Jane Armistead Taliaferro: an Accomplished Young Lady Unlucky in Love

Well, unlucky in marriage, at least.

With my first glance at Jane's gravestone in Rose Hill Cemetery, I made two hypotheses:

(1) Jane's maiden name was Armisted, and

(2) Henry's middle name was Colt.

Maybe you can see how I did that.

...And I was wrong in both instances.

Jane Armiste(a)d Taliaferro was born about 1839 in Caroline County, Virginia to Louisa G. Armistead and Charles C. Taliaferro. She first married Dr. Cassius Carter on 18 June 1856 in Orange County, VA. About a month later, Dr. Carter was dead. The 11 August 1856 Alexandria Gazette published the following:

DIED.

Recently, in Orange County, Virginia, in the thirty-first year of his age, Dr. CASSIUS CARTER, of Prince William. The deceased had been united in marriage but a few hours to an accomplished young lady when, amid the innocent festivities common to such occasions, he was arrested by the hand of death. The mysterious dispensation filled many hearts with the deepest grief...

 So Jane was first widowed about age 17.

Seven years would pass before Jane married again. This time, the groom was John Hill Lamar of Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Though it ended in a Confederate victory, Col. Lamar fell in the Battle of Monocacy (Maryland) six months later. Following from the 21 July 1864 edition of the Macon Telegraph:

...We get sad news from the 61st Georgia. The Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment were both killed at the battle of Monocacy. Both were valued citizens of Macon. Col. John Hill Lamar was quite young, and within the present year married an accomplished and beautiful young lady of Virginia. A more gallant ingenious and right-minded youth never perished on [the] battle-field. He was with all a fine officer, and very popular with his command...

Jane was widowed again about age 25. She had to think, "Are you kidding me?" In a span of about eight years, Jane had been married twice. Yet, she actually only spent about seven months as a married woman. For all the other years, she was Widow Carter/Lamar.

Finally, on 19 September 1870, Jane Armiste(a)d Taliaferro Carter Lamar got married for the last time. To Henry Coit Day, son of Mary Jane Crocker and Charles Day. The couple settled in Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia as Henry was an agent for the Macon & Brunswick Railroad. About September 1873, the couple had a daughter named Mary. Jane died the following month at about age 34.

Daily Telegraph and Messenger (Macon, GA)

2 October 1873 - pg. 4

Death of Mrs. Day.

Mrs. Henry C. Day died in this city at the residence of Rev. J. W. Hinton, at half past one o'clock yesterday morning. Mrs. Day's maiden name was Taliaferro. She was a native of Virginia, and married Col. John Hill Lamar, who command [sic] the 61st Georgia regiment. Col. Lamar was killed at the battle of Monocacy Junction, and shortly after Mrs. Lamar came to this city, where she remained until her marriage with Mr. Henry C. Day, some three years ago. She was a most amiable and charming lady, and had a multitude of friends here who will regret to hear of her death. She had been living in Brunswick for some time, her husband being agent of the M. & B. R. R., but her health being bad, she came to Macon with the hope of being benefited. But alas, she came too late. She arrived here only last Friday, and died as stated, yesterday morning, leaving an infant about a month old...

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