I have this obituary from "The LaFayette Sun", LaFayette, Chambers Co, AL, January,1896, written by two sons of James M. Davis, who was college-educated during the 1830's:
"James Madison Davis was born July 30, 1812, in Elbert County, Georgia...[He] received a good common school education at the schools of the district about where he was reared [Jasper & Monroe Co, GA], and at Nashville College [University of Nashville], Tenn. He was graduated in the Medical College in Forsyth, Ga...."
Neither James nor his father and grandfather were planters or owned slaves. His grandfather and great-grandfather in the mid-1700’s in Spotsylvania and Culpeper County VA were skilled craftsmen--carpenters/joiners and bridge builders. Neither owned much land, but the great-grandfather and another of his carpenter sons had apprentices, a sign of some means and standing. Others in the family were large landowners, planters and slave owners, but often not literate (judging from signing by mark rather than signature)..
James' direct ancestors, the carpenters, were all literate, and his carpenter grandfather in particular seems unusually well-educated--possibly attending Rev. Marye's school in Fredericksburg. James' father, an only surviving son, was orphaned in Georgia at 12 and I can find nothing about what he did. He had little land, no slaves, and seems of moderate if not meager means, but his only surviving son's education was obviously important to him, so I think he could have been a school teacher himself as were many of his descendants.
James seems to have been a of an usually populist branch of his family. He wanted to be known only as a "common school teacher, mechanic and farmer," although a granddaughter recalled buggy rides to see patients with him and his community called him "Dr. James." He moved before the Civil War to Tallapoosa County, Alabama where among his children and descendants were many school teachers, educators and ministers. Others of his family back in Georgia were becoming part of the non-planter elite. His brother-in-law in North Georgia, known for his brilliance, wide field of interests, far-seeing land investments and not a slave owner, was a lawyer and State Senator (who voted not to secede, in part because he did not think the South could win such a war). Other relatives were or became prominent lawyers, Georgia State Senators and US Congressmen, and in the years following the Civil War worked to found or pass legislation to establish a number of Georgia colleges, including
higher education for women.
Anne Pemberton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
In a discussion about "The Education of Henry Adams", someone remarked that
the colleges in the south were exclusively for the plantation class. Can
someone provide examples of southern non-planter sons who attended college
prior to the Civil War?
Thanks a bunch!
Anne
Anne Pemberton
[log in to unmask]
http://www.erols.com/apembert
http://www.educationalsynthesis.org
______________________________________
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
______________________________________
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
|
