The Life of Henry Bradley Plant: Founder and President of the Plant System of Railroads and Steamships and Also of the Southern Express Company — John Shaqi
The Life of Henry Bradley Plant: Founder and President of the Plant System of Railroads and Steamships and Also of the Southern Express CompanySmyth, G. Hutchinson (George Hutchinson)
History
The Life of Henry Bradley Plant: Founder and President of the Plant System of Railroads and Steamships and Also of the Southern Express Company
Smyth, G. Hutchinson (George Hutchinson)
Plant family; Plant, Henry Bradley, 1819-1899
“On Mr. and Mrs. Plant’s return to Augusta in the fall of 1858, they
took residence at the Planter’s Hotel, then kept by Mr. Robbins. In the
spring of 1859, Mr. and Mrs. Plant, leaving their young son Morton, with
Captain W. and his wife in Atlanta, visited New Orleans and remained
there during Mardi Gras. Their stay, however, was much shortened by the
demands made upon Mr. Plant’s time and attention by the celebrated
Maroney robbery. Mrs. Plant’s health, which had been failing for some
time, was rapidly growing worse. Mr. Plant’s movements were thus
handicapped, and his trips necessarily became shorter and more frequent.
Captain W. and wife moved to Athens in April, 1861. Mrs. Plant intended
to spend the spring and summer of 1862 with them, but their plans were
broken up by her death, at the Planter’s Hotel, Augusta, February 28,
1862.
“Mr. Plant visited Athens shortly after the funeral, and remained
several weeks; from thence important business called him back to
Augusta. Health began to fail him and he visited Athens again in the
following year. It was at this time that his friends prevailed upon him
to pay a visit to Europe in the hope that his strength would be restored
to him.
“In illustration of the good memory which Mr. Plant possessed for a past
kindness, the following interesting story is told. The narrator was
sitting in his office talking with Mr. Plant, when the latter suddenly
turned from him to a clerk to instruct him in the following words.
‘While I remember it, I want you to write to Mrs. W. to say that her
request that we take charge of her money is granted. We will take it and
give her six per cent., this will give her ---- dollars to pay for her
board, and we will add to it ---- dollars, which will keep her
comfortably among her friends.’
“The amount added was very nearly one and a half times as large as the
interest on the moderate amount of insurance which her deceased husband
had placed on his life before he died.
“Then when all arrangements for this poor widow’s comfort had been made
with the treasurer, Mr. Plant, not supposing that I had ever heard of
the woman, explained that long years ago, when his first wife was sick
in Augusta, this now widowed woman was very kind to her and also to his
son Morton who was then a very little child. This was thirty-six years
ago, but it was as fresh in Mr. Plant’s memory, and as near to his heart
as if it had occurred only a few weeks ago. Little did this good woman
think at the time she rendered this kindly service to a delicate wife,
that thirty-six years hence it would be paid back to her with compound
interest. It may be truly said that ‘bread cast upon the waters shall
return after many days.’”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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