George Joseph Vining:
An Account of His Life

Chapter 8

Well, to go with my business career. I took Bro Tom in as partner, kept him perhaps a year, he liked the county -country-- better. So I done well by him and he went out, had a nice place and a little store later on the Warren road. Now I came to the jumps -- great luck -- could buy a dog in the morning for a dime -dollar-- in the morning and get $10 before night -- that may be exaggerating, but we got from 66 to 5 or --500-- per ct a month. Sold a great deal of liquors and bottled it ourselves. Whiskey was a necessary as corn meal.

I mention one little incident to show our profits. Before I got a footing or credit, I borrowed money at 5% at a month. From the first of my business to the breaking out of the war, was about 4 yrs perhaps a little more. I thought I was worth about $40.00 -$40.000-- when the first gun was fired, when the last one fired I was about $10,000 worse than nothing -- great and full of retribution -- it was not clean money, and God done right to bring it naught. At the breaking out of the war, I had one good sized room full of whiskey, at that time it cost me about 12 ½ cents per gal. About the time business between the two sections was closing. That man I bought the whiskey from came down from Cincinnati, and said he wanted to close up all dealings on account of the political situation. I owed him for the whiskey, but at that time of year had no money -- there was not much money here except at cotton times -- so fool like I, offered him his whiskey back -- he jumped at the chance and sold it to FGS -Felix Smart-- for $10 gal -10 cents per gallon-- it went to $50.00 a gal. Cin. Fed. -Confederate-- money, a good price in any money. I paid $40.00 a gal. for "Pine Top" whiskey made out in the woods from corn after that.

I spoke of the outcome of the end of the war, that I could have saved myself largely had I taken the Boat out --Bankrupt Act-- but I refused to do it thinking it would bring disgrace on my family. I married during the war -- before I go on with my narrative, I'll digress to give you a page or so on scenes about Pine Bluff.

When we came to it in '43, there was a small courthouse and a few scattered buildings, perhaps one store. A long time later they still killed squirrels around the courthouse yard. At the time I drayed there 11 years later say which was in '54 there was a good built up square and the present courthouse, build by George Keller --Keeler--, and the building of it broke him -- the streets did not run forth --further-- south then where the M and P --Merchants and Planters--Bank is -- past 1^st. -- just one street-- from the courthouse, perhaps two streets through the town only, many places but one. The Wharf and Ferry landing was the busiest place in town. Mail arrived three times a week and there was as much interest in their prompt arrival as there is in the Ocean mail ships now. It cost 5¢ a letter, money was accepted in place of stamps in those days.

There was no bank in the town, most of the merchants paid the boats, some sent money by the clerk, but business was done by the cotton men from years end to years end. - There was no bank in town; most merchants paid their money or in other terms settled and negotiated with the boat clerks for their goods; the boat also brought a line of goods to sell.-- I suppose charging interest for advancing money, goods, etc. They also had bills of exchange. At one time I wanted to remit $100 to New Orleans. I paid Isaac Mills $110.00 for a $100.00 Louisiana Bank Bill. I then cut it in 3 pieces and sent it one at a time, waiting till I heard of one piece being received before sending the next -- this was our postal money order of that time and day.

Friction matches had not been in use when I was born, later came the old sulphur match -- the 1^st matches you had to have a fire to light them. Gun caps was not known. We made fire with a flint and steel, which method was in use till I was half grown --a good sized boy. Flints sold about 3 or 4 for a carton. --Flints sold 2 for 5 cents.-- It is strange how many things have been relegated to the past and the hundreds of better things that have taken their place. Cotton and wool goods -cords--, many dye stuffs, the spinning wheel. Flints, the old tin and horn -hour-- lantern, the old battling stick, the stoning mortar, the candle moulds, and the difference in clothes -- the old blanket coat, the funny style of clothing, -- The Planters immaculate white suits, the perran -- Panama--hat, the big silk spiller --pocket handkercheif; gentlemen always wore boots -- The Blue Back Webster Speller -- the different modes of school --teaching-- , the goose quill pen, the stiff bow and curtsey in school and society. I do not remember seeing a sewing machine before the war, and it was the same way on all other lines.

It was in some respects the "simpler life." It certainly was as regarded what --the furnishing-- they used in their homes especially the poorer class; the planters was the people, and a man's social position was often gauged by the number of his slaves.

Well, slavery, society, and sectionalism, brought on the war; the mutterings and predictions were heard a long time -- both parties wanted trouble, but good and true Union men averted that for a long time; but others said "it must come," and spend their leisure time bemoaning each other till it did come. I suppose there were many Union men in Pine Bluff, until the state seceded, and some were Union all through. Excitement ran very high; I remember the first northern boat they stopped, captured, confiscated. I think, one of our own natives -- a N --Union-- man, recapture her and got away in the night and made good his escape to the union forces -- there was not a telegraph in this county -- nor a foot of railroad, an express co. dimly heard of in the distance. Well, business was suspended, never to be resumed by most of them anymore. War was all the talk. Clerks quit their jobs and when the goods were sold out the proprietors quit too. The farms were left to the wives and negroes.

It was nearly all one way, sometimes a Union man would kick -- they whipped them --two were whipped-- and sent them out of town. There were 2 men living out near Bro Tom's, and they had it seems been espying upon them -- expressing themselves-- and making some threats -- and someone had reported and made some threats at their conduct. Well, it seems they were good quiet men, doing no harm, but suspected of union proclivities. Bro Tom made use of a remark something like this, "if he comes round my house of nights like they do so and so, their entrails will be dragging the bushes." I don't think he meant so much as to shoot them, but he said he'd protect them if they were doing no wrong.

In a day or so there was a large mass meeting called in regard to secession and early in its proceedings it was said that Vining had said it. I was the only Vining present and the best known and all eyes were turned to me. I said, "I suppose my bro Tom said it, but as he is not here, I represent him and endorse what he said." And ex-governor of the state said --was first to exclaim-- "hang him, hang him, hang him." Someone else called for a rope, that big courthouse divided like a flash with a small span between hollering, cursing, drawing pistols etc. It was done very quick, but a few cooler heads jumped between and after a little talk it cooled down, but no more ruction --business-- that day. Some gathered close around me. I did not imagine I had so many friends. I did not take anything back and my friends told me I didn't have to.

I was about 24 years old but didn't look it. Well, about 6 mo's later I went out, my business not wound up. I boxed up lots of goods which I never saw anymore. My clerks left for the Army before I did. My favorite one was killed early in the war. I was also in favor of the union, but knew when the state seceded that settled it, for I was stronger for states right than for union. The women would say when they would met one of us later ones: "Why are you here yet?" "I thought you had gone," or tell us their girls shouldn't speak to us etc. etc. so that hurried us off.

I joined the 9^th Arkansas which was made up in Pine Bluff. Was elected 2^nd Lieutenant. We were sworn in for 1 year with the privilege of resigning at the end of that time. I was 1^st Lieutenant when I resigned, and the plan was before Capt. by age, or succession --and the Captaincy was open before, as age and succession to the position entitled me to it for-- as our Capt. Jos Culpepper died in the hospital from a wound and our first lieutenant had already resigned.

I am interrupted very often and the thread of my thoughts broken so that's what I write may not seem entirely continuous as regards the subject, but will do the best I can in this matter.

I was trying to tell you about the feeling of the county --the feelings of my family--. My clothing business --the closing out of business--, and my enlistment, and in thinking of it now, it was a breaking up. To go back a little -- I boarded off and on at Aldridges many times, and there first saw Cornelia --your Mother-- when she was perhaps 8 or 10 years of age. I learned to love her --the child-- when she was quite young, and told her mother when she was about 13 years that I was going to wait for her. Her mother did not approve of such talk or of me either.

Cornelia was very shy and retiring, gave me little encouragement for several years. I had an advantage by being in the family so long, she had some young men callers, but I simply notified them they would get into trouble. She refused one or two herself, as I said before she was unusually shy and diffident. The girls of those days were a very type from the present day girl -- the difference being so great as to be unbelievable. Unless a man had lived at both times, a girls dress, manners, and conversation of the present day would not have been allowed in public or private. While wickedness and rioting nothing went to its extreme, they --the men-- were jealous of the walk and character of their women and girls --wives and daughters--. I do not know of a public lewd woman in the place. There was one supposed to have had a past, there was one kept by a gambler supposed, and 2 or 3 rather shady but more from poverty and privation --environments-- perhaps than anything else.

Well, Cornelia refused me several times, one refusal was on account of my gambling and drinking propensity. It was reported to her where I spent many of my evenings or nights. I made her many handsome presents before we were married -- I mention this particularly because Nelly talked very harsh and insulting to Molly because I also made her a present before we were married, but I remember she did not take -- I simply put it in her handbag or something and went away. I gave her Mother 2 or more nice dresses, one of them a silk which she kept till Nell could wear it. I gave her a nice pacing mare, saddle and bridle -- I had forgotten her name and it came to me while writing. Jane, the same as Tom's first wife. I also gave her a deed for a valuable house and lot which we afterward sold to J. F. Walsh, the minister who performed our marriage ceremony, and which was all that was saved out of my $40,000 leaving me to pay between 8 and 10,000 afterward. We were engaged after a long and stormy courtship.

Our regiment was first sent out to Sulphur Springs to fill up its companies. I belonged to Co. II. We kept the road hot from there to Pine Bluff day and night. It appeared like a frolic to many of the boys and they were afraid the war would be over before, but as the day approached we sure enough had to leave. Things got more serious, I remember well, the day afternoon we marched out to make Camp Johnson 4 --5-- miles below town, our first stopping place. Everybody was on the sidewalks, crying and kissing and bidding a long farewell to some loved one, a son or husband or sweetheart. Some went a long way with us, and many of our boys came back to town --Pine Bluff-- that night.