The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-05-27
(By c. MAURICE ELFER.l

historic Beauvoir, at one time the
home of jefferson Davis, then expires
ident of the C~onfederacy. In solemn
dignity, among majestic l~ive-oaks.
pines and other trees near where land
and water meet in Southern MissiSS-
ippi, and between Biloxi n Gulf
port, about seventy-:ve miles from
New Orleans, is the mansion of ante
beilum days and Of association with
a man who was one of the greatest
factors Of the most stirring times in
the history of the United States a
hero aud martyr in one Of the tiercest
conhlcts OF carnage and horror the
world haS known.
Often visited by classical travellers. |
BeaGVoir obtains a fame which is con |
tlnEally Spreading to all parts of the |
world. To Jefferson Davis, his life
and Career, historians have devoted
more than one CHAPTER. Records
show how he distinguished himself
in the Mexican and Civil wars. in the
SeEate. as Secretary of War and so
OF: But Beauyoir holds its w
story, and the imaginative person,
wh.ie contemplating the old pile. can
easily conjure up the t%raInpins Of
horses and men. the roar Of guns.
1t was until 1879 that Davis lived
on the Heauvoir plantation, when il
was beQueathed to him by Mrs. Dor
sev. an enthusiastic southern omar
The house on the place, the same
one occupied by MIR: Davis, was built
in 1854 by James Brown, a Missis-
sippi planter, who owned the land at
the time, and from whom Mrs. Dor
sey subsequently bought it.
When Mr.. Davis went to live on the
place it was after years Of ribula-
tons and soul-stirring difficulties to
Tthe Immortal hero, following the
Civil War-after his capture, on Man
IN 1E6k+ an6 Sphcou,tant iDpprfS,,
ment in fortress Monroe; his indict-
lnent for treason in the Fedora court
at Norfolk. Va: the nOlle prosequi of
the case against him: his trip to Eng
land and Franco, and his presidency
+ of a life insurance company in Mem
! l~phis. At Beauvoir he lived quietly,
never murlnuring over his inexpres-
sible troubles, nor over the fact that,
, TO make matters worse, he was. in
!: 1876, excepted from a bill removing
e political disabilities on hose who par
ticipated in the Confederate cause,
: nor in connection with his exception,
: in 1879. from a pension bill provid-
u ing for those who fought in the War
: with Mexico.
e The house at Reauyoir, a large
a structure With living apartments, OF
e story, OF high pillars and an inclosure
e on the ground floor SO as TO make il
g appear as a twO-Storv building, is
practically in the same condition as
q that in which Mr.. Davis left it. The
: single-story cottages, one on each
side of the Beauvoir yard, slightly &c
the. front. are still there
Some changes hay taken place or
on Beauvoir, however, as a result OF
the place having been transformed
into a home for Confederate veterans
IS there being an average of nearly 20(
p old soldiers as inmates Of the institu
ton. Appropriations have been mad
by the State Of Mississippi for tn
maintenance of the soldiers home
and dormitories have been erected o,
the grounds. The dining room for tn
veterans is on the lower floor of tn
te BeauvOir house.
The place is an ideal one as an oil
soldiers home, where, the veterans
tottering with age, spend their las
days in precincts. formerly the HON
= of their leader. One b.
one the old soldiers are dying. I
the rear is a bu~rying-ground in whlcl
the bodies of veterans that are un
claimed. by relatives or friends, or 70
which no other provision has bee
made. are laid away. AS yet there j
rk no appropriation from the State TO
placing a marble slab~at each grave
but there is a movement to have
memorial for eacn Of the departc
ed veterans. collectively, III the near fl
ture. in this silent place of heroi
III q 2 l1t1C 10 a PidI ~ " CA -
~, memorial in he cemetery, whereo
n the names of hose buried therel
may be chiseled.
h n has a large hall. ais
he q broad %yeranda, porcheS being ]
nd front as we'll as on either side Of tn
he house. From the broad stairwa
ed. leading from the veranda is a wid
WaIk-way. a path between the nous
and the front gate. Immediately ]
front of the Beauvoir yard is a tro
ley line. afording easy access to tn
place. in addition to that of the raj
way to the rear or of the gulf to III
southwark. The beach is just beyon
- the track of the trolley line.
~ Dreamy and melancholy is Beal
-, .araa ;.sote 60;
hangs the moss from the oaks in II
~ yards. and the blue water of the Gu
Of Mexico, on which both sailing ar
no steam craft may frequently be see