- Joined
- May 12, 2010
- Location
- Now Florida but always a Kentuckian
Lucy Petway Holocombe was born in 1832 in Fayette County, Tennessee. She was educated at a Quaker Scool in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She was known for her classic beauty and being gracious and intelligent.
In 1856 while her family was on vacation at White Sulphur Springs, Virginia, she met Colonel Francis Wilkerson Pickens, who was twice=widowed and twice her age.
They married in 1858 and sailed for Russia, as he had been appointed ambassador to Russia. They were especially popular in Russia. Actually, Lucy became the favorite of the Czar and Czarina. The Pickens child, Eugenia Frances Dorothea was born in 1859 in the royal palace and the Czar and Czarina became her godparents. She was christened Olga Neva and was called "Douschka" meaning "little darling".
Colonel Pickens and his wife returned home in 1860. He was elected governor of South Carolina. While in Russia, Lucy had been given jewels from the royal family, To support the Confederate war effort, she sold the jewels to supply the "Lucy Holcombe Legion" of soldiers. She became known as "Lady Lucy".
After the war, Francis Pickens died in 1869 at his Edgewood Plantation in South Carolina. Lucy never remarried and died in 1899 at the Plantation.
It is legend that Lucy invented iced tea. It is said that in trying" to imitate the Southern gentleman's mint julep, Lucy put mint into sugar-laced tea. In order to cool the beverage, she used ice imported by steamboat from Jefferson, Texas, to New Orleans."
Lucy Pickens is one of the few women whose image has appeared on national currency. She was pictured on the Confederate one dollar bills and one hundred dollar bills. It was said that "because most nations only picture heads of state on currency, Lucy Pickens has sometimes been called the "uncrowned Queen of the Confederacy."
From"The Civil War Reader, Facts, Trivia, Legends, and Lore" by E.J. Patrick pages 230-231.
In 1856 while her family was on vacation at White Sulphur Springs, Virginia, she met Colonel Francis Wilkerson Pickens, who was twice=widowed and twice her age.
They married in 1858 and sailed for Russia, as he had been appointed ambassador to Russia. They were especially popular in Russia. Actually, Lucy became the favorite of the Czar and Czarina. The Pickens child, Eugenia Frances Dorothea was born in 1859 in the royal palace and the Czar and Czarina became her godparents. She was christened Olga Neva and was called "Douschka" meaning "little darling".
Colonel Pickens and his wife returned home in 1860. He was elected governor of South Carolina. While in Russia, Lucy had been given jewels from the royal family, To support the Confederate war effort, she sold the jewels to supply the "Lucy Holcombe Legion" of soldiers. She became known as "Lady Lucy".
After the war, Francis Pickens died in 1869 at his Edgewood Plantation in South Carolina. Lucy never remarried and died in 1899 at the Plantation.
It is legend that Lucy invented iced tea. It is said that in trying" to imitate the Southern gentleman's mint julep, Lucy put mint into sugar-laced tea. In order to cool the beverage, she used ice imported by steamboat from Jefferson, Texas, to New Orleans."
Lucy Pickens is one of the few women whose image has appeared on national currency. She was pictured on the Confederate one dollar bills and one hundred dollar bills. It was said that "because most nations only picture heads of state on currency, Lucy Pickens has sometimes been called the "uncrowned Queen of the Confederacy."
From"The Civil War Reader, Facts, Trivia, Legends, and Lore" by E.J. Patrick pages 230-231.