Octavia Walton Le Vert

Octavia Walton Le Vert (August 11, 1810 – March 12, 1877), née Octavia Celestia Valentine Walton, was an American socialite and writer. She became one of the first female Southern writers to achieve national recognition. Although largely faded from history today, she was a well-known figure during her own time. From the 1830s through the 1850s she was noted for hosting gatherings of prominent politicians, noted literary figures, and professionals of all types. She was friends with a variety of prominent 19th century figures.

LeVert was born in Augusta, Georgia, and moved with her parents to Mobile, Alabama, in 1835, where she married Dr. Henry Strachey Le Vert in 1836. During her travels to Europe she was presented at the courts of several countries. She also received an audience with the Pope during her time there. Following her last European tour and return to the United States, she took on a role in the successful national campaign to purchase and restore Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington. Following the American Civil War, with her husband dead and much of her fortune gone, she returned to her birthplace of Georgia and embarked on an ultimately unsuccessful lecture tour. She was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 1990. Provided by Wikipedia