Amy Johnson Crow of No Story To Small has started a challenge of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.
From her blog, “The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor. Not only should this get me blogging more, but also to take a deeper look at some of the people in my family tree.”
The star of my blog today is Elizabeth "Bette" Davis, my 2nd Great Grandmother.
Elizabeth "Bette" Davis, daughter of Michael Davis and Hulda Rivers, was born in 1841 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.1
Elizabeth "Bette" Davis and John Washington Previtte were married about 1856 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.2
Their first child, a son, was born 30 June 1857. Next to arrive was Mary Hulda “Sis” Previtte, my Great Grandmother on 5 January 1861. Ironically, Mary Hulda arrived just weeks after South Carolina succeeded from the Union on 20 December 1860 and just a few months before the attack on Fort Sumter on 12 April 1861.3
Needless to say, the South was in turmoil and I’m sure this was some troubling times for this young family; married 5 years and with 2 children.
I have found no evidence that John Washington Previtte served in the Civil War but I feel certain that he did serve. Between Jan 1861 and March 1866; John and Elizabeth had one child, a daughter, in September 1863. From March 1866 to November 1881; John and Elizabeth would have 8 more children for a total of eleven (11); 6 sons and 5 daughters.
The time period in the South was known as the Reconstruction Era, (1865-1877). It was truly a transformational time. The times of the Carpetbaggers (Northern) and the Scalawags (native whites in the South). It was also a time of panic with the Depression of 1873. The times gave rise to the Klan. Southern money was worthless and useless.4
Amidst all of this my 2nd Great Grandparents raised a family of 11 children on a modest farm in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. Needless to say, Great Grandma Elizabeth was definitely a “stay at home mom” at least until their youngest Michael Davis Previtte achieved manhood.
About 1879, John and Elizabeth oldest daughter, Mary Hulda, no doubt shocked her parents when she told them she wanted to marry the only son of William A. Purvis and Sarah Jane Graves of Anson County. Young William James was just a lad of age 16 and I’m sure this revelation must have given her parents a mild shock. History shows that they must have approved because in 1880 William James and Mary Hulda are enumerated next door to his parents.5
Elizabeth “Bette” Davis Previtte died in Feb 1900 at the age of 59 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina. She was buried at Zoar United Methodist Church cemetery.6
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| Photo Courtesy of Julious Burr |
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[1] 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) No ED, Page 179B, Line 3, Dwelling/Family 1240/1240, Household of Michael DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 21 July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
[2] 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) No ED, Page 128B, Line 35, Dwelling/Family 494/493, Household of John Previtt; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 21 July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_1217.
[3] 1870 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page: 291B, Line 36, Household 85/85, Household of J. W. PRIVETT; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 21 July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M593_1491.
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstruction_Era
[5] 1880 U S Census, Anson County, North Carolina, population schedule, Morven, Anson County, North Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #2, page 350B, line 40, Dwelling 234, Family 253, Household of William J. Purvis; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 1976); citing National Archive Microfilm T9-0951.
[6] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, digital image, (http://www.findagrave.com : Accessed on 29 January 2010); Headstone for Elizabeth Davis Previtt; (Unknown-Feb 1900); Records of the Zoar United Methodist Church Cemetery; Brocks Mill, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.
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