Dates for the 150th Commemoration of the War Between the States
January 19, 2011 - 11:00 am, First White House of the Confederacy annual Robert E. Lee Birthday celebration (public invited) and FWH “kick-off” of The War Between the States Anniversary. Features speaker Commander Bill Rambo, Director of the Confederate Memorial Park in Marbury, AL. Free admission.
January 20, 2011 - Noon (Architreats), “The Road to War” by Robert Bradley, at the Alabama Dept of Archives and History. Call 334- 242-4364 for more information. Free admission.
February 4 - March 19, 2011 - “The Flag Maker of Market Street,” one of two plays to celebrate The War at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. For tickets, call 800-841-4273.
February 18 - March 20, 2011 - “Blood Divided”, the second play to celebrate the War, at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. For tickets, call 800-841-4273.
February 16, 2011, 5:30 p.m - “The Man and the Hour Have Met”. William L. Yancey greets Jefferson Davis in Montgomery, by Dr. Ralph Draughon, Jr. Lecture and reception co-sponsored by Alabama Department of Archives and the First White House of the Confederacy on the occasion of Yancey’s famous welcome to Jefferson Davis. Call 242-4364 for more Information. Free admission.
February 19, 2011 - the Sons of Confederate Veterans will hold a parade and re-enactment of the Inauguration of Jefferson Davis on the Capitol Steps. Contact Robert Reames at rcreames@aol.com or Tom Strain at tomstrain@bellsouth.net for more information.
March 17, 2011 - Noon (Architreats), “The Civil War Pharmacy”, by Michael Flannery, at the Alabama Dept of Archives. Call 242-4364 for more information.
April 26, 2011 - Confederate Memorial Day, plans to celebrate are being made by the Sons of Confederate Veterans and Ladies Memorial Association. More details to follow.
June 3, 2011 - Jefferson Davis' 203rd birthday celebration will be held at 11:00, with Senator Dick Brewbaker as our guest speaker. Commemorative festivities throughout the day include a speech, birthday cake and flowers.
July 13 – 16, 2011 – Sons of the Confederate Veterans National Convention to be in Montgomery. Plans to be announced.
December 15, 2011 - Noon (Architreats) , “Southern Music of the Civil War Era” with a performance by the 33rd Alabama Campfire Players, at the Alabama Dept of Archives. Call 242-4364 for more information.
Historic Home was City's First Major Preservation Project Montgomery Advertiser, June 13, 2010
Story by Rick Harmon
Last Monday state workers had the day off to celebrate Jefferson Davis' birthday. Most area residents know that the home where the former president of the Confederacy and his wife, Varina, lived is located near the corner of Washington Avenue and South Union Street, not far from the Capitol, the State House and the state archives of history.
Fewer people know that it wasn't always there.
The First White House of the Confederacy, now located at 644 Washington Ave., was one of Montgomery's first great preservation projects.
William Sayre (an ancestor of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald) had the house built in the 1830s at the corner of Bibb and Lee streets.
The First White House of the Confederacy, which was once located at the corner of Bibb and Lee streets, was carefully dismantled and rebuilt at its current location when officials decided to preserve the historic building
After Montgomery became the first capital of the Confederacy, Davis and his family moved into the house and lived there from February to May 1861, until the capital moved to Richmond, Va. While not as opulent as the White House in Washington, the Montgomery home was well-located.
But what was considered a good location in the 1860s didn't seem like such an ideal location by the early 1900s.
Not only had the house fallen into disrepair, but so had most of the houses surrounding it. Adjoining properties were being torn down, and some feared the same fate awaited the historical house in which Davis had lived.
With the help of Gov. Thomas Kilby, for whom the well-known prison is named, the Legislature approved a $25,000 fund to help the White House Association move the home, but moving the house wasn't easy.
After being documented and diagramed in every way imaginable, the house was literally taken apart, and each board was marked, moved and then reassembled at its current location on Washington Avenue.
There was a huge celebration -- complete with bands, parades and dignitaries to mark the restoration of the house at its new location.
That was 89 years ago -- on June 3, 1921, the 113th anniversary of Davis' birthday -- and today many residents assume that is where the First White House of the Confederacy has always been.
Furnished with original period pieces and containing artifacts from Davis and his family, the house has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1974 and has become one of the area's major tourist attractions.
Event Honors Jefferson Davis on His 202nd Birthday Montgomery Advertiser, June 4, 2010
Story by Al Benn
Jefferson Davis never let personal animosity affect the way he dealt with political adversaries, even when he had the power to destroy their careers, said the speaker at an event marking the 202nd anniversary of Davis' birth Thursday.
During his speech at the First White House of the Confederacy, James Pickett cited the esteem in which Davis was held by national leaders, especially during his tenure in the U.S. Senate before the Civil War.
On one occasion, Davis was a member of a congressional committee looking into claims of impropriety on the part of Daniel Webster, a fellow senator, and demonstrated that he did not hold a grudge, said Pickett, a member of the Thomas Goode Jones Sons of Confederate Veterans chapter.
"Some expressed the fear that Davis might use this as an opportunity to destroy an arch political rival, but he did nothing of the sort," Pickett said. "He examined the evidence and concluded Webster was innocent of all charges."
Anne Tidmore, right, regent of the First White House of the Confederacy, joins guest speaker James Pickett and his daughter, Emily, on Thursday during an event honoring
Jefferson Davis' birthday.
Pickett said that after Webster was cleared, Davis said: "I would not make a false or partisan report of parley with my sense of justice and honor."
Standing on the steps leading to the second floor of the building -- something that has become a custom for speakers on the anniversary of Davis' birth as well as that of Robert E. Lee -- Pickett noted that some of those who opposed him politically eventually became his friends.
All that changed when war broke out between the states in 1861, but Davis showed that his compassion for fellow lawmakers in Washington also extended to the battlefield, said Pickett, who said he is "distantly related" to the Confederate general who led the epic charge at Gettysburg.
"Davis' feelings of charity and kindness even extended to enemy soldiers," Pickett said. "He urged Confederate troops to treat Union prisoners of war with courtesy and compassion."
Few Americans were as skilled in as many disciplines as Davis, who was born on June 3, 1808, in Kentucky and died Dec. 6, 1889, in New Orleans.
A graduate of West Point, Davis fought in the Mexican-American War, served as secretary of war during the administration of President Franklin Pierce, represented Mississippi in the U.S. Senate and then served as the first and only president of the Confederacy.
During an interview before his speech, Pickett described Davis as "an American patriot who was loyal to his state and region and, I think, would be proud of what we've done.
"We came through the American Civil War, got back together as one nation, and the last century, the 20th century, was the American century," Pickett said. "We're a strong nation, and he'd be proud of what we've accomplished."
Philip Davis, a devoted descendant of Confederate veterans, said developments in the U.S. today are unlikely to lead to another Civil War, but "I believe changes are coming."
The Civil War is often referred to as "The Lost Cause," but Davis said the Confederate president might have seen the future.
"He said 'the cause for which we fought will rise again at another time, another place and in another form,'" the Montgomery lawyer said. "All you have to do is ask the tea party people."
First Fundraiser Helps Support Historic Location Montgomery Advertiser
May 2, 2010
Held as their first fundraiser, the Ladies of the White House Association of Alabama welcomed guests to a lovely wine and cheese fundraiser last Thursday evening at the Alabama Archives and History building. Located next door to the First White House of the Confederacy, the place they take great pride in supporting, the stately archives edifice was a glorious place to treat arrivals to an evening with a very special guest.
More than 200 friends of the White House were anxious to meet Betram Hayes-Davis, the great great grandson of Jefferson Davis. Hayes-Davis flew in from Dallas for the fundraiser.
All gathered in the rotunda during the early evening, as they were warmly greeted by regent Anne Tidmore and several ladies of the association, including event co-chairs Susan Haigler and Seibles Marshall.
Among the fundraiser committee members making the evening special were Bess Blackmon, Valerie Lee, Saralee Green, Emmie Stroh, Dorothy Arrington and Alice Blake, along with Anne Feathers and Fay Poole of Greenville.
The rotunda and auditorium were decorated with cloth-covered tables accented with silver wine coolers filled with variegated ivy. Taking the wine and cheese theme to heart, they were also laden with cheese-themed hors d'oeuvres -- cheese pies, cheese puffs, cheese dips and cheese straws and a tasty assortment of other items, all prepared by the association's members using favorite family recipes.
Cameron Napier joined Bertram Hayes-Davis, the great great grandson of Jefferson Davis, and Anne Tidmore at a fundraiser for the First White House of the Confederacy.
Susan Haigler, chairman of the First White House Fundraiser, and Carol Goodwyn, historian for the Ladies of the White House Association of Alabama and member of the decorating committee for the fundraiser, enjoy the party.
As they mingled amid the archives' halls and rooms filled with historical artifacts, guests were reminded during the festive evening why they were there.
The White House Association (WHA) was formed in 1900 to save the house. In 1921 they had raised enough money to have the house moved from the corner of Lee and Bibb streets, where the skate park is now, to its present location at the corner of Union Street and Washington Avenue, across from south side of the state's Capitol building, and next door to Archives.
At that time the WHA gave the house to the people of the state of Alabama with great fanfare, and the state has continued to maintain the house and its grounds. The association owns the collection inside, which has been sustained all these years by donations and sales from a modest, but educational gift shop located within the house.
Last year, members decided to host the first fundraising venture ever to help the association update the collection of items, replace furniture and chandeliers, and to repair a number of objects.
Ancestors remembered
Inspiring guests to support those projects, Hayes-Davis spoke briefly in the Milo Howard Auditorium about his warm association with the Montgomery First White House of the Confederacy, where his ancestors lived during the spring of 1861 when the Provisional Confederate Government was in Montgomery before the Capitol was moved to Richmond.
He reminded everyone that the sesquicentennial of the War Between the States begins in February of 2011, and many important events shaping that war took place right here in Montgomery.
He delighted everyone by presenting a bond certificate to the FWH in honor of past regent Cameron Napier. Discovered recently, it was with a trunk of items and was made out to Miss Winnie Davis, the youngest daughter, for 13 shares of capital stock in the Davis Lane Co. A real treasure for the FWH, it was dated April 18, 1890.
The guest of honor was also very busy during the evening signing prints of the historic House Museum. Among those receiving the prints as a special “thank you” from the Association were representatives of the event’s sponsors that included Balch & Bingham, Brewbaker Motors, Frazer Lanier Company, Greenville Motor Company, Robert F. Henry Tile Company, Jackson Thornton, J.K. Lowder Family Foundation, [McDowell Lee], Montgomery Confederate Roundtable, Regions Bank, [Caroline] and [Guice Slawson], [Anita] and [Emory Folmar], Tang's Alterations, Tidmore Flags, [Tammy] and [Jim Tidmore], Welch Hornsby & Welch, A.D. Williams Photography, Long Run Press, Inc. MBC-United, Priester Pecan Company, Richardson's Pharmacy and Stonehenge.
White House Association Member Sponsors were the Howard Alexanders, the Richard Arringtons, the Fred Blackmons, Ms. Betty Brislin, the Emory Folmars, the William Josephs, Mrs. Anne King, Dr. Valerie Lee, the Wallace Tidmores and the Coleman Yarbroughs.
As fast as he could sign them, prints were sold to others during the evening for $50 each by longtime FWH staff supervisor Eva Newman and her granddaughter, Melanie Newman, who came from Troy University just for the occasion. Remaining signed prints are available for sale in the White House Association's gift shop.
The WHA is the oldest historic preservation organization in Alabama. It was organized in 1900 for the purpose of "saving" the Jefferson Davis home.
Membership in the WHA is made up of ladies across the state of Alabama, including Birmingham, Mobile, Huntsville and Selma, who are either descendants of the original ladies of the White House Association or who are interested in the preservation of this elegant house museum.
In attendance were many of the ladies of the association, some with spouses and friends, including Martha and Howard Alexander, Dorothy and Richard Arrington, Kathi and Brian Atkins, Sue Bell, Carol Brewbaker, Betty Brislin, Carol Goodwyn, Lulie and Arthur Joe Grant, Saralee and Ewell Green, Dora Haas and Bubba Trotman, Kitty Harrell, Diane and John Henig, Kittie and Bob Hill, Frances and Billy Hill, Peggy and Bill Joseph, Anne King, Valerie Lee, Gale and Jim Main, Seibels and Jim Marshall, Ollie McAdam, Margaret "Nootsie" McCall, Mary and Price McLemore, Cameron and John Napier, Sandra and Bonner Patrick, Susan and Stuart Patton, Fay and Cleve Poole, Alice Reynolds, Ann Reese, Tutter Rogers, Susan and Jeff Samuel, Janet Waller and Jane and Coleman Yarbrough.
Friends of the first house
Bob Bradley and Ed Bridges from the Archives attended, as did many friends of the house from the community and representatives from many patriotic and historic organizations. Also there were members of garden clubs and literary clubs who have offered support through the years.
Among the many supporters of the First White House were Carol Rickard, Dottye Hannan, Myralyn Watson, Charlie and Mary Frances Jones, Tommy Taccaetta, Gloria and Phillip Rawlings, Ann and Bob Langenburg, Dee Mooty, Pat Dunn, Kathy and Jim Gowan, Bob Vardaman, Caroline and Harry Nelson, Jodi and Rob Henry, Carol and Bob Henry, Judy and Bill Cook, Pat and Thornton Clark, McDowell Lee, Pat Harris, Hal Weatherby, James Blatchford and Eve Cieutat, Elizabeth and Albert Killingsworth, Leslie Kirk, Helen Wells and Billy Hughes, Justin Rojek, Alice and David Thrasher, Rob Kennedy, Chris Setzer, Catherine and Ed Woodson and Judy and Dick Garrett.
Also among the many supporting the First White House event were Emily and Tom Sparrow, Wallace Tidmore, Sammy Stroh, Fred Blackmon, John Feathers, Ralph Draughon, Ann Pearson, Jennie Price, Lucy and Gene Parsons, Christine Cook, Nancy Moss and Charlie Branch, Kristen Branch and Brian Hurst, Jack Noble, Kent and Mike Jenkins, Jennie Price, Jeannine Svenson, Cecile Webb, Cookie and Doug Ruth, Claire Fordham, Betty Bopp, Carolyn Lightfoot, Jean and Mark Anderson, Hallie and Bill Wall, Peggy Hillis, Freddie Copeland, Dae Miller, Marilyn and Perry Hooper, Suanne Jackson, Bonnie Shanahan, J.R. and Jim Marshall III, Rae and Rusty Gregory, Carol and Watt Johnston, Chilly Boykin and Ethel Dozier Anders, Eleanor and Julie Alley, Judy and Tom Erickson, Bill Scanlon, Rena Alice Underwood, Marianne Tidmore Wofford, Virgie Perkins, James Fuller and many others.
White House Association Enjoys Tour, Luncheon Montgomery Advertiser
February 16, 2010
Story by Deborah Hayes Moore
Eddie Pattillo led a tour of the First White House of the Confederacy on Thursday morning, pointing out to members of the White House Association of Alabama the pieces in the house he considered especially important to the history of the house.
He pointed out "one of a kind" items such as a magnificent walnut Gothic revival bookcase, circa 1845 that is in the second parlor; a mahogany "box type" sofa that is believed to have been among the original furnishings of the 1846 Capitol of Alabama; and a magnificent classic mahogany sideboard that Pattillo called "one of the great American Masterpieces of the period to be recorded." He also called attention to a silver-plated water cooler, dated 1858, that had been given to Jesse Cox, a popular and affluent captain of a steamboat on the Alabama River. The cooler was presented to the First White House in the 1930s by his daughter, M. Otis Cox of Connecticut.
Eddie Pattillo, from left, joined Carol Brewbaker and Anne Tidmore at a luncheon hosted Thursday by the White House Association of Alabama, welcoming Waite Rawls, the director of the Museum of the Confederacy, which was the second Confederate White House, in Richmond, Va.
That afternoon, Pattillo, who is updating an appraisal of all the contents of the house, joined Regent Anne Tidmore, other members of the Association and several special guests for a luncheon at the Montgomery Country Club. The luncheon was hosted to continue a tradition, and to take advantage of the travel schedule of a Montgomery visitor.
The Association's members gather for a business meeting in the fall, a celebration of Jefferson Davis' birthday in January, and an annual luncheon in the spring. With the area preparing for snow fall, the luncheon was hosted a little earlier this year to coincide with the schedule of Waite Rawls.
President and CEO of the Museum of the Confederacy, which was the second White House of the Confederacy, in Richmond, Va., Rawls was scheduled to arrive in Montgomery for the first time for a visit with friends. The timing was perfect for him to serve as guest speaker for the Association's annual luncheon.
To set the ambiance for his welcome to the River Region, Carol Brewbaker, the first vice regent of the Association, complemented the country club's décor with elements of pink and white. She decorated the guests' five round tables with white tablecloths, pink napkins and pots of soft pink cyclamen. The flowering plants were submerged in hot pink baskets and set atop a puddle of red and pink raffia. The ladies were allowed to purchase the centerpieces at the luncheon's conclusion, and not a single one remained in the room. Amid the Valentine colors that inspired the ambiance, all dined on chicken stuffed with bleu cheese, rice and broccoli, with ice cream parfaits presented for dessert.
Among the 40 in attendance at the luncheon, Anne Tidmore welcomed guests Guin Nance, Jean and Mark Anderson, Marlene Eidsmoe, Eva Newman, Bubba Trotman; Cameron Napier, the honorary life regent, and her husband John Napier; and Nicky and Bubba Armstrong. Rawls was in the River Region to go quail hunting with Armstrong. After the luncheon, he and Bubba headed out on their expedition, which prompted an opportunity for Rawls to see more of the area.
Before their departure, Tidmore introduced several new members of the Association including Kittie Hill, Kathi Atkins, Sandra Patrick, Ollie McAdam, Susan Patton and Diane Henig, as well as Janet Waller, who was out-of-town and missed the gathering
New members Susan Samuel and Ann Reese joined Carol Goodwyn, the group's historian; Sue Bell, the corresponding secretary, and other members of the group for the tour of the First White House in the morning, but were unable to attend the luncheon.
Welcoming them Thursday were second vice-regent Alice Blake, and Association members Martha Alexander, Frances Hill, Peggy Joseph, Valerie Lee; the group's librarian Gale Main; Nootsie McCall, Alice Reynolds; the association's secretary Fay Poole of Greenville; Emmie Stroh, treasurer; Anne King, Ann Feathers; Mary McLemore, Jane Yarbrough, Dora Haas; and Susan Haigler who encouraged support for the organization's Wine and Cheese Fundraising Event planned for 5:30-7:30, April 22 at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to support the maintenance of the collections within the First White House.
The organization's chaplain Tutter Rogers joined Lulie Grant in a service of remembrance for deceased member Frances Leatherberry Williams of Mobile, Lulie's cousin.
The association's membership is comprised of women from across the state. Some are descended from the original women who founded the White House Association in 1900 in an attempt to save the "Jeff Davis house," as it was commonly called.
There was great celebration after it took 20 years to raise the money and when the house was restored and moved from the corner of Lee and Bibb streets, where the skating park is now, to its present location across from the Capitol. On that occasion, June 3, 1921, the White House Association gave the house to the people of the state of Alabama.
Legislation passed in 1923 and amended since, provides that the First White House of the Confederacy is to be managed by the White House Association of Alabama. While the state maintains the house and grounds, the association owns the things in the house and its members are the keepers of the collection and the arbiters of taste in maintaining the interior and all matters concerning the house.
They were particularly interested as Waite Rawls spoke about the artifacts and collection in the Virginia museum, as their job, given by a 1921 act of the legislature, is to care for the collection in the First White House museum here in Montgomery. The current members of the association are given committee assignments and responsibilities within certain rooms in the First White House.
Beyond, the day-to-day operations of the First White House, as regent, Tidmore has been attending meetings since last spring with a group called "Becoming Alabama." The latter group is composed of those interested in the commemoration of the Creek War and War of 1812; the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War; and the beginning of the Civil Rights movement, and who come together from across the state to share information on their plans.
Judge Main Tells Group About Robert E. Lee's Life After the War
Montgomery Independent
January 18, 2010
Story by Bill Rice
Tuesday January 19 brought blue skies and about seventy people to the First White House of the Confederacy to celebrate the 203rd anniversary of Robert E. Lee's birth. Anne Tidmore, Regent , the ladies of the White House Association and the Staff of the First White House greeted everyone. Cameron Napier, Honorary Regent for Life was introduced. Judge Mark Anderson gave the invocation and prayer was offered for the people of Hati. Anne introduced the Honorable Jim Main, Judge on the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals who gave a stirring speech on the life of Robert E. Lee after the War Between the States. After the War, The federal government had confiscated Lee's land and home so he moved to a small tenant home just outside Richmond, expeciting to live a quiet country life.Meantime the trustees of a small war-wrecked school, Washington College, located in Lexington met to determine how to nurse the school back to health.
Gale Main, left, Judge Jim Main, the featured speaker, and Ilouise Hill enjoyed this month's special event.
They unanimously elected Lee as President of Washington College.
Lee accepted the challange and the task of rebuilding this College began. Could it survive? The University of Alabama had just opened their first post-war session and only one student appeared. But when Lee became President of Washington college, the enrollment immediately increased from 40 to 140, and within a year the number increased to 300 students. During his first year as President, the college received more than $ 100,000 from tuition and gifts. Yes, the college could not only survive, but thrive. This was mainly due to Lee's organizational, recruiting and disciplinary skills, plus the esteem in which he was held.
Lee's assistant was asked about the essence of Robert E. Lee. His response: "Intellectually he was cast in a gigantic mold. He was possessed of strong passions. He loved excitement, particularly the excitement of war. he loved grandeur. But all these appetites and powers were brought under the control of his judgment and made subservient to his Christian faith. This made him habitually unselfish and ever willing to sacrifice himself on the altar of duty and in the service of his fellows...He is an epistle, written of God and designed by God to teach the peopole of this country that earthly success is not the criterion of merit, nor the measure of true greatness."
The ultimate tribute to Lee came shortly after his death in 1870 when the college named for George Washington changed its name to honor both favorite sons of Virginia - Washington and Lee University.
The First White House of the Confederacy was the setting for a changing of the guard ceremony Tuesday morning as Anne Tidmore became director of one of America's most historic buildings.
First lady Patsy Riley joined other state officials and supporters of the house where Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his family lived for a brief period in 1861.
State Finance Director Jim Main, who filled in for Gov. Bob Riley, extended his own congratulations to outgoing regent Cameron Napier, who had served in that capacity for 29 years.
Napier and Main shared a common bond in recent years as she sought funding to support the house and he carefully examined her requests for thousands of dollars from the state treasury.
"She has never asked for anything from the finance department that she didn't truly need and she has never exaggerated her claims of what she needed," he said.
Ed Bridges, director of the state Department of Archives and History, said "It would be hard to imagine any other person with such determination and perseverance on a totally unpaid volunteer basis as Cameron Napier."
Outgoing regent of the First White House of the Confederacy Cameron Napier, left, and incoming Regent Anne Tidmore, right enjoy a transfer ceremony Tuesday in downtown Montgomery.
Patsy Riley, right, joins Anne Tidmore and others for the ceremony naming her as the Regent of the First White House of the Confederacy.
During her nearly three decades as director of the First White House of the Confederacy, Napier obtained funding to renovate deteriorating rooms and other areas that needed improvement.
Napier, who received gifts and written commendations during the ceremony, stressed the importance of the 1835 Italianate house, saying it "is part of history and belongs to all of us."
"We all suffered during the War Between the States, Reconstruction and the struggles of the civil rights movement, and it's all part of our history," she said.
Napier also put in a proximity plug during her remarks, saying the First White House of the Confederacy and other historic structures benefit from perfect locations in Alabama's Capital city.
"Richmond is scattered everywhere," she said, referring to the "second" capital of the Confederacy. "We have everything right here. We are so very blessed."
Interior improvements drew rave reviews from those who walked through the house after the ceremony, but it was evident that the exterior needs a good paint job.
"We're working on that project right now," said Tidmore. "It shouldn't be long before a thorough painting is done."
Napier's stewardship actually lasted for 36 years because of her support group service, and Tidmore said she is facing a major challenge.
"It's a big undertaking and I've got tremendous shoes to fill, but I've also got 61 ladies in our association to help me," said Tidmore, who becomes the sixth regent of the house in 109 years. "I'm confident everything will work out just fine."
Spectators who watched the ceremony from the front lawn were greeted by Mrs. Riley just inside the front door - a place she said has always been her favorite spot.
"To me, this building has always been the entrance," she said. "It sets the tone for me. Just look at this beautiful chandelier up there and the wonderful staircase over there. It's a very welcoming home."
Jefferson Davis' great-great-grandson, Bertram Hayes-Davis, wrote Napier to congratulate her on her service, saying: "You personified every southern trait that can be measured with all the grace and stature that God can command."
Hayes-Davis also sent a letter on behalf of the Davis Family Association in Woodville, Miss. The organization saluted Napier for her "constant attention to the needs of this structure," saying it has become "as original as the day it was built."
"The Davis family offers our most hearty thanks and congratulations," he said in a letter read by Napier's husband, John. "The term 'icon' is appropriate when we have in the past and will speak in the future of Cameron Napier."
Interior improvements drew rave reviews from those who walked through the house after the ceremony, but it was evident that the exterior needs a good paint job.