Published January 6, 2012

The Waller-Stuart Wedding of 1887: Daughter of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart Weds in Staunton, VA

Learn about the wedding of Virginia Pelham Stuart, daughter of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart, to Robert Page Waller in Staunton, VA in 1887.

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The Baltimore Sun on January 6th, 1887 has a notice of the Waller-Stuart wedding, which happened the day prior in Staunton, VA. This of course is notable because Miss Virginia Pelham Stuart was the daughter of the J.E.B. Stuart. We all know him as the guy that participated in the capture of John Brown and his raiders in Harpers Ferry, a graduate of West Point and the famous Confederate general, who partially contributed to their defeat in the Battle of Gettysburg.

The notice was a special dispatch from Staunton up to Baltimore and reads as follows:

STAUNTON, VA., Jan. 5.–Miss Virginia Pelham Stuart, daughter of the distinguished Confederate cavalryman, Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, was married this morning at 8.30 to Mr. Robert Page Waller, of Norfolk. In consequence of the death a few days ago of the groom’s mother, the wedding was entirely private, only three or four of the family being present. The marriage ceremony was performed by Rev. Walter Q. Hullihen, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Staunton, and formerly on the staff of the bride’s father, assisted by Rev. Mr. Barten, rector of Christ Church, Norfolk, of which church the groom is a vestryman. The wedding took place at the Virginia Female Institute, of which Mrs. Gen. Stuart is the principal, and the bride was given away by her mother. Very handsome presents were received by the bride, including one from Gen. Jubal Early; another from the Stuart Horse Guard of Richmond, and Gen. Cooke, Gen. Custis Lee and Gen. Eppa Hunton. Just as the ceremony was over a telegram of congratulations was handed the bride from Count Von Borcke, at his castle in Prussia, who was on her father’s staff. The groom was attended by his brother, Liet. Waller, U.S.N., in full uniform. The newly married couple left on the morning train for the North.

Here’s an old photo of J.E.B. Stuart. Virginia didn’t have her father at the wedding because he died in 1864, of wounds suffered in the Battle of Yellow Tavern.