John Bartram (1699-1777) wrote "her garden is her delight..."
Martha Daniell Logan was born in 1704, in Charleston, the daughter of Robert Daniell & Martha Wainwright. Logan’s father owned 48,000 acres & was appointed to 2 terms as the colony’s lieutenant governor. Receiving a traditional girl’s education, Logan became intrigued with her father’s nursery business & learned how to cultivate plants.
When her father died in 1718, 13 year-old Logan inherited his vast Wando River property, probably including his nursery. Almost immediately after receiving her large inheritance, when she was only 14, she married George Logan, Jr., in 1719. The couple had 8 children. The next 30 years of their marriage apparently saw financial setbacks, & Martha Logan tutored & boarded students at her Wando River house. She placed advertisements describing her services in the South-Carolina Gazette, until a 1749 announced Martha Logan’s house & properties for sale. In the early 1750s Logan’s family moved to town, & she secured employment at a Charleston boarding school.
The South Carolina Gazette carried advertisements in November 1753 of "seeds, flower roots, & fruit stones" for sale at her house "on the Green, near Trotts point." Her "Gardners Kalender" has appeared in a number of Almanacs.
Mrs. Logan carried on a lively exchange of letters & seeds with John Bartram (1699-1777), the noted Pennsylvania botanist, who in a letter to English botanist Peter Collinson (1694-1768) in May 1761, wrote of "the favor of a elderly widow Lady who spares no pains or cost to oblige me; her garden is her delight & she has a fine one: I was with her about 4 minutes in her company yet we contracted such a mutual correspondence that one silk bag of seed hath repast several times." Bartram visited Charleston 3 times.
The Logans moved from their Wandon home to a plantation near Charleston, South Carolina, and began her botanical collections in nearby woods. After her husband died in 1742, Martha experienced financial difficulties.
In that year, Martha placed an advertisement in the South Carolina Gazette, offering to board children to teach them to read and write. Her son Robert began to advertise for sale imported seeds, flower roots, and fruit stones.
In 1751, Martha wrote a column titled "Gardener's Kalendar" for the South Carolina Gazette. Though further financial trouble caused her to have to sell her plantation in 1753. Martha moved to Charleston and sold rare seeds and roots and continued her study of botany. The South Carolina Gazette carried advertisements in November 1753 of "seeds, flower roots, and fruit stones" for sale at her house "on the Green, near Trotts point." She continued to collect plants, & seeds and began to correspond extensively with the Philadelphia botanist John Bartram. They exchanged samples and communicated regularly.
Bartram visited Charleston 3 times, contracting a close friendship with Thomas Lambo, Dr. Alexander Garden, and Dr. Lionel Chalmers as well as with Mrs. Logan.
Mrs. Logan carried on a lively exchange of letters and seeds with John
Bartram, the noted botanist, who in a letter to Peter Collinson in May 1761,
wrote of "the favor of a elderly widow Lady who spares no pains or cost to
oblige me; her garden is her delight and she has a fine one: I was with her
about 4 minutes in her company yet we contracted such a mutual correspond
ence that one silk bag of seed hath repast several times."
Bartram visited Charleston 3 times, contracting a close friendship with Thomas Lambo, Dr. Alexander Garden, and Dr. Lionel Chalmers as well as with Mrs. Logan.
Letters- Sr
I Recived yours Dated Id March with with the Seeds Enclosed and
am much ObHgd for them. I hope for better success with these then
those before, having never a Seed of the Sweet Sultaine or the Humble
plant that Came up. The roots and Seeds you Mention will be Very
Exceptable, and if the Crocusts are blue I shall Like them Still better,
as I have 2 roots of yellow allready.
You may Sertinly Depend on my Sending the Holly berries and
Seeds of the Savana Locust you saw in Mr. Rapers Garden as soon as
they are ripe. I will doe my Endeaviour to gett a root of the Starry
Hyacinth of Mrs. Wragg but doe not know of any Other person that
has it in Charlestown. The yellow Wood bears no Seeds and grows
Wilde. When its Propogated, tis only from its Slips. Wherefore have
Sent you Some in a box of Earth (though tis Rather late to move it)
but as tis not Difficult to grow, hope they Will Live. If not, I Can with
Ease Send you some more Next Winter.
In the same box you have 2 roots of another kinde of Starry
Hyacinth and Some fue Other things of which you have a list at Last,
as aliso a list of many things Which I Coulde with Ease furnish you with
If I knew what woulde be Exceptable. Wheirfore [I] begg you will
without Serimony tell me What to Send thee, for am Sure no person will
moore readyly Comply with your Requests. I am with Respect Sr Your
Well wisher and Humble Servnt
Martha Logan
A list of things which may be Sent: 6
Trees and flowering Shrubs
OHander, Sweet shrub, Cassena
Double flowered Pumgranat.
Dwarfe Pumgranet, Nut meg mirtles
Scorpesene (a shrub)
the Catalpa. One with white and other reed flowrs.
Canary Shrub (Purple flowrs)
flowering bays and Laurels
Enghsh Honey Suckles
Chine Indigo
Pasion flower
the feathered leaf. One with Scarlet flowrs.
Snaile flower
Rose Cassia
Turkey Balm
aUoways?two Sorts. One that flowrs Constantly, the other very
Seldom (if Ever).
Ice plant
White Crocusts
grape Hyacinth (blue)
Chine and Turkey pinks, Caldonian Iris
Gause Narsses, Double white Sweet-sented Cyprus narses, Tuby roses
A Hst [of] whats Sent in the box:
6 Plants of yeUow Wood. 2 D[itt]o HoUy, 2 D[itt]o the tree in Rapers
garden.
1 Turff of Striped grass (much Esteemed hear). Several roots of a SmaU
purple flower you See in Mrs. Bees garden, the which you liked.
1 Plant of Ittihan Jessimine.
2 Starry Hyacinth but not of Bulbas kinde.
PS When you Send or Wright to me againe, be pleased to Direct for
me to the Caire of John Logan, Merchant in Charles Town, for
Dr. Garden has so much business he has not time to Think of me.
Wheirefore your Letters have Some times layen a good While and
I never known of them. Capt. North here is the Person brings your box. Will be a Safe
hand when you f aviour me with the roots and seeds you mentioned.
Mr. John Bartram, Botanists in Philadelphia
With a Box of Earth and Plants. These
Sr
I have Last weak Recived boath your faveours with the Seeds theirin
mentioned, for which am much Obliged, and wish you Woulde bein so
kinde to Lett me known what we have that woulde bein most Exceptable
to you; but as you did not, have sent in Closed the Littel Bagg which
Containe Some Varity but fue of a kinde, (as you Requested). The
middle Division is flouring Srubes, trees, and Vines, which we Esteem
and wish they may be New to you. I Doubt not you have many things
which I Shoulde be glade of, as I am particularly fond of Double flowers.
And if you Coulde Send me a fue Seeds of white Stock gilly flours and
yellow Wall flours which woulde Produce the Double flours, or any of
the Sweet or Other pease of the Like Kinds, they woulde be Much
Esteemed; or a fue fine Carnations, as I have only the Comon kind.
I was so unluckey this Last Summer to Loose all the Roots of my
Ranunculists, anemoneys, Tulips, and fine Double Hyacinths, by Laying
them in a Closet to Dry affter they weire taken up, for the mice Devoured
them before I had a thought of it. If these Seed with you and Canbe
Spaire them, I shoulde be Vastly glade to make the[e] any Return for
a fue, Ither roots or Seeds. Wee have Several Sorts of Bulbas roots and
I Coulde Easely Convey them to the[e] if They woulde be any Adision
to your Collection of floures. I shoulde be Likewise glade of your kinds
of hesperis as they may Differ from mine.
aliso a littel Double Chine asster Seeds
I doe againe assure you of the truth of my assertion Relating to the
Striped Stock gilly flours. And If the Seed Should Produce you flours
of a plaine Seed, I Begg yould not be Discouraged but make a Second
tryal the Next Season, by which I am perswaided you Will be Convinced
of the truth. - - The Seeds I sent you by the Names of Virgin Stock was
the Same Littel flour you so much Admired in my Garden and hope
they have Succeeded with [you] but have againe Sent a fue more for
fear of Any Accidents and am with greatest Sincerity Sr yr assured
friend and Humble Servant Martha Logan
Charlestown 20 December 1760
My good Wishes attend yr family.
To Mr John Bartram
To the care of Philip Bennezet Mercht. In Philadelphia
P Capt. Noarth
Sr
I rote you Some Littel time Since Requesting your Instructions in
my flour Garden which I hope you will grant. I make no Doubt you
have Recived the Seeds I Sent by Doctr Gardens Conveyance and Wish
they may Succeed to the Uttermost of your Desires. And If tis in my
Power to ObHdge the[e] with anything in this Province, Only Lett me
know and you Shall finde no Person moore Ready.
When you favour me againe with a line, Pray be so kinde to tell
me Whither the following Roots are to be Purchased with you. As the
Passage is so much Shorter, I Should Chuse it.
England for them? Such as Tulips, Ranunculists, Anemonyes, Narsisses,
Hyacinths, and Horsenecks. The Lasst named, and a littel Seed or SHps
of the Tree you Call the Snowball, is what I am particularly Desirous
of. And they are not to be had from England for I have Sent for them
In Several of my Lissts but Never got one, and I find they Doe very
well with us, for Doctr Garden has a good many roots Now bluming.
If the afore mentioned are to be purchased (and yould give me
Leave) Shall trouble you with a Short List by the time yr Seeds are
ripe, and roots Out of the ground. In the Meantime I remain, with true
Reguard Sr, your assured friend and Humble Servt.
Martha Logan
February 20 1761
Sr
I have the Pleasure of yours by Capt North and am much Obliged
for the Roots theirein Promised. They will be quite Acceptable. If you
have any Sweet or other Peas of the Double kinds, [I] Shoulde be Very
glade of a fue.
I am Sorry the Holley Did not Prove what you Wanted but Shall
make Inquirey after the trees in Mrs. Wraggs and by Mr. Rapers garden,
and Send you Some of theire Berryes as Soon Ripe. As Likewise all the
Other things you Mention in theire Season for Removing. I doe not
know if the Scarlet floured Vine I have be what you ... heard
what I call Cannary Vine, Saide to be Lylass. Perhaps you may know
it by this. How Ever, Shall Send boath with the Others and hope they
will be an adision to yr Collections.
I have bein a Httle unluckey in the Seeds though hast be so kinde
to Send. Several never Come up, amoungst which Weire the Sweet
Sultains, Purple Molly, and Sibera Rocket. If thee are well Stocked
with Seeds, I Shall be glade to try them once moore. Pray lett me
know how yr Stock gilly flours turned out and thou wilt much Oblige
Sr your assured friend and Humble Servent
Martha Logan
June 6 1761
To Mr John Bartram Botanists In Philidelphia
Pr. faviour Capt North These
Madm
I Recived your favour by Capt. North and am much Obligd for
taking the trouble of Answering Mine in Mr. Bartrams Absence. I hope
he is by this Returned to his family and well. Pray give My Respts to
him and tell him I Shoulde be Very glade if he would tell mr Ratlive
what the Andromed on the road he mentioned to me is, and I will
Most Sertinly gett it and Send at a proper Season but I Cannot finde it
Out from Doctr Garden. Mr Ratlive is my Nighbour and will Enforme
me better than any Letter Can.
I hearwith Send him Some roots of the Indian, or Worm Pink, as
the Seeds weire all fallen before I had yrs about them. In the Same
Tub is Some Slips of Mrs Bees Littel flower, Least the Seeds Shoulde
faile. The Berryes on the Tree are not yett Ripe Enough but If I live,
yr Spouse may Sertinly Expect them with the Other things. I am with
great [t]ruth your well wisher and friend
Octr 18 1761 Martha Logan
Turn Over
Since I rotte the foregoing part I had A Cupple Slips of a Shrub
and the Cashion rose Sent me. As they weire out of the grownd and
roome Enough for them in Tub, thought they might be Exceptable to
the[e]. The Shrub is a native of this Province, and the beauty not in
its flowers but in its Seeds, which are Very Curious and appear Like
Scarlet flowers which Cover it in the fall of the year. I also have put
2 roots of the flowring alloway, but tis only once a year that tis in
bloom. The Enclosed is Seeds of the Same Shrub in the tub. When Mr.
Bartram Sends the Shrubs he was so kinde to Promise, pray begg the
favour he will Lett me know which are of a large kind and which Small,
that I may Plant them Properly.
Sr
I Recived your faviour by Capt North with the Box and things
theirein mentioned, for which am much Oblidged. I have now Sent you
the under written in your Own Box and hope you will have them ...
The tree in Mr Glens garden is the Same with that of Rapers, of which
I have Sent you a plant and Some Seeds. The Latter Comes in a Smale
Bagg.
If the Season is Proper I Shoulde be very glade of a yr Kelmia
and Leelass of Diffring Kinds from Our, for we have none Other but
the Purplish-reed floured Leelass and reed and whitte Kellmia,11 which
blowes in Bunches, but I finde from Mrs. Hopton you have 4 or 5 Sorts.
The mozeennan Shrub and a root or two of Pieonei seeds I Shoulde
be Very thankfull for. Mr. Ratlive Brought of this latter for him Self
by Land and they Seem quite aLive and Springing. I have filled the
Earth in the box with Seeds as I finde you take Caire of it and Wish
you Better Success with them. The Snaile flouer will not Bear our
Winters without gaurding it by Shelters M aide Over their roots, so that
yours will require to be moved in the fall into a green house, for they
will not flour till the Second year. If we have any thing Else you Desire
pray lett me know and will doe my Endeavour to gett them. In the
meantime Conclude me your assured friend and weU Wisher
Martha Logan
PS My Respects attend your Spouse and family.
Febuary 13 1762
Memorand on Plants in the Box:
1 Plant from Mr. Rapers tree, with a talley on it
2 Dwarf Pumgranets, 1 OHve, I Sweet Shrub, 6 yeUow wood
4 Lobloly bays, 3 Slips Bouncing besses, 3 Mrs Bees flouer
2 Nutts of OHve in the Earth in box
When you have any Cyclans to Spaire, Shall be Very glade of a root [of]
Each Sort of them.
Mrs Hopton Just Enformed me you was desirous of a root of Our Wilde
Lilly, which is Called the golden, also the Wragged Lilly. Wheirefore
have put 3 or 4 roots of Each in the Box with 3 roots of the fox taile
Hyacinth which She Sends thee, aliso 1 hyacinth (Perue) and 4 plants
Pride of Chine. The Hyacinths are Planted in Box.
two roots of Ivy or calmia
dwarf double rose
flowering rasbery
dwarf plum, a prety shrub
crategus from new england flowering
one tree box [illegible] of white lychnis
Several root of striped Peonea
To Mr. John Bartram
Sr
I have the Pleasure of yrs 9th of November and hartly Congratulate
yr Safe return to yr family, which I hope you found well. I am much
Oblig'd for the Enclosed Seeds and Promised Roots, which will be quite
Exceptable.
I hearewith Send you a box which Containe the Underwritten Plants
and in the Earth Several Roots (with out Tops) of ... of Diffiring
kinds which hope will be Such as yould like ... being the best
I Could gett. Aliso in Same Case is a tin [containing] Seeds, and a fue
young Stock gilly flowers which weire ... the Critical time in
Septr to Stripe them; and begg yould Pl[ant them] out at Same time in
March in order to see if they will bloom with you, for they Never faile
with me.
I am Very Sorry tis not in my Power to Send you any Seeds of the
Ice plant. It died Last Summer with Out Seeding, but will Endeavour
to Gett Some for you. The Seeds of Mrs Bees flowers are most all fallen
before I received yrs so have Sent you a very fue of them, but will
Remember it another year. I have Sent a large Pod of the Shrub you
See beyond the quarter House,14 and aliso 4 young Evergreen which I
hope is the Pandus you mentioned in yr last. It is Called with us
Oliander, a Very Pretty flowring Shrub; Like wise 2 Slips of OHve as I
coulde not gett them with Roots, and we frequently have these grow
with us. Shoulde they faile, I make no Doubt the Nutts I Send will Sup
ply you, as they are of the Last Summers growth and weire well Rippned.
The Spung tree is a Native of Jamica and will not bear much Colde but
is a Delightfull Sweet flowring Shrub and well worth a Place [in a gr]een
house. In the Same Case is 2 Loblolly bays and a fue roots of Mrs
... and hope they will Succeed with you. My Best wishes attend
... and am Very Sincerely your friend and Humble Servant
Martha Logan
... 25 1763
PS
Wee have had Several Vessels from yr Poart since I Received the
above mentioned Letter from you, but have not had a line on the roots,
which makes me feare the French or Spanyards has Disappointed me of
them. There is two Other Trees in the Case which is not a Evergreen
but I think it a Prittey Shrub, and the Lillyes, I make no doubt, will
doe with great Ease for they grow wilde with u
See: Letters of Martha Logan to John Bartram, 1760-1763
Author(s): Martha Logan and ed. Mary Barbot Prior
Source: The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 59, No. 1 (Jan., 1958), pp. 38-46 Published by: South Carolina Historical Society
