Mary Catherine Brisbane Hickox 1832 - 1913 wrote a memoir of her childhood, as she explained it "thinking that after I am gone my children may want to know some thing about their relations when there is no one to tell them".   She had two children, but only one grand child and this grand daughter, Zillah Keese Hickox 1892 - 1975, would herself die unmarried.   Mary Catherine's memoir lives on, however, and includes many delightful reminiscences of her kinsfolk including the one below.   Thanks are due to Zillah Keese Hickox who ensured the preservation of the text and to Tom Tucker who brought it to the compiler's attention.

Of my aunts and uncles Hall, my own grand mother’s sisters and brothers, I know little or nothing.   One of the sisters, Harriet [Harriet Hall], was drowned in an accident on the Ashley or a branch of that river.   My grandfather and mother and Harriet were crossing the river in a row boat when it capsized.   My grandfather [John Stanyarne Brisbane 1773 – 1850] alone being able to swim, caught one of the drowning women by the hair and rescued her.   She proved to be his wife  [Maria Hall 1769 - 1831];  Harriet was drowned.  

* Birth date unknown: baptism 9th February 1779