In Freedoms Shadow - Prologue - Fall 2010

8/8/2019 In Freedoms Shadow - Prologue - Fall 2010

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In Freedom's shadowThe Reconstruction Legacy ofrenTy FranklIn Greaves

of Beaufort County, South Carolina

By Giselle White-Perry

18 Prologue Fall 2010


2/9

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as slave, soldIer

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By March 1863, the town o Mitchelville, at Hilton Head, was

established to provide newly reed persons the opportunity to

practice sel-governance. Renty Franklin Greaves, like many others in

the community, had opportunities in the postwar years to serve in

various local government ofces.

Prologue 19In Freedom's Shadow


3/9

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The reconsTrucTIon years:

GeTTInG land and educaTIon

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Pvt. Renty Cruel was discharged rom the Army on

August 16, 1864. He claimed to have been an unwilling

enlistee and served or a little more than one year.



4/9

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Greavess February 17, 1869, account application

with the Freedmans Savings and Trust Company in

Beauort records his occupation as arming and that hesometimes is separated rom his wie Sylvia Williams.

The 1900 ederal population census lists Renty F

Greaves with his wie and son in Beauort, and hi

occupation as pension claim agent.


5/9

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Right: Greaves served as a U.S. pension attorney, as

evidenced by his signature on the pension application

envelope or the widow o James Grayson in January

1894.

Below: Greaves is listed as an assistant lighthouse

keeper at the Leamington Plantation lighthouse. Hewas removed in November 1887 ater disputes

with the head keeper.


6/9

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Right: Facing trial or trespass on private land in

September 1887, Renty and others soon aced the

judge again or allegedly unlawul and malicious

trespass on church property, nailing up the church

doors and window, tearing o several boards, and

taking down the bell.

Below: The Palmetto Post reported on November 8,

1888, that Greaves was elected coroner o Beauort

County on the Fusion ticket, a controversial mixed

ticket o blacks and whites.



7/9

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mm 1997.

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publications/prologue/index/, k

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W, www.archives.gov/exhibits/civil-war/.

Greaves was disbarred as an attorney or agent or

the Department o the Interior on January 30, 1903.

Charges against him were dropped, but the case

highlights the personal and proessional attacks upon

black ofcials during Reconstruction.

Opposite:The First Arican Baptist Church in Beauort

counted many black residents, including Renty

Greaves, among its members.



8/9

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Letters and Diary of LauraM. owne Written rom the Sea Islands o South

Carolina, . rupt s. ho (nw Yok: no

Uvt P, 1912). e Freedoms

Lawmakers: A Directory o Black Ofceholders

During Reconstruction (Bt ru: lu

Uy P, . . 1996)

o bk o t to am

pot toy. iA Nation Under Our Feet: Black

Political Struggles in the Rural South rom Slavery

to the Great Migration (mb, Ma: h

Uvty P-Bkp P, 2003), stv

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bz mk m y

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k Uy From Slavery to Public Service: Robert

Smalls 18391915(w Yk: x Uy

P, 1971) ew M GullahStatesman:

Roberts Smalls from Slavery to Congress(mb,sc: Uvty sut c P, 1995).

xmp j by m g

w a a ip B

y a M a,

ppv buy 12, 1874, Acts and Joint

Resolutions of the General Assembly of South Carolina

passed at the Special Session o 1873 and Regular

Session o 187374 (cumb, sc: rpub

Pt cmpy, stt Pt, 1874),

B d g () ix 1864

1980, Conveyance Books, Index to Deeds.

at m wpp, t Palmetto

Post Beauort Gazette, u t t But

cuty lby pt umb vt g : ,

tt t, t t yut ,

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g South Carolina Negroes,

18771900(cumb, sc: Uvty sut

c P, 1952), ew ay Te

Promise of the New South: Life After Reconstruction

(w Yk: x Uy P, 1992).

ote on ources

Above: An obituary in the Beaufort Gazette recorded

Greavess death on October 29, 1903. Left: Greaves

was buried in Beauort National Cemetery with a

headstone reminder that he served in the United

States Colored Troops.


In Freedoms Shadow - Prologue - Fall 2010

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