The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-10-14
Mothers
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A PRINCE OF THE
HOUSE OF NAPOLEON

of the genius of his if1ustrious kins-
the proper use thereof, might have
stamped his name ON history's page,
Yet fate ordained otherwise, and, like
many others, he directed his efforts IN
the wrong direction and accomplished
nothing. His lineage became his only
boast; his memory of days agone his
only pleasure.
Joachim Murat was one of Napo-
cons marshals and man of power
Through Napoleon's favor he was rails
ed to the throne Of Italy, for he was
the spouse of the emperor's sister,
Caroline. He was executed. however,
after Napoleon's downfall The young
prince was educated in Austria, to
which country his mother took him
and her four children after the death
of their father
Prince Murat came to the United
States in 1921. Here he found the at
mosphere more in harmony with his
tastes, than the etiquette of European
courts, and decided to remain for a
time at least. Visiting the south, he
concluded to make 1t his home, and
in Florida he bought large tract of
land. He took up his residence in Tai
lahassee, taking out papers of citizen
ship. 1t was shortly after this that he
bought large sugar and cotton plan
tation in East Baton Rouge Parish
from the Dubreull-Villar family.
The act of sale was executed before
Louis T. Cairo, notary public, Feb.
13, 1897. Murat, so the story goes,
gave notes, taking the property over
at once. He harvested the crops,
pocketed the money and was about to
make his adieus to his debtors when
the writ, paragraph from which is
quoted at the beginning of this nara.
tive, was served on him. Whether
or not he was ever arrested is not
stated. 1t is thought that it was about
this time that he opened law Office
in Exchange Alley.
! He Loved the South.
Though he lacked the stability OF
disposition to hold him to one place
he seems to have had preference for
Florida, and after several trips abroad
and change of residence several
times in this country he found him
self gravitating back to the palmettos
of Tallahassee. Here he met and mar
ried his wife, the faithful companion
and for whom he held a strong affec
ton. 1t was in 1926 that he took to
the altar the beautiful young widow
Catherine Gray, daughter of Colonel
Bird Willis, of Mills Hall, Va, and
grandniece of George Washington
Shortly after the death of her first
husband she accompanied her father
to Florida. where she met young Ar
chic Murat. Noted for her grace and
beauty, the widow Gray was of rare
qualities of mind, fit to adorn the gid
ed chair of a throne. The hope of the
princes life was to see the Bona
parties restored to power, for in thai
restoration he discerned his rising
sun. Until that time he preferred tt
be master of his estate in America
and it was for this reason that the
pOmp of the old world held fortf
nothing but visions of greatness de
MED him. To hold a throne NIGH
have made him a conspicuous figure
in the history of his day; without i
he preferred oblivion.
When the Florida Indian war broke
out his martial spirit led him to the
ranks, and it was not long afterwart
that he was commissioned colonel. HI,
was fond of study, particularly scien
tific subjects.
He died in 1S47, several years be