Debra C. Davis - Indianapolis, Indiana
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| Nann & Elisha Davis | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 11/21/06 11/15/00- 09/18/86 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elisha Davis and Nann Hess were both born in Haywood County, Tennessee. Each enjoyed a solid upbring with strong family ties. Eli was the son of landowners Isaac and Dora White Davis, and Nann was the pretty daughter of Daniel and Ada Bonds Hess. As a young adult, Eli divided his time between his family's farm outside of Brownsville, and the job he held in town with the Tom Freeman family. Nann was a popular young woman who lived in town after the death of her mother, first with her grandmother Mary Hess, then with her cousins Emmer and Beatrice Taliaferro. The two young people had known each other all of their lives, even attending Haywood County High School together. They would often catch sight of each other at church, or at the parties of mutual friends. It wasn't long before friendship turned to courtship. Eli's employment with the Freeman family allowed him certain privileges, one of which was the use of the family's new Cadillac. The smitten young man would often "borrow" the car under the guise of running errands, then pick up his sweetheart for a quick spin. One such trip would change their lives forever. The two young people had carefully made their plans so things would go off without a hitch, with Nann packing her clothing in a pillow case in preparation. On November 22, 1927, Eli drove Nann to the home of one Reverend Carwell where they became man and wife. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eli, circa 1914 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The couple lived in the Brownsville area for the first year of their marriage, but then like many southern blacks at that time they relocated north to Chicago, Illinois for a short time. Upon learning that they were to become parents, they took the advice of family and left Chicago for life in a smaller community. Eli's older brother Edward suggested a small town near his own home in South Bend, Indiana. That town was Niles, Michigan where the couple would live for the next few years. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sometime after the death of Eli's father in 1930, the couple returned to Brownsville to assist with the running of the Davis family farm. Eli and Nann purchased 3 acres of the farm, for the sum of $150.00, from his mother Dora in order to build a home for their rapidly growing family. In 1938, Eli did something that was seldom heard of for a black man in the south at that time, he operated and prospered from his own service station. It was in 1939 that Eli, his brothers Thomas and Cashier, as well as several other Brownsville African American citizens began a local chapter of the NAACP.Their efforts met with opposition from some of Brownsville's white citizens which culminated in June 1940 with the lynching of Elbert Williams, a cousin of Nann Davis, and the banishment of the Davis brothers from Brownsville. You can read about this incident and more of Brownsville's history in the book "Lifting the Veil" by Richard A. Couto. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nann and daughter Evelyn, circa 1930. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Forced to leave Brownsville, Nann and Elisha returned to Niles, Michigan where they made a home for themselves and their 14 children; sons Isaac, Thomas, Joseph, Walter, Mitchell, John(Nuri), Paul, and their daughter's Evelyn, Mary, Dora, Lillian, Florence, Nancy, and Debra.They were active in their community, lifelong members of Mount Calvary Baptist Church, the NAACP, and active in local politics. In September of 1986, with Nann at his side, Elisha left this world to take his place in a better one. Nann remains in Niles, and in her 93rd year, is lovingly called "Big" by her 43 grand, 51 great grand, and 6 great great grand children. Debra C. Davis - Indianapolis, Indiana |
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| Business card, Davis Service Station, circa 1938. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Daughter's of Nann & Eli from left; Mary, Lillian, Dora, Debra, Nancy, Evelyn & Florence. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Son's of Nann & Eli from left; Thomas, Joseph, Walter, John(Nuri), & Paul. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Home | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Lifting the Veil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Photo Album | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| B&W photo's of the children of Nann & Elisha Davis. Load's slowly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The content of this site is the property of Debra C. Davis and the Elisha Davis Family. No use is permitted without their consent. All Content Copyright@Debra C. Davis/Elisha Davis Family 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||