Erik Visits an American Grave, Part 2,060

Erik Visits an American Grave, Part 2,060

This is the grave of Alva Belmont. Born in 1853 in Mobile, Alabama, Alva Smith came from the white elite South, which meant massive numbers of slaves. Her family had a lot of southern politicians and merchants in it and all the money came from owning humans. The family was so wealthy and, importantly, economically diversified, so the end of the slavery didn’t have that much effect on their wealth. But like most old fortunes, many of which are st…