Tabitha Marie DeVisconti

Source: Guide to the Tabitha Marie DeVisconti Papers, 1705-1983, East Carolina Manuscript Collection #480

Tabitha DeVisconti and her sister Sue May DeVisconti

Staff Person: Coleen Allen

Description:

This photograph depicts Tabitha Marie DeVisconti and her sister, Sue May DeVisconti. Tabitha Marie DeVisconti (1891-1983), a descendent of Revolutionary War hero Major Benjamin May, was a leading citizen of Farmville, N.C., for many years. She was the daughter of Adeline Gertrude May of Pitt County, N.C., and John Augustus Lorenzo DeVisconti, an Italian count who had property in Texas and Mexico. The DeViscontis married in 1890 in Texas, where their daughter Tabitha was born, and after living there briefly, moved to Farmville in 1891. The parents separated shortly before the birth of their second daughter, Sue May, in 1893. In 1901, Adeline remarried her first husband, Francis Dupree. Later that year, she entered the state hospital and subsequently died. Tabitha and Sue May were then raised by their aunt, Sue May Albritton.

Tabitha attended a women’s college in Richmond, Va. (1913-1914) and then returned to Farmville to begin a very active civic life. She was president of the many clubs and organizations of which she was a member. She was active in the building of the Major Benjamin May chapter House of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Farmville. Miss DeVisconti established a servicemen’s center in Farmville and supported the U.S. Naval Hospital at Camp Lejeune, N.C. She served as librarian for the Farmville public library and was involved with the building of a new library in early 1940s. Her home was on Main and Pine Sts. In Farmville which is now the May Museum.

To read more about her activities, her family, the forest fire on her land, etc., go to Manuscript Collection #480.

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