There will be a book signing event Oct 7 at 3 pm at the Aiken County Historical Museum for The Thompson Family: Untold Stories from the Past (1830 - 1960), a book by Dr. Walter B. Curry, Jr. which features families from our area including the only African American woman known to have served in a Confederate regiment. Autographed copies of the book will be available for $25.
The book is the first of several works that chronicles the genealogical epoch of the Thompson Family of Salley, South Carolina. The book is the first of several works that chronicles the genealogical epoch of the Thompson Family of Salley, South Carolina.
The book includes narratives of the oral tradition of slaves. One of those narratives is the story of Milledge Thompson. Milledge, the oldest of seven children, was born on October 5, 1830. His first wife was Laura Thompson, who was also a slave. Out of their union they had two daughters: Charlotte Thompson-Quattlebaum and Clara Thompson-Livingston.
Later in life, Laura was sold at a slave auction in Charleston, South Carolina to a slave owner around the Horry County area. Remarkably, his daughters were not sold. During his enslavement, Milledge was given the opportunity to earn wages to secure his freedom. With considerable help from local White residents, he was able to purchase his own freedom, in addition to purchasing the freedom of his daughters, Charlotte and Clara.
Later in life, Milledge married his second wife, Amanda Friday. Out of their union, they had sixteen children. The family attended Smyrna Baptist Church where Milledge was ordained as a deacon. Later, Milledge purchased 100 acres of land for $2 per acre near Kitchings Mill area outside of Salley, South Carolina.
The inaugural book signing event, sponsored by the Aiken-Barnwell Genealogical Society, will take place on Sunday October 7, 2018 from 3:00 PM-4:30 PM at the Aiken County Historical Museum, 433 Newberry Street, SW, Aiken, South Carolina. Copies of the book will be available for sale, and refreshments will be served.
10% percent of the sales from the event will go to support the efforts of the Aiken-Barnwell Genealogical Society and the Aiken County Historical Museum, respectively. Those who are attending the event and want a reserved copy may call Dr. Curry at (803) 404-2117 or email [email protected]. The cost of the book is $25.00.
The book will be available on Amazon on October 5, 2018, in honor of the birthday of Milledge Thompson, the oldest sibling of Dr. Curry direct ancestor. Autographed copies are available for $25.00 plus $5.00 insurance to insure delivery and postage. You can send a check to Dr. Walter B. Curry, 230 Cherry Stone Drive, Columbia, SC 29229.