Jesse Helen Mckissick Peters

[victorcharlie]

As I was growing up a few miles south of Spring Hill TN, I never heard the scandlous story of General Van Dorn having an affair with Dr. Peters wife Jessie.  I guess we southerns are just to polite to talk of such things.  

I haven't found much on the internet about it, just a few paragraphs.  Jesse was said to be 24 years younger than Dr. Peters, and the belle of Spring Hill.  Dr. Peters was apparently a member of the Tennessee legistature, and was gone for a year.  Upon his return he heard rumors of the affair, and told his wife he had business to attend to in Shelbyville and would be gone a few days.  He instead, stayed close by and returned home around 2 am and found Van Dorn and Jessie togather.

Gen Van Dorn was shot in the back of the head in the study of Ferguson Hall, Dr. Peters admitted guilt, but the shooting was ruled justified.

I've been searching for a picture of the beutiful Jesse, but haven't found one.

I'd really love to see a picture of the beauty that cost the life of one of the Confederacy's generals.......anyone got a picture of Jesse?

[victorcharlie]

I stopped by Ripavilla yesterday during a trip to Middle tennessee.......just down the road a mile or so from ferguson hall where Dr. Peters shot Gen. Van Dorn.........Asked to see a picture of Jesse Helen McKissick Peters....had a nice long talk with the local staff......they were great and took me in to see the only picture of her they had....but told me they really didn't think it was her.........

I'll say this....if it was her, all descriptions of her are absolutely false, or, she was so troubled by the shooting of her lover that she ate.....and ate.....and ate some more.......not anything close to the image I had in mind......

I also stopped at Hoover's Gap and spent a few minutes there.......all the graves there are of unknown confederate soldiers........collected from the hills and ravines around the area in 1866 by confederate survivors of the battle and buried there.......Cemetery was restored by the local Son's of the Confederacy.....

Has anyone seen a different picture of Jesse?