The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1913-09-20
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friends, arrived in Tallahassee the
belle of Florida was Katherine Willis
Gray. a young widow who lived with
her father. Col. Byrd Willis. who had
sought and made his fortune In the
new territory Of Florida.
Mrs. Gray had married Scotsman
at the age Of fifteen and was left
widow at sixteen, and as her child
also died she returned to live with her
parents at Willis hall. near Fredericks-
burg. Va. and accompanied them
when they moved to Florida. The
Willis home in Tallahassee on South
Monroe street, near the capitol, was
a center of the social life of the state.
The beauty and charm of the young
Virginia widow, who was then only
twenty-five years old, Immediately cap
tivated the son of Caroline Bonaparte
and his courtship seems to have been
as ardent as might be expected from
q temperamental Frenchman. How
ever. the young woman was not only
beautiful and wealthy. but her mother
was Mary Lewis, niece OF George
Washington, and not even the dazzling
fact that Colonel Murat's mother was
q sister of Napoleon could blind the
eyes of the blue blood of Virginia to
the knowledge that his father. Joachim
Murat. was the son of an obscure Inn
keeper.
Beside which the prince was eccen-
trio to a degree that was almost Ill
bred. He spoke a burlesQue Of the
English language and was perhaps
easily affected. but certainly often af-
fected. by wine. He was, however. an
intensely interesting companion. and
was eagerly sought socially and valued
as sincere and unchanging friend.
The courtship Of the greatest belle
and the only prince In Tallahassee was
watched with interest by the friends
Of the couple and with approval by
the parents Of the young woman; and
when the devotion and undisguised ad-
miration of the prince finally won
there were hearty congratulations and
good wishes for them from many parts
Of the United States a. well az their
adopted state.
Mrs. Gray and Colonel Murat were
married July 30. 1926. and went to live
at Lpona. his large plantation in JET
ferson county. the name of which was
transposed to Napoli, the city With
which he had 80 many associations. It
was one Of the most beautiful estates
in Florida and near the township in
the same country which was given to
Lafayette by the United States gov.
eminent on his visit In 1874.
The prince becoming restless on hia
Florida plantation, he and his Ameri.
can princess went abroad, and being
forbidden to enter France and Italy
they went to Little Paris" az Brus.
sells is called, where they spent two
delightful years. The prince. who was
I close personal friend of King Leo
pold, was made . colonel in the Bel.
gian army and had command Of a regi.
ment of lancers. Both he and the
princess were immensely popular, toe
popular, in fact, for the line Bonaparte
face Of Prince Achille was 30 much
like that OF his uncle. the great Ma
poleon, that he was often stopped on
the street and embraced BY old sol
diers, who fell on their knees before
! him.
The Powers saw and trembled fol
fear that he might be able to enlist
soldiers enough to restore his family
to their former throaes. and his regi
| ment was disbanded. Prince Achill<
made memorable address to his men
speaking to them In seven differen,
languages. one after another. and the1