Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-06-01
DAVIS'S GENEAL0GY.
WAS THE CONFEDERATE PRESIDENT
DESCENDED FROM VA. STOCK!
The Results OF the Researches Of Rich
mond Man Among the State
Archives.

The Results OF the Researches OF Rich
mond Man Among the State
Archives.
yirginians, says contributor to the New
Orleans Times democrat. even from the
earliest period OF their State as n colony.
have subjected themselves 10 much ridi-
Guile ON account OF a propensity to boast
of their civilization as being superior t.
that of the other States of tho Union. To
call Virginia the mother of Presidents and
statesmen never fails to start the average
Virginian's tongue at railroad speed in tho
repetition of the names of her great men.
Without altogether asserting to the claim
OF Vircinians that they are made of better
clay than the citizens of otner states OF
tho American Union. there Is no getting
around the naked truth that sho has fur
rished more than her quota OF Presidents,
ns well IA other leaders III tho administra-
ton Of the government-in tho matter Of
Presidents alone having furnished SIX.
This claim of Virginia to "a monopoly OF
great men is not only. confined 10 virgin
inns themselves, but Is acknowledged by
scholars and historians of other chimes.
Notably controversy is now agitating
the southern press IN regard to the English
author of Greg's History of the United
States" II IS urged against Greg that he
was too partial IN hls history TO Nirglnlans.
and IN treating of the war between the
States makes it appear that NirginIans, TO
the exclusion of citizens OF other south
ern States, wero tho principal actors IN
that struggle. aud that whatever glory was
then achieved was through their instru-
mentality. Virginia furnished then to an
admiring world Generals Lee, StoneTall
Jackson, A. =. Hill. Stuart. Joseph T..
Johnston, and host OF other military
notables.
1t was. therefore. great grief TO tho
"Old Dominion that she could not claim
as the offspring Of her sons and soil Jeher-
son DAVIS. the frst aud only President of
the Confederate States Of America.
SPLENDID CLIMAX.
IL would have been a splendid climax TO
her gift to the nation of the first Presl-
dents of the United States Washington,
jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Tyler, and
Harrison But the fact was reluctantly
conceded that some other state furnished
him 10 this century Of great men. In fact.
Kentucky. tho beloved child and daughter
of Virginia. was Acknowledged rs his BIRTH
place and Pennsylvania as the first nome
of his ancestors. Very strangely, IN
Wow of Dayis's patrclan air and
arIstocratic tendencies, he thought 1t
"un-Americann to care anything for &C.
nealogy until quito late IN life, when he
regretted that he had nor paid more Ut.
tontion 10 tue subject. Thus Is accounted
for IN Mrs. Dayls's mea.re statement OF ms
genealogv IN her book. emitted \ Me
NOR of jefferson Davis, cx-Prcsident OF tho
Confederate States Of America" IN which
she has only this TO SOY of his ancestry
"rhreo brothers came to America from
Wales in the early part of the eighteenth
century. They settled at PhlladeipDla.
The Youngest Of tho brothers. Evan DAVIS,
removed TO Georgia, then colony OF
Great Britain. lie was the grandfather OK
Jefferson Davis. He married widow
whose family name was Emory. ~ her
he had ono son, Samuel Davis. the father
OF Jefferson DAVIS. " heu Samuel DAVIS
was Is years OF age his widowed
mother sent MIN with supplies to hls two
half brothers. Daniel and Isaac Williams,
then serving III the army OF the reYolu-
ton. Samuel, after dudiug hls bro
thers were III active service. decided
10 ION them, and thus remained IN tho
military service OF Georgia and South
Carolina until the close of the war. After
several years service he gained sufficient
experience and confidence 70 raise COM
pany of infantry in Georgia. lie went WIN
them TO lOln tho Revolutionary patriots.
then besicgcd at Savannah. At tue close
Of the war he returned ID his home. IA
tie mean timo his mother had died and
the movable property had been scattered;
the place was wreck; IL was home no
mOre.'
Mrs. Davis concluded with the statement.
that during Samuel Days's service III
South CarolIua ho had met with Jane Cook,
who was OF Scotch-lrlsh descent and
noted for her beauty ana 5prightllne5S or
mind.
GREAT DI5APPCTNTNENr.
This is all that was said Of the genealOgy
of Mr.. Davis, the distinguished loader OF
tho lost Cause. That 50 little was known
of tho ancestry OF a man 50 lliustrious IN
the annals of his country was great dis
appointment TO many OF his admirers
throughout the country, who would have
liked to know more especially whence
and from what manner OF Ions he spr1ng.
Among those were Mr. Greed 4. DaYs, OF
Richmond, Va, who. being fond OF geueh-
logical studies, wrote 20 Mrs. DAVIS that ilo
felt quite sure he could prove tho ancestry
OF Mr.. Davis 10 DO first seated IN Virginia
instead Of in Philadelphia. as she had
stated in her Memoir" and that Il agree
able to her he would look further into tho
matter. Mrs. DAVIS replied IN recent
letter: Nothing would be more agree
able 10 mo than % know my husbands
genealogy, and ! suppose II no were lVlng
he would tako pleasure IN forwarding the
INQUIRY IN accordance with tho desire
10 please Mrs. DAVIS. her correspondent
immediately set himself 10 work at the
task Of examining tho state papers pre-
served in the Capitol building ut Kicn-
mond. Tho result of his investigation
disclosed the following information:
PATENTS 70 EVAN DAVIS.
|. A paten; issued to Evan Davis for BIZ
acres OF land in Lancaster county, a.,
dated between tho years 1852 and 1850.
.. A patent for 900 acres OF land IN Rap
pahannock county, Va, dated between
1893 and 1864.
3. A patent for 800 acres Of land in Rap
pahanuock county. between 1861 and 1860.
on account OF the transportation Oh
/ eleven persons to dwell IL the colony"
4. 4 patent tor 500 acres Of land " near
/ Dragons swamp, crossing tho Dattaponl
| Path" also IN kappahannock county.
/ dased between 1861 and 1866. This land
was also given for the transportation
OF eight persons TO dwell in the colony"
8. A patent again for 900 acres OF land
situated in Rappahannock county. tins
FOR transportation OF eighteen persons
| TO dwell IN the colony"
g. A patent of 1885 acres IN fappa.
| hammock county, dated between 1861 anu
| 1888, for the transportation Of eight per
| sons 20 dwell IN the colony" etc.
In further proof that this much-laEded
/ Evan DAVIS was the prOgenitor, or perhaps
grandfather of the President Of tia
| Southern Contederacy, nlno patents foT
more than 1000 acres OF land in adjoining
| counties were issued about the same time
/ in the names OF Thomas, John. and Henry
/ Emory-the family name OF the wife OF
| Evan Davis. the grandfather OF Presldent
! DAVIS. One of these EmOrYs may have
/ been the progenitor of the wife Of Evan
! Davis, or. what - more likely, tho brother
| OF Evan DavIs's wife.
JOHN AND THOMAS, rHF wELcHMES.
| In further substantlauon that TINS Evan
| DAVIS TO whom tho aforementioned
patents were issued) was the progenltOr Of
! Jefferson Davis we find about the same
| time patents issued TO John Davis and
! Thomas Davis. tho Welcnmen," who are
/ always thus named IN the patents issued
! To them. These were probably tho names
| of Eyan Dayis's brothers, whose names.
! II is believed. President Davis never knew
! Now, Mrs. Dayis mentions IN her " Memoir
/ of President Dayisn that his ancestor
Evan DAVIS. came from Wales, and wa
accompanied by two brothers" Further
/ IN summing no. a. Evan, Thomas. and
| John DAVIS. the Welshmeu. were all 81
nearly the same time having patents issued
| To them in Eastern Virginia. and the fur
Their evidence that the EmOrys were also
| acuulrlug land in near neIghOOrhOOdS