Gault & Galt: A Family Legacy

 By Tiffany Amber Stockton

Only 1 more month until the festivities surrounding the 100th annual Pony Penning Day celebrations, but I'll cover that in July. :) Actually, the famous fair is having a special allowance this year and will be open every weekend during both June and July. I recently shared some family history with my daughter, and that set me to thinking about family legacy.

If you missed last month's post about the Beebe family legacy on Chincoteague, you can view it here.

When History Gets Personal

When I was a little girl, my mom read me the beloved classic Misty of Chincoteague. I was completely captivated—wild ponies, island adventures, brave kids. But the best part? My mom didn’t stop at the story. She followed it up with tales of her own childhood and how her dad actually knew Grandpa Beebe, Paul, and Maureen. Then she pulled out a photo—a real picture—of her standing next to Misty. The Misty.

To little me, it was like finding out my mom and grandfather were local celebrities. In my eyes, they kind of were.

But let’s rewind a bit. Way back to 1919, when my grandfather—Pop-pop, as I called him—was born on Chincoteague Island. His parents, Daniel W. Gault, Sr. and Carrie Jester Gault, each brought a child from previous marriages, and together they had seven more. Pop-pop was the first of those seven. A big, bustling family.

In 1925, when Pop-pop was just six years old, the very first official Pony Penning Day took place. I love imagining him as a little boy, heart racing as he ran toward the beach, waiting for the moment when the saltwater cowboys would herd the wild ponies across the channel from Assateague to Chincoteague for the big auction. That tradition still lives on today, but for him—it was just part of growing up.

The Great Depression hit everyone hard, and my family was no exception. My mom used to tell me how Pop-pop’s father, my great-grandfather, would get creative just to keep the family going. He’d cut up old car tires to use the rubber for resoling shoes. Can you imagine? That kind of grit always stuck with me. By age 13, Pop-pop was already cutting hair in his dad’s barbershop to help make ends meet.

He graduated from high school in 1937, and not long after, the family sold the island barbershop and moved to Washington, D.C. That’s where he met my grandmother, Esther Mae Seiple. They got married after he returned from serving in the Army for five years stationed in the Panama Canal during WWII. After the war, he joined his father once again, this time at the “Father & Son Barber Shop” on Pennsylvania Avenue, just steps from Capitol Hill.

And let me tell you, their client list was impressive. Senators, congressmen, and D.C.’s elite sat in their chairs. It ran in the family, apparently. Another branch of our family, the Galts (spelled without the “u”), owned Galt & Bro., Inc. Jewelers. That shop served U.S. presidents and opened in 1802, right near the White House. The stories that came out of that business—like fixing Abraham Lincoln’s watch during the first shots at Fort Sumpter, or Edith Galt marrying President Woodrow Wilson—could fill an entire book. Maybe that can be my next project.

 

But back to Pop-pop.

Around 1952, not long after Congress opened a barbershop in the Capitol basement, my great-grandfather retired and moved back to Chincoteague. That left Pop-pop running the D.C. shop on his own. He kept it going until 1966 when Safeway bought out the block for a new loading dock. That’s when he, my grandmother, and my mom (who was born in 1950) packed up and moved to Suitland, Maryland.

He rented a chair in a barbershop in Fairfax Village, and that’s where my older brother had his very first haircut. Pop-pop stayed there, cutting hair and telling stories, until 1979 when he returned to his roots on Chincoteague Island. He took over a barbershop there and moved into a little apartment across the street.

That apartment became special to me. I can still picture myself sitting on his knee, spinning wild tales about my brother and me being in some sort of danger, and Pop-pop swooping in to save the day. What can I say? I’ve always been a storyteller...even at age four. :)

Sadly, our time together didn’t last as long as I wish it had. Pop-pop passed away from a heart attack in 1983. I was only seven. But the stories, the history, and the legacy we shared have stayed with me ever since.

And now, through this blog and the books I’m currently writing, his story lives on.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* Do you have a family story that connects you to a famous place, person, or moment in history? Share how your family’s past has shaped your perspective or inspired you.

* What childhood memory or family tradition still sticks with you today, and why? Whether it’s a holiday ritual, a special person, or a place you visited, we’d love to hear about it.

* Have you ever felt a personal connection to a book or story that tied into your real life? Maybe like me with Misty of Chincoteague, a fictional tale suddenly felt real. What is it?

Leave answers to these questions or any comments on the post below.

** This note is for our email readers. Please do not reply via email with any comments. View the blog online and scroll down to the comments section.

Come back on the 9th of each month for my next foray into historical tidbits to share.

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has embellished stories since childhood, thanks to a very active imagination and notations of talking entirely too much. Honing those skills led her to careers as an award-winning and best-selling author and speaker, while also working as a professional copywriter/copyeditor. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help them get rooted and live a life of purpose.

Currently, she lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children, three dogs, and three cats in southeastern Kentucky. In her 20+ years as a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and has agent representation with Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

Robert Smalls, Escape to Freedom

By Nancy J. Farrier

Fog drifted in the air above the harbor. The slap of water against the sides of the boat became a counterpoint to the men’s pounding hearts. The guard on the wharf strode toward them as they pulled away from the dock. Robert Smalls held his breath as he waved a hand at the man. He prayed the lifting fog would be enough to hide their deception and save their lives. The guard turned back. Robert breathed a sigh of relief. The first hurdle of his plan had been passed.

Robert Smalls, photo from
Harper's Bazaar, Wikipedia

Robert Smalls, born in 1839 to a slave woman, Lydia Polite, and possibly fathered by her slave owner, Henry Mckee. When he was twelve, Robert’s mother insisted his owner find him a trade to learn. Robert went to Charleston where he held many jobs, but he loved the sea and began to learn about ships. From making sails to learning to pilot a boat, Robert’s lessons—and his knowledge of the Charleston harbor—would save his family and many others..

In 1856, Robert married a hotel maid, Hannah Jones. Robert was 17 and Hannah was 22. Hannah already had two daughters and by the start of the Civil War in 1861, she and Robert had a daughter and a son. One of Robert’s great fears was that of losing his family by one or more of them being sold off. He had the dream of being free with his family, which led to him risking everything to gain that freedom.

In 1862, Robert was working as a pilot for a Confederate ship, Planter, docked in Charleston harbor. Smalls had a small group of men, also a part of the ship’s

Gunboat CSS Planter,
Wikimedia

crew and all were slaves. After much planning, Smalls waited for the perfect night to enact his escape. The multi-part plan included stealing the Planter from the well-guarded harbor, slipping into the North Atlantic Harbor to pick up Hannah, the children and a few others, then getting past Fort Sumpter without alerting any of the Confederate army that they were stealing the Planter.

The night finally arrived. The Planter’s captain and the other officers in charge left the boat to go for drinks on shore. This was against regulations but was often done. With the fog rolling in, Smalls knew the guards would have a more difficult time discerning the people aboard. He volunteered to stand in as Captain. All of the men knew if they were caught, they would be put to death. Their wives and children would be sold, but they would die. For them, freedom was worth the risk.

Map showing Smalls involvement in the Civil War
Courtesy of Wikimedia

They left Charleston harbor and arrived at the North Atlantic Wharf. They kept the boat to a slow pace and didn’t have to stop as the women and children boarded. They got them below and headed to the next obstacle, passing the Fort. Smalls donned the Captain’s hat and as they came to the fort, he gave the signal on the whistle—two long blows and one short one. The sentry yelled to them and let them pass.

The steamship was now free of the Confederate forces, but not free from danger. As they approached the Yankee navy, they brought down the Confederate flags and raised a white bedsheet they hoped would be seen as a sign of their surrender. If the Yankee’s didn’t believe them, they would sink the Planter and all would die.

The women were terrified. They were below decks praying for safety, praying the Yankee captains would give them a chance. Fog thickened, making it harder for the Union soldiers to be able to see the white flag. The possibility of being rammed and sunk was high.

The Union ship, Onward, waited until they were within hailing distance and yelled for the ship’s name and their intent. John Frederick Nickels, Captain of the Onward,called for them to come alongside. Smalls and his crew may not have heard the command because they started to go around the Onward. Nickels commanded them to stop or be blown out of the water and Smalls and his crew came alongside the Onward.

Smalls house, now a historic landmark
Courtesy of Wikimedia

This daring escape led to the freedom of sixteen people, including Robert Smalls and his family. Robert went on to be an invaluable aid to the Union forces, showing them the strengths and weaknesses of the Confederates in the area and leading to the Union army being able to advance. He did many heroic things during the war and also learned much. Also, within a few months he taught himself to read.

After the war, Smalls went into business with Richard Gleaves. They opened a store that would serve to help the freedmen. In 1868, Smalls went into politics. He was instrumental in getting education for the freed slaves. He served in both State politics and in National politics, being elected to the House of Representatives. 

Robert Smalls,
Courtesy of Wikimedia

Robert Smalls received many honors. His house in Beaufort, SC is a historic landmark. In 2004, a U.S. ship was named after Smalls, the first one to be named after and African American. 

I found Robert Smalls escape on the Planterfascinating. His bravery and intelligence amazed me. There is much more I could have included in this blog, but the post would have been too long. What an incredible person.

In doing my research, I found this book, Be Free or Die, released in 2017, that details Robert Smalls life and accomplishments. You can listen to an interview with the author here. You can see the book here. 

Nancy J Farrier is an award-winning author who lives in Southern Arizona in the Sonoran Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.