Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-17

dushter: Jefferson Hayes Davis of Prince
ton, n. j.. a grandson; Mrs. Joseph Pulitzer.
who was Miss Kate Davis; Miss G: E Pat
son. a niece, and Dr. Robert ii. Wylie.
Funeral services will be held at the Hotel
Majestic ST Stephens on Thursday
afternoon and the body will be taken to
Richmond, Va, for burial.
Mrs. Davis was born in Mississippi,
in old Adams county. in 1925 "Varna
Howell. as her maiden nan name was be
fore she completed her eighteenth year.
Her father was distinguished for service in
New Orleans in the war Of 1912 and the
Howell family was among the most promi-
nent of that section. She was Mr. Davis
| second wife, his first wife, a daughter of
Gen Taylor. having died short time after
their marriage.
Mrs. Davis was known for her clear tudg-
ment and she decided the first time that
she her future husband that he was
the right man. She was then seventeen
years old and was invited at that time to
come over to The Hurricane. the Davis
place, to meet Jefferson, who had been away
from home for a long time. She had never
seen him before, but he had been making
great reputation for himself at that time
and his fame had spread throughout the
state.
Mr. Davis was then about thirty-six
years of age, tall, of commanding presence
and counted the most graceful horseman
in the state. 1t is interesting to see what
Varina Howell wrote about him to a girl
IrlenQ d1tef THIS QrSt meeting.
Refined and Cultivated.
II do not know whether this Mr.. Jeffer-
son Davis Is young or old; he looks both at
times. / believe he is old. He impresses
me as remarkable kind Of man, but of I'M
certain temper and has a way of taking for
granted that everybody agrees with him
when he expresses an opinion, which offends
me; yet he is most agreeable and has pc
culiarly sweet voice and winning manner
of asserting himself The fact is he Is the
kind of person should expect to rescue one
on stoical Indifference to the fright after
ward. l do not think l shall ever like him
as do his brother Joe. Would you believe
it. he is refined and cultivated, and yet he
is democrat?"
Despite her contrary representation re-
garding brother Joe. she was married to
Jefferson Davis the following year. She
went on an extended tour through the south
and was the center of attraction for New
Orleans society of that time during her stay
at st. Charles. Later in Washington she
was was with her husband all the time. helping
him with his speeches and doing everything
in her power to advance him. When the
war broke out she went to Richmond and
was with her husband until his arrest.
When he was released from prison she lived
with him for the remainder Of his life at
their old home in Biloxi Miss. This was
turned into a confederate veterans home in
1892
From time to time offers Of financial as
sistance were made to Mrs. Davis after her
husbands death in 1889 from societies
through the south. She declined all these
and has preferred to remain independent.
She wrote occasional articles for newspa-
pers and magazines. In 1903 when she was
In Canada, she was seized with an attack
Of acute Indigestion. The attack was vio-
lent and as she was beginning to be in fee
bic health, 1t was regarded as the approach
Of the end.
Dispute With Miles,
Mrs. Davis had a dispute with Gen. Mel
son A. Miles recently when the soldier was
reported to have made references to let
ter supposed to have been written by her