The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-25
A ROMANTIC COURTSHIP.
Marriage OF Jefferson Davis and Zach
airy Taylor's Daughter.

Mrs. j. Fl. Rabb, a wealthy widow
and an old resident OF VincenDes, Is pre-
pairing to commemorate III unique man
ner the courtship of jefferson Davis.
then a Lieutenant in the limited States
Army, but lafterward President of the
Confederate States, and Miss Mary
Knox Taylor, second daughter of Colonel
Zachary Taylor, afterward President of
the United States. According to the local
tradition Taylor Was in command of the
fort near Vincennes at the opening Of
the Black Hawk War in 1882, and Davis
was Lieutenant under his command.
Near the fort, and on what is now a
farm belonging to James Wyatt, was Il
large stone, which lay partly above and
partly buried in the ground. The young
Lieutenant and Miss Taylor formed Il
deep attachment for each other, and
often walked out on the prairie surround
ing the fort, and frequently seated them
selves on this stone.
On one of these occasions, while seat
ed ON the STONE, Davis proposed TO
Miss Taylor, and was accepted. 1t IS
said that Colonel Taylor said to a friend
at the fort, when the engagement be-
came known, that he had no objections
TO his daughters sutton, except THAT he
was a soldier and. that he himself knew
the priyations of a soldiers family and
would save his daughter from such Il
fate. When Davis asked the hand OF
mis- daughter, however, this objection
was waived and consent was given.
Among their acquantances at Vim
cennes, both Davis and Miss Taylor
spoke of the pleasant hours they had
passed seated on the old stone, and in
one OF these references to their evening
walks Davis told OF proposing 10 Miss
Taylor while seated on it. 1t was after
this THAT Taylor and his prospective SON
in-law found themselves of opposing
opinions in respect to the appearance of
an officer ut Il court-martial without his
uniform, the young Lieutenant voting
with an officer named Smith, between
whom and Taylor there was bitter en-
nifty. Following this episode Colonel
Taylor withdrew his consent to the
marriage but Davis and Miss Taylor
continued their association, which was
now confined TO walks upon the prairie,
where the old stone became their favor
lite TRUSTING place, and which resulted i'll
a determination to marry without the
consent of her father. Davis soon after
resigned from the army, and he and Miss
Taylor Were married at the home of an
aunt of the bride in Kentucky
1t is this series of events that Mrs.
Rabb proposes TO commemorate. and the
stone has been brought from the Wyatt
farm, and is now lying near the front
door of her home. She is engaged in
securing the exact dates of Lieutenant
Davis stay at the fort and of his first
meeting with Miss Taylor, and, if posi-
Bile, of the day ON which he proposed to
her. As soon as the data can be Sc
cured, this stone will be smoothed and
polished and the events will be recorded
upon it in the order in which they oc-
Cured. The Local historical society of
Nincennes is interested in the work also.
and when the record is complete and
placed on the stone it will be turned
over to the city with appropriate cere-
monies.