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.

My father [William Brisbane  1809 – 1860], as I have said before, was born March 1809, and was married to Julia Hall Lowndes [Julia Hall Lowndes  1811 – 1847] when he was twenty-one.   My mother was born in 1811 and was married at nineteen.   They must have been a most interesting young couple.   A perfect contrast in appearance and both charming.   My father was very dark, as were all of the Brisbanes.   His hair was black and his eyes very dark, fine and expressive.   He was about six feet high, graceful in carriage and with exceptionally good manners and conversational powers.   In fine, a very agreeable man and a well educated, accomplished, gentleman.

 When my parents were married they moved directly to our home at Wiltown Bluff.   I have heard that the young couple drove to their new house called the White Cottage in a coach and four, with the horses gaily dressed in long white ribbon streamers.   Here we lived until my mother’s death:  then the dear house was sold to our great friends, Mr & Mrs Heyward Marigault, Mrs Marigault being the youngest daughter of Col. Lewis Morris, my Aunt Amarinthia’s [Amarinthia Lowndes 1803 – 1843]  husband.   We immediately built another church on the Bluff, near the church.   I suppose my father entered into all the Charleston gaieties, while they were young, but I, of course, know nothing of that time.   When I remember, they lived very quietly all the winter on their rice plantation and in the summer in some more healthy locality.   Several summers we spent in Greenville, South Carolina.   The life at Willtown was like paradise to us children, compared with the city.   We were practically allowed to go free, only a very few rules and restraints being enforced.   Once we had a white nurse or governess who sewed for us and taught us some lessons:  but on the whole we did as we pleased and were happy.   

 In my recollection my parents seldom went out.   Once or twice during the winter one or another of our little colony gave a large supper party, sometimes ending in a dance, but these were generally during the Christmas holidays and when each house was full of company, after that the neighbourhoods subsided.   Many went to the city in February, especially if there were young people in the family, and then dissipated until Lent put a stop to frivolity, when they returned again to plantation life.   We often had small dinner parties at our house which my father enjoyed very much.   He was very considerate of my mother and always ordered dinner himself on such occasions and saw that everything was attended to, except the little details that she arranged.   In like manner he never allowed her to be disturbed or get out of bed at night.   In case of sickness or any accident he attended to our wants himself and if anyone had to sit up, he was the one to do it.   As I remember, however, there were few serious illnesses.   We were always well, except when threatened with croup or some childish or trifling ailment.  

My father was interested in all matters of Church and State and was influential in all things appertaining to the business and welfare of the neighborhood.   His favorite way of going from place was on horseback and he rode beautifully as many southern gentlemen did: it was considered as a part of their education as much as good manners or any other essential of good breeding.