Historical Sketches of Kentucky by Lewis Collins, Maysville, KY. and J. A. & U. P. James, Cincinnati, 1847. Volume 1. Reprinted 1968. Jefferson County. The Poets and Poetry of Kentucky, page 600-601. MRS. NELLY MARSHALL McAFEE, A native of Kentucky, was born at Louisville, May 8, 1845. Her father, the late Gen. Humphrey Marshall, was distinguished as a statesman, diplomat, lawyer, and soldier. Her education, which had been conducted with singular care and advantage, was interrrupted by the vicissitudes of the war around her Henry county home - whence she went, in 1862, through the Southern lines, to nurse a wounded brother, and soon after met the gallant Confederate officer, Capt. John J. McAfee, whom she married, Feb. 13, 1871, while he was serving his first of two terms, 1869-73, as the representative of Mercer county in the Kentucky legislature. This affaire du coeur was very romantic, and attracted the complimentary notices of the Press quite generally; indeed, Mrs. M. boasts of possessing seventy-two of these, being all that fell under her eye. For more than eight years, it seems, "the course of their true love had not run smooth;" the lady's parents having opposed the marriage. Consent at last was given, and the wedding day appointed for the spring of 1871. But in January before, the talented legislator was attacked with typhoid pneumonia, and his life despaired of. The lady was sent for, and the ceremony which made them man and wife took place at Frankfort in the presence of only five witnesses, the bride being given away by the nearest friend of both parties, Col. James Q. Chenoweth, senator from the Mercer district. In 1863, when only 18, Miss Marshall began her literary career, taking rank immediately as a brilliant and fluent writer, and in ten years probably wrote more than any woman of her age in the United States. She has written poems enough to comprise two volumes entitled "A Bunch of Violets," and "Leaves from the Book of my Heart." Of novels, she wrote "Eleanor in 1866," "Dead under the Roses," in 1867, "Wearing the Cross" in 1868, "As by Fire" in 1869, and in March, 1874, had ready for the press, "Passion, or Bartered and Sold." Besides these, she has published several volumes on miscellaneous subjects, and contributed to magazines and newspapers many serials, essays, letters, poems, and sketches. She writes without effort - as naturally as the bird sings. Many of her poems are marked by tender touches of pathos and passion. [Note: Poems shown: "To Him Who Will Understand" and "Wild Birds."] Marshall McFee Chenoweth = Henry-KY Mercer-KY Frankfort-Franklin-KY http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/jefferson/mcafee.nm.txt