The Wedding of Jefferson Davis and Sarah Knox Taylor

Sarah Knox Taylor, the daughter of future president Zachary Taylor and Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor, was born at Fort Knox in Vincennes, Indiana, in either 1813 or 1814 (probably the latter), and was named for her paternal grandmother and for the fort where she was born. Often called Knox or Knoxie, she was educated in Kentucky and Ohio and met Davis in 1832, when both he and her father were stationed at Fort Crawford in what is now Wisconsin. Her father opposed the relationship, both because of the hardships of army life and because there was some friction between Davis and himself.

The details of their courtship were lost to history in the summer of 1863 when Union troops carried off a packet of correspondence between Sarah Taylor and Davis. It is unknown whether they even saw each other from the time Davis left Fort Crawford until they met to be married. Rumors of an elopement circulated for decades, but there was a formal ceremony, and the couple apparently had the blessing of Zachary Taylor, perhaps because Davis had decided to resign his commission. Sarah's parents were not present at the wedding, however, which took place on June 17, 1835, at Beechland, near Louisville, Kentucky, the home of Sarah's widowed aunt Elizabeth Taylor.

The newlyweds took a steamboat to Vicksburg, traveling to visit Joseph E. Davis on Davis Bend. There Davis began the planning for Brierfield. Later that summer the couple went to see Davis' oldest sister Anna Smith at "Locust Grove" in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. Either on the journey or soon after their arrival, both Davis and Sarah contracted either malarial or yellow fever. On September 15, two days short of their three-month anniversary, Sarah Taylor Davis died. She was buried at "Locust Grove," which is now a state historical site that is open to the public.

Today, a historical marker stands at the site of their wedding (located at 2 Rebel Road, near the corner of Brownsboro Rd. and Zorn Ave.) with the following description:

On June 17, 1835, the daughter of Zachary Taylor, Sarah Knox, married Jefferson Davis in the house that originally stood on this site. The home was owned by Zachary Taylor's sister. Soon after their marriage, while visiting Davis' relatives in Louisiana, the couple contracted malaria. In September of that year, the young bride died. The present house built ca. 1870.

For more information, see The Papers of Jefferson Davis.

Morgan Camp Meeting Minutes, April 21, 2012

1. Meeting held at South Park Country Club. Members and Guests in attendance: Danny Davis, Bill Trent, Bill Hayes, Ben Kennedy, David Day, Bob Strange, Harold Sneed, Jim Hicks, Noble Roberts, Bennett Young, David High, Gene Wood, David Harbolt, Bill Cherry, Forrest Land, and guests Nancy Hitt and Jim Kennedy

2. Invocation by Chaplain Kennedy and introduction of new member Forrest Land, Bruce Jewell, and Friend of SCV Bob Strange.

3. Danny Davis to resume his position as Commander of the camp. Adjutant Hayes to notify National Headquarters of the change.

4. Adjutant Hayes suggested that an audit of the bank accounts should be periodically conducted. Ben Kennedy agreed to review the books and report to Commander Davis.

5. Road trip to Tebbs Bend is tentatively planned for Saturday, June 16th. Members are to meet at South Park Country Club and can carpool together from there.

6. Pewee Valley was discussed again. Confirmed commencement time of 11:00 AM on Saturday, June 2, 2012. Sam Flora is to be the keynote speaker. Bill Hayes to obtain sound system from Coots Funeral Home in Jeffersonville, IN. Gary Davis to provide period color guard for ceremony.

7. Requests have been sent to VA for permission to decorate the CSA graves in the Cave Hill National Cemetery for Memorial Day. Proposed day for decorating the graves will be Saturday, May 26th and flags will remain on the graves until closing time on Monday, May 28th. All members are reminded of the Memorial Day service at Cave Hill at 11:00 AM on May 28th, Memorial Day.

8. Suggestion was made to contact members that have not been active for some time and invite them to our breakfast/lunch meeting.

9. A moment of silence was held in remembrance of Basil Childress, KY Division Commander who died quite suddenly on April 4th. Bazz will be missed by all who knew him. John Suttles has agreed to take the position of KY Division Commander.

10. The Kentucky Division Reunion is scheduled for Saturday, June 9th at 9:00 AM in Middlesboro, KY. Exact location and details to follow.

11. The SCV National Reunion will take place Wed, July 11th through Sunday July 15th in Murfreesboro, TN. Here is a link to the Reunion website: http://tennessee-scv.org/2012reunion.

12. The program was the viewing of a KET presentation about the Confederados who moved to Brazil after the war. It was quite interesting.

13. The meeting was closed with benediction by Chaplain Kennedy.

Meeting - April 21, 2012

Compatriots and Friends:

The John Hunt Morgan Camp will hold its monthly meeting at 10:30 AM on Saturday, April 21st, at South Park Country Club. Lunch or Breakfast menus are available at a very reasonable cost. This month's program will be a video presentation about the Confederates who migrated after the war to Brazil and became known as the Confederados. Come and join us for friendship and a good history lesson. We will be introducing two new members to the camp: Bruce E. Jewell and Robert Strange.

South Park Country Club is located in the Fairdale area. From the Gene Snyder Fwy (841) take Exit 8 onto National Turnpike South. From National Turnpike turn East (left turn) at the stop light onto Fairdale Rd. Just after crossing the railroad tracks there will be a right turn exit ramp onto South Park Road. The entrance to the country club will be on the left just after the the series of 90 degree turns.

We will be looking forward to seeing you.

Wm. M. Hayes
Adjutant, John Hunt Morgan Camp