Such a Woman — The Life of Madame Octavia Walton LeVert
The famous writer Washington Irving, said that Octavia was, “A woman such as appears but once in the course of an empire.” Born the granddaughter of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the daughter of the first Secretary for Florida, and the first woman to represent the United States outside the country, Octavia Walton LeVert was exposed to wealth, privilege, and fame; a rare advantage for a woman of her time. Her literary salon in Mobile, Alabama, and the publication of her only book, “Souvenirs of Travel,” resulted in international fame, until her Union sympathies during the Civil War ended it all. Come to our meeting, where our speaker, Paula Webb, will use Octavia’s journals and letters to give us a peek into the life of the real Octavia Walton LeVert. In a world led by men, her grace, beauty, and intellect allowed her to shine unlike any other.

Ms. Paula Lenor Webb
Paula Lenor Webb, has a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of Alabama. She is currently a tenured Librarian at the University of South Alabama, in Mobile. Ms. Webb has always enjoyed research and documented her local history findings in her first book, Mobile Under Siege: Surviving the Union Blockade, in 2016. She has continued pursuing this avenue of research in her latest book, Such a Woman: The Life of Madame Octavia Walton LeVert. NOTE: Ms. Webb suggests you read her book before the meeting, so you can ask good questions. It is available through Amazon in hardcover, paper back, or Kindle, versions.