Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1898-09-27
The lac miss Winnie DAVE.


Miss Winnie Davis, daughter of the
late Hon. Jefferson Davis, and known as
THE Daughter of the Confederacy,"
whose death We briefly noted in our last,
was born in the Confederate executive
mansion in Richmond in 1864.
She was educated principally at home,
owing to the trouble surrounding her ia
ther 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 functions of the neighbor-
hood.
She was her fathers constant compan
ion. She assisted him all his work, and
much of the information which was re-
quired by Mr.. Davis in his writing was
secured for him by his daughter. Her
strong character was marked from youth.
She was engaged to Mr.. Wilkerson, of
Syracuse, N. Y, but shortly after her
father'sdeath the engagement was broken
of. While no public explanation of the
rupture was given out, it is well known
that it was the purpose of maintaining
her fathers name.
She received the name, Daughter of
the Confederacy," in 1886. when her ia
ther made his famous trip through the
South. Mr.. Davis being unable to ap,
pear, Miss Winnie was brought before
the thousands at the different points
along the route and introduced as the
daughter of the Confederacy.
In personal appearance she resembled
her mother, but intellectually resembled
her father. She had a genius for literary
work aud a few years ago it was thought
she would make for herself a name in the
nations literature. She was more FORTH.
nate than many literary women in keep
ing in touch with the world about her and
in being at home in every circle loved by
young and old, but failing health pre-
vented her living up to the prediction of
the critics. If she had cared for it she
would have been thrust into prominence
as an international society favorite, for
she was IS popular with distinguished
foreigners as with the people of the South.
But she cared nothing for the friYolities
of society. She cared only for her moth
er, with whom it was enough for he. to
share the glorious memories of the past
and the many evidences of tender loyalty
o fthose who were sotrue to them through
all the vicissitudes of fortune.
Miss Davis appeared in public for the
last time, it is believed, in Atlanta, July
81. The occasion was the parade of ex-
Coufederates, who held their annual re-.
union this year in Atlanta. Miss Davis
was a guest of honor and occupied a car.
riage with Mrs. Stonewall Jackson and
Miss Caro- Lewis Gordon, a daughter of
Gen. Gordon. A cold contracted at that
time resulted in her death.
The funeral of Miss Davis took place
in Richmond riday afternoon. Services
in st. Paul's Episcopal Church, conduct
ed by Rev. DIR. Hartley Carmichael. the
rector, and Rev. DR.. Moses D. Hoge, the
distinguished Presbyterian divine. The
attendance was immense, and the re-
mains were escorted to Hollywood Gem
etery by soldiers from the 1st, cd and sd
Virginia regiments. and hundreds of ex-
Confederate veterons and distinguished
men from nearly every State in the South.