As you have probably
noticed by now, my report to you this week has
come a day later than usual. I apologize for the
delay, but I am also pleased that so many people
across America are anxiously waiting to get this
report - and are telling me so. Thanks for your
great interest and support.
So many of our stories in our American history
are about the hardships of war. But there are
also powerful love stories. This story today is
one of love and devotion and, sadly, great loss.
It is the story of Sarah Knox Taylor, daughter
of US President Zachary Taylor.
In 1832, then soldier Zachary Taylor, was the
commander of a military post in Fort Crawford,
Wisconsin. And living with him at the post was
his young and beautiful daughter, Sarah — she
was only age 18. And there, Sarah and one young
military officer met and fell in love - his name
was Davis. Davis was age 23 and just out of West
Point.
They were so in love, but there was one big
problem — her father would not have it. He knew
that the military life was very lonely for a
soldier’s wife and he did not want his daughter
to face such an existence - he ordered this new
officer, Davis, to stay away. His daughter,
being only age 18, was not of legal age, so they
could not marry.
So what did Sara Knox Taylor and Officer Davis
do? They stayed apart for 2 1/2 years, pining
away for the life they could be having together.
In fact, Officer Davis even resigned his
commission in the Army so as not to make any
trouble. This West Point graduate with all of
the opportunity before him as a military officer
was willing to give it all up for the love of
young Sarah Taylor. Finally, on July 15th, 1835,
after over two years of waiting for her father's
permission to marry, Sarah Taylor gave her hand
in marriage to Davis, all of this without her
father's permission.
Well, this new couple was so happy and so
anxious to live their happy life together;
surely now there would be nothing but joy ahead
of them. But, unbelievably, as they were
traveling to St. Francisville, Louisiana, both
of them contracted malaria, and just three
months to the day after they had married, on
September 15th, 1835, at just age 21, Sarah
Taylor died in the arms of her husband, Davis.
It so devastated Davis that he withdrew from all
public life for over five years.
Finally, in 1840, after five years of mourning
his wife's death, Davis rejoined the Army and
became an officer fighting in the Mexican War
under the command of now General, Zachary
Taylor, his former father-in-law. Davis was a
tremendous soldier who fought with great
courage. In one battle Davis was wounded, and
one night as he lay in a hospital bed, General
Taylor appeared and told Davis, “My daughter was
a better judge of men than I am.” He asked
Davis's forgiveness, and the men became best
friends.
Zachary Taylor went on to become our 12th US
President. And what happened to Davis?
Amazingly, he became a president too. You see,
his name was Jefferson Davis, the first and only
President of the Confederate States.
We've all heard the sayings "good things come to those who wait", and "the best is yet to come" but, when it comes to our future America, is the best yet to come?
It was General Colin Powell who said, "These are the eternal constants in our lives: our constant devotion to the principles of freedom, democracy, the and free enterprise system; our constant belief in the promise of this country, that the best is yet to come; a country that exists by the grace of God, a God that gave us this land and told us to be good stewards of it and good stewards of each other. This land that God has truly, truly blessed and we are proud to call America." What is the future of our America? It's up to us. What are you doing to make America a greater nation?
