The St. Louis Republic., 1904-04-24
Miss Nancy johnson Takes Name
OF Her Dead Sweetheart,
With the Prefix of Mrs.
PLAYMATES IN CHILDHOOD.
Planned to Be Married This Sum
mer-Both Families Are
Prominent in North
Carolina.

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
IN testifyinE to her devotion to her dead
sweetheart by having her name changed
ny law to Mrs. Isaac Erwin Avery. it is
Relieved that Miss Nancy Johnston Of
birmingham. Ala. has done something
that never was done before in this coun-
try. The prominence OF the Avery and
Johnston families in the south adds inter
est 10 the affair
MISS Johnston Is daughter of Brica-
dier General Robert D. Johnston Of the
Confederate Army. who. after the war he
came one of the leaders of the North
Carolina bar ana who now Is rresid.nt o.
bank in Birmingham. She is a grand
daughter OF former Governor Moorchcad
Of North Carolina MIR. Avery's father is
Colonel Alphonso Avery. a gallant South
ern soldier. and his mother was the sister
OF the wife Of General "Stonewair' Jack
fon Miss Johnston was also related TO the
"Stcnewalr' jackson family.
Miss Johnston and Mr.. Avery had been
sweethearts since they were children to-
Sether IN Morganton n. c. They were
to have been married this summer.
Mr.. Avery was educated in Southern
university. Soon after he had taken his
degree he was sent as Vice Consul TO
China by President Cleveland, then in his
second term. He spent q couple OF years
on his far Eastern post and then returned
TO North Carolina and studied law. When
ne had finished his course he entered the
newspapsc business and at the time OF his
death /N1As city editor of the Charlotte OBJ
ss9e1E. one Of the leading papers Of the
state.
Miss Johnston is q fine type Of the
Southern artstocrat. Cultured and accom-
plished. her lineage shows in every act
and movement. She Is neither fair nor
DARK, Of medium height and slender build.
In Birmingham. as in MorEanton. she is
Q social favor1ts.
HURRIED TO CTiARIOrrE
When tils news OF Mr.. Avery's death
reached here on April she hastensd to
Charlotte. and. in tho deepest mourning.
attended the funeral It was only a few
days later that the plan TO change her
namo was made. and within two weeks It
vas accomplished under a special pro-
vision OF the Code Of the State.
James ". Osborne. former Assistant
District Attorney. was related TO Afr.
Avery.
Il knew him WELL" Mr. Osborne said.
-and knew Miss Johnston. He was a
young man Of great talent and promise.
His father. Colonel Avery. 1. a Judge Of
the Supreme Court OF North Carolina and
he has an uncle who IL q prominent law
yer. Colonel Avery married Miss Sue
Morrison. a sister Of Mrs 'Stonewalr
Jackson. General Johnstons wife. Miss
Iohnston's mother. was a daughter OF
Governor Moorehead. and Miss Johnston
and Mr.. Avery were distant cousins. Both
belong TO the best families in the South"
Mr.. Osborne said he never before had
heard Of a woman taking the name Of the
man to whom che was TO 10 married as
Miss Johnston had done. It was. so far
as he knew. without precedent, and he
could ascribe It only to her great love for
him.
- Miss Johns.on's action stand. out as a
striking example Of the devotion Of a
Southern woman Mr.. Osborne said. land
she has raised a monument to the man
she loved that Will last as long as she
lives and for centuries afterward in the
IeSal records Of the State to which they
both belonged"
Justice Giegerich Of the Supreme Court
said he knew Of no such case and addes!
that the code OF New York State made no
provision for such change as Miss John
ston had made. 1t was quite common. he
said, for men to have their names
changed. but generally they were foreign
ers who desired to become Americanized
m name as well as in citizenship.