A Love Story and a Marriage Proposal July 25, 1833 [To see Alexanders own emphasis in his diary, see this entry at cathyrandall.tumblr/post/92821507791/a-love-story-and-a-marriage-proposal-july-25-1833] One of Alexander’s most endearing habits was to note important events in his life with a mysterious “#” sign. It seems to have been his own personal sign to circle back at a later date and add the details and the conclusion to the story. He probably didn’t want to commit deeply personal items to paper until he was satisfied of the outcome. Such an entry occurs for this date in 1833. On July 25, 1833, he asked Catharine Wirt to marry him and was refused. But the two seem to have entertained a lasting affection for one another. Whether she refused because she thought her parents would object or because of her extreme religious devotion or for another reason is not currently known. Her father died the following year, and Catharine’s life over the next few years was spent traveling between homes in Richmond and Tallahassee. “[I]t was reported to [Alexander] that Miss Wirt had engaged herself to a gentleman in Florida,” Elizabeth Randall wrote more than fifty years later, “and gradually yielding to the inevitable he began to take more interest in many other charming ladies, with whom he was thrown in Washington and in visits to Baltimore. Finally he was captivated by the beauty and attractive manners of one of Baltimore’s greatest belles, Miss Charlotte Robinson and yeilding [sic] to the power she exercised over every man who approached her, he began to pay her devoted attentions though he had as yet found no opportunity to tell his love. In the midst of this pursuit he received a letter from his brother, Judge Randall of Florida, telling him that in confidential conversations, with his sister-in-law Miss Wirt, he had discovered that she still had a great interest in her old lover and he could not help believing that she regretted her past rejection of him and that he might be successful, if he wished again to try his fortune. This was a sore dilemma for so honorable and upright a man….” Alexander made Miss Robinson an offer; she asked for more time; he replied that he must have an immediate answer; Miss Robinson turned him down. ‘Like a reprieved prisoner,” continued Lizzie Randall, “he rushed from the house, to offer himself by letter, to [Catharine], before the day was over.” Again honor-bound, Alexander felt he must confess to Catharine his courtship of the Baltimore lady. After he smoothed over her ruffled feelings, she agreed to marry him. They were married on September 22, 1841 and spent eleven very happy years together. He brought his bride and his new mother-in-law home to his own mother’s house in the market square in Annapolis. Alexander’s diary entry for this date: July 25th 1833 — I returned home this day from a journey to Clear Spring in Washington County to make Sale of Land as Trustee. During this visit an incident occurred in my life of which more hereafter # My absence was from the 17th instant. I spent Sunday in Hagerstown where I heard an excellent discourse from Mr — [The next note was evidently added at a later date, after 1841.] # The incident here referred to was my first address to Catherine G. Wirt which were [sic] made in Baltimore when her Father lived in Monument Square but was at that time absent with most of his Family at the White Sulphur in Search of Health — See my correspondence — ————- Further Reading: Anya Jabour has written several papers on the Wirts. For some discussion on Catharine’s religious pursuits, her suitors, and her eventual marriage, see Jabour’s Marriage in the Early Republic, Elizabeth and William Wirt and the Companionate Ideal, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1998, ISBN 0-8018-5877-1.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 12:03:56 +0000