One of the thrills of digging into our family genealogical vault is discovering fascinating facts about our distant past

One of the thrills of digging into our family genealogical vault is discovering fascinating facts about our distant past. For example, we now know for certain that we have deep roots in both Ireland and France and that our Southern ancestors were fully engaged in the Civil War – unfortunately, on the wrong side. Indeed, both of WJM’s grandfathers – Miles Pruitt and Jerome Marion – fought for the Confederacy as grunts (infantry men), the most dangerous of positions in that heartless war. One stray bullet, and there goes the family tree. New information just off the press has revealed that Miles Pruitt’s oldest sister, Julie A. Pruitt (our great-great aunt), was also integrally involved in the “Southern Cause.” Miss Julie, we have learned, gained some significant notoriety as personal chef to President Jefferson Davis starting in 1861, the advent of his short-lived and ill-fated reign as chief executive of the South. (She can be seen in the above photograph, row 3, on the far right, the only female represented therein.)

Apparently, Miss Julie was widely respected and admired for her buttery grits, cracklin’ corn bread, “northern” fried chicken (she always said that the term “southern fried chicken” conjured up horrifying visions of the burning of Atlanta during Union General Sheridan’s tragic “March to the Sea” in 1864). And her Shoo Fly Pie was to die for – and sadly, tens of thousands did.

Records show that Miss Julie cooked for the disgraced Confederate President after the War as well, at Beauvoir, his retirement home in Biloxi, MS, where he gradually grew as plump as an exercise ball. In December 1889, she devotedly accompanied him on a trip to New Orleans where Mr. Davis unexpectedly passed away at the home of his friend Judge Charles Fenner in the city’s famed Garden District. Fortunately, it was after a splendid supper of raccoon casserole, shrimp gumbo and a field greens' salad. He was 81.

Julie A. Pruitt, heartbroken by Mr. Davis' death, returned to Leroy, Alabama, in 1890. There, despite her celebrity, she was content to teach culinary arts at WCC (Wagarville Community College), and her legendary Grits 101 course was said to be the most popular on campus for decades. Fittingly, Miss Julie died in the kitchen in 1933 when she keeled over while stirring a stockpot of catfish chowder. She was 98 years old -- though some claimed she looked no more than 62.

We just thought one and all would enjoy knowing about this wonderful Southern Julie while we honor the birth date of our own wonderful Northern Julie.