Virginia Clay Clopton
From Find A Grave |
| Born: | January 16, 1825, Nash County, NC |
| Died: | January 23, 1915, Madison County, AL |
| Buried: | Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, AL |
| Wife of: | Clement Claiborne Clay |
| Wife of: | David Clopton | - Second marriage |
Notes:
• Author. She wrote "A Belle of the Fifties," an account of her life in Washington, DC as the wife of a United States Senator.
• Active in the Women's Suffrage
• In 1865, her husband was arrested and imprisoned at Fort Monroe, Virginia as a suspect in the plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. President Andrew Johnson ordered his release in April, 1866. - Wikipedia
• "She married Clement Claiborne Clay in 1843 and moved with him to Huntsville, Alabama." - Wikipedia
• "When her husband was elected a U.S. Senator in 1853, Virginia Clay began a period living in the elite circles of Washington, D.C. socialites." - Wikipedia
• Alabama (Madison County), Huntsville Confederate Monument Erected on November 21, 1905, a handsome monument was dedicated to the Confederate dead by the Virginia Clay Clopton Chapter #1107 United Daughters of the Confederacy of Huntsville, and was unveiled with proper ceremonies in which many veterans of North Alabama participated. The unveiling of the Confederate monument attracted the largest gathering of veterans that has been seen here since the reunion of 1891. The monument depicted a Confederate private with his musket at parade rest. The complete statue of Vermont marble stands over twenty-four feet high and cost $3,000. The statue was designed by Mr. John Frederick Hummel, a local artist, and Mr. Jim Mott Robinson posed for the sculpture. - HMdb.org
• The "daughter of Dr. P. R. Tunstall, then of Baldwin, a lady of fascinating attributes of mind, and elevated qualities of heart. While her husband was in Washington Mrs. Clay was one of the brightest ornaments of society there." - Brewer's Alabama History
• Known as the Grande Dame of the South.
• Born in North Carolina and raised in Tuscaloosa, AL in the home of her mother's half-sister.
• Educated in Tuscaloosa and Nashville, Tennessee.
• First married to Clement Claiborne Clay. After his death, Mrs. Clay retained the possession of all his papers consisting of letters, manuscripts, diaries, and journals. She later married Judge David Clopton.
Related Links:
• Brewer's Alabama History - Alabama, Her History, Resources, War Record, and Public Men: From 1540 to 1872 By Willis Brewer, © 1872, p. 359.
• briartech.com - Maple Hill Cemetery Stroll photo by Norm Walker
• Civil War Women Blog - Nice Bio
• Documenting the American South - Summary by Harris Henderson of "A Belle of the Fifties" and a link to more info on the book.
• Encyclopedia of the American Civil War - Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A political, Social, and Military History, editors: David s. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler, ©2010. page 453.
• FindaGrave - Created by Graveaddiction with photos added by John Dickinson & Barbara lee Parsons.
• Flickr - Photo by Joseph Richardson, September 17, 2008
• Google Books for "A Belle of the Fifties" - Google Books for "A Belle of the Fifties"
• HMdb.org - Confederate Memorial marker (Craig Swain published this page)
• NCGenWeb - Resarched and written by Earl P. Bell, Jr. Posted June 23, 2010.
• United Daughters of the Confederacy - Tuner Publishing editor: Herbert C. Banks, II, © 1999,page 38
• Wikipedia - Bio
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• Brewer's Alabama History
• Clement Claiborne Clay
• David Clopton