Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-06-04
BIRTHPLACE OPENED As A PARK
TWO Great Leaders Of Opposing Sides
In Civil War Born Within few miles
of each other-Movement for Mem
orial Was Started BY General Boil
war 3. Buckner.
IN Associated Press.l

FAiRNIEW, KY, June 3.-Among
trees which have grown aIp about the
birthplace of jefferson Davis since the
year early In the nineteenth century,
when the Davis family removed 10
NJ ssissirpi, the Jefferson Davis me-
mCrial park was simply dedicated to-
day. Northeast across the State in
Hodgesvillc. near which Abraham Lin
coin was horn eight months after his
great opponent. Fairview is still a
tiny town trimmed With forests and
sloping gently toward the grass grown
battlefclds of Tennessee.
In September. 1907. when the gray
grown and enfladed ranks of Ken
tucky's famous orphan brigade" met
in Glasgow. Ky. at the grave OF Gen
eral Joseph H. Lewis. their comman-
der. former Governor Bolivar Buckiier,
of Kentucky. preached the plan OF the
jefferson Davis Memorial Association.
Subscriptions were started, the wom-
en- of the South aiding nobly, and
when all but $4,000 had been raised
to purchase seventeen acres at Fair
view General Bennett H. Young, CON-
manding the Kentucky division. Unit
ed Confederate Veterans, advanced
that sum and made the memorial pos
sible.
Oratory. music and foewrs made to-
day notable A basket dinner and
Il barbecue were prov ded by the peo-
pie OF Todd and Christian counties,
which share equally the town OF Fair
view, and when General Young, rs
chairman. opened the meeting the
homestead of the Davises was crowd
co. General Young. prominent
Louisville lawyer, made the chief adj
dress of the day. He asserted that
every Southern state should rear a
shaft to jefferson DAVIS. whose char
acter and sufferings he dwelt upon
sympathetioally He paid high tribute
to Lincoln. saying that the time had
come when men might speak kindly
and truly of the pasa.
He said the message which the
United States gave to the world to-
day was enc of everlasting peace. The
plan is to raise $4,000 more with
which to build a memorial temple &c
contain all the recor0s of the Con
| federacy and TO remodel a two-story
residence upon the Davis farm &c
house the widows of Confederate SOL
dlers.
Gave Land to Church.
The IL acres which are 10 enclose
the memorial buildings to be erected
adjoin the original nine acres which
were the remnants OF the plantation
upon which Samuel Davis, father o
| the pres dent. settled when he came
| from Virginia in 1898. These nin'
were given by Mr. Davis TO Bethe
church on the occasion. June 81. 1886
Of his last visit to his first home.
To the poopie Of the neighborhoos
| the church stands as a memorial u
their great neighbor, and to bis prids
1 in his old Kentucky home they as
! CT he the fancy which led MIN TO cal
! his land along the Mississippi shCr'
! Of the gulf "Beauvoir. The site Q
the memorial slopes softly from
splendid grove which crowns sts high
est point. II is in the heart OF Fair
view and the present plan is to plac'
ell the records OF the Confedcracy II
| the temple 10 b built within the Sha
dow Of the trees.
A two story residence Is also on TN
I and, and the intent IL IN make Of tn
a home for the widows Of tJc Con
j fodcratcs whom age has rendered dc
crepid and from whom the years am
the war has fakca husbands an
sons.