Nancy Ann Davis is another one of my elusive ancestors. Nancy was born 11 May 1864 to Thomas P. Davis and Nancy Jane Massey. She should first appear in the 1870[1] and she is not listed. The 1870 Census in Chesterfield is very problematic and almost useless as a research aid. After the Civil war the residents of the county were very leery of the federal government. As sort of a protest, when the 1870 census was taken they would only give INITIALS for names and in most cases only the first initial. In 1870, Thomas & Nancy had at least 8 known children that should have been on the Census and a daughter born in April 1870 that may have been; yet, there are only 6 listed. Nancy Jane Davis is missing.
Then in the 1880 Census[2] we find Nancy Ann Davis listed as a daughter. She is listed as Ann Davis, daughter, age 14, born in South Carolina. There is a gap in census due to the loss, by fire, of the 1890, so it's 1900, she married and lost with no clue as to her married name.
At this point Nancy Ann became a "brick wall" or in detective terms a "cold case" and it remained there until a clue was found in 2004. In 2004 a local genealogist, published a booklet of obituaries from the local newspaper for the years 1932-1936. Among those obituaries was one for Nancy Ann brother John Nelson Davis[3] containing this info, "he is survived by seven sisters all of this county, among that list was the name Mrs. Ed Driggers". John Nelson died in Chesterfield, South Carolina and while Mrs. Ed Driggers may have been there in September 1932 when John Nelson died; but, she was not there now, nor was a tombstone or death certificate found.
My next clue came from a researcher in Florida that was researching the Davis family. She informed me that Nancy and her husband moved to Florida. Now I had a name and a place.
Nancy Ann Davis married John Walter Driggers (Not Ed Driggers) in 1898[4]. Their first child, a daughter named Pauline was born 6 Nov 1899[5] in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. By 1900, Walter and Ann were in Coffee County, Alabama. While there they had two additional children - Florence, b. 1901 and James Marvin, b. 1905. They them moved to Crestview, Florida and from there to Jacksonville, Florida in 1916.
Nancy died 26 May 1936 in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida; John Walter died on 10 Jul 1966.
OBITUARY: Mr. Nancy Ann Driggers, 72, of 1704 Swift Street, died about noon yesterday following a brief illness, Mrs. Driggers was born at Chesterfield, S. C., moving here from Crestview, Fla., about 20 years ago. She was a member of Grace Baptist Church. Mrs. Driggers is survived by her widower, Walter W. Driggers; two daughters, Mrs. Pauline McKee and Mrs. Florence Huff; and a son. James M. Driggers, residing here; also six sisters, Mrs. Ella Oliver, Ruby, S. C.; Mrs. Mary Therrell. Mrs. Hattie Rivers, Mrs. Minnie Johnson, Mrs. Lottie Driggers and Mrs. Sarah Pitts, and a brother, Jeff Davis, all residing at Chesterfield. Funeral services will be held In the chapel of the Seashole Funeral Parlors at 2 P. M. Thursday the Rev. Ira Sanders, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, and the Rev. Robert G. Witty, pastor of Faith Temple, officiating. Pallbearers will be: Carl Cesery, George McCormick, E. L. Dorsey, P. L. McCloud, W. C. Outler, Ray Permenter. Interment will be in Oaklawn Cemetery. [Jacksonville Newspaper, 27 May 1936]
OBITUARY: DRIGGERS- John Walter Driggers, 86, who lived at 1712 7th St N. in Jacksonville Beach died at a Jacksonville Hospital. Mr. Driggers was born in Chesterfield, S.C. and had lived in Jacksonville Beach for 50 years coming here from Crestview. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville Beach. Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Pauline McKee and Mrs. Florence Ruff of Jacksonville Beach, one son, J. M. Driggers of Jacksonville and 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the chapel of Giddens-Griffith Beach Funeral Home with Rev. W. T. Everson of the Baptist Church of Jacksonville Beach officiating. Interment will be in Greenlawn Cemetery. Giddens-Griffith Beach Funeral Home is in charge of arrangement.
Researchers don't overlook obituaries for your ancestor. They can provide the clue you need to find your elusive ancestors.
If you have any information, suggestions or corrections to this posting please contact me at the email.
[1] 1870 U. S. Census, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 302A; Line 20, Dwelling #289, Family #289, Household of T.[Thomas] Davis; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2004); citing National Archives Microfilm M593_1491.
[2] 1880 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #005, Page 331C, Line 1, Dwelling 373, Family 376, Household of Thomas P. DAVIS; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2000); citing National Archive Microfilm T9, Roll 1225.
[3] James C. Pigg, Obituaries from the Chesterfield Advertiser 1932-1936; Self-Published, 2004, pages 20 & 21. Obituary of Mr. J. N. DAVIS; June 1872–29 September 1932, Chesterfield Cemetery, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Chesterfield Advertiser, October 6, 1932, page 1, col. 4.
[4] 1900 U. S. Census, Coffee County, Alabama, population schedule, Parker, Coffee County, Alabama, enumeration district (ED) #43, Page 24B; Line 73, Dwelling 234, Family 242, Household of Maston DRIGGERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 2004); citing National Archives Microfilm T623_9.
[5] Pauline Inez Driggers, South Carolina Delayed Birth Certificate #11146 (6 November 1899), Ancestry.com | http://www.ancestry.com, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
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