Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 August 1879 — Jeff. Davis’ Quarter Million [ARTICLE]

Jeff. Davis’ Quarter Million

New York Eon. Col. 8. Percy Ellto, who lives at 1055 Lafayette avenue, Brooklyn, to the brother of Mrs. Sarah A. Dorsey. who, dying in Beauvoir, Miss., on July 4, left all her property, worth at least $250,000, to Jefftason Davis. Mrs. Dorsey wholly neglected ber natural heirs, who are her brother, Col. Ellis, her sister, Mrs. Ines Peckham, living in Tensas Parish, la, and her nephew, the son of her brother Thomas, who died in the Confederate service. She also left two stepbrothers, the sons of Gen. Chas. G. Dahlgren, who, after her father’s death, married her mother. Mrs! Dorsey was in many respects an exceptional woman, and since the war she had manifested almost a religious devotion to the South, worshiping Jefferson Davis as the hero* of the Lost Cause. Mr. Davis had been an intimate friend of the Elite family since she was a child, and she, as well as her brother, had grown up toadmire him greatly. Mrs. Dorsey was born in February, 1829, on Woodlawn plantation, in Mississippi. Her father died in 1838, leaving his widow, who subsequently beeame Mrs. Dahlgren, sister-in-law of the Rear Admiral of the United States Navy, and four children, Mrs. Dorsey being the eldest. Mrs. Dorsey received a superior education, developing a genius for the languages, and becoming an accomplished performer on the harp. Thrown into the society of her aunts, Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Warfield, both of whom were literary women, she early began to write stories, sketches and poems. On Jaauary 19, 1853, she married Mr. Samuel Worthington Dorsey, son of Justice Dorsey, of Maryland. Mr. Dorsey had been a lawyer,but was a planter in Tensas Parish at the time of their marriage. He was afterward State Senator and a Member of Congress. Mrs. Dorsey was always an enthusiast. After her marriage it was on the subject of religioh, and she maintained a resident chaplain on the plantation, a High Church Episcopalian, whose duty it was to religiously instruct the slaves. Their plantation was devastated by the Federal troops early in the war. It was a beautrful spot, the yard containing 800 varieties of roses. A war correspondent describes it as a “perfect paradise of flowers.” Mrs. Dorsey went to Texas with a company of her slaves. She studied, and read, and wrote with avidity. She began the study of Greek in an ambulance while returning overland on a visit to Natchez She had the vehicle provided with book shelves, and as she rode along through the woods and swamps she pursued the study. The Louisiana plantation to which the family returned at the dose of the war was not suited to Mrs. Dorsey’s health, and her husband purchased a splendid orange grove near Mississippi City. In the center of the grove wra a large house, whose piazzas overlooked the Gulf of Mexico. When Mrs. Dorsey was taken to the place she exclaimed; “Beauvoir!” (“Beautiful to see!”) and that name was bestowed upon theplace. Mr. Dorsey died in 1876. He was childless, and left all of hto large property to hto wife. She devoted herself to literary pursuits after her husbands death, although her works were all published before that event, except “Panola.” She wrote novels entitled “Athalie,” “Agnes Graham” and “Lucia Dare.” The plot of the latter was based upon a family episode in the history of Mrs. Dorsey’s aunt, who was carried a Way by the Indians when a girl.

Beauvoir was famous for many miles for its delicious oranges, its beautiful situation, its accomplished mistress and her generous hospitality. She entertained many friends, but sought chiefly those of talen t as familiar acquaintances. She is said to have engaged Thomas Carlyle, Dean Stanley, Rossetti, Herbert Spencer and many other distinguished men in correspondence. She corresponded with Jefferson Davis when he was in Europe, and on his return she offered him a home at Beauvoir, which he accepted, although he was not accompanied thither by his wife. Mrs. Dorsey had a Horary rich in> Southern history and literature, Erinted and in manuscript, and in her ome Mr. Davis began his history of the late rebellion, upon which he is still at work. Two years ago, before Mr. Davis came to Beauvoir, Mrs. Dorsey visited her brother in Brooklyn,and repeatedly referred to Mr. Davis as a great patriot who had made sacrifices for his native land beyond those of many men deemed greater in history, and she expressed displeasure at the ingratitude of the South for his services, saying that he had never been properly rewarded. She did not then indicate that she proposed to try to pay the debt. Since Mr. Davis went to live at Beauvoir she has shown a greater devotion to him as her hero. Mrs. Ellis, a talented woman, drew for Mrs. Dorsey a crayon portrait of the ex-President of the Confederacy, which Mrs. Dorsey prized so highly that when she went to the St. Charles Hotel in New Orleans, to receive treatment for a malignant cancerous tumor, she took the portrait with her and hung it upon the wall of her room, although it must have been a great inconvenience.

Mr. Ellis was ready surprised when he learned that his sister had given all her property to Jefferson Davis. It had been the express wish of Mr. Dorsey that an Income should be fixed out of the estate for Mr. Elite’ two children, but this was not done. Mr. Ellis can not tell what influence was exetted Fi his sister to cause her to so disof nearly $250,000 worth of properHe has thought highly of Jefferson Davis hitherto, and has believed him incapable of a design of this nature, although knowing that he was most persuasive in his friendships. Mr. E’lis contemplates a contest of the will, and it te probable that one will be began; but not having thus far seen a copy of the document, or had sufficient time to confer with the other natural heirs, he is not yet possessed of sufficient inform mation to' reach a conclusion. He can not think thai, it te. right that his sister’s property should be so bestowed. The estate includes besides much ready money and the Beauvoir plantation, the Elk Ridge plantation and Ellison plantation in Tensas Parish, La., and much uncultivated land in Louisiana and Kansas. Mr. Ellis will probably engage counsel in the case in a few days. He has had ho legal notice that the will has beens offered for probate, and Mr. Davis has not communicated with him or with Gen. Dahlgren, Mrs. Dorsey’s stepfather, now a resident of Brooklyn. The family of Mr. Ellis strongly suspect undue influence. Mr. Elite is now employed as editor of two trade journals, and manager of a Spanish Journal in this city. Prior to

torn from the South some years after Oke dose of the war, on the Union, and as occasional writer for some of the metropolitan journals.