Lavinia Corley Thompson was born into slavery in South Carolina on June 3, 1844. During the Civil War, she accompanied her master into battle, serving as a cook for the Confederate army. Sixty years later, she was one of approximately 100 black South Carolinians who were granted modest pensions for their coerced contributions to the Confederate effort.
On August 24th, 2024, from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM, Dr. Walter B. Curry, Jr., a descendant of Lavinia, will present insights into her extraordinary narrative during a lecture at the Battle of Rivers Bridge State Historic Site, 325 State Park Road, Ehrhardt, SC, 29081. This event will take place at the Park Office/Community Building and is supported by South Carolina Humanities.
Dr. Curry has compiled an impressive wealth of information regarding his enslaved ancestors, tracing their journey from Africa, across the Middle Passage, through the years of slavery prior to the Civil War, and into their lives following emancipation. The narrative begins with an oral tradition of slave experiences passed down through generations, as recounted by Lavinia Thompson to her descendants. Nettie Thompson Johnson, who was the half-sister of Dr. Curry’s great-grandmother, eventually documented these stories, starting with Lavinia’s description of her mother, Phyllis Corley, who “came over on a boat.” It is important to note that Phyllis Corley was not born with that name; it was assigned to her by her owners in South Carolina. Her initial master, Matthew Borden, passed away, bequeathing Phyllis and several other enslaved individuals to his associate, Joshua Corley. The Corley plantation was situated in the Barnwell District, which is now part of Aiken County, near the Kitching’s Mill area
