(portrait above fireplace. History of The Bellamy Mansion. (LogOut/ Dr. Bellamy hired James F. Post, an architect in Wilmington who had been the supervisor of the construction of Thalian Hall, designed by the renowned John M. Trimble. If you are in Billings June 6th, 2020 don't miss Moss Mansion's SpringFest! James B. All Rights Reserved. The Bellamy Children: In her spare time, Jen has a small candle business in Wilmington called Fenntin. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design Arts 503 Market Street Wilmington, NC 28401 Office: 910-251-3700 Email: info@bellamymansion.org www.bellamymansion.org Gareth Evans, Executive Director, Bellamy Mansion Museum of History & Design Arts In Wilmington On a hot summer midnight in 1857, a group of men vandalized, a building under construction and left notice that a similar course, would be pursued, in all cases against buildings to be erected, by Negro contractors or carpenters. The action was attributed. Designed with Greek Revival and Italianate styling, this twenty-two room house was constructed with the labor of both enslaved skilled carpenters and freed black artisans. PO Box 27644 came from slaves who had been taught a trade by their owners, such as that of carpentry, masonry or cabinetry -- and often these, owners did not have enough work on the plantation to keep, them employed year round. My parents permitted me to go with these boys into the woods, and on the streams until church time, when I would accompany. home was built at Fifth and Market Streets. The Historic Preservation Foundation of North Carolina, Inc. [It is noteworthy that. Julianne is a passionate people preservationist and believes in the value of historic preservation to tangibly connect people to their history and stories. In 2018, Bellamy had a key recurring role on HBO's INSECURE. They were mostly from Indiana and Illinois. Leslie decided not to return to the classroom but instead pursued her lifelong dream of working at historic sites and museums. Gould later continued plastering in Massachusetts, where he married and had eight children. Cathleen Turner, Piedmont Office Regional Director. Always a lover of historic homes, her background in retail management led her to executive support roles and eventually landed her on the doorsteps of Preservation North Carolina in late 2004. Near the, home was a dairy and the turkey, peafowl, and chicken, yards, also large orchards and vineyards. Through her nearly quarter-century with Preservation North Carolina, Shannon has had the opportunity to work with amazing people who share her passion for place. Outside of work, Chrissy enjoys two things the most: exploring creative endeavors with her mother and sister; and, enjoying time at home or out-and-about with her husband and 2 teenaged sons. Being politically-active in antebellum Wilmington and having. She wears multiple hats at Preservation North Carolina and manages the overall Endangered Properties Program administration. William developed a successful medical practice of his own, just as his father and grandfather had before in Wilmington. There was, a jar of young vegetables, in brine for pickling; one Yankee, tasted these and not finding them to his liking, spit. Hickenlooper, (of Ohio)---an adjutant, I believe! In 1665, he had sailed from Holland to the Barbadoes. Land of the Golden River, Lewis Philip Hall, 1980 He grew up to become a politician, lawyer, and U.S. Mary Frances Wilson, Donor Engagement Manager. Then they rushed in demanding food and drink. Originally built as a private residence for the family of Dr. John D. Bellamy, a prominent plantation owner, physician, and businessman, the mansion has endured a remarkable series of events throughout its existence. It was Smiths town residence while governor his, permanent home being Belvedere, his plantation in, Brunswick County. The architect, James F. Post had joined the Confederate artillery, and even helped to build various structures at Fort Fisher and Fort Anderson. Prior to that he worked at Historic Wilmington Foundation for nine years, ending up asAssociate Director. He volunteers with Historic Wilmington, the local NPR-affiliate, the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees, his kids schools, and the Associates Board of the NC Museum of History. to get more GuideStar Nonprofit Profile data today! She could now pursue her hobby of horticulture. The house remained the Bellamy's home for 80 years, surviving 2 generations of the family, until Ellen Douglas Bellamy, daughter of John and Eliza, died in 1946. Dr. Bellamy kept 24 enslaved men between the ages of 18-40 living in 9 slave cabins. the largest stockholder in the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad. I recollect well, having gone down in a buggy to[the bridge]. always filled to overflowing and groaning under their weight. Alfred Moore Waddell in his 1909, History of New Hanover County notes that Bellamy's, Grovely Plantation was originally named Spring Garden.. German merchants, all engaged in blockade-running, shipping cotton to various European ports, and, especially to Constantinople. The Bellamy Mansion Museum of History and Design Arts is a stewardship property of Preservation North Carolina. The Bellamy Mansion is a stately survivor. His projects there included a log barn reconstruction for the Charlotte Museum of History, stabilization of structures at Historic Brattonsville, SC and work on several landmark properties in Charlotte and in Mecklenburg County. Marsden Bellamy, the eldest of the sons, had enlisted in the Scotland Neck Cavalry volunteers before the official secession, and later enlisted in the Confederate Navy. Robert Bellamy Foundation In August 2021, Jen married her long-time sweetheart, Aaron, at Brooklyn Art Center. Though immediate honeymoon plans were to tour Europe, the sudden death of Dr. Harriss changed everything. He teaches a graduate seminar on Historic Preservation Planning each year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is assumed that it wasn't easy for Eliza Bellamy to be entertained by a "yankee" in her own home, but it has been reported that she behaved as a proper Southern lady, and acted with politeness. Tags Around Town With Rhonda Bellamy Culture/Arts Mary Bradley 919-832-3652 As incoming Western Regional Director for Preservation NC, Jack will work to continue the legacy of success established over the past 18 years by his predecessor, Ted Alexander. He held the rank of, captain assigned to coastal duty with his men, and fought. He ended his studies at Chapel Hill, in the summer of 1861 to enlist as a private in Company I, of the 18th North Carolina Regiment, seeing action in Virginia, at Hanover Court house, Williamsburg and the Seven Days. She joined Preservation North Carolina in the summer of 1998 while completing her degree in Business Administration from NC State University. Cameron Foundation Bishir, Catherine W. The Bellamy Mansion: An Antebellum Architectural Treasure and Its People. North Carolina, Rebuilding an Ancient Commonwealth, Vol. Bellamy Mansion Board of Directors Oleander Company $30,000-$39,999 1772 Foundation Cannon Foundation Covington Foundation $20,000-$29,999 Hillsdale Foundation $10,000-$19,999 City of Wilmington Cooperative Bank Corning Foundation First Citizens' Bank Tourism Cares for Tomorrow Wachovia Foundation $5,000-$9,999 Thomas S. Kenan Foundation From 1899 -1903 John Jr. represented North Carolina as a United States Congressman, and served as the Dean of the North Carolina Bar Association from 1926 to 1927. Sadly, one month later arsonists set fire to the home. Restoration of Slave Quarters is supported in part by Save Americas Treasures Grant Since 2017, Leslie has been not only the museums operations manager but also the research historian for the site. CEO, Board Chair, and Board of Directors information; Additional tools and resources; And more. Dr. The pedimented gabled roof is, crowned by an ornately decorated cupola, in imitation, My fathers residencewas erected by him immediately, preceding the Civil War. The house was equipped with running hot and cold water, which was supplied by a large cistern and pump. Covington Foundation, $10,000-$19,999 Chrissy was born in North Carolina and has primarily resided in Raleigh. He went on to become a farmer and ran Grovely Plantation for his father when he grew up. He resumed his practice of medicine to gain the extra money needed to pay off debts brought about by the building of the mansion, the war, and military occupation. I have no time to take him within the lines. Gareth Evans, Director of The Bellamy Mansion Museum stated how important these volunteers are. Obtaining her real estate license in 2015, shes now the HR & Properties Director. William B. Gould, a mulatto, was owned by the Nixon family and was a plasterer who was hired out by Dr. Bellamy. From a neighboring county he sends in this appeal. III, 1928 The home was taken over by federal troops during the American Civil War, survived a disastrous fire in 1972, was home to two generations of Bellamy family members, and now following extensive restoration and preservation over several decades, the Bellamy Mansion is a fully functioning museum of history and design arts. bellamy mansion board of directors. This building, has on three sides, most beautifully proportioned Corinthian, columns, with exquisitely carved capitals., Much of the labor on the mansion was performed by, free-black carpenters and their slaves (Slave craftsmen, assisted master artisans who built and embellished. It was a night to live always in his memory, and of which, Bellamys Grovely Plantation in Brunswick County: (portrait by rocking chair). While in school getting her Bachelor of Fine Arts, she fell in love with architectural photography, and specifically historic architecture. By the end of September 1865, the Bellamy family sought to return to their home in Wilmington. Jen taught Special Education in New Hanover County and Lancaster, PA for 9 years, focusing on intensive behaviors. Besides his own activity, he sent. In fact, Harriett was a first cousin of Harriet Beecher Stowe who wrote the abolitionist work Uncle Toms Cabin. The mansion began to take the form of Bunnell and Posts ultimate vision.[1]. It is a contributing building in the Wilmington Historic District. If the needed repairs and work required him to stay in Wilmington overnight or longer, he would have most likely slept in the same area as Guy. for protection. When shes not working you can catch her hiking, camping, and canoeing around the state with her husband and 5-year-old pit-mix, baking anything sourdough, or enjoying a beer at a local brewery with friends. Ellen describes her mother as having intentions of regaining their home, but the meeting did not go as planned. She lives in Raleigh with her husband, daughter, and Scottish Terrier, and still loves exploring all that our state has to offer. We had quite a large. The Bellamys did not move there until, A short time later the Parsleys purchased a home, in Lumberton and moved there, perhaps anticipating the, Trustees of the college and their president, Rev. However, the deadly outbreak of a yellow fever epidemic had begun to spread throughout Wilmington and the family was forced to take refuge at Grovely Plantation. Already have a GuideStar Account? To celebrate our 25th year, the Bellamy Mansion Museum is hosting the 'Bellamy Birthday Bash' on September 7. Corning Foundation Born and bred in the small town of Hertford, Shannon grew up surrounded by the historic buildings of eastern North Carolina which are steeped in rich history. Slave quarters and a small carriage house, both made of red brick, were also on the property. Throughout the rest of the nineteenth century, the children of Dr. and Mrs. Bellamy would go on to live their lives as successful businessmen, farmers, politicians, doctors, homemakers, fathers and mothers. After earning her bachelors degree in elementary education from the University of Mississippi, Leslie was a middle school teacher in Pontotoc, Mississippi, for almost a decade. Grovely Plantation was "an almost ten thousand acre" produce plantation on Town Creek in Brunswick County, now a present-day Brunswick Forest development, on which Dr. Bellamy raised livestock and crops such as "wheat, oats, corn, and peanuts." Jack was selected as the Executive Director of the Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County in 2010 and worked to expand the capacity of the organization in education and on-the-ground preservation advocacy. The fact he took Dr. Bellamys last name after emancipation most likely means he lived primarily at Grovely and only came to town when needed. THEY HAD TWO CHILDREN, KATE AND SOLOMON, BORN INTO SLAVERY AND THREE OTHERS, BETSEY, SARAH AND WILLIAM, BORN AFTER EMANCIPATION. Understandably, all slaves did not show the ability for skilled, trades and only the most likely were taught a trade. The Free Negro in North Carolina, John H. Franklin, UNC Press, 1943 On hot days, the windows of the belvedere were propped open to create a vacuum effect to naturally cool the upper floors of the home. The building is now one of the only original, fully restored urban slave quarters open to the public in the country. [1], After the official end of the war in April 1865, the Federal Government seized southern property, including land, buildings, and homes of Dr. Bellamy. The structure is located at 503 Market Street in Wilmington and on the Web at www.bellamymansion.org [4], Media related to Bellamy Mansion at Wikimedia Commons. Interested in buying an historic property in North Carolina? returned to Wilmington to begin the practice of his profession. It is unclear where the idea for such an elaborate structure with a full colonnade came from, but certain signs point to the artistic eye of Belle, the first Bellamy child. Bellamy was a rabid secessionist here and tyrannized over all suspected of Unionism. 0:00. I have answered verbally that having for four years been making his bed, he now must lie on it for awhile. Bill is currently shooting a series regular role in the ABC pilot, NANA, alongside . Having, no rice fields on Grovely, I have known him to get, at one, times, three thousand bushels of rough rice, which e bought, from Colonel Thomas C. Miller, at Orton Plantation; this was, hulled by his slaves in wooden mortars, with wooden. It is one of North Carolinas finest examples of historic antebellum architecture. The Wesleyan Methodist preacher (employed by the year. the [white and black] slaveholding classes. Hunt, Jr. This organization has not appeared on the IRS Business Master File in a number of months. The Bellamy Mansion, built between 1859 and 1861, is a mixture of Neoclassical architectural styles, including Greek Revival and Italianate, and is located at 503 Market Street in the heart of downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. Because these were urban quarters, they could easily be seen by the public from street level. We had nothing to eat, no wood (they had burned up every fence, no fire)! In a Summer 1995 article in our newsletter, former Bellamy Mansion Executive Director Jonathan Noffke tells us: "By the time restoration of the Mansion began in 1992, virtually all traces of the original formal gardens had disappeared. It was largely through his own industry that, James D. Sampson was able to become a respected and, wealthy citizen in Wilmington. Being so close to Fort Fisher and possible invasion, Mr. Bellamy rented Floral College in Robeson county, (twenty miles from Lumberton) along with friend, Oscar G. Parsley. to eight hundred heads of cattle, and a like number of sheep, and never killed less than fifteen hundred heads of hogs, per annum, with which he used to feed his slaves in, Brunswick county, Columbus county (turpentine farm, at Grists, now Chadbourne) and the slaves of, He planted, during the War, about two hundred and, fifty acres of wheat, which seemed to thrive in that soil equally, as well as in the wheat growing section of the State. Learn more Maggie Gregg, Eastern Office Regional Director. Non class > bellamy mansion board of directors. came whistling through the air and falling like rain all around us! ", Founded in 1939, Preservation NC (PNC) is the state's only private nonprofit preservation organization that serves all NC counties. The Bellamys came to reclaim their house, but Dr. Bellamy was not allowed into Wilmington, courtesy of General Hawley Dr. Bellamy's reputation preceded him. [Those slaves thought, ingenious were bound] to some carpenter or bricklayer.. When my father moved to Wilmington in 1837. Wanting to see more, Gareth came to North Carolina and, to his surprise, has lived in Wilmington for 25 years. Each of the small bedrooms on the top floor had vents that traveled up and emptied into the belvedere at the very top of the mansion. (Don't see an email in your inbox? Click here for a full list of Preservation NCs Board of Directors. His, son John, had reached maturity and was managing his own, on of the next generation, removed to Bucks Creek, and it. Bellamy Mansion One of North Carolina's premier architectural and historic treasures, offering tours, changing exhibitions on history and design arts and an informative look at historic preservation in action. Walker Taylor Agency. Dr. Bellamy was a secessionist, and he assumed the honor of heading the welcoming committee when Jefferson Davis visited Wilmington in late May. He took the. It may have merged with another organization or ceased operations. George became a farmer and took over Grovely Plantation, land that his father had purchased in 1842 in Brunswick County, North Carolina, later going on to serve multiple terms in the North Carolina Senate between 1893 and 1914. Shannon lives in Clayton with her husband, two sons, and black labs. The, ordinary procedure in teaching a slave a profession was to, bring him up under the tutelage of a slave craftsman or, apprentice him to a free tradesman. two sons to Virginia one in the army and the other in the navy, and was preparing to send me, another son, in the event the, The diary of a Northern occupation commander mentions that, on Wednesday, February 22, 1865: My troops are put in camp, around the town, and I assume command of the placeand. I recollect well when the seat of the Confederate government. Memoirs of An Octogenarian, John D. Bellamy, 1941, John D. Bellamy, Jr. recalls in his 1941 Memoirs of an, who held slave artisans to do their work at a lesser, white artisans. Click on the link in that email to get more GuideStar . The Bellamy House was quickly occupied and chosen to be headquarters for the military staff. Sarah served the Union officers and was most likely paid for service. Need the ability to download nonprofit data and more advanced search options? Sign in. In the early 1870s as the children grew older, Mrs. Bellamy along with her daughter Ellen, made plans to surround the property of the home with a beautiful black iron fence, which would enclose a picturesque garden to be laid out by Mrs. Bellamy herself. After the Civil War, this building became servants' quarters. (LogOut/ In Memoirs of an Octogenarian, Bellamys, son writes that During the Civil War, one Roberts lived, here, across the street from our home; he was quite friendly, to our gang of boys; afterwards, he became Hobart Pasha, There also lived here prominent English, French and. Although Dr. Bellamy wanted his home constructed with classic style, and in an old reliable fashion, he was very much interested in modern utilities and innovations that would allow his family to live in comfort. In a twinkling of an eye, the whole house was ransacked; they appropriated anything they fancied, only missing a, few valuables---jewelry, etc., hidden in a hollow space, each side of the drawersanother big square tin cake-box, full of silver was buried on the lotsurprisingly it escaped, their bayonet thrusts which were made every few feet, feeling, for buried treasure. . Chrissys interest in both human and cultural history led her to pursue degrees in Anthropology and Dance at UNC-Greensboro. position that the Southern States were never out of the Union, their efforts at secession being unsuccessful, and being, restored to the former status as States of the Union, they, were entitled to representatives not only in Congress, Daughter Ellen Douglas Bellamy captured the Bellamys wartime. His medical practice was successful; however, the majority of his wealth came from his operation of a turpentine distillery in Brunswick County, his position as a director of the Bank of the Cape Fear, and his investment, as director and stockholder, in the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. Bellamy Mansion Board of Directors Her two daughters live in Raleigh while attending NC State. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Cape Fear Bank. Nine months from, that night she gave birth to twins, both mulattos, who, Free-Black and Slave Artisans in North Carolina: We rode rapidly back to our home at Grovely and left, immediately for Floral College, where our family were, Daughter Ellen Bellamy wrote that her father decided, upon a place of refuge for his family due to the reports, of depredations committed on the women and children. and Mrs. Bellamys children included Mary Elizabeth, who married William J. Duffie of Columbia; Mardsen, who, became a prominent attorney and married Harriet Harleee of, Mars Bluff, SC; William James Harriss, who became a, noted local physician and married Mary W. Russell; and, Eliza and Ellen who remained single and lived in the old, John Dillard, who became a prominent attorney and US. As promised, Gareth Evans, executive director of Bellamy Mansion delivered on the space heaters and they were definitely well needed. On March 1, 1865, General Joseph Roswell Hawley was placed in charge of the Wilmington District and assigned the Bellamy House. Land of the Golden River, Lewis Philip Hall, 1980, Back With The Tide, Ellen D. Bellamy, Bellamy Museum, 1937/2002, Cyclopedia of Men of the Carolinas, 19th Century, Brant & Fuller, 1892 Long hair down to their shoulders, not cut since before the war. was his son, John, who owned the plantation on Wynah Bay, where my father [Dr. John D. Bellamy] was born., Dr. Bellamy was educated at the Marion Academy and. shoes, and left him bare-footed on a cold, rainy, sleety day. It was the cast iron architecture of SoHo that confirmed her love of historic buildings and their connection to history. The Jazz @ the Bellamy summer jazz series runs May 12 through September 8. Sarah and Aaron were married when Sarah was just 15 years old, but they did not live together until she was about 50 years old. She was born in New York and relocated to South Carolina at age 13. Bellamy can next be seen in the horror/thriller film, A DARK FOE, opposite Selma Blair and Graham Greene. While an undergraduate student, Cathleen worked as an intern in low-wealth historic neighborhoods in Atlanta, which sparked her passion for neighborhood revitalization and affordable housing. Check in here to stay updated on the restoration progress. Rhonda's guests include Gareth Evans, director of the Bellamy Mansion, Bill Stevenson, president of the Cape Fear Jazz Society, and Manny Santos of Mangroove which is the August act. Sources and further reading on this topic: We do not have financial information for this organization. Northern-Occupied Wilmington: We had only milk and a barrel of scupperonong wine, made, the summer before at Grovely; when they tasted it and found it, too new and sweet, they pulled out the bung and let every bit, run on the ground. Bellamy, which explains itself. ", The Bellamy Mansion at Fifth and Market Streets: In 2012, she received her M.A. A highlight of this was a study abroad year which allowed for much US travel and an epic Greyhound trip, at very low speeds, around 28 states in 35 days. A native of Tupelo, Mississippi, Leslie spent many childhood summers vacationing at Wrightsville Beach with family and friends. The Bellamy Mansion Museum of History and Design Arts is a non-profit educational institution dedicated to interpreting the social and architectural history of this unique site and promoting a greater understanding of historic preservation and restoration methods in North Carolina. Our servantswere, completely demoralizedGuy, the coachman, came to, Mother and said he did not want to leave but the Yankees, made him, after taking his good shoes for themselves, They had also taken my brother John's new homemade. She speaks both languages fluently. was removed from Montgomery, Alabama, to Richmond, Virginia. Click here to view a full list of counties that Cathleen works with in the piedmont region. In her tenure at the Bellamy Museum Leslie has written tours, developed permanent exhibits, spearheaded school tours and camps, and helped oversee the expansion of the museums interpretation. Newsletter Sign Up. In 1830, he had two slaves; by 1860 he had three. own freedom, and to purchase his own slaves. Thomas Wolfe said you cant go home again, but Jack is excited to begin a new chapter in western North Carolina, a place he has often called home. Chesley Calhoun unfortunately died at the young age of twenty-one, while studying at Davidson College.[1]. The Bellamys lived in the Dock Street home of Elizas newly widowed mother, Mary Priscilla Jennings Harriss. Its construction began in 1857 and was completed the latter part of 1859, or early in 1860. who were either owned by black or white carpenters. Gareths interest in history began while growing up in Wales. The, two-story porch features Corinthian columns similar to, those at Thalian Hall, and the entry is heavily carved and, set in an arched surround. Bellamy joined the top rated Tom Joyner Morning Show as a weekly co-host for the 2017 season. Click here to view a full list of counties that Jack works with in the western region. These skilled free-black craftsman and tradesmen were barbers. 814 Oberlin Road The smallness of the yards and gardens at the center of the lots seem to magnify the commanding size of the walls and emphasize the calculated isolation of the quarters. She also served as co-chair for the Special Education Department at Middle Grove Middle School. John D. Bellamy, Jr. recalls in his 1941 Memoirs of an, Octogenarian that According to family accounts, the, idea for the design of the imposing main house came, from Bellamys daughter Mary and was given to, James F. Post, who had become a prominent local, architect as well as contractor. Post was born in, Caldwell, New Jersey who was drawn to Wilmington, by the building boom which followed the completion, Referred to as an architectural maverick, the styling, of the mansion weaves architectural elements of the, Classical, Greek and Italian Revivals with an extravagant, eclecticism unmatched elsewhere in Wilmington. They were always, neatly dressed in the woolen and cotton clothes produced by. He had sent a flat-load of provisions and wood, to Wilmington, and when it reached Lower Town Creek, Bridge (on current Highway 133), the Federal troops, seized it and drove the confederates back towards, Wilmington. them to The Line and attend their church services. Starting as the Executive Operations Assistant, she quickly moved to a blended role as the Properties Coordinator and Office Manager.