The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-02-18
JEFFERSON DAYIS's ROMANCE.
A. 0. Wright Tells Of Elopement
From Fort Crawford in Early
Years.

From the Chicago Record Herald.
Morris, Mimi, February 5.-In
William E. Curtis's special to the
Record Herald on February 8 he cor
rects some errors in relataion to the
alleged elopement of Jefferson Davis
with the daughter of Zach Taylor.
He says that Jefferson Davis dio
not elope with Miss Knox Taylor, but
that they were married in Louisville,
KY, at the house Of her aunt. The
authorities given for this statement
are Jefferson Davis himself in a sketch
of his life prepared by himself. and
Ex-senator George ". Jones, of Iowa,
who was a classmate of Jefferson
Davis. - -
Ihave some information on this sub
iect from original sources which may
be of interest. The late Judge Mills,
of Lancaster, Wis, told me some years
ago that soon after graduating at Yale
College he was engaged as private
tutor in the family of Col. Zachary
Taylor, commanding Fort Crawford,
at which is now Prairie du Chen.
He said that Knox Taylor was engaged
to Lieut. Jefferson Davis, who was then
stationed at Fort Crawford as an Off
Ger under Col. Taylor's command, and
that her father objected seriously to
the marriage; that he believed the
objection arose more from his objection
to. army life for his daughter than
flbm personal objections to Jefferson
Davis. He said that in consequence Of
the fathers objection the young couple
determined to marry in spite Of him;
that they took a chance and dropped
down a half mile or so below the fort,
and hid in the mouth of the Wisconsin
River until a steamboat came along,
going South, which they hailed, and
were taken on board, going together
as far as st. Louis; that Lieut. Davis
returned to Fort Crawford Immediate
ly. while Knox Taylor went TO Louis
vile, to the house Of her fathers
sister, were they-weEe afterward mar
ried.
He said that Col. Taylor never
quite forgave Lieut.. Davis, until-years
after, when the daughter was dead.
SfassGI Mississippi i Riasmen, 'G rendered such
gallant service in the battle Of Buena
Vista that old Rough and Ready
was fully reconciled to him. We all
knew that the battle Of Bnena Vista
made Gen. Taylor President Of the
United States. It also brought Jefer-
SON Davis forward in Mississippi
politics, so that he became Senator and
Secretary of War, and afterward Presi-
dent Of the Southern Confederacy.
A little after this, while in Louis
Vile, KY, made some inquiries Of
persons who onght to know and was
Informed that Jefferson Davis and
Knox Taylor were married at the
home of her aunt, with many rela
tives present, as Jefferson Davis states,
but that her father. although his
home was in Louisville, and there was
no pressing duty at Fort Crawford to
keep him, refused to be present ar the
wedding. This latter fact Jefferson
Davis carefully refrains from mention
ing in his autobiography, while Senator
Jones claims that the marriage was
with his full approval.
The truth, therefore, seems to be
that Col. Taylor was opposed to the
marriage; that Lieut.. Davis and Miss
Knox Taylor actually did elope, but
only for the purpose of being married
at the house of Ter aunt near Louis
vile; that her father did not approve
of the marriage, although many Of her
relatives did, and that he was not
reconciled with Jefferson Davis until
after the death of his daughter, and
the battle of Buena Vista.