Original 1931 Jefferson Davis Capitol Statue Unveiling Photo

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PRESENTING a UNIQUE and ORIGINAL piece of AMERICAN HISTORY, namely, an ORIGINAL photograph, of the unveiling of the Jefferson Davis … Read more PRESENTING a UNIQUE and ORIGINAL piece of AMERICAN HISTORY, namely, an ORIGINAL photograph, of the unveiling of the Jefferson Davis Statue in the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. by Adele Hayes-Davis, Jefferson Davis’s great-granddaughter, (clearly with the honor of carrying out the unveiling as she is holding the unveiling cord) as part of the unveiling ceremony held in 1931.

Adele, would have only been 16, when this ceremony took place, having been born in October 1915. She passed away in 1991.

Senator Pat Harrison, is the gentleman on the extreme right, standing beside Adele.

We believe, that the lady on the left is Adele’s mother, Doree (DeWitt) Hayes and the other 2 gentlemen are Arthur Cook (a member of the office of the Architect of the Capitol who was in charge of the arrangements for the unveiling ceremony) and Journalist, Edgar S. Wilson, who gave a speech.

THIS IS AN HISTORIC FRAMED ORIGINAL PHOTO
OBTAINED AND ORIGINATING FROM THE DAVIS FAMILY!
WE CANNOT FIND A RECORD OF ANOTHER EXAMPLE ANYWHERE!!
The photo has a hand written notation in pencil on the rear of it that reads:

“Jefferson Davis’ Great Grand-daughter with white dress and white cap on – at unveiling of Davis’ monument in Washington – I sent a picture like this to Davis’ grandson in Denver, Colorado – and he replied freely!”

The frame backing also has a hand written notation that reads:

“Marjorie Smith and Mother”.
We are confident, that these (The Smith’s) were the original recipients and owners of the photo, as we also have in the Collection, an Historic early Engraving of Jefferson Davis as a young man, by Enoch Wood Perry, with accompanying letter signed by his grandson, Jefferson Hayes Davis and sent to a ‘Mrs. A.G. Smith’ in Belton, Texas in 1935. This photo was also framed in Belton, Texas.

From the content of a letter from Jefferson Hayes Davis to Mrs AG Smith (also in our collection and included with the Early Portrait Engraving of Jefferson Davis (Link below)), on ‘The First National Bank of Colorado Springs CO’, headed Notepaper, dated April 2, 1935 and addressed to ‘Mrs. A.G. Smith of Box 543, Belton, Texas’, it appears that Mrs Smith was doing a thesis on the ‘Early Life of Jefferson Davis’, and had written to Jefferson Hayes Davis on March 20th 1935 requesting assistance with her thesis and specifically looking for a picture of a young Jefferson Davis.

Jefferson Hayes Davis was obviously keen to help, but had no pictures at hand (he had misplaced them) and must have forwarded this photo and the engraved portrait of his grandfather to Mrs. Smith, when his niece returned (as referred to in his letter).

We believe, however, that the items somehow passed from the Smith’s Family to well known author, suffragist and ‘staunch’ Confederate (with her late husband, Major William Obenchain, being a Confederate Veteran, who had served on General Robert E. Lee’s Staff during the war) , Eliza Calvert Hall-Obenchain, some time pre-her death in December 1935.

Check out the Exceptionally RARE Original Engraving (with accompanying letter from Jefferson Hayes Davis) of an Early Portrait of a Young Jefferson Davis by Enoch Wood Perry, also in our Inventory and part of the same Collection:

Provenance: From the Estate of Eliza Calvert Hall-Obenchain Collection

Dimensions: 11.5 in x 9.25 in (in frame)

Condition: In good ORIGINAL CONDITION. One small tear on the middle left of the photo (circa 1 inch in length) but otherwise very good and in it’s ORIGINAL frame, under glass, with hand-written notations in pencil on rear of photo and backing. See less