The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-06-09
HONOR MEMORY OF
JEFFERSON DAVIS

JET LAADOAN LA ' -
Friday, June 8. was the 11s anni-
versary Of the birth Of Jefferson
Davis. In connection with this event.
which to the people Of the South be-
comes dearer as each year passes, and
the present movement to establish in
Memphis an appropriate memorial to
the great Southern ehieftain, brief
sketch of his distinguished career
should be read with general interest,
He was born in Todd county, KY,
June 8, 1908, and died December 6,
1889, in New Orleans. The last
years of his life are said to have
been happier than those Immediately
following the war, which, in a large
measure, is attributed to the af-
fectionate regard shown him by his
countrymen wherever he Travelled
throughout the South He is describ-
ed as a statesman with clean hands
and a pure heart, who served his
people faithfully from budding man
hood to hoary age, without thought
Of self, with unbending integrity and
to the best of his great ability.
Having spent three years in Cana
da and Europe in an effort 10 re-
cover his health, after two years Of
solitary confinement and otherwise
cruel treatment at Fortress Monroe,
in 1871 President Davis settled in
Memphis, residing here until 1879.
From 1876 till 1878 he occupied the
residence at 210 Court avenue. Here
the marriage of his oldest daughter
to J. A Hayes took place. 1t is now
proposed to purchase this house, to-
be converted into permanent Jeffer-
son Davis memorial.
In 1879 President Davis returned
to Mississippi, where in the sweet
quiet Of his old home, "Beauvoir,"
he devoted his remaining years to
completing the manuscript of his
rise and Fall Of Democracy" and
later, a sShort History Of the Con-
federaey"
The birthday Of jefferson Davis
is a legal holiday in the states Of
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Geor-
gia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Ten
ressee and Texas. In Louisiana the
day is Confederate Memorial Day.
Jefferson Davis father was of
Welsh decent. His mother was
Scotch-Irish. His father fought in
the American Revolution afterward
settling on a farm in Georgia, later
moving to Christian county (now
Todd) Kentucky. then to Louisiana,
and finally to Woodville. in South
west Mississippi. Here Jefferson
Davis spent his boyhood, attending
the county schools Afterward he
spent two years at Saint Thomas Col
lege and three years at Pennsylvania
University, both in Kentucky. In
1924 he entered West Point Military
Academy, from where he was gradu-
ated four years later, at the age of
twenty.
From 1928 to 1885 he served in the
army, resigning his commission to
marry the daughter of Col. Zachary
Taylor He then settled at "Briar-
field" Miss, on a plantation pre-
sented him by his older brother,
Joseph. Within a few months his
wife died, leaving him so grief
stricken that for seven years he re-
manned on his plantation in prac-
tical seclusion.
In 1916 the Democratic party sent
him to congress. Here he assisted
in forming the tariff act of 1886 and
supported President Polk in his Mex
lean policy.
Resigning from congress at the be-
ginning Of the Mexican war, Jeffer-
son Davis became. colonel Of the
First Mississippi Rifles, and in com
mand of this regiment performed
conspicuous service in the battles of
Monterey and Bune Vista. He de-
clined the offer Of promotion to brig
adier-general, but at the close Of the
war Mississippi sent him to the
United States Senate.
Senator Davis advocated extension
Of the Mississippi Compromise line
to the Pacific. BY 1851 he was re-
garded as one of the ablest men in
the senate, but was prevailed upon
to resign and become candidate for
Governor Of Mississippi, in which race
he was defeated.
In 1853 President Pierce appointed |
him secretary Of war. During this |
administration he enlarged and inn
proved every department of the /
army, built the aqueduct that
water into the district Of Co
lumbia, superintended the extension |
to the capitol and had conducted sew
eral surveys to ascertain a suitable
route for transcontinental railway.
Ra-elactad tn tho sonata after the |