friend of Ruth Hopkins, who is mentioned in the book.

1. Henry W. TODD (b.15 Aug 1779-Virginia d.21 Jul 1816)
sp: Ann Waring HALL (m.3 Sep 1804)
|-2. John Hall TODD (b.21 Aug 1805 d.By Jan 1845)
| sp: Elizabeth KING (m.17 Feb 1827)
| |-3. William Henry TODD (b.Abt 1829-Georgia d.Apr 1901)
| | sp: Sarah C. GREENE (b.Abt 1839)
| | |-4. Mildred Mary TODD (b.Abt 1859)
| | |-4. John H. TODD of Dalton, GA (b.Abt 1862)
| | |-4. Lucie Fauntleroy TODD (b.Apr 1864)
| | | sp: Eustace C. BENSON
| | | |-5. Carrie Fall BENSON (b.16 Dec 1891-)
| | | sp: Glover B. HOOD
| | +-4. Dr. Peyton H. TODD (b.Abt 1870 d.28 Mar 1986-DeKalb County,GA)
| |    sp: Lillian Cannon CLARK (b.13 May 1873-Rome,Floyd Co,GA d.16 Jun 1918)
| |     +-5. Peyton TODD (b.6 Jul 1907 d.Mar 1986-Atlanta,Fulton County,GA)
|-2. Henry Waring (Jr.) TODD of Chambers Co., AL (b.1813-Greene County,GA d.28 Feb 1871)
| sp: Emily Elizabeth WATKINS (b.1818-Greene County,GA m.20 Oct 1835 d.26 Dec 1887-Atlanta,Fulton County,GA)
| |-3. Capt. George Fauntleroy TODD C.S.A. (b.20 Sep 1839-Georgia d.15 Jul 1862-Battle of Seven Pines)
| |-3. Lucy Watkins TODD (b.Mar 1841-Alabama d.Prior To 1900)
| | sp: Judge Sampson W. (II) HARRIS (b.Mar 1838 m.1866 d.31 May 1912-Carrollton,GA)
| | |-4. Dr. Henry Fauntleroy HARRIS (b.Abt 1867)
| | |-4. Sampson Watkins HARRIS (b.Jan 1871)
| | |-4. Dr. Stephen Thomas HARRIS (b.Abt 1873)
| | | sp: Carolyn Fort HAYGOOD (m.15 Aug 1901)
| | | |-5. Lucy Elizabeth HARRIS (b.22 Feb 1904-Valdosta,GA)
| | | |-5. Carolyn Haygood HARRIS
| | | |-5. Sampson Watkins (died a child) 2nd of the name HARRIS (b.24 Jun 1908 d.21 Mar 1910)
| | | |-5. Stevens Thomas HARRIS
| | | +-5. Mary HARRIS
| | |-4. Isabella Willis HARRIS (b.Abt 1875)
| | |-4. Emily Pauline HARRIS (b.Jul 1878)
| | +-4. Lucy Buchanan Watkins HARRIS (b.Apr 1880-Carroll County,GA)
| |-3. Henry Waring (III)   (died a baby) TODD (b.1842 d.1842)
| |-3. Mary Caitlin (died a baby) TODD (b.1845 d.1845)
| +-3. Dr. James Scott TODD (b.16 Feb 1847-Alabama d.10 Apr 1914-Atlanta,GA)
|    sp: Julia Heard BEALL (b.27 Jul 1850 m.2 Jun 1875 d.13 Apr 1902-Atlanta,Fulton County,GA)
|     |-4. Emily Louise TODD (b.1 May 1876)
|     | sp: Earl Dennison (Jr.) THOMAS of Havanna, Cuba (m.23 Oct 1907)
|     | sp: Dr. Samuel Stuart WALLACE (b.Georgia m.21 Dec 1911)
|     |-4. James Scott (Jr.) TODD (b.5 May 1879-Atlanta,Fulton County,GA)
|     | sp: Elsie C. NYSE (b.13 Oct 1884-Reading,PA)
|     | +-5. J. Scott, (III?) TODD
|     |-4. Capt. Henry Waring (2nd) TODD (b.23 May 1885-Atlanta,Fulton County,GA d.15 Jun 1944)
|     | sp: Margaret Winn YANCEY (b.15 Jun 1888-Waco,TX m.4 Feb 1911)
|     | +-5. Julia Beall TODD (b.28 Feb 1919-Boston,MA)
|     +-4. James Beall TODD (b.8 Jun 1887-Atlanta,Fulton County,GA d.10 Mar 1922-Atlanta,GA)