Nelly
Nichol (Marshall)
McAfee

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."]

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