The
Jefferson Davis society was founded in 1994 as a nonprofit organization. It is
an historical, patriotic, educational, benevolent, nonracial, nonsectarian, and
nonpolitical organization. The purpose of the society is to preserve the memory
and protect the honor of Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States
of America. The society raises money for the preservation of Beauvior (the Davis
shrine located in Biloxi, Mississippi) and other shrines located in Richmond,
Virginia; Memphis, Tennessee; Fairview, Kentucky; Irwinville, Georgia; and Montgomery,
Alabama. Whether the shrine is a cemetery, a tomb, a museum, a statue, a monument,
a library, or an object in whatever form and whether it is located in the united
states or elsewhere, it is the purpose of the society to preserve and protect
it with all the resources that it has. The society encourages the teaching of
the history of the United States in a fair and impartial manner, especially as
it relates to the Confederate States Of America.
Membership: all interested parties, of mature age, are eligible for
membership in the society, provided the membership dues requirements are
met.
Meetings: An annual meeting of the membership is held during the months of
October or November. The President and Board of Directors determine its
place and time. Once every four years the annual meeting is held at
Beauvoir, Biloxi, Mississippi. A spring meeting is held at different Davis
sites of interest. A summer meeting is held at the time of the SCV General
Reunion.
Please feel free to contact: The Jefferson Davis Society Ruth C.
Allbritton, Secretary 693 Egg & Butter Road S. Thomasville, Ga. 31757
President: Norman Dasinger, Jr.
President Jefferson F. Davis, Confederate States of America 1861-1865
Jefferson F. Davis was born on June 3, 1808 in Christian County, Kentucky.
He was the youngest of ten children, born to Samuel Davis of Georgia and
his wife, formerly Miss Cook of South Carolina. In very early childhood,
his parents moved frm Kentucky to the small village of Woodville in what
was then Mississippi Territory. His young life began with personal
experiences of the transition of the Mississippi Territory to the Statehood
of Mississippi and its admission to the Union.
After attending the local school for his primary education, he briefly enrolled at Transylvania
College in Lexington, Kentucky, and then received an appointment at age 16,
in 1824, to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated
in the class of 1828. He was a classmate of Robert E. Lee, Albert Sidney
Johnston, and Leonidas Polk. At the age of 20, as a 2nd Lt. in th 6th Reg.
Infantry with a full commission. He served several years in the
Northwestern Frontier during the period of the Black Hawk War. Then he went
on to South Carolina and the "Force Bill" that required his regiment's
service. By 1833, his assignments took him on Indian Expeditions to the
Western plains to suppress hostilities, and then to garrison duty on the
Northwestern frontier.
In June of 1835, Lt. Davis resigned his commission to become a cotton
planter in the Mississippi Valley. It was during this time he met and
married Miss Sarah Knox Taylor, daughter of Zachary Taylor of Kentucky. The
young couple enjoyed only a few short months together at their Briarwood
Estate on the Mississippi River just below Vicksburg. His lovely bride died
less than a year after their marriage and he lived for some years in
seclusion and retirement. His older brother, Joseph was his closest friend
and companion. at age 35, Jefferson Davis was suddenly called from
retirement to active politics as a candidate to represent his county
(Warren) in the state legislature of Mississippi. His first attempt to
public office was soundly defeated. In 1844, he became a candidate for the
electoral college on the Democratic ticket. Davis was a well known public
speaker to the people of Mississippi.
In February 1845, he married Miss Varina Howell of Natchez, Mississippi. In
December 1845, he was elected to the United States Congress as a
Representative from Mississippi and took his seat in the house, and thus
began his political career. By mid 1846, he had resigned his seat in
Congress. With the rank of Colonel, Davis joined his regiment and ascended
the Rio Grande to join his former Father-in-law, General Taylor and the army
of 6,000 men.The war in Mexico ensued. Here Colonel Davis was severely wounded by
a musket ball that went through his foot, near the ankle joint.
Shortly after Colonel Davis returned from Mexico in 1847, he was appointed to
the United States Senate by the Governor of Mississippi. Davis was made the Chairman
of the Committee on Military Affairs. In 1850, he was elected to the full term
1851-1857. The country was in discord, the people were agitated, and indications
of a rupture of the Union was emerging. The federal government was encroaching
on States Rights. Jefferson Davis attended the inauguration of General Pierce
in March 1853 and was persuaded by public opinion to accept the office of Secretary
of War. He was one of the most successful administrators to have ever presided
over War Department of the United States. Among his many contributions, he revised
the Army Regulations, introduced camels into America, introduced light infantry
tactics, ordered the manufacture of rifled muskets, pistols, and the use of the
Minie-ball, added four regiments to the army, implemented frontier and seacoast
defenses, and organized explorations on the western frontier for geographical
purposes and for determining the best route for a railroad to the Pacific. He
improved the casting of heavy guns and the manufacture of gunpowder. In March
1857, Jefferson Davis moved from the Secretary of War to the United States Senate.
Secession of the Southern States was imminent. All conciliatory efforts had
failed as had the withdrawal of the troops at Ft. Sumpter, South Carolina.
By December 1860, rather than conspiring to disrupt the Union as he had
been accused of doing, he pleaded, once again, for a spirit of
conciliation. He was reluctant to sever ties with the Union, however,
Mississippi chose to secede on 9 January, 1861. On January 21, 1861 Senator
Jefferson Davis took formal leave of the United States Senate.
Delegates from the seven seceded states met in Montgomery, Alabama - the
first of February 1861 and organized a Confederate government on the 8th.
Under a provisional Constitution, Jefferson Davis was elected President of
the new confederation. He was publicly inaugurated on 18 February, 1861.
The newly formed government was limited to the duration of one year. A
constitution for permanent use was adopted. Jefferson Davis was re-eledcted
to the same office and inaugurated in Richmond, Virginia on 22 February,
1862. Jefferson Davis had served as an Army Officer, a Congressman, a wounded
Mexican War hero, United States Senator, Secretary of War, and was now the
President of the Confederate States of America.
We now pass to the dark days of disaster, bloodshed, the surrender of
General lee at Appomattox, the evacuation of Richmond, and the departure of
the President and his Cabinet. We still find him clinging with hope for his
beloved Southland until his capture at Irwinville, Georgia on May 10th,
1865.
The Springfield Armory National Historic Site in Springfield, Ma. is
in possession of the French Sporting rifle .74SN#10973 which was taken from
Jefferson Davis at the time of his capture at Irwinville, Georgia.
This beloved President, illustrious soldier, and statesman was taken to
Fortress Monroe, Virginia, where he was treated to disgraceful cruelties
and indignities for two long years. His only consolation was his faith in
God, and the precious letters so devotedly written to him by his dear wife,
Varina.
The charge of treason was not discharged until December 1868. In 1876, he took
up residency at Beauvoir, a beautiful home on th coast at Biloxi, Mississippi.
In 1879 Beauvoir was bequeathed to him upon the death of his devoted friend, Mrs.
Sarah A. Dorsey. It was at Beauvoir that he wrote his book, THE RISE AND FALL
OF THE CONFEDERATE GOVERNMENT published in 1881. May we never forget that
Jefferson Davis, even though a leader of "a cause that lost", as President of
the Confederate States of America was indeed the commander-in-Chief of the Army,
Navy, and several state militias of a government whose history proved to have
fought one of the mightiest wars of modern time.
Jefferson F. Davis died December 6, 1889, and was buried in Metairie,
Louisiana. His body was reinterred and finally laid to rest in Hollywood
Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia in 1893. This memorialized "Son of the
South" regained his citizenship, posthumously, on October 17, 1978, when
former President Jimmy Carter of Georgia signed a resolution into law.
The name Jefferson Davis will always inspire the hearts of young and old with
patriotic thoughts, deeds of heroism, noble endurance, and christian kindness,
and will shine in the firmament of history to all generations to come.
The story of Jefferson Davis, President, Confederate States of America, was
researched and written by Maureen H. Poole for The Jefferson Davis Society.
Founders of the Jefferson Davis Society: Dr. Norman R. Dasinger, Sr.
William E. Faggert, George M Church, S. Gayden Latture, Charles M.
Clements, III, Norman R. Dasinger, Jr. Billy R. Hankins, Adam P. Dasinger,
Charles S. Newman, Jr. O.D., Daniel P. Edney, M.D., James W. Thompson,
Wilter R. Bivins, Clifton C. Valentine, William C. Daniel, Jr., Howard
Johnson, Keith A. Hardison, M. Ray Church, Jeffery W. Church, Gary W.
Church, Bennie P. Poole, Maureen H. Poole, R. Scott Farris, Elwyn J.
Allbritton, Ruth C. Allbritton, Renaldo J. Hamilton, Dr. Byron L. Reid, Dr.
Bob W. Illy, Patrick J. Hardy, M.D., Travis M. Holley, Davereaux D. Cannon,
Jr., Ralph B Palmer, Jr., Byron A. Gilbreath, Elmer C. Hogue, Jr., Danny L.
Ross, Scott W. Blue, Jeff Wilkes, Carl D. Ford, Andrew E. OVerby, Sr.,
Robert L. Hawkins, III.
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