Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-09-24
Death of the Daughter of
the ConfederacyLast
Sunday.
The Whole South Expresses Its
Sorrow Over the Loss of
Its FayOrite.
Detail of Grand Army Men Act
as Guard of Honor to the
Remains.
LAID TO REST BESIDE HER FATHER

Miss Winnie Davis, daughter of Mrs.
Jefferson Davis, died last Sunday at the
Rockingham Hotel, Narragansett Pier,
to which place she came as a guest in the
early part of the Piers social season. She
had been i'll for several weeks, and a fort
night preceding her death her ailment
was diagnosed as malarial gastritis. At
times her condition became very serious,
so that consultations of physicians were
deemed necessary, but frequent rallies
gave renewed hope that she would ulti-
mately recover. During the preceding
week especially was her condition con-
sidered favorable, and it was thought that
her removal from the hotel would be pos
sible in a few days, as the hotel had
closed for the season, leaving the patient
and attendants practically alone in the
house. Saturday night, however, re-
lapse in Miss Davis condition was no.
ticed and throughout the night she lost
strength perceptibly. Sunday morning
the physicians said that the end was not
far off, and at noon death came to end the
suffering, which at times had been in
tense. Mrs. Davis had watched unremit-
tingly at her daughters bedside and she
is now bowed with sorrow.
Miss Winnie Davis, the Daughter of
the Confederacy," was born in the Con-
federate Executive Mansion at Rich
mond, Va, in 1868. She was educated
principally at home, owing to the trouble
surrounding her father and the publicity
which attended all movements of the
Davis family. Miss Davis attained her
majority at Beauvoir, Miss. Here she
assisted her mother in various ways and
took her place in the many social func-
tons of the place. She was her father S
constant companion. She assisted him
in all his work and much of the informa-
ton which was required by Mr.. Davis in
his writings was secured for him by his
daughter. Her strong character was
marked from youth. She was engaged to
Mr.. Wilkerson, of Syracuse, N. ", but
shortly after her fathers death the ell
gagement was broken off. While no pub
lie explanation of the rupture was given,
it is we'll known that it was for the pur-
pose of maintaining her fathers name.
She received the name Daughter of the
Confederacy" in 1886, when her father
made his famous trip through the South.
Mr.. Davis being unable to appear, Miss
Winnie was brought before the thousands
at the different points along the route and
introduced as the daughter of the Con-
federacy.
A great tide of sympathy with Mrs.
Jefferson Davis came up from the South
previous to the departure for Richmond
and condolences were received from many
Northern friends also. Hundreds of tel
eyrams arrived from soldiers and public
men. Gov. c. A. Culberson, CT Texas,
in the name of his State, said of Miss
Davis: "She was greatly beloved by the
Southern people, and her memory will
be tenderly cherished by them" There
also came messages from Gen. ]. B.
Gordon, whose guest Miss Davis was
when she first taken i'll; ex-Secretary
John G. Carlisle, Ex-Gov. George
Hoadly, Major Gen. Joseph Wheeler,
Clark Howell, Epha Hunton, Jr., Bur
ton N. Harrison, Clifton R. Breckenridge
and Clarence Cary.
1t was decided to take the body OF
Miss Davis, after brief service at Mar
ragansett Pier, to Richmond, Va.
The remains reached their destination
yesterday morning under special escort
from Narragansett Pier, ]. Taylor Ely
son, President, and Judge George L,
Christian, Vice President Of the Jeffer.
son Davis Monument Association, having
gone on for the purpose. All the Con
federate organizations took part in the
funeral. Among the pall-bearers were
Gov. Tyler, Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, Gen
John B. Gordon, Gen. G. w. c. Lee
Gen. Dabney H. Maury, Col. Gordon
McCabe and Major Robert Stiles.
The hearse was drawn by four white
horses, and each horse wac led by vet
eran.
After the funeral the remains were laid
beside those of her father in the Davis
plot in Hollywood cemetery.
Mrs. Katie Cabell Curtis, President Of
the United Daughters of the Confeder,
acy, has issued general order suggest
ing that members shall wear badge Of
mourning for thirty days on account Of
the death of Miss Winnie Davis. and
that each chapter shall hold memorial
services.
A delicate tribute and one that merits
appreciation was the offer from the Com.
mander of the Grand Army post to Mrs.
Davis of an escort for the remains of her
daughter from the hotel to the railway
station. The note of Commander Chase
was as follows:
"In behalf of the officers and members