Margaret Paige Carlton believes she is following in her family’s footsteps. Carlton was excited to learn she would be representing the Natchez Garden Club in the 2000 Confederate Pageant.

&uot;The highlight of last summer for me and my family was when I was asked to represent the Natchez Garden Club as their queen for the 2000 Confederate Pageant,&uot; Carlton said. &uot;I was very surprised when my mother called me and told me the garden club had called. My family has been involved in Pilgrimage for several generations. My grandmother was in the court, as were my mother and all three of my aunts, so I feel that I am continuing a family tradition.&uot;

Her family’s involvement in this year’s pageant didn’t stop with tradition.

&uot;One of the first phone calls I made after being asked to serve was to my grandmother, Beth Carlton, to ask if she would make my dress,&uot; Carlton said. &uot;My mother and I designed the dress and train. It makes the dress even more special since my family helped make it.&uot;

Carlton has actively participated in the pageant since she was 4 years old. Beginning with Little Maypole, she has also served as pageant announcer, a junior bridesmaid in the Wedding of Jefferson Davis, Polka and as bridesmaid in the Wedding of Jefferson Davis.

She is a 1997 graduate of Adams County Christian School. While in high school, Carlton was a member of the Key Club, the Latin Club and FCA. She also served as junior maid on the basketball sweetheart court and as senior maid on the homecoming court.

Carlton attended Delta State University. While there she was a member of Phi Mu sorority, the Student Government Association, Circle K and the Student Alumni Association.

She is currently attending Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Natchez, where she is majoring in nursing.

&uot;My parents and I decided that I would come home and attend Co-Lin this semester,&uot; Carlton said. &uot;This way I could continue my studies and fully participate in pageant. This fall I am going to either the University of Mississippi or Alcorn State University to continue my nursing studies.&uot;

She and her family are members of First Presbyterian Church.

Carlton enjoys horseback riding, shopping, traveling, exercising and spending time with her family and friends.

Carlton’s dress and train are made of ivory bridal satin. The bodice of the dress is covered with re-embroidered lace, encrusted with sequins and pearls. The slightly V-shaped neckline falls to the edge of the shoulders that feature small capped sleeves. The edge of the skirt is trimmed with a wide row of the same re-embroidered lace. The overskirt consists of three scallops and is edged in beaded lace. At the point of the scalloped overskirt are satin roses edged in iridescent pearls made by Carlton’s aunt, Susan Cummins.

The 12-foot train was made by Sandra Stokes with the handsewing on it done by the queen’s mother, Ann Carlton. It is fashioned with three scallops to match the overskirt of the dress. The entire edge of the train is bordered with beaded lace. It has rows of re-embroidered lace across the train, each in a scallop pattern. At the point of each scallop are the same satin roses as on the dress.

Completing her regalia is a jeweled crown which is a gift from her aunt Beth Dudley and cousin Tracie Gaston. Her jeweled scepter is a gift from her grandmother, Ann Ballew, and her aunts, Susan Cummins, Lisa Freeman and Jeannie Ballew. She will wear ivory gloves and slippers and complete her ensemble with pearl earrings and necklace of her mothers.

Carlton is the daughter of Charles McKinney Carlton and Ann Ballew Carlton, and she has a brother, John Ballew Carlton, 19. She is the granddaughter of Charles and Elizabeth Carlton, Ann Lum Ballew and the late Eugene Ballew, all of Natchez.

Queen Carlton and her king Robert Ryan McKinney will begin their reign this Friday night.