The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-02-14
LIFE Of JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The Widow of the Confederate Leader
Completes Her xemoir&

deal of excitement in literary, social
and political circles is soon to be
issued in this city. 1t is entitled
Jefferson Davis, ex-President o1
the Confederate States, a Memoir
by his Wife"
] Ever since the death of the cham.
pion Of the lost cause Mrs. Davis
has had repeated and very flatter-
ing offers from publishers all over
the country to write history OF
the inner life of the Confederacy,
and especially of the family and
the man himself, who was such a
leader in that great movement.
Only year before his death Jeffer-
son Davis began to write his auto
biography. He was so weak from
illness that he was compelled to
dictate the matter to friend. But
even then he was unable to get
through with more than an intro
ductory chapter. From this point
his wife has taken up the thread of
the story, and the result is two large
volumes containing over 1900 pages.
While yet poor lieutenant, Da-
Wis fell in love and married Miss
Octavia Taylor, daughter of Gen
eral Zachary Taylor. The latter
strenuously opposed the match, but
his anger was turned to grief soon
after, when his daughter, after be-
ing married a year, died. From
this union there was one child, who
is also dead.
HIS CoURTsHIP AND MARRIAGE.
After his return from the Mexican
War Mr.. Davis went to his home
in Mississippi, where he met Miss
Varina Howells of New Jersey.
Although born in the North. Miss
Howells' sympathies were all with
the South, the old home of her an
cesters. Her beauty and wit capti-
waited the bronzed hero of the Mex
lean War, and year after they were
married. Davis was at that time
about forty-one years of age, and
Miss Howells considerably younger.
Mrs. Davis attachment to her
husband bordered on idolatry, nor
did she less warmly espouse the
cause which he championed. Since
his death she has always signed
her letters and other documents to
which it was necessary to aftix her
signature as Veuve Jefferson Davis.
or Widow of Jefferson Davis. All
through the trying days of the Civil
War Mrs. Davis was the constant
companion of her husband, and did
much to tighten the many burdens
laid npon him indiscriminately by
friend and foe alike
By his last marriage Mr.. Davis
had four children, two of whom are
dead. Of the remaining two. Miss
Winnie Davis, who was born in
Richmond at the close of the war,
and has become famous as the
Daughter of the Confederacy," is
best known. She is beautiful
girl, of an extremely lovable dispo-
sition, and is the constant compan-
ion of her mother. Not long ago
her engagement TO be married was
announced, but owing to declining
health the match was broken off.
The other daughter married Mr..
Hayes, a Colorado banker. AS JEFF
ferson Davis left no male descend
ant, her son is expected to oerpet-
uate his name. When the boy was
born, the State of Mississippi, by
act of the legislature, changed his
name to Davis; so the boy is now
known as Jefferson Hayes Davis.
MRS. DAVIS OBJECT.
In the first chapter of the book
Mrs. Davis explains that her object
in writing the book is, as far as pos
sible, to tell the story Of her hus-
bands life in his own words; to
make it photographed, and to
complete the task he left unfinished.
Then she says:
During the intervening period
of over fourscore years Jefferson
Davis, by his stainless personal
character, by his unflagging' and
unselfish devotion to the interests
of the South, by his unsurpassed
ability as an exponent and cham
pion of her rights and principles,
as we'll as by his distinguished pub.
lie services in peace and war, and
his high official station, WAS uni
versally regarded, both at home and
abroad, as pre-eminently the repre-
of great era, Q great
cause and a great people. The era
is closed, the cause is lost, but the
people remain and revere the mem.
ory, and mourn him, dead, whom,
living, they delighted to honor. It
is for them that | write this memoir
and vindication of his political ac-
ton. In vindicating him ! also
vindicate them, for be spent his
long life in their service, and was
with their love and conf
dence from his cradle to his grave.
"In the doing of the sacred task
shall endeavor to be guided by the
spirit that inspired him during his
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