Generated by All in One SEO v5.0.0.1, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Virtual Belle Grove A Collection of Digital History Exhibits ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Hello world!](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/2020/10/hello-world/) - Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing! ## Pages - [Virtual Belle Grove](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/) - Studying and engaging with history is exciting because there’s always more to learn, always more to uncover, and always more to interpret. One of our goals with this site is to share what we’re learning, uncovering, and interpreting with you in real time. Each exhibit tells a story using primary sources and includes learning activities - [The War Intrudes](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/the-war-intrudes-2/) - A Daughter at Last The War Intrudes Sense & Sociability Girlhood In Love & Betrothed Fertility Struggles A Lucky Education The Wedding Fragile Health A Young Woman Emerges Life Begins at Belle Grove Research & Methodology “THEY INSTILLED A LOT OF TERROR.” Mrs. James Madison Senior In June 1781, war burst in unexpectedly upon - [The War Intrudes](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/the-war-intrudes/) - 1774 Tea and War Finally, the colonists rebelled. The rebellion originally focused on civil disobedience: destruction of goods and harassment of tax collectors. “Tea Parties” had become a witty name for the destruction of cargoes of teas by heaving the wooden crates full of dried tea into the harbor water. There were 17 of them, - [Abba](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/abba/) - Born in 1769, Abba is her first recorded name. Her birth month, unknown. Her birth day, unknown. Her birth place, unknown. Her parents, unknown. Her siblings, unknown. Her grandparents, unknown. Her death, unknown. Despite so much of her life being unknown, historians have pieced together the story of a woman, a mother, and a wife, who - [Enslaved by the Cherokee](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/enslaved-by-the-cherokee/) - The Southern Cherokee were adopting the racially-based enslavement practices of their white neighbors, and the Hite enslaved people captured by the Cherokee were taken away as war booty to work on their farms.1 Abba may have remained with her parents, but life was uncertain, frightening, and bleak. Escape was not possible, and no rescue party - [The Revolutionary War & a Cherokee Raid](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/the-revolutionary-war-a-cherokee-raid/) - When the American Revolution broke out in 1776, the Cherokee had grown tired of colonial encroachment on their land, so they went to war against the Americans. Fighting had been going on between American and British troops for several months. In the southeast, the British were trying to persuade the Creeks and Cherokees to attack - [Hannah & the Jackson Family](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/hannah-the-jackson-family/) - One of Abba and Frank's daughters, Hannah, went on to marry a man named Emanuel Jackson, who bought his freedom in 1821 and spent the rest of his life buying the freedom of his and Hannah's children enslaved by the Hites at Belle Grove. While we don't know exactly when Abba died, it is very - [One Final Sale between Cousins](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/one-final-sale-between-cousins/) - When Jacob moved to South Carolina in 1775, his youngest son, George Hite, remained in Virginia to attend William and Mary College with his cousin, Isaac Hite, until both young men joined the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. After the war, George went south to look for his sisters, Eleanor and Susan, who had - [Jacob Hite's Fateful Move](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/jacob-hites-fateful-move/) - This exhibit is supposed to share Abba's story, so why dedicate an entire page to Jacob Hite? Because he is Abba's first documented enslaver, and his decisions directly affected her and her family. After his first wife, Catherine (O'Bannon) Hite, died, Jacob married Frances Madison Beale Hite on November 10, 1772 when Abba was around - [Getting to know Abba](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/getting-to-know-abba-intro/) - Conducting historical research on the lives of enslaved men, women, and children is far from straightforward. Historians often find themselves down rabbit holes that lead to nowhere, assuming there are even enough breadcrumbs to explore anything at all. Some enslavers, like Major Isaac Hite Jr. of Belle Grove Plantation, kept meticulous records, which allows historians - [When A Trumpet Cries](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/when-a-trumpet-cries-home/) - Abba, Enslavement, and Having Hard Conversations Note from the Playwright "When a Trumpet Cries" was born from a place of silence - the kind of inherited through generations, the kind that echoes through unmarked graves and quiet glances in museum halls. In writing this play, I set up to give voice to the voiceless, to - [“That Jacob Hite is so void of Honour and Integrity…” ](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/that-jacob-hite-is-so-void-of-honour-and-integrity/) - Jacob Hite and Richard Pearis made another attempt at obtaining Cherokee land. Their previous effort had been negated by British law, which prohibited British subjects from receiving land directly from American Indians. Only the authorized government agent could accept such land. But in December 1773, Richard Pearis’ Cherokee son, George, purchased 150,000 acres of land - [Frances Madison Hite](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/frances-madison-hite/) - The best evidence of the fate of Frances Hite is the journal of Arthur Fairies, a member of the South Carolina militia that was called out a week after the attack on Jacob and his family: July the eight day, being Monday, we assembled . . . to engage the Indians, on account of the - [Honoring Belle Grove's Enslaved Community](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/honoring-enslaved/) - Historians are currently researching the 276 men, women, and children enslaved by the Hite family at Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown (Frederick County), Virginia. Working to understand and uplift the contributions of the enslaved community is an ongoing effort and a top priority at Belle Grove. Major Isaac Hite, Jr. kept notes on Belle Grove’s - [Getting to know Abba](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/getting-to-know-abba-page-2/) - Digging Deeper Abba was a child enslaved to Jacob Hite, then the Cherokee Nation, to George Hite, and finally Isaac Hite. Her life was an intricate tapestry of challenges and triumphs, woven with threads of resilience and perseverance. To say she was merely a mother to ten children would be a vast understatement. Her motherhood - [Exhibits](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/exhibits/) - A Tale of Two Women during the Battle of Cedar CreekIn 1913, writer Clifton Johnson traveled along a path that took him through key moments in the Civil War, talking to ordinary people along the way and capturing their stories. In his book, Battleground Adventures, published in 1915, he shares the story of a black - [When A Trumpet Cries](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/when-a-trumpet-cries-recording/) - Recorded on Opening Night, June 13, 2025 at Alson Smith Hall - McCoy Theatre. Playwright and Director Bleu Do’ziaSarah Downs as BleuJoanne Thompson as AbbaLanie Smith as JoannaJoanna Schilling as The Hite WomanBleu Do’zia and Roslyn Ella Honesty as Ms. Audra Featuring the voices of Will Speakman, Bleu Do'zia, Joanne Thompson, and Julonda Do’zia-EarleyStage Manager and - [What does it mean to be resilient?](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/what-does-it-mean-to-be-resilient/) - Assignment Bleu and Joanna go back and forth a lot in the play about whether Abba was resilient (full stop) or whether she was resilient in order to survive. For this assignment, explore the online exhibit, The Jackson Family: A Story of Resilience & The Enduring Love of Family, that shares the story of Abba's - [Adams, Nace, Frank, & Betsy Ann](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/adams-nace-frank-betsy-ann/) - Adams Adams was one of Emanuel and Hannah’s sons born in December 1811 at Belle Grove Plantation, Middletown, Virginia. We don’t know much about Adams but think that he was sold during the 1824 Sixty Slaves for Sale when Major Isaac Hite Jr. cut back on his agricultural operations and liquidated much of his farm - [Abba's Family & Their Freedom](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/abbas-family-their-freedom/) - In her lifetime, she witnessed her grandsons leave the plantation that had held her family captive. For the first time, she experienced the joy of freedom through her own blood. But even that does not make her a slave. Abba you are a person who had her identity taken away, reduced to just a traceable - [Why didn't Bleu want Joanna to call Abba a “slave”?](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/why-didnt-bleu-want-joanna-to-call-abba-a-slave/) - At one point in the play, Joanna refers to Abba as a "slave," and Bleu quickly corrects her to say, "enslaved person." Why does Bleu make this correction? Do you remember how she explained it to Joanna? Abba’s humanity should not be identified by the involuntary imprisonment she was forced to live in. She was - [Historical Perspectives](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/historical-perspectives-prep-lapbook/) - Prep your lapbook Continue - [The Commonplace Book](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/the-commonplace-book/) - Historically, Virginia taxed heads of households on property owned, from mirrors to buggies to horses, and also enslaved human beings. The act of taxation required record keeping and counting, and from the desire to pay only as much as necessary, property owners, particularly large land and human chattel owners, kept handwritten notes—often in thin, bound - [Reimagining a Portrait](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/reimagining-a-portrait-home/) - Nelly's portrait tells a story, but what about the women she enslaved? In this lesson, students investigate the ways in which Virginia's wealth relied on enslavement using the Hite and Madison families as a vehicle for analysis. For a hands-on activity, students will recreate Nelly's famous portrait but replace Nelly with one of the women - [Reimagining a Portrait](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/reimagining-a-portrait-enslaved-women-perspectives/) - On being a white mother Need final narrative from Kristen & Robin On being an enslaved black mother Need final narrative from Kristen & Robin Primary Sources to Include 4 January 1794: Last Will & Testament Isaac Hite, Sr. Item it is my will and desire that such of my Negro women who have husbands - [Historical Perspectives](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/historical-perspectives-home/) - What are they, and why do they matter? In this lesson, students analyze and compare Nelly's life as a Colonial wife, mother, daughter, and sister to that of the women she enslaved. Students will create a lapbook to capture their notes and test their knowledge. Virginia Standards of Learning | United States History to 1865 - [Nelly Madison Hite](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/nelly-madison-hite/) - This exhibit is generously funded by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s Commonwealth History Grant presented by Dominion Energy and Crescent Cities Charities.The following content was researched and written by Robin Young and Kristen Laise and edited by Craig Morris. The Cost of Motherhood: Interpreting Eleanor Madison Hite’s Life in the Shenandoah Valley and Her - [About](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/about/) - Virtual Belle Grove is a place where we share the property’s history with online audiences. We have an extensive network of folks – from historians to volunteers to educators to archaeologists to students and beyond – who help us research and understand Belle Grove’s history as comprehensively as we can. What, exactly, does that mean? - [Historical Perspectives](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/historical-perspectives-what-it-is/) - Return home - [Historical Perspectives](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/historical-perspectives-source-2/) - Source #2 Letter from James Madison, Jr. to James Madison, Sr., 13 February 1791 Analyzing the source Who wrote the letter? Who received the letter? When was it written? Is this a primary or secondary source? Continue - [Historical Perspectives](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/historical-perspectives-vocabulary/) - Terms to Know Keep the following terms in mind as you move through this lesson: Continue - [Reimagining a Portrait](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/reimagining-a-portrait-nelly/) - Nelly Conway Madison Hite Symbols There are symbols in Nelly's portrait that are intentional and meant to represent what was important to her at the time. These symbols are revealing in our historic interpretation of Nelly as a colonial woman, wife, and mother. As with many art pieces, this portrait has many interpretations. The following - [Historical Perspectives](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/historical-perspectives-source-1/) - Source #1 Letter from James Madison to William Bradford, 19 June 1775 Analyzing the source Who wrote the letter? Who received the letter? When was it written? Is this a primary or secondary source? Continue - [The Revolutionary War](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/the-revolutionary-war/) - A Young Woman Emerges The War Intrudes - [The Gown](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/the-gown/) - [Lesson Plan](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/historical-perspectives-lesson-plan/) - Historical Perspectives Prep Gather manila file folders for each of your students Download and print out the lapbook components Decide whether you want to go through the activity below as a class, in a small groups, or individually Note: You may consider reviewing and/or sharing the People Not Property: Stories of Slavery in the Colonial - [Nelly Madison Hite](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/nelly-madison-hite-learning-activities-home/) - Learning Activities Art is history! In this lesson, students explore Nelly Conway Madison Hite's portrait, painted in 1799 by Charles Peale Polk. Using close observation, they will look for symbols in the painting that tell us more about Nelly and the historical period in which she lived. Students will then create a self-portrait, layering in - [Art is history!](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/art-is-history-todd-parr/) - Continue - [Art is history!](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/art-is-history-activity/) - Return home - [Art is history!](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/art-is-history-canva-presentation/) - Continue - [Lesson Plan](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/art-is-history-lesson-plan/) - Art is history! Prep Read through Portrait as Politics from the National Park Service for background information on Nelly's portrait, Charles Peale Polk, and Belle Grove Plantation. Supplies Nelly's portrait Mirrors Note: A student photograph will work here, too, if that is easier! Paper or canvas Coloring supplies (paint, crayons, markers, colored pencils) Vocabulary Artist: - [Lesson Plan](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/reimagining-a-portrait-lesson-plan/) - Reimagining a Portrait Prep Review the Nelly exhibit for greater historical context on her life and the life of men, women, and children she enslaved with her husband, Isaac Decide whether you want to go through the activity below as a class, in a small groups, or individually Note: You may consider reviewing and/or sharing - [Art is history!](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/art-is-history/) - What can art teach us? In this lesson, students explore Nelly Conway Madison Hite's portrait, painted in 1799 by Charles Peale Polk. Using close observation, they will look for symbols in the painting that tell us more about Nelly and the historical period in which she lived. Students will then create a self-portrait, layering in - [Reimagining a Portrait](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/reimagining-a-portrait-activity/) - Activity For this activity, you're going to recreate Nelly's portrait replacing Nelly with one of the women she enslaved. Using your own historical interpretation, include three symbols that represent one of Belle Grove's enslaved women and help show her perspective, much the way Nelly's portrait shows hers. There are many ways to approach this activity, - [Reimagining a Portrait](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/reimagining-a-portrait-enslaved-women/) - A Day in the Life of an Enslaved Lady's Maid | These Roots Episode 1 | Not Your Momma's History Continue - [Lapbook Components](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/lapbook-components/) - United States History to 1865 - Lapbook Components - [Nelly's Portrait](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/nellys-portrait/) - [Meet Mrs. Hite](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/meet-ann/) - Ann Tunstall Maury was the daughter of Reverend Walker Maury and Mary Stith Grymes, born on September 14, 1782 on Halifarm, a family property in Orange County, Virginia. Her parents were influential in political and religious arenas in the Tidewater region of Virginia. In 1786, when Ann was only 4-years-old, she moved with her family - [Letters](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/letters/) - One of the challenges with studying history is knowing what people said and how people thought. If only walls could talk! However, we are fortunate to have letters that Mrs. Hite wrote and received, which give a glimpse into what life may have been like in the Shenandoah Valley during the early 1800s. Sickness was - [Belle Grove's Enslaved Community](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/meet-the-enslaved/) - In 1820, there were 103 enslaved people on the property who performed a range of tasks from tending the fields, to cooking, to blacksmithing, to woodworking, to masonry, to leather working, to milling, to weaving. The cook was considered one of the most valuable enslaved people on the property with the highest level of training, - [Ann Tunstall Maury Hite](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/ann-hite/) - History can sometimes be overwhelming with dates and names, but it's just as important to understand the people as it is the facts. In that spirit, this exhibit introduces you to Ann Tunstall Maury Hite, more appropriately referred to as Mrs. Hite, the second wife of Major Isaac Hite. Mrs. Hite was wife to Major - [Learning Activities](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/education-resources/) - What does a photograph really tell you? Audience High School Students Objective Strengthen historical thinking skills Background Shenandoah Center for Immersive Learning (SCIL) created this video that gives an interpretive period tour of Belle Grove Manor, narrated from Mrs. Ann Hite’s perspective, with particular attention given to the enslaved experience on the plantation. Activity The biggest goal - [Learning Activities](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/mary-baldwin-learning-activities/) - Be your own botanist. Audience Ages 5+ Background Mary collected plants in her new home of Athens, Greece, pressed them into an herbarium book, and sent them to her grandmother, Ann Tunstall Maury Hite. In this herbarium from 1850, Mary pressed various plants, herbs, and flowers from places in and around Athens and placed them - [Online Talks](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/online-talks/) - The Jackson Family: A Story of Resilience & The Enduring Love of Family A Tale of Two Women at Belle Grove: Rebecca Cooley & Lucy Walker during the Battle of Cedar Creek New Insights to the Hite Family Commonplace Book Mary Briscoe Baldwin Recording for How Remote Sensing Helps Public Archaeology An Evening with CW5 - [The Jackson Family](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/the-jackson-family/) - A Story of Resilience & The Enduring Love of Family Know all men by these presents that I Emanual Jackson, of the Town of Birmingham, in the County of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, but formerly of Frederick County, in the State of Virginia, from motives of parental affection, have manumitted and set free, and - [Emanuel & Catharine](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/emanuel-catharine/) - In the University of Pittsburgh’s Freedom Papers exhibit is an entry for Emanuel Jackson Jr, which has the original bill of sale between the executors of Major Isaac Hite Jr.'s estate and Emanuel Jackson (1786) for the purchase of his enslaved son, Emanuel (1815). To see and engage with this original bill of sale, please - [Daniel & Matilda](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/daniel-matilda/) - Daniel is Emanuel and Hannah’s eldest son, born into enslavement on January 2, 1810 at Belle Grove Plantation. Isaac Fontaine Hite, Major Isaac Hite Jr.’s son, inherited Daniel after his father’s death in 1836. Historians know Daniel married another enslaved woman named Matilda, with whom he had at least one child, a son named Emanuel - [Learning Activities](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/jackson-family-learning-activities/) - Build your family tree Activity Source: PBS | Mercy Street | Fugitive Slave Act 1850 Watch the three Mercer Street videos on the PBS website. Answer the discussion questions. Complete the activity provided in the Support Materials for Teachers box. Think like a historian Audience Grades 11-12 Background The Jackson Family project started with one - [Emanuel & Hannah](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/emanuel-hannah/) - The road to freedom for the Jackson family starts with Emanuel (who also went by Manuel) Jackson (1786). He was born into enslavement around 1786, likely in Virginia. Francis T. Mastin enslaved Emanuel in Middletown, Virginia until April 22, 1816, at which point Francis sold him to Jacob Breakbill of Columbia Furnace in Shenandoah County, - [December 6, 1846](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/december-6-1846/) - The following is a transcription of the letter that Emanuel Jackson (1786) wrote to Isaac Fontaine Hite on December 6, 1846 in which he discusses the financial details in the purchase of his son, Daniel, and the logistics of Daniel's journey to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.1 Birmingham Decr 6th 1846 Mr Isaac F Hite Dear sir, I - [October 16, 1847](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/october-16-1847/) - The following is a transcription of the letter that Emanuel Jackson (1786) wrote to Isaac Fontaine Hite on October 16, 1847 in which he asks the likelihood of being able to buy Daniel's wife, Matilda, and son, Emanuel, for $1000, which is $36,343 in today's currency.1 This manuscript is reproduced with permission of the Stewart - [Deed of Emancipation](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/deed-of-emancipation/) - The following transcript is to the Deed of Emancipation for Emanuel Jackson dated November 5, 1821. - [Learning Activities](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/tale-of-two-women-learning-activities/) - Conduct your own oral history. Audience K-12 Background Clifton John's Battleground Adventures is a collection of oral histories that he captured in 1913. Given that gathered these oral histories before tape recorders or any sort of recording device, he had to handwrite what he was hearing as his interviewees shared their stories. Objectives Encourage students - [A Tale of Two Women](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/the-bound-woman/) - Lucy Walker & Rebecca Cooley Gordon during the Battle of Cedar Creek History is seldom clear cut and well documented. More often than not, you find a trail of breadcrumbs that yields more questions than answers, but every once in a while, you discover a path you never knew was there. Belle Grove Plantation is - [Life after The Civil War](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/life-after-the-civil-war/) - Lucy After the Civil War ended, Lucy married Frank A. Walker in 1865, and together they adopted a son named William E. Walker, who was born in January 1872. She remained in the same community in and around Belle Grove Plantation until she died in 1926. Rebecca As for Becky, she returned home to Warren - [The Colored Woman at Headquarters](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/the-colored-woman-at-headquarters/) - Battleground Adventures, the Stories of Dwellers on the Scenes of Conflict in Some of the Most Notable Battles of the Civil War by Clifton Johnson Our story starts with Clifton Johnson, who you see photographed here. He was born on January 25, 1865 in Massachusetts, dropped out of school at aged 15, and started to - [Rebecca ("Becky") Cooley Gordon](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/rebecca-becky-cooley-gordon/) - Rebecca (Becky) Cooley Gordon was John and Benjamin Cooley’s sister. She was born on December 24, 1824 in Warren County, Virginia, which is also where she married her husband, James William Gordon on May 14, 1848. Together, they had four children and lived at Belle Grove, Becky tending to the house and James tending to - [The Battle of Cedar Creek through Lucy's Eyes](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/the-battle-of-cedar-creek-through-lucys-eyes/) - Cedar Creek: Animated Battle Map (American Battlefield Trust, 2019) Go to previous section, Rebecca Cooley Gordon Go to next section, Life after the Civil War American Battlefield Trust. (2019). Cedar Creek: Animated Battle Map [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/_B6rZS2E5zc Johnson, Clifton. (1915). Battleground Adventures, the Stories of Dwellers on the Scenes of Conflict in Some of the Most Notable - [Lucy Walker](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/lucy-walker/) - Sometimes when conducting historical research, you have to take what you know and work backwards. Using that same logic, here's what we know by reading and analyzing Johnson's The Colored Woman at Headquarters: Johnson captured his collection of oral stories in 1913.The bound woman lived in Cedar Creek, which is also Belle Grove Plantation's location, - [Hester Smith](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/hester-smith/) - As we continued to trace Lucy Walker’s life through online records, we found her death certificate, which, again, seems to fit with our bound woman. In her death certificate, her mother is listed as Hester Smith, who was born in Clarke County, Virginia, which is one county east of Frederick County, where we know Lucy - [Lewis Robinson](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/lewis-robinson/) - During the Civil War, John and Benjamin Cooley – two brothers – owned Belle Grove Plantation, which they had bought on November 15, 1860. Looking at Benjamin Cooley’s 1860 census record, there was a man named Lewis Robinson, farm laborer, who we know was also a well-reputed carter in the Shenandoah Valley. And now we - [Life in Athens](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/life-in-athens/) - I long to be instrumental in God’s hands in bringing those who are sitting in darkness, ignorance, and superstition, into the beautiful light of the knowledge of the gospel. I have ever esteemed the title of ‘Missionary’ the highest of all earthly titles, and desire to labour on in this glorious work until I die.Mary - [Mary Briscoe Baldwin](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/mary-baldwin/) - A female missionary who transformed education in Greece and Syria I long to be instrumental in God's hands in bringing those who are sitting in darkness, ignorance, and superstition, into the beautiful light of the knowledge of the gospel. I have ever esteemed the title of 'Missionary' the highest of all earthly titles, and desire - [Life in Joppa](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/life-in-joppa/) - After serving in Athens for 33 years, Mary decided to head to Joppa, Syria to rejoin with her sister, Ann, and nephew, John Hay. In Joppa, Mary and Ann lived at “Palm Cottage” in an American colony: It is beautifully situated near the sea, in the midst of orange gardens, and surrounded by palm trees - [Early Life](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/early-life/) - Mary was born at Belle Grove Plantation on May 20, 1811, although her family’s home was actually a place called Cedar Grove. Her father was Dr. Cornelius Elijah Baldwin and mother Eleanor (Nelly) Conway Hite Baldwin, who was the daughter of Major Isaac Hite, Jr. and Eleanor (Nelly) Madison Hite. She was the second of - [Death & Legacy](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/death-legacy/) - There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of Peace and bring glad tidings of - [Letter Transcription](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/letter-transcription/) - Mary left behind a collection of letters that span several decades and detail her life abroad. In this section, we encourage you to become a historian and help us transcribe these historical documents. New to transcription? Not to worry! Check out the following resources from the Smithsonian Institution to help you get started: How to - [Holiday in Italy, 1842](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/holiday-in-italy-1842/) - After nearly a decade of working in Athens, Mary took a much deserved holiday to Italy. On August 21, 1842, Mary headed to Italy with Dr. and Mrs. Hill, along with Elizabeth of Crete, and assistant in the mission. Even on holiday, Mary's love of learning prevailed as she spent much of her trip visiting - [Mary Briscoe Baldwin's Herbarium Book](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/mary-briscoe-baldwins-herbarium-book/) - [Further Reading](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/further-reading/) - On Belle Grove Belle Grove Plantation's online store sells books on the property's history On Enslavement Archaeology of Quarters of the EnslavedEnslaved Burial Ground at Belle Grove PlantationEnslaved Families at Belle GroveFreedom for the Jackson FamilyNot Your Momma's HistorySearching for Information on Belle Grove's Enslaved Selling Belle Grove's Enslaved in 1824Slave or Enslaved Person?The Chronicles of AdamThe - [Sample Page](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/sample-page/) - This is an example page. It's different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this: Hi there! I'm a bike messenger ## Timeline Slider - [July 1-2, 1776](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/timeline_slider_post/july-1-2-1776/) - Jacob Hite's South Carolina homestead is attacked by Cherokee American Indians. Jacob Hite's family and homestead were attacked in a guerilla-style raid where most of his family was killed and his home burned. The Hite enslaved people were captured by the Cherokee and taken away as war booty to work on their farms. While Abba - [1790](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/timeline_slider_post/1790-2/) - Abba is traded to Major Isaac Hite Jr. At some point between 1787-1790, Jacob Hite's son, George Hite, recovered Abba from the Cherokee, but he traded her shortly thereafter to his cousin, Major Isaac Hite Jr. of Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown, Virginia. The trade included Abba's two children, Harry and Hannah, as well as - [1775](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/timeline_slider_post/1775/) - Abba is forced to move to move to South Carolina with Jacob Hite, her enslaver. At the end of 1775, Jacob Hite moved all of the men, women, and children he enslaved, as well as his own family, to the South Carolina frontier where he finished building their home on Old Indian Boundary Line Road. - [1769](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/timeline_slider_post/1790/) - Abba is born. Location, unknown. Parents, unknown. Siblings, unknown. ## Categories - [Uncategorized](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/category/uncategorized/) ## Pattern Type - [pattern](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/?coblocks_pattern_type=pattern) ## Pattern Category - [header](https://virtual.bellegrove.org/?coblocks_pattern_category=header)