April 13

Rest day at Butler Greenwood B&B in St. Francisville, Louisiana

View as I entered the estate.

What and amazing restful place to have a rest day.

I spent most the day reading "Weep for the living Anne Butler's autobiography Anne is the owner of the Butler Greenwood B&;B where I'm staying.  My cabin is the Gazebo, a 6-sided building with stained glass windows with inscriptions "in memory of" various family members.

View from my deck

This former plantation has never been sold and has remained in 8 generations of the same family, since it was build in 1790.  One woman ran the place through most of the 19th century after she inherited it at 20 when her father and other family members died of yellow.

The town of St. Francisville is located near the infamous Angola prison and is intertwined into Anne Butler's story through her marriage to a former Angola prison warden. Her story written much like a mystery tell of her relationship with her forth husband who attempted to kill her in the 90's. 

St. Francisville was settled first by the English, who the Spanish encouraged after the Revolutionary War.  the Civil war the town was attacked by a Union ship from the Mississippi.  The tallest most visible structure was the Episcople Church.  The tower wall still have the bullets embedded in the walls.  During the battle the captain of the ship died (apparently at his own hand in the dilirium from yellow fever. Since he was a part of the masonic order, the battle was stopped to give him a proper Masonic funeral with members of both armies participating. That so fits what I know about the Masons, moral behavior and their brotherhood are common ties that preclude other relationships, especially political loyalties.  He is the only Union soldier buried in the cemetery.  The town reenacts the burial each year.

Anne gave us a tour of the house this afternoon.  It is filled with 200 year old family treasures and furniture.  Three of the original buildings the main house, the kitchen building and the cook's residence were  still used until 1962.  Anne designed and built the remaining buildings to house the guests staying at the Bed & Breakfast.  Anne and her daughter still live in the main house, including the rooms that are shared in her tour.  Having tours and making this in to a B&B is the only way that she can afford to live here, a place that she is compassionate about.

Chip in the paint of my perfect Madone, probably from a rock hitting it.