Person:Jefferson Davis (7)

     
Confederate President Jefferson Finis Davis
  1. Joseph Emory Davis1784 -
  2. Benjamin DavisAbt 1787 - 1827
  3. Samuel A. DavisAbt 1789 - Bef 1832
  4. Anna Eliza Davis1791 -
  5. Isaac Williams Davis1792 - 1833
  6. Lucinda Farrar Davis1797 -
  7. Amanda Jane Davis1800 -
  8. Matilda Davis1801 -
  9. Mary Ellen DavisAbt 1805 -
  10. Confederate President Jefferson Finis Davis1808 - 1889
  • HConfederate President Jefferson Finis Davis1808 - 1889
  • WSarah Knox Taylor1814 - 1835
m. 17 Jun 1835
m. 26 Feb 1845
  1. Samuel Emory Davis1852 - 1854
  2. Margaret Howell Davis1855 - 1909
  3. Jefferson Davis1857 - 1878
  4. Joseph Evan Davis1859 - 1864
  5. William Howell Davis1861 - 1871
  6. Varina Anne "Winnie" Davis1864 - 1898
Facts and Events
Name Confederate President Jefferson Finis Davis
Gender Male
Birth[1][4] 3 Jun 1808 Christian (now Todd) County, Kentucky
Marriage 17 Jun 1835 Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky, United Statesto Sarah Knox Taylor
Marriage 26 Feb 1845 to Varina Banks Howell
Death[1] 6 Dec 1889 New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Burial[2] Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond (independent city), Virginia, United StatesPlot: Section Lawn Lot A
Reference Number? Q162269?

Jefferson Davis graduated from West Point and spent six years as an army officer. He married the daughter of his commander (and future U.S. President) Zachary Taylor, Sarah Knox Taylor, in 1835, but she died shortly after the wedding. After a substantial period of seclusion at his estate in Mississippi, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1844. When the Mexican-American War began, he resigned and raised a volunteer regiment to fight in Texas.

Upon return to Mississippi, he was appointed to finish out a senate term, and won the election for the seat, but he resigned shortly thereafter to unsuccessfully run for governor of Mississippi. When Franklin Pierce won the presidency in 1852, he appointed Davis Secretary of War. When Pierce was not nominated in 1856, Davis ran for the senate again and won. This time his term was interrupted by the secession of Mississippi from the Union on January 9, 1861. Davis opposed secession, but he firmly believed in states' rights to do so, so he resigned his seat and returned to Mississippi.

Within six weeks, he was commissioned a Major General in the Confederate Army and named provisional President of the Confederacy. He was elected to a six-year term in November 1861, but never completed the term, as the South surrendered and he was imprisoned for treason in 1865. He was released on bond several years later, and the case was dropped in 1869. In retirement, he wrote two books about the Confederacy.

For more information, see the EN Wikipedia article Jefferson Davis.

Image Gallery
References
  1. 1.0 1.1 Jefferson Davis, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
  2. Grave Recorded, in Find A Grave.

    [Includes monument photo]

  3.   Davis, Jefferson. The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government. (New York: D. Appleton And Company, 1881)
    2:695.

    1865 - Confederate President Jefferson Davis to James Semple - The Transfer of the Confederate Treasure - This transfer of the treasure was made to Mr. Semple, a bonded officer of the navy, and his assistant, Mr. Tidball, with instructions, as soon as it could be safely done, to transport it abroad and deliver it to the commercial house (ie. Fraser, Trenholm & Company in Liverpool, England) which had acted as the financial agent of the Confederate Government, and was reported to have incurred liabilities on its account. Note: (Confederate Treasure) (Gold, Silver) ($86,000) at that time period.

  4. Family Recorded, in Kentucky Historical Society (Frankfort, Kentucky). The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society. (Frankfort: Kentucky Historical Society)
    7:39, 1909.