“The design is that of a crown in the upper section of the arch. Below this is a beautiful shield of purple illuminated glass. A cross of mother of pearl forms the center of the window, ornamented by a bunch of grapes, with the symbol of the anchor representing Hope, the holy Scriptures, illustrating Christian Faith; alpha and omega, the symbol of the Almighty Power, the beginning and the end; the cup of salvation, and the paten, the emblem of sacrifice. In the lower part of the window an illuminated tablet has the following inscription:
Francis Preston Wellford, M. D.,
Born in Fredericksburg, Va.,
Sept. 12th, 1829.
James Carmichael Herndon, M. D.,
Born in Fredericksburg, Va.,
Sept. 22nd, 1831.
Died in the faithful discharge of their
duties, at Fernandina, Florida,
Oct. 18th, 1877.
To whose memory as a grateful record of their noble lives and heroic deaths this window is dedicated by a New England member of the profession which they so much honored and adorned.
‘Greater love hath no man than this,
That he lay down his life for his friends.’
“The beautiful execution of this window, and the noble purpose to which it is dedicated by its generous donor, deserve the admiration and warm appreciation of the citizens of Fernandina, to whom the memory of Drs. Wellford and Herndon is deservedly dear, and will be regarded by our citizens as a graceful professional tribute by Dr. Upham to these noble men, as well as an indication of his kind feelings towards our city. There is a striking coincidence in the fact that these noble men should have been born in the same city, in the same month, and, having volunteered their services, reached Fernandina in the midst of the epidemic on the same day, and that their deaths should have occurred the same day. It was, therefore, peculiarly fitting that the same memorial should have been erected to those who were faithful in life, even unto death.”
William Willis, whose remains are buried in the City cemetery, left Fredericksburg for Memphis, Tenn., in the summer of 1870, which city he made his home. When the yellow fever scourge struck that place in 1878, and the city was deserted of most of its inhabitants, except the helpless, the sick and the dying, it was then, in spite of the entreaty of his friends to leave the city, that Wm. Willis stepped forth and took charge, as the chief executive in managing the affairs of the city, and in distributing food, clothing and medicine, sent from all quarters of the country, to the sick, the helpless and the needy. It was while in the execution of this noble work that he too, was stricken down, and a few days’ struggle with the terrible disease and William Willis was no more. In his delirium, feeling the great necessity of some one taking up the work, he had so faithfully prosecuted, where he was compelled to lay it down, he uttered these as his last words: “Send some good man to take my place,” and then peacefully passed to the spirit land.
Thus went down to their graves three Fredericksburg men in the years 1877-78 of yellow fever, who sacrificed their own lives to save the lives of others.
MRS. LUCY ANN COX.
There is buried in the City cemetery Mrs. Lucy Ann Cox, with this inscription upon her head-stone. “Lucy Ann Cox, wife of James A. Cox, died December 17, 1891, aged 64 years. A sharer of the toils, dangers and privations of the 30th Va. regiment infantry, C. S. A., from 1861 to 1865, and died beloved and respected by the veterans of that command.” The stone was erected by her friends. Mrs. Cox was the daughter of Jesse White, the practical printer, and married Mr. Cox just before the Civil war. She followed him all through the campaign of the entire war, cooking and washing for the soldiers of her command, and often ministering to the sick and wounded.
Molly Pitcher carried water from a spring, at Monmouth Courthouse, New Jersey, to her husband and others who had charge of a cannon during the battle, and when she saw her husband shot down and heard an officer order the gun to the rear, having no one to man it, she dropped her pail, ran to the cannon, seized the rammer and continued loading and firing the gun throughout the battle. For this heroic act Washington praised her, gave her an honorary commission as captain and Congress voted her half pay for life.