Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-02-25
Madame Bette Murat.

| The recent destruction by fire of what was
known as the Murat House, near Tallahassee,
Florida, has elected an affecting incident ral-
| ative to a lady well remembered by many old
residents for her many estimahle qualities.
| This lady WAS the widow of Napoleon
Achille Charles Louis Murat. the elder son
| of Murat and Caroline Bonapartc, for a brief
period King and Queen of Naples. After the
execution of his father as an insurgent against
the restored Bourbon dynasty of Naples,
| Achille came to this country and purchased a
plantation in Florida. Well educated, of an
| inquirng and literary turn, he devoted him
self To the study of our institutions and laws,
| and wrote several able papers on political and
| legal questions and on the resources and pc
culiarities of America, which were highly
commended in literary circles in France,
| where they were published. Whether before
| or after purchasing his Florida plantation. we
| are not informed but for few years he took
up his residence in this city and engaged in
| the practice of law. His name will be found
in our reports as of counsel in several impor-
tant suits. Finally. however, he returned to
his plantation in Jefferson county, Florida,
and there established his permanent residence.
His death occurred in lSi7. On his first visit
to Florida, Achille Murst, miuglng in the
then gay and refined society of Tallahassee,
was capturei by the charming, accomplished
and high born Miss Bette Willis, whom he
married. Miss Bette was the daughter of
Colonel BYRD Willis, who was notable per
| sonage in his day. notable for his high lineage,
his relationship to the Washington, Lee and
Custis families. for his lavish hospitality, his
wit, humor and great corpulcncv.
When Louis Napoleon entered upon his
| scheme of reviving the glores &C the Ma
poleonic dynasty, some years after her hns-
| bands death, Madame Achille Murat was in.
yited to Paris, and regularly introduced into
the Napoleon family and entitled Princess.
as her husbands mother had been Queen and
Princess. But, while, from reduced circum-
stances, not insensible ~ or ungratcful for the
| accompanying benefits Of her admission into
the then prosperous imperial dynasty of
France, she sighed for restoration to her loved
native land, and was never happy or content
ed until she could regain the scenes of her
married life in beautiful Florida. But alas
after the death of her husband their fine estab-
lishment in Jefferson county had become
desolate waste and wilderness. Then she
purchased modest lot and erected small
cottage near Tallahassee, where she could
enjoy the society of her old friends and pass
the remnant of her life far away from all the
excitements and disturbing associations of
fashionable and aristocratic society and politi-
cal intrigue and contention. When she per-
ceived the approach of the inevitable termina-
ton of all human careers, and the shadows
of approaching dissolution began to gather
over her, she insisted upon being borne to
| the old plantation house and to the chamber
wherein she had closed her Achilles eyes.
Thus vanished from this world of trouble the
proud. pure spirit Of the Virginia maiden,w n,who
in her day of girlish susceptibility and youth
full romanticism had allied herself to the son
of an ex-King-who, even when endowed
with the titles, honors and emoluments Of a
Princess of the most brilliant court in Eu.
rope never surrendered, and finally reclaim
ed the still higher and prouder title Of a
Virginia lady and citizenne Of this great re-
public and the even higher title conveyed In
the last manifestation of moral and intellectu-
al consciousness of an ever-fathfu and de-
voted wife.
The "Princess" Murat lett no descendants
OF her collateral relatives there are many
vet living who are scattered through the
Southern States. NeD Orleans Times.