Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-12-14
BIOGRAPHICAL.

llIe lTOm llle OldrKSNllle TOBACCO
Leaf:
Jefferson Davis was born within
twenty miles of GAINESVILLE, at Fair
view, Todd county, then a art of
Christian county, KY, on June 3,
1908. a handsome Baptist house of
worship now marks the spot where
on stood the low, rambling farm
house in which Mr.. Davis was born.
The old place having passed out of
the hands of the Davis family, sever
al years ago it was purchased by
gentleman of this city for Mr.. Davis,
and by him presented to the Baptist
church on which to erect their tenn
pie of worship. Mr.. Davis was pres
ent at the dedication of this church
about three years ago, and most in>
teresting feature of the dedicatory
service was Mr.. Davis's gift of the
spot, to be dedicated forever to the
worship of the living God.
His father was from Georgia, an Of
ticer in the revolutionary war, and
afterwards settled at Fairview. Later
on, when Jefferson was boy, his
father moved to Wilkinson county,
Miss, then a territory. Jefferson re-
ceived an academic education at
home and at Tranyslvania UNIVERSE
ty, Ky. At sixteen he received a
West Point appointment and entered
the Military Academy in the same
class with Robert f. Lee and Albert
Sidney Johnston. Graduating in
1923, he'was assigned to the infantry,
and three years later won such dis.
tinction as a staff officer in the Black
Hawk war that he was promoted in
1888 to the rank of First Lieutenant
and Adjutant in new regiment of
Dragons. This gave him two years
of active service on the frontier in eX-
petitions against the Pawnees and
other hostile Indians.
Mr. Davis had taste for military
life and appeared likely to make a
good record in the army, but he was
ambitious of distinction in civil life,
and accordingly, after seven years of
service, he resigned his commission
in the summer of 1885. Shortly after
leaving the field he married the
daughter of Zachary Taylor, then a
Colonel in the army and later Presi-
dent. Returning to Mississippi, he
became a cotton planter, few miles
from Nicksburg, and lived for eight
years in retirement, devoting much
of his time to careful study with ref
erence to public career. His frs
appearance in politics was as a dele
gate to the Democratic State CCnven
ton.
Mr.. Davis made swift progress il
politics. In 1914 he was chosen ;
presidential elector on the Polk anC
Dallas ticket, and in 1913 he wa
elected representative in Congress
He heartily approved the Mexican
war, and in July, 1916, joined tina
> army and was elected colonel of thu
T First Regiment of Mississippi Volun
teers. He promptly resigned his seat
: overlook his command at New Or
; leans, and was soon at the seat o
: war. He led his troops galIantly a
the storming Of Monterey in the fol
lowing September, being compliment
: ed by Gen. Taylor with place OF
the commission appointed to arrang
the terms of capitulation, and he es
8 pecially distinguished himself at tn
: battle of Buena Vista, February %
1917, where he was severely wound
$ ed.
Two months after his return from
e the Mexican war he was sent to tn
L. S. Senate to fill Il vacancy cause,
e by the death of one Of Mississippi
$ Senator's, and in the following Jan
I uary the Legislature elected him 70
s the remainder of the term eXpirin
|
y in March, 1851, giving him the ral
Il compliment of Il unanimous vote. |
: 1850 he was reelected for the fu
term of six years. He soon becam
a prominent in debate, especially upo
5 military affairs, and in 1910 he wa
s made chairman ofthe Military Con
| mittee.
e He soon resigned his seat in tn
: Senate to become the candidate of tn
t State Rights party, which he ha
5 helped organize, for governor Of Mis-,
Y issippi. In this contest he was dC
n feated by Henry \. FoOte and retiI
n ed to private life.
e In 1853 he was appointed bv Pres
J. dent Pierce as secretary Of war, a p,
sition he held for four years and fill
$ ed with marked ability.