
02/07/2025
Ahead of Valentine's Day, we made this card for William and Caroline Eustis, Shirley Place residents from 1819-1825 and 1819-1865, respectively.
Caroline Eustis (née: Langdon) met William Eustis when she was just a girl growing up in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Dr. Eustis' sister Anne had married Henry Langdon, Caroline's older brother, in 1792, and from then on, their families saw each other frequently. Caroline is said to have developed quite an infatuation with Eustis, going so far as to reject other suitors while in her early 20s because there was only one man she wished to marry.
Eventually, William came to his senses and proposed to Caroline. The two wed on September 24, 1810, when she was thirty-one and he was fifty-seven. Though she had waited for quite some time, Caroline's patience paid off. The couple was married until 1825, when then-Governor Eustis died on February 6. Caroline would never marry again, despite living another forty years. Their writings reveal a profound mutual respect and admiration for one another.
In the spirit of Caroline Eustis, send this Valentine to your one-and-only!
(Source: Allegiance: The Life and Times of William Eustis by Tamsen Evans George)