JOURNAL OF HENRY HAMILTON FLOYD
OF
CAMDEN COUNTY, GEORGIA
FEBRUARY 1852 - MAY 1853 May, 1853. Sun. 1st.
Clear and pleasant, wind fresh N.E. Poor old Maum Sylvia died this morning. The old woman was formerly a house servant and belonged to one of the aristocratic families on the place. She was nearly 60 years of age. Will returned from St. Marys in the afternoon bringing me letters from Mordina, Mary D. Floyd, Rosalie and John L. Hopkins. Col. Tom Bourke and the sons of Hon. T. B. King arrived in St. Marys this morning to attend Mary's wedding. Sister Sarah came here this afternoon and left near
sunset. Bourke had the fever nearly all day. He is quite playful tonight. Mon. 2d. Clear and pleasant. I hunted this morning and shot a deer coming out of the Park Drive, which the dogs caught in Hall Swamp. (seventy fourth page) I started 4 deer in Coopers Swamp which escaped. I had two shots at turkies (sic) near Coopers Swamp and killed one, an old gobbler, on the wing nearly 70 yds. Next drove Peru Drive and
started two deer and I shot twice at a very large buck within 50 yds. I think I wounded the buck, but the dogs refused to follow him. At 11 o'clock at night John L. Hopkins and John G. Floyd rode here from St. Marys to tell me of Mary D. Floyd's being very ill. At midnight we started for town. Tues. 3d. Clear day. We reached St. Marys at six this morning. Last night Mary D. Floyd was to have married Mr. Randolph
McDonald and two hours before the time she was taken suddenly sick and became perfectly deranged. The marriage was postponed and I was sent for. I found Mary with a high fever and so much out of her head that she knew no one. I never witnessed (sic) a more distrefsing scene. Dr. Bacon was in constant attendance and feared the worst result. Mary, for some time past, has been in poor health, and for several reasons, which I will not here mention, had her mind so worked upon that she gave way to
her feelings and became delirious. Wed. 4. Clear day. Mary still quite ill. Tom Bourke and the young Kings are in town. They left today in the Metamora (Metanwin? Undecipherable) except Lord King and Mifs Georgia King. Thurs. 5. Mary some better. Clear day. Fri. 6th. Clear. Mary better. Lord King left and Mrs. Rofs, also.
Satry. 7th. Clear. Mary much better and is perfectly (seventy fifth page) rational. Sun. 8. Cloudy. John L. Hopkins went in the steamer for Florida. Mon. 9. Cloudy and a shower in the morning. Mary D. Floyd was married at
(undecipherable) this evening to Mr. Randolph McDonald. Rev. Mr. Ley performed the ceremony. Dr. Bacon and lady, Mifs Georgia King, Mifs Isabel McDonald, Mordina, John G. Floyd, Rosalie, Dick, Charlie, Susan, and myself were present. Isa Judson also was present. Tu. 10. Cloudy and two hard rains. I started in a 4 oared boat, with 4 oarsmen at the dawn of day for Jacksonville. Reached Capt.
Mitchell lives on the St. Johns River in 12 miles of Jacksonville. Wed. 11. Clear. John Floyd is 17 years old today. I reached Jacksonville at 9 A.M. and left in the steamer Florida after night for Palatka. Thurs. 12. Cloudy and a heavy shower. Got to Palatka before light and left at 8 A.M. Reached Picolatta in 2 hours. In the afternoon rode
to St. Augustine on horseback. John G. Floyd went to Cabin Bluff on Tuesday last and Isa Judson to Savannah and Mifs Georgia King to St. Simons Island. Fri. 13. Clear and windy. Got a contract from Major B. A. Putnam to survey. I had a fight with a strong and active man named James Lynch. He commenced the difficulty and I whipped him. I was not touched and he was knocked down several times. Satry. 14. Clear. Doing little or nothing. Sun. 15. Clear and a shower in the morning. I started on horseback from St. Augustine near 1 P.M. and in three hours was at Picolatta where I took the Carolina and got to Palatka before (seventy sixth page) sunset. (seven lines in the rest of the this days entry are undecipherable) Mon. 16. Clear. I bought two yoke of oxen and a wagon in Palatka for $125. Started from Palatka in the Carolina and got to Jacksonville at 2 P.M. Tu. 17. Clear. At 10 A.M. left Jacksonville in a buggy and got to Mr. Braddock's, 2 miles beyond Nafsau Court House, by sunset. Mr. Phillip Fraser, Col. Pearson and Mr. St.
George Rodgers were in company. Wed. 18. Clear and cool. Started early for the ferry, near Rose's Bluff distance 10 miles, and got there in little over an hour. Took a canoe boat and got to St. Marys by 8 A.M. Was stuck in the cut coming over and had to get in the mud and pull the boat through. Thurs. 19. Clear. Doing very little in town.
Fri. 20. Clear and very cool. Hard Wind, N.E. Satry. 21. Clear and pleasant at 11 A.M. Rosalie S. Floyd, Dick and myself left town in the high prefsure steamer, David L. Adams, and in 2 hours were landed at Cabin Bluff. Had to walk here. Found Susan and Augusta quite sick with fever. John G. Floyd killed during my absence 4
deer in 5 hunts. 4 deer killed by John G. Floyd in the last 10 days which makes 6 that he has killed in all his hunts. Every thing suffering from the drought. Sun. 22d. Clear. The funeral feast for Maum Sylvia was eaten today. Mon. 23d. Clear. Early John G. Floyd and (the rest of the journal has been lost). | 
