Frances "Fanny" Wellburn, née Elsing is a childhood acquaintance of Scarlett O'Hara. She was usually seen as friends with Cathleen Calvert and Maybelle Merriwether, who was also the daughter of an Atlanta socialite dowager.
Biography[]
Fanny lost her father at a young age. She attended the Wilkes' barbecue in 1861 where the Civil War was announced, Later, she joined other ladies at the Bazaar, selling various goods and giggling as she did it. She sacrifices her family's seed pearl ornament set in heavy gold for the good of the cause, as other ladies are also giving up jewelry to raise money for the army.
Around this time, Fanny became romantically involved with Dallas McLure, but he tragically died in The Battle of Gettysburg (1863) in a jolting ox cart in the rain on the long terrible retreat into Maryland. After some time, she is invited to a party by Pittypat Hamilton, where she meets Rhett Butler. Though she initially loathes him because he refuses to serve, he charms her in such a way that she even smiles.
Somewhere before 1866Fanny marries Tommy Wellburn, who suffers a leg injury after the war. He was originally meant to be a doctor, but during the war changes profession (as many do) and becomes a mason, as well as a member of the Ku Klux Klan. While Hugh sells firewood and Fanny paints china, it is not enough to make ends meet, and Mrs Elsing is forced to rent out their rooms as a pension. Fanny and Tommy sleep in the parlour, while Hugh is confined to the attic.
Fanny and Tommy announce that if they have a son, they'll name him Robert Lee Wellburn. However, during one of the Ku Klux Klan attacks on Shantytown, Tommy Wellburn and Frank Kennedy are killed by the police for their actions, leaving Fanny and Scarlett as widows.
Mrs Elsing later blames Scarlett for the death of her son-in-law, who died in a Ku Klux Klan attack on Shantytown with Scarlett's husband after two inhabitants of Shantytown had attacked Scarlett. Fanny does call on her though, out of respect for Rhett Butler, who tried to save Tommy.
Trivia[]
- Other than Scarlett, Fanny suffers the most losses in the book. She loses her father, her fiancé, her husband and she and her brother remain living in poverty, both without love or children to comfort them.
- Fanny is godmother to Maybelle Merriwether's sons Napoleon and Raoul Picard.