The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-01-10
NFEDERATE MUSEUM
Something of What the Women Have Done
In Preserving Relics and Records.
THE GENESIS AND GROwTHOF'fHE WORK
Through the President of the Holly.
wood Memorial Associations, 1t Nns
f"unhed six Years agn-*pIendid
Wort Accomplished by an Enstitu
zion OF this whole S0u,h.

Richmond, Va. January st will
be matter of pride as well as of
qualification to every true Sautherner to
Know that museum for the preserva-
tlon OF relics and records of the South
ern Confederacy is an established fact.
AZ thelr recent annua. meeting held
IN flchmond, the members OF ;hc South
erh associated Press. on invitation. v.s-
Hed the Memorial Museum, which is 10.
Gated in the house formerly occup.ed
py JEFFERSON Davis, and known as the
mite House of the Confcderacy." and
SO struck were they with the great work
that had been accomplished and of
which SO little is known even I'm the
south. that resolution was adopted an
pointing committee to prerarc an ar
ticle upon the museum which should be
puoIshed I'm all the newspapers rep
resented by the Southern Associated
Press.
INSPIRATION OF THE. WORK.
This great and noble work was in
spired by Mrs. Joseph Bryan In $780,
When she was elected president of the
hollywood Memorial Association and
mas been carried successfully on with
untiring zeal by the women of Rich
mond and the South. The plan was TO
house which had been occupied by
PRESIDENT Davis and his family during
Inc war, and 20 establish therein a
museum for the whole South. The house
which was erected in the early days of
Richmond in what was then the moet
fashionable part of the city. was one of
the handsomest OF that time 1t was
built by DIR. John Brockenbrough dSl7-
'ls). He sold 1t To MIR. James NJ. Nor
son, who added the third story, stuc-
coed the house. and adorned it with the
beautiful Carrara marble mantelpieces
1t was next sold TO his cousin and law
partner James a. Seldom, who was a
member OF Congress from Virginia a
member of the Peace Congress held
January 10, 1861, in Washington. and
secretary of War OF the Confederat tie
states of America. Just before the war
II was sold again: this time to Mr.
Lewis d. Crenshaw. of the HaxaI-
Crenshaw Mills. When the Confede-
rate Government was moved to Rich
mond. the city bought it for $50. 900 and
rendered 1t 10 President Davis. He de-
clined 10 receive it, but consented to
occupy 1t on the condition that full rent
should be paid. the Confederate Gov
ernnent making the first payment June
TO- 1861.
OCCUPIED BY FEDERALS.
At the evacuation General Godfrey
WeltZel and staff rode immediately to
the house and took possession of Ii as
headquarters for Federal troops II was
tSSu stS SlCll unuel tIcnei1lS ClnDN. Ord
ana others during the time Virginia was
known rs District No. l. While in COM
mand OF District No. /. General Candy
but for the efforts of the citizens and
some friends in Richmond, would have
turned the building over 10 the Freed
mans Bureau To the used as q negro
normal school. On September g. 1870. II
was restored 10 the city, and IN 1874 was
given for the use Of a public school.
TO secure this house for Il museum, a
new society was formed and chartered
May 81, 1890. under the name of the
confederate Memorial Literary Society
memorial asking for the house. signed
by the ladies. was presented to the City
Council by Major Capers.
HOW THE SOCIETY WAS NAMED.
In order to meet certain legal re-
quirements, the literary character was
given to the society and the word
lterary was incorporated in the name
There was embraced in the plan pro-
posed by the ladies clause to secure re-
cords, historical matter and literature OF
the South. and the Southern Historical
Society was afforded a habitation IN the
building. On December Sth Colonel John
B. Cary offered resolution for an ar.
preparation for a new school building
and the delivery of the White House OF
the Confederacy to the society for the
museum and library as soon as the new
schoolhouse was ready.
On January s. 1891. this ordinance
passed the Council of the city of Rich
mond.
A BAZAAR TO RAISE FUNDS.
In the spring of 1891 It was proposed
TO make an effort TO raise money in the
Following fall. The association which
had In charge the erection of the Pri.
vate Soldiers and Sailors Monument
had not succeeded In collecting a sufi-
clent sum to complete that work. and
applied to the Memorial Society to hold
q joint bazaar. The Museum was only
tne sequel to the story of the dead SOL
oler and his monument AS the life
work of the Hollywood Memorial Asso-
cation was to perpetuate the memory
or the soldier who fell in battle. they
could not refuse TO aid In erecting this
monument to all the private soldiers
living and dead. Their circulars calling
upon the other States to aid I'm the work
or making this a museum for the whole
Confcderacy had been prepared These
were destroyed and others gotten out,
including an appeal for both the monu-
ment and the museum. These circulars
were sent to every paper In the South
ern states, including Maryland and
Kentucky.
a TENT FOR EACH STATE.
In October. 1892. the preparations for
the memorial bazaar began, and Mrs.
e. d. Hotchkiss was elected president of
the organization. Instead of tables,
zach State Of the Confederacy was to
s.2Yo . tent under the charge Of O chair.