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Birth
Jefferson Davis was born in Christian County, Kentucky. He was the tenth child of Jane Cook and Samuel Davis. -
Family moves to Mississippi
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Enters Transylvania University
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Davis Attends West Point
Davis Graduated in July 1828 as second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. -
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Stationed at Various Places
Davis was stationed at various posts and participated in the final action of the Black Hawk War and is promoted to first lieutenant. -
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Davis is a cotton planter.
He was a cotton planter at Brierfield, adjacent to his older brother Joseph Emory. -
Resigns his commission to marry Sarah Knox Taylor
Davis resigns his commission, marries Sarah Knox Taylor, daughter of Col. Zachary Taylor. On September 15, his new wife dies. -
Weds Varina Howell and is elected to the US House of Representatives
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Appointed to aid Gen. Zachery Taylor and takes a seat in the U.S. Senate
Davis is appointed an aide to Gen. Zachary Taylor in the Battle of Buena Vista. In December, elected by the Mississippi legislature, he takes his seat in the U.S. Senate. -
Resigns his Senate seat
Davis resigns his senate seat to campaign for governnor of Mississippi--he ended up losing to Henry S. Foote -
Appointed as Franklin Pierce's Secretary of War
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Reenters Senate
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Withdrawls from Senate to become Provisional President of the Confederate States
Withdrawing on January 21st from the Senate, Davis is elected on February 8th as a provisional president of the Confederate States of America and delivers his inaugural address in Montgomery on February 18th. -
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Davis is elected President of the Confederate States of America
On May 29th, Davis and his family arrive in Richmond. On November 6th, Davis is elected president and on February 22nd is formally inaugurated in Richmond’s Capitol Square. -
Davis evacuates Richmond
On April 2nd, Davis evacuates Richmond and on May 10th is captured in Georgia with his family. -
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Begins his two year imprisonment
In May, Davis begins his two-year imprisonment at Fort Monroe. His family is later permitted to share quarters with him. -
Davis travels to England and France.
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President of Memphis Life Insurance Company
Appointed president of a Memphis life insurance company, which fails five years later. -
Settles at Bearvoir on Mississippi's Gulf Coast
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He writes the book The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government.
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Jefferson Davis dies.
After a brief illness, Davis dies, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
