Hello,

a friend who is not a Va-Hist subscriber is attempting to find information
on an event from his family's history.  In the past few months my friend's
grandmother has told him about a "scandal" involving their ancestors, Kate
Farris and Prescot Southall Blanton, that occured in Richmond in the 1840s
or 1850s.  My friend's grandmother's memory is sketchy and he would like a
bit of help tracking down the full story.

The story goes like this: Kate Farris, originally from Montgomery, Alabama,
was in Richmond visiting her fiance, Prescott Southall Blanton, probably
around 1850.  A rival suitor, followed Farris to Richmond.  Farris rejected
this rival suitor and so he rather dramatically committed suicide in the
parlor of the Blanton's Richmond home.  The rival suitor's name has been
forgotten

My friend's grandmother claims that this was a rather large scandal in
Richmond yet was quickly buried.  My friend has not been able to find any
information on the scandal and is not sure it actually happened or that it
happened as his grandmother has recounted it.  He is not a
historian/genealogist and my academic training is in contemporary literature
and culture.  I was hoping that a subscriber to this list might know a bit
more or might be able to offer ideas on how/where to find more information.


Please feel free to respond to me off-list at [log in to unmask]

Best,

-- 
Dr. Matthew Mace Barbee
Arts and Humanities, Defiance College
[log in to unmask]
419-575-4028

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