The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-04-28

use dropped to the wall. Over the
mantel are book shelves.
The west cottage was occupied by
Mrs. Hayes and her children when
visiting her parents. Indeed. it was
set apart for guests.
There are sixty acres under fence,
and in this Enclosure are the orchards
and scuppernong vineyard. The latter
is a neglected spot, where the old field
pines have grown to be good sized sap
pings.
1t is now only to a few how eau
volr came to be the home Of Jefferson
Davis and his family. Mrs. Sarah A.
Dorsey was the owner of this property,
and a number of other tracts near the
coast, and was a warm, personal friend
of the Davis family, and the different
members were her guests repeatedly,
In February, 1879, Mr.. Davis bargained
for the property and was to pay So
500 for it, giving three promissory
notes for the amount. The first note
1880; the secon note, for $4,000, was to
expire January 2, 1881, and the third
and last for 81, 800. January 1, 1882. The
purchase included not only BeauvOir.
but all the tracts of land Mrs. Dorsey
owned in Harrison county, Mississippi.
described separately, and containing,
respectively. 12O, 40, so, 240 and 100
"SIOo, loSClliCI III u III oil
it's household and kitchen furniture.
and all the personal property, except
the pictures, engravings, books silver
plate n ware and harp and piano.
Som months before the first pay
ment was due Mrs. Dorsey died and
left the following will:
"ReauVoir, Harrison county, Missis-
sippi. January 4, 1873. I, Sarah Anna
Dorsey, of Tenas parish, Louisiana, be-
ing now in sound health OF mind and
body, do make his my last will and
testament, which I write, sign. and
seal with my own hand in the presence
of three competent witnesses. as !
lave property in the states of Louis
lana. Mississippi and Arkansas. 1 owe
no obligation of any sort whatever to
any relative Of my own. / have done
all 1 could for them durinr my life
and therefore give and bequeath all
my property, real, personal and mixed
wherever locate and situated, wholly
and entirely without hindrance or
qualification to my most honored and
esteemed friend. Jefferson Davis. eX
president of the Confederate statas,
for his own sole use and benefit in fee
simple forever. and 1 hereby consti-
tute him my sole heir, executor and
administrator. If jefferson Davis
should not survive me, I give all that
1 have bequeathed to him to his young
est daughter, Varina.
I do not intend to share in the in
gratitude of my country toward the
man who is in my eyes the highest
and nOblest in existence"
The will was proved before Judge A.
7. TissOt, of the Second circuit court,
New Orleans, July Is, 1879.
At the death of Mr.. Davis all this
property was, by the terms of Mrs.
Dorsey's will, b~equeathed to Miss Win
ME, the Daughter OF the Confeder-
acy."
February II, 1898, when Miss Win
ME was about to sail for Egypt from
New York, she made a will bequeath-
ing to her mother, Varina Howell JEFF
ferson-Davis, everything hat she
might die possessed of. both real and
personal property, any returns from
her literary work, and any stocks,
bonds or moneys she might die pos
sessed of. Accordingly, at the death
of Miss Winnie, Beauvoir, together
with all the property belonging to her,
became the possession of Mrs. Davis.