Friday, February 4, 2011

A Charming Author Visits The First White House of the Confederacy

Susan Sully of Asheville, NC., author of Charleston Style, and Savannah Style, has also written New Orleans Style, Past and Present. In it she writes about the Strachan Family House, a Garden District Greek Revival Mansion.

Jefferson Davis was a frequent visitor to this house, which was built by Jacob Payne, friend of the President. Winnie Davis made her debut there in 1883 and attended Mardi Gras balls, reigning as Queen of both Momus and Comus.

Ms. Sully writes: "These glittering events took place well after the Civil War, in which Payne lost nearly all his property. They reveal how firmly the South in general and New Orleans in particular clung to its traditions despite drastic changes to the social and economic landscape".

This was the house in which Jefferson Davis died in 1889! There is even a picture of the bedroom in which he died. This is a wonderful book, written by a charming and beautiful woman, who graced the First White House in Montgomery with her presence for a brief time on her recent visit to Montgomery,when she gave a  fascinating  presentation for an organization whose object is to create interest in antique furniture, decorative arts, architecture and landscape design.

I wholeheartedly recommend any and all of Susan Sully's books. They are exquisite, and from them you can learn so much about how people live and lived in the three cities, Charleston, Savannah and New Orleans.

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