DeSoto Parish Louisiana

Martha Elizabeth Scriven Grant

January 17, 1811--June 29, 1882

contributed by Carol Lee Colunga <cl7462@sbc.com>

Daughter of MM and Eleonor Grant; granddaughter of John Davis and Miss Scriven of Georgetown. Marriage to David Rogerson Williams McIver, Sr. was performed by Rev. James Furman in the Welsh Neck Church of Society Hill of which both Dr. and Mrs. McIver were members.

Mrs. McIver was born, reared and educated in South Carolina and belonged to that age which produced one of the greatest statesman of our country, namely John C. Calhoun. These were the days of the spinning matches and quilting parties. The dress for men had changed from the three cornered hat of the Revolution to the tall stiff one, form knee trousers and low shoes to long trousers and high boots. While for the women, hoop skirts were being discarded for the empire gowns and the lofty head dress changed to the Grecian coil.

The cotton crop of 1864 was sold to Mr. Richard Riggs, who had since the death of her husband assisted her in overseeing the slaves and farm. For this she received Confederate money which a few months later was worthless. This loss, together with that of freeing the slaves, left the family in reduced circumstances and forced Mrs. McIver some months later to sell her home.

Soon after the surrender at Appomattox, Mrs. McIver called all her old slaves about her and told them they were free to go wherever they chose. If they wished to remain with her, she would do the best she could for them. If they thought they could do better else where, she wanted them to go. To Old Daddy Bill she said," Old man, you are crippled up with rheumatism and can't work. You aren't worth anything to me, but I'll not let you suffer. If you wish to remain, I'll share my last loaf of bread with you." After making him this liberal offer he tried to

stir up dissention among the others and reported to the Northern authorities that Mrs. McIver had

mistreated them prior to his emancipation. Old Daddy Bill caught partridges in traps and sold them to Mrs. McIver then stole them out of the coops and resold them to her.

During the last year of the war, two of Major Logan's negro slaves ran away from the plantation quarters and could not be found. A posse of men hunted them for several days before they were located. These were bad negroes and the neighborhood was greatly excited over the many reports then in circulation concerning their nightly depredations of smoke houses and hen roosts. Finally they were located near Mrs. McIver's home in a den or cave which they had dug in a pine thicket. Here they had stored enough provisions to last them several days.


In 1868 Dr. Alison married into the family and for a year or more, he and his bride lived with Mrs. McIver. About 1870, she moved to Marshall, Texas where her daughter Emma was teaching school. She took in boarders and did fairly well until the panic of 1873 brought on hard times.

In 1872, Dr. Hartwell Alison and family moved to Marshall and took rooms and meals with the McIver's.

In the fall of 1873, Mrs. McIver moved back to Louisiana and from then until her death lived with her son-in-law Dr. Alison. After a lingering illness, Mrs. McIver died on the 29th of June, 1882 and was laid to rest by the side of her husband.

Her tombstone in Evergreen Cemetery in Frierson, LA reads: In memory of Mrs.M.E.McIver died June 29, 1882 aged 71 years Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints

(Tabor Bros)

 

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