Varina Anne (Winnie) Davis

First Lady of the Confederate States of America

Biography#

On February 26, 1845, Jefferson Davis married for his second wife, Varina Banks Howell, daughter of William Howell of New Jersey, and his wife Margaret Kempe Howell of Natchez, Mississippi.

William Burr Howell was a son of Governor Richard Howell of New Jersey and his wife Keziah Burr Howell. Margaret Louisa Kempe’s father was Colonel James Kempe, an Irish gentleman who came to America after the Emmett Rebellion.

Varina Banks Howell was born May 7, 1826 at the Marengo Plantation, Concordia Parish, Louisiana. She was named in honor of her mother’s friend, Mrs. George Banks (Varina Staunton Banks), of Natchez, Mississippi. Varina Howell graduated from Elizabeth Female Academy, Washington, Mississippi, in 1840. Varina was educated first by a private tutor, Judge George Winchester, a Harvard graduate and family friend, for 12 years. Afterwards Varina attended Madame Greenland’s School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1843, at age 17, while home for the Christmas holidays, she met Jefferson Davis. He was then a widower, 36 years of age, and just at the beginning of his political career. At first, her mother strongly disapproved of the courtship because Jefferson was 18 years her senior and was a Democrat while the Howells were strong supporters of the Whig Party. Varina grew sick of fever and during one of Jefferson’s visits to her in February, 1845, it was decided that they should be married. They were married on February 26, 1845, at The Briars, the home of her parents, at Natchez — approximately 14 months after they first met.

Varina became the First Lady of the Confederate States of America when her husband became the 1st, and only, President of the states that chose to form the Confederate States. In May 1861, she and her husband moved to Richmond, Virginia, the new capital of the Confederate States of America, and lived in the Presidential Mansion there during the War (1861–1865). While First Lady, she rescued a young mulatto boy named Jim Limber from a beating and took him in to live at the White House of the Confederacy.

When the war ended with the defeat of the CSA, her husband was imprisoned at Fort Monroe in Phoebus, Virginia, for two years. Although he was eventually released on bail and never tried, Jefferson Davis temporarily lost his home in Mississippi (Brierfield), most of his wealth, and his U.S. citizenship (his citizenship was posthumously restored in the 20th century).

In 1879, Jefferson Davis purchased Beauvoir on the Mississippi Gulf Coast from Sarah Dorsey. Varina remained there until her husband’s death in 1889. She began writing a biography of her husband, Jefferson Davis, A Memoir (ISBN 1-877853-06-2) in 1890. However, the book sold few copies due to problems with the publisher. With little income, poor health, and the inability to properly care for Beauvoir, she moved to New York City to pursue a literary career, writing for Joseph Pulitzer and the New York World in 1891. In October 1902, she sold Beauvoir to the Mississippi Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans for $10,000 to be used as a Confederate veterans’ home.

Varina Howell Davis died at age 80 of double pneumonia in her room at the Hotel Majestic in New York, on October 16, 1906, survived by only one of her six children. The former “First Lady of the Confederacy” is interred at Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia, adjacent to the tomb of her famous husband.

There is a portrait of Mrs. Davis (known as the “Widow of the Confederacy”) by the Swiss-born American artist Adolfo Müller-Ury (1862–1947) painted in 1895 at the museum at Beauvoir, and a profile portrait by Müller-Ury of her daughter Winnie Davis, painted in 1897–98, which the artist donated in 1918 to the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia.

The couple had six children: Samuel Emory (1852–1854), Margaret Howell (1855–1909), Jefferson, Jr. (1857–1878), Joseph Evan (1859–1864), William Howell (d. 1872), and Varina Anne (1864–1898).

Letters from Jefferson Davis#

The following letters from Jefferson Davis illustrate the Davis family’s circumstances during and after the Civil War. They are preserved here as primary sources relating to the Howell family line.

Jefferson Davis to Varina Howell Davis#

Richmond, May 30, 1862

. . . I packed some valuable books and the sword I wore for many years, together with the pistols used at Monterey and Buena Vista, and my old dressing-case. These articles will have a value to the boys in after-time, and to you now. . . . They will probably go forward to-day.

Thank you for congratulations on success of Jackson. Had the movement been made when I first proposed it, the effect would have been more important.

In that night’s long conference it was regarded impossible. We have not made any balloon discoveries. The only case in which much is to be expected from such means will be when large masses of troops are in motion.

Yesterday morning I thought we would engage the enemy, reported to be in large force on the Upper Chickahominy. The report was incorrect, as I verified in the afternoon by a long ride in that locality.

I saw nothing more than occasional cavalry videttes, and some pickets with field artillery.

General Lee rises to the occasion . . . and seems to be equal to the conception. I hope others will develop capacity in execution. . . . If we fight and are victorious, we can all soon meet again. If the enemy retreat to protect Washington, of which there are vague reports, I can probably visit you [Varina and the children had been sent to Raleigh earlier in the month].

You will have seen a notice of the destruction of our home. If our cause succeeds we shall not mourn over any personal deprivation; if it should not, why, “the deluge.” I hope I shall be able to provide for the comfort of the old negroes.

From The Papers of Jefferson Davis, Volume 8, pp. 203–4. Transcribed from Varina Davis, Memoir, Volume 2, pp. 267, 279–80. Ellipses are in the printed version. No manuscript has been found. Although Varina dates the letter May 31, internal evidence suggests that it was written on the 30th.

Jefferson Davis to Varina Howell Davis#

Charlotte, N.C., 23 April 1865

MY DEAR WINNIE,

I have been detained here longer than was expected when the last telegram was sent to you. I am uncertain where you are and deeply felt the necessity of being with you if even for a brief time, under our altered circumstances. Gov. Vance and Genl. Hampton propose to meet me here and Genl. Johnston sent me a request to remain at some point where he could readily communicate with me. Under these circumstances I have asked Mr. Harrison to go in search of you and to render you such assistance as he may. Your Brother William telegraphed in reply to my inquiry that you were at Abbeville and that he would go to see you. My last despatch was sent to that place and to the care of Mr. Burt. Your own feelings will convey to you an idea of my solicitude for you and our family and I will not distress by describing it.

The dispersion of Lee’s army and the surrender of the remnant which remained with him destroyed the hopes I entertained when we parted. Had that army held together I am now confident we could have successfully executed the plan which I sketched to you and would have been to-day on the high road to independence. Even after that disaster if the men who “straggled” — say thirty or forty thousand in number — had come back with their arms and with a disposition to fight we might have repaired the damage; but all was sadly the reverse of that. They threw away theirs and were uncontrollably resolved to go home. The small guards along the road have sometimes been unable to prevent the pillage of trains and depots.

Panic has seized the country. J. E. Johnston and Beauregard were hopeless as to recruiting their forces from the dispersed men of Lee’s army and equally so as to their ability to check Sherman with the forces they had. Their only idea was to retreat; of the power to do so they were doubtful and subsequent desertions from their troops have materially diminished their strength and I learn still more weakened their confidence. The loss of arms has been so great that should the spirit of the people rise to the occasion it would not be at this time possible adequately to supply them with the weapons of War.

Genl. Johnston had several interviews with Sherman and agreed on a suspension of hostilities, and the reference of terms of pacification. They are secret and may be rejected by the Yankee govt. — to us they are hard enough, though freed from wanton humiliation and expressly recognizing the state governments, and the rights of person and property as secured by the Constitutions of the U. S. and the several states. Genl. Breckenridge was a party to the last consultation and to the agreement. Judge Reagan went with him and approved the agreement though not present at the conference.

Each member of the Cabinet is to give his opinion in writing to day: 1st upon the acceptance of the terms; 2d upon the mode of proceeding if accepted. The issue is one which it is very painful for me to meet. On one hand is the long night of oppression which will follow the return of our people to the ‘Union’; on the other the suffering of the women and children, and courage among the few brave patriots who would still oppose the invader, and who, unless the people would rise en masse to sustain them, would struggle but to die in vain.

I think my judgement is undisturbed by any pride of opinion or of place. I have prayed to our heavenly Father to give me wisdom and fortitude equal to the demands of the position in which Providence has placed me. I have sacrificed so much for the cause of the Confederacy that I can measure my ability to make any further sacrifice required, and am assured there is but one to which I am not equal — my Wife and my Children. How are they to be saved from degradation or want is now my care. During the suspension of hostilities you may have the best opportunity to go to Missi. and thence either to sail from Mobile for a foreign port or to cross the river and proceed to Texas, as the one or the other may be more practicable. The little sterling you have will be a very scanty store and under other circumstances would not be counted, but if our land can be sold that will secure you from absolute want. For myself it may be that our Enemy will prefer to banish me, it may be that a devoted band of Cavalry will cling to me and that I can force my way across the Missi. and if nothing can be done there which it will be proper to do, then I can go to Mexico and have the world from which to choose a location. Dear Wife this is not the fate to which I invited when the future was rose-colored to us both; but I know you will bear it even better than myself and that of us two I alone will ever look back reproachfully on my past career.

I have thus entered on the questions involved in the future to guard against contingencies; my stay will not be prolonged a day beyond the prospect of useful labor here and there is every reason to suppose that I will be with you a few days after Mr. Harrison arrives.

[. . .] No bad preparation for a search of another. Dear children I can say nothing to them, but for you and them my heart is full, my prayers constant and my hopes are the trust I feel in the mercy of God.

Farewell my Dear; there may be better things in store for us than are now in view, but my love is all I have to offer and that has the value of a thing long possessed and sure not to be lost. Once more, and with God’s favor for a short time only, farewell —

YOUR HUSBAND.

Jefferson Davis to Varina Howell Davis#

Fortress Monroe, Va., 21 August 1865

My Dear Wife,

I am now permitted to write to you, under two conditions viz: that I confine myself to family matters, and that my letter shall be examined by the U. S. Atty. Genl. before it is sent to you. This will sufficiently explain to you the omission of subjects on which you would desire me to write. I presume it is however permissible for me to relieve your disappointment in regard to my silence on the subject of future action towards me, by stating that of the purpose of the authorities I know nothing.

To morrow will be three months since we were suddenly and unexpectedly separated, and many causes — prominent among which has been my anxiety for you and our children — have made that quarter in seeming duration long, very long. I sought permission to write to you that I might make some suggestions as to your movements and as to domestic arrangements. [. . .]

Jefferson Davis to William B. Howell#

Washington D.C., 22 Oct. 1854

[This letter, addressed to Varina’s father William Howell, is transcribed on the William Howell page.]