Caroline Lucy Urquhart Downing: 1897
David Urquhart, the eldest son of John and Katharine Urquhart, was born in Cadboll, in the parish of Fearn, county of Ross, Cromarty, Scotland on May 8, 1774. When [he] my father was about 22 years old, his maternal uncle, Mr. Charles Banks, a merchant, then resident in Charleston, South Carolina, re-visited Scotland, his native land. He persuaded my father's parents to let David come out to him in Charleston, promising to establish him in business....
He embarked on a ship at Inverness which was bound for Edinburgh.... From Edinburgh he went by sea to London. There he remained some time before embarking for distant America. There was much to see and learn in London. He had a relative there, a Mr. George Urquhart, living near the Tower....
The voyage was long and often stormy; so that when they at last made the port of Charleston they were glad to leave the ship. My father found his uncle, Mr. Charles Banks, in very prosperous circumstances. He had a fine store and a large business. He resided in a handsome house, well furnished; had a pretty and excellent wife, and their social standing was good. My father was faithful and diligent, and he soon became valuable to Mr. Banks. He remained about two years, then a gentleman who had perceived his merits made him an offer.
He wanted to establish a business in the town of Augusta, Georgia; "would furnish the goods and equip the store if Mr. Urquhart would go there and take charge of it for him." He at once accepted the offer, and told Mr. Banks that he was going to leave him. Mr. Banks was much displeased, and offered inducements to him to stay in Charleston, but he was resolved to go, and soon did so.
My father fell ill with malarial fever during the first summer of his residence in Augusta. His physician, Dr. Murray, used the then ordinary means of blistering, bleeding, and exhausting medicines in his treatment of the case. Father was in a hot room up-stairs, and was not allowed to drink a drop of cold water. Finally Dr. Murray came up one afternoon and said to him "Well David, my boy, I have done all I can for you; I can't help you any more." Father could scarcely speak, his tongue was so parched.
The doctor left him, and going down stairs, told the people around that he would soon die. A good Samaritan, a gentleman who knew and loved my father, went up at once to see him. He opened the windows to admit the air, and inquired how he was, and remarked that "he was glad that the doctor was gone." He got some cold water and some Madeira wine, and mixing some of it, held him up, and told him to drink.... Father always said that he owed his life to the kindness and good sense of this most excellent Christian gentleman.
A young man named William McGehee applied for a place in the store, and was employed as book-keeper. He lived in Columbia County, about ten miles above Augusta, on his father's farm. On one occasion when he was going home to spend Sabbath, he invited Mr. Urquhart to accompany him. He did so, and on arriving at the house, they found that the elders of the family had gone to church.
On opening the door, they saw some children in the room listening to something that was being recited by a lovely young girl, who was standing on a chest. She was much confused at seeing a stranger gentleman come in with her brother, and immediately descended from her position. They entreated her to repeat her "1 piece," which proved to be "Dr. Dodd's sermon" preached from a hollow tree. She would not then do it, but subsequently did.
As for the young Scotchman, his peace of mind was gone. He fell then and there in love with the beautiful young girl, Katharine Brooks Garterey McGehee, and never ceased to love her. She was made aware of the fact before very long, and they were married when she was not quite 16 and he was about 22.
They lived in Augusta, on Broad street.... many years [and] had eight children — two sons and six daughters — all of whom except one son, were married. They were both devoted members of the Presbyterian Church. After a while my father found it necessary to buy a farm on which to colonize the negroes who had accumulated on his hands. Some of them my mother inherited from her father's estate....
The land on the river was very fertile, and the uplands good and productive. Father built an excellent two-story house one mile from the river in a beautiful grove of oak and hickory trees. Gardens, orchards, shrubbery, flowers, and everything to make comfort, was there. Grain crops, potatoes, cattle, milk, butter, bacon, and an excellent shad fishery; horses and carriages for riding and driving. Father named his place Hilton for Hilton Castle in Scotland, where the senior branch of the Urquharts lived in his time.
For some years he planted cotton, and found it profitable, but he grew tired of the trouble of it, and ceased to cultivate it. He sold his home in the city and moved to the country when I was about 7 years old. ¤
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