a match made on eBay

The home photo of the book at left appeared in my eBay search nearly two weeks ago.  I had had some fun internet search time, and I say "fun" because I am a card-carrying history nerd.  I read about Francis Marion, and discovered several biographies on the man.  The Smithsonian recommended a couple biographies, for reality's sake in the midst of the sweeping romance of a crusty old fox of a general in the throws of war.  The Life of Francis Marion by William Gilmore Simms was published in New York in 1844.  I made a new friend in finding an original printing of this book, and brought my dad's family together in acquiring it.

Simms went about dispelling the myths from an earlier Marion bio, written by the same guy (Parson Weems) whose book about George Washington gave us the lie about little George cutting down a cherry tree.  Weems made his subjects larger than life.  I bought a copy of his book, The Life of General Francis Marion: A Celebrated Partisan Officer, in the Revolutionary War, and believe you me he writes just a long as the title.  Syrupy sweet, and who knows how much fact is wrapped in his fiction!  He claimed to co-write the book with one of the officers who served with and knew Francis Marion, Peter Horry.   Horry took one look at this book and pretty much told Weems it was a joke.  Some good stuff did come out of my reading this book: I did learn the names of Marion's brothers, one of whom is my great-grandfather: Gabriel, Issac, Benjamin, and Job.  And now I know that Francis Marion's grandparents, Gabriel and Louisa D'Aubrey Marion, were accused of heresy by the Catholic Church of France, and fled to Charleston colony in the late 1600's on the same boat as most of the French Huguenots who settled there.  They all bought land and built homes  on the Santee River, a language barrier dividing them from the English who were already there.  That changed pretty fast, and soon Charleston was the richest colony in the New World.  Rice was a huge moneymaker.

Benjamin Marion, a relative of Francis, is listed with the national and South Carolina Huguenot societies.  Benjamin Marion, Benjamin Martin anyone?  Hmmmm...

Mel Gibson did his best to act like "the sandwich" in his portrayal of General Marion, reluctantly taken from his quiet life on the farm to fight another war.  Don't mess with the bull, you might get the horns.  That "highly spiced center" was a force to be reckonned with, like a sleeping monster deep within the heart of a man.  

Marion was the youngest of 7 children, and he himself had none, loving his siblings children deeply instead, and eventually adopting a son very late in life.  His brother's son, also named Gabriel, was captured and brutally murdered by the Tories in Georgetown, just because of who his uncle was.  It ripped Marion's heart out. 

You see, The Patriot screenplay writer(s) played on that theme, instead making Marion out to be the family man, that gripping detail that rang in the box office dollars along with the fact that it was an explosive war movie.  The Partiot was filmed at Historic Brattonsville, outsideof Rock Hill, SC because Marion's estate is now under Lake Marion.   My first roommate in college maxxed out her credit card going to see "Mel" eat at Outback Steakhouse every Wednesday night while they were filming the movie.  It's true!  Hardly anyone knew who Heath Ledger was at the time, just some Aussie in his early 20s playing alongside the Mel Gibson.  He was a gifted actor, and died far too young.

Because Francis Marion was childless, I got blocked from applying for membership to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).  De-NYED.  You have to be a direct descendant to run with those girls.  More on that Horse and Pony Show next time.