Sunday, May 1, 2011

What Became of The Davis Family Houses?

Yesterday I mentioned "Locust Grove", the house in which Jefferson Davis' sister lived, near St. Francisville, LA, where Sarah Knox Taylor Davis died.

 Two other houses that I did not mention, also came into the story of Jefferson and Knox. The first was "Hurricane Plantation", the home of Joe Davis, Jefferson's brother, where Knox and Jefferson planned to remain until their own home was ready. Hurricane was an enchanting place, with the main house standing on a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi river and surrounded by acres of gardens. Joe had given Jefferson land and Jefferson worked hard clearing the land, and he and Knox spent many happy hours planning their house, which they had already named "Brierfield."

Knox wrote her mother of her happiness. No wonder Jefferson was so heartbroken at losing her.

And what became of the houses? "Locust Grove" where Knox died, was torn down many years ago. "Hurricane" was burned by the Federal troops during the War. and "Brierfield", which Davis eventually built as Knox and he had planned, was destroyed by fire in 1931.

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