Epilogue Part 5 All Good Things End

William and Melanie's four children grew into adulthood and success. By all accounts, the family remained close, and William was especially thankful that his youngest remaining daughter, Regina, who had taken her mother's death exceptionally hard, had finally quit blaming her father for her death and their difference on that had been resolved.

General William Tavington's life came to a peaceful end in the Autumn of 1809, ten years after his beloved wife had passed. He'd lived to see such success of his plantation and continued to further what his father-in-law, Hayden Prescott, had built. The former cavalry officer amassed a fortune for the farm and his children and grandchildren.

His youngest son, Alexander, had come down from Charlotte for a visit. The young man had studied the law and was quickly building a successful law practice there. He had become a handsome lad, one of the most eligible in both the Carolinas.

William and his son had taken a leisurely walk about the plantation that day. Alex had parted from his father for a moment to greet a messenger on horseback and collect a letter from the boy. As he turned back to walk back to join the elder man again, Alexander Tavington watched his father collapse on the grass. He raced to where his father lay and saw the unmistakable look of a pain on his face as his hand clutched his chest. Alex dropped to his knees and gathered his papa into his arms. The old cavalry officer lasted only a couple of moments, long enough to whisper a few words to his son, then died in Alex's arms.

Later, when the family gathered for the funeral, Alexander shared with his siblings what their father had told him. He told Alex that he was proud of all his children and pleased that they were all happy. He also said that he had missed their mother painfully over the last 10 years. Strangely, the last thing William told his son was that he could see Melanie standing near, and she was waiting for him.

"I love you all," he murmured to Alex in a raspy voice, "I am happy to go to your mother now." The old general then closed his eyes and died, gone at age 59.

General Tavington left a generous inheritance behind for all his children and grandchildren, and was even good to the servants. Mary, Alexander, and Regina and their offspring and spouses received large fortunes. William Jr, received the same as well as inheriting the Prescott Tavington family plantation and business.

William Tavington Jr. finally married Cora Wilkins, second oldest of James and Bridget Wilkins' brood. Cora had become a widow after her first husband, an older gentleman from North Carolina, had died of fever after only months of marriage. She had married him when she had become tired of waiting on young Will to ask her. Tavington knew he'd made a mistake and was more hurt than he ever thought he could be to see her marry another man. The young couple, though, could not resist their love for each other and soon entered into an illicit affair. Her older husband died not knowing that Cora had been unfaithful during their short marriage. However, Will Tavington once again dragged his feet and didn't rush to marry the young widow after her husband had passed on. But when she found herself with child—Will's child as it happened months after she'd become widowed, he didn't hesitate to take responsibility and marry Cora.

She loved living adjacent to her parents' plantation and making a home for she and Will's family on the Tavington's farm. The plantation continued to have success through Will and Cora's life together, and the couple had seven children, four girls and three boys. Cora and Will, though they loved each other deeply, often had a turbulent marriage, as Will had inherited his father's infamous temper.

Jimmy and Mary Tavington Wilkins enjoyed a long life together. Jim continued to work alongside his father in the Wilkins family winery and distillery business. He and Mary raised ten children, five boys and five girls, on their fine plantation.

Alex Tavington had a flourishing law practice in Charlotte. He remained a bachelor into his early thirties, when he met a young woman from a wealthy family in Savannah. He married Hope Ranston, a beautiful girl 12 years younger than him. The couple had 5 children, 4 sons and 1 daughter, all raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. They, too, had a long happy marriage.

Regina Tavington met a successful shipping merchant in Charles Towne named Tom Bilford. She married him at age 20, after a whirlwind courtship, with her father's approval. The couple were madly in love and stayed that way throughout their short life together in a lavish home in Charles Towne. Regina proved to have trouble with pregnancy as her mother did. She bore Tom two children, a boy and girl, early in their marriage. She then had a series of miscarriages over the next few years. She died in childbirth as did their third child, a girl, at the young age of 38 after only 18 years of marriage. Tom Bilford never remarried, throwing himself into his work with his shipping business, and devoting himself to his two remaining children, George and Josephine, who were young teenagers when their mother passed away. The Bilfords found comfort in their visits with the many Tavington family cousins, and brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws.

Bridget and James Wilkins lived together into their old age, James running the family spirits business alongside his sons. They had 9 children, 5 boys and 4 girls, two children of which had married into their good friends' and neighbors', the Tavington's family. They lived to see and enjoy many grandchildren and some great grandchildren, as well. After 48 years of marriage, James and Bridget died in their late sixties, within 3 months of each other.

And thus our story, a long one, ends.