The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1902-05-16
A SKETCH
(By Lizzio George Henderson }


was the daughter of Judge
James Henry Maury and Lucinda SIN tn
Maury. She was born in Franklin,
Tenn, and moved with her parents to
Port Gibson, Miss, in the fall of 1926.
Was educated at the Port Gibson Acad-
emy and under the tutolship of hel
father, who was highly educated man
and very ripe scholar.
In 1886 she Joined the Presbyterian
church, and until her death was con-
sistent member Of that church.
On December 3D., 1889, she was mar
ried to Benjamin g. Humphreys, and
went with him to his plantation home,
Willismont, Claiborne county, near the
the Big Black river. Here several chill
dren were born to them, and on account
of their health they bought Van Cluse
plantation, back 10 the hills. In 1852
they began to spend their winters on
their Itta Bena plantation in the wilds
of Sunfower nov Lefore) county, and
thus changed their citizenship, but con
tinued to spend the summer montbs
near Port Gibson.
Her husband Joined the Confederate
army when Mississippi seeded, and
throughout the war she frequently
changed her residence, staying in Geor-
gia, Virginia, Alabama or Mississippi
wherever she might be nearest her hus
band.
After the war closed they led the
lives of plantation family stripped oi
all personal property.
After her husbands election to the
gubernatorial chair in 1865 she moved
to Jackson. When General Mcdowell
removed Governor Humphreys from
the office of Governor of a Sovereign
State, to which office the people of this
State had elected him, and which he
refused to yacate until put out by bay
onets, they continued to live in jackson
until 1869, when his term as governor
expired. They walked out of the gov
ernor's IN ansiOn after it was takea pos
session of by Federal soldiers acting un
der the direction of Governor (2) Amei
the governor whom we will remem
Der as the "Carpet-Big Governor oi
Missississippi, and who resigned hil
Office after most corrupt regime tC
avoid being impeached by the legisla
ture of 1876.
An eye witness of their expulsion
from the mansion writes me: "The
scorn she felt for these instruments OF
of tyranny as we'll as for the tyrants
themselves, thought could detect in
the expression of her face; but there
was no demonstration, no naughty toss
of the head, no dramatic sweeping by
as she passed through the doors; and,
while the outrage must have touched
her soul, she gave no outward evidence
of the tempest that must have been rag.
ing within. She and her distinguished
husband walked out of the governors
mansion between the files of United
States soldiers, and as they passed the
officer in command distinctly remem-
Der that he looked at the ground.
Il think l can sum the whole matter
up by saying that she demeaned herself
upon that trying occasion as you, being
a Mississippian, should have desired the
mistress Of the governors mansion to
do"
Her whole life was filled with stirring
events which were met with serene
patience and Christian fortitude.
On the presentation of a flag by the
j.. George Chapter, of which she
was president, to the Ben Humphreys
Rifles the night before they left us tc
go to join the army for the Spanish
American war, she told, me that it was
the fourth war she had seen flags pre-
sented for The first, when she was q
school girl, she saw presented to com
panY going to help Texas gain her inde
pendence; the second to company 90
ing to join the army for the war will
Mexico; the third to company of the
Confederate army in which were her