MARGARET DAVIS HAYES MEMORIAL ROOM
The second room on the right is a memorial to Margaret Davis Hayes. It contains the bedroom suite of burled walnut formerly used in this room. This furniture had been sent from Beauvoir after it was no longer the Davis home, and thirty-nine years later it was shipped back in the same crates with labels in Mrs. Davis’ handwriting still on them. The pillow cases on Margaret’s bed were among the linens used by Mrs. Davis, when newly wedded to Jefferson Davis. Grouped around the mantel in this room are pictures of the homes, important in the lives of both Mr. and Mrs. Davis—the one in the center, Mrs. Davis’ girlhood home, “The Briars”, in Natchez, where she and Jefferson Davis were married; the one on the right, “Rosemont”, at Woodville, Mississippi, Davis’ boyhood home; and the one on the left, “Beauvoir”, the last home of Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson Davis. The most important of the Hayes family photographs, making this room distinctive as a memorial to Margaret Davis Hayes, is the one of Margaret herself with her baby, Jefferson Addison Hayes, whose name was legally changed to Jefferson Hayes Davis to make it possible for the renowned name, “Jefferson Davis”, to be passed from son to son for years to come.
JEFFERSON DAVIS ROOM
The rooms occupied by Jefferson Davis and Mrs. Davis, with a connecting door between, form an offset on the west side of the house to the left of the back parlor or family study. Jefferson Davis’ room faces the Gulf and has the advantage of being entered from the front or back without passing through any other room. The furnishings in this room, that were there when Jefferson Davis was an occupant of it, are the large rocking chair, the bed, the washstand and washstand set, towel rack, cigar stand, and the leather foot locker or small trunk used by him during the Mexican War and for trips abroad, when ex-President of the Confederate States of America. Hanging over the bed is a framed garland of flowers made from pieces of cloth, similar in color to the flowers copied to make this attractive but unusual piece. On the back of it is this explanation, written by Mrs. Davis—“Hearing Jefferson Davis was dying and lacked comforts in Fortress Monroe, the Southern women made this piece of work as a cushion cover and sent it to him among other things. 350 women took a few stitches on this gift sent in 1866”. The painting over the mantel is Mrs. Davis as she was in 1898. The photograph below on the left is Mrs. Davis as a young girl. On the right is one of Winnie as a child, and below it, one of Jefferson Davis, Jr., in costume.
Bedroom of Mrs. Jefferson Davis
Floor Plan of Residential Floor
1. Porch or Gallery 2. Reception Hall 3. Front Parlor 4. Winnie Davis Memorial Room 5. Back Parlor or Library 6. Margaret Davis Hayes Memorial Room 7. Rear Porch or Galley 8. Jefferson Davis’ Room 9. Mrs. Davis’ Room 10. Dining Room 11. Butler’s Pantry and Children’s Dining Room 12. Inside Stairway to Museum on Ground Floor
