Historic Natchez Home: Jefferson Davis Wedding Site, 1845

This vintage photograph captures a historic residence located in Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi. Built before 1818, the house was initially constructed by Judge Perkins and later purchased by Judge James Kemp, who gifted it to his daughter in 1823 as a wedding present. The home gained further historical significance when Varina Howell, the daughter of Judge Kemp, married Jefferson Davis in this very house in 1845.

The architectural features of the residence, which include prominent dormers and an inviting porch, exemplify the style of early 19th-century Southern homes. This image is part of the Carnegie Survey of the Architecture of the South, a project that documents significant architectural works throughout the region.

Acquired from the estate of Frances Benjamin Johnston in 1953, this photograph serves as a visual record of a site that played a notable role in American history, particularly in relation to the life of Jefferson Davis and the sociopolitical landscape of the era.