![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Davidge research fluff
Jun. 9th, 2005 11:31 pmI was going to research the Duncan/Anthony/Roberts families today after work at the library for work, but I became to distracted with my research love, which would be the Davidge (and the Britton) families. It was all quite innocent; I was just looking at the index to the collection and came across “Fort Fanning”. That is where Forbes Britton spent some of his months during one of the Seminole Wars. When he was not, what was it called, oh yes, “transferring” Indians. I guess that is the politically correct way of saying forced removal. Except, the Fanning file wasn’t there, and after looking in some books and microfilm, he could not be found. Pam and I didn’t find him until I suggested looking in a Mexican-American War pension book, and there he was! Or rather his wife Rebecca to get his pension.
I noticed that there was a War of 1812 pension book, and knowing that Francis Davidge volunteered for that war, I decided to look him up. He was actually shot in the butt area during that conflict, one can only imagine how. Was he running away from the enemy? Or was he flashing them, a la Braveheart. I somehow doubt that. More amusingly, I had previously done some research on his descendents, and his great-great-whatever grandson was in WWII and was also shot in the butt. A family trait? I can’t remember his name, but his profile is wandering around the IMDB as he was in movies. But, I could buy their pension records, well some of them for $14.75, or the complete file for $37. One more thing to flit away my money on. Perhaps I should go apply for jobs at the National Archives once my schooling is done.
I did find an exciting tidbit from the National Intelligencer out of D.C. I skipped right past a notice saying that a Mr. and Mrs. Davidge’s Academy for Young Ladies was being opened on the first Mon in Sep. But then in the Sat Oct 5, 1839 edition, I found this:
Letter from David Hoffman, of Balt, to a gentleman in VA: regarding Mr. & Mrs. Davidge’s Academy for Young Ladies. Mr. Davidge is a middle-aged gentleman, s/o the late learned Pofessor Davidge, or Medical College in this city & was educated in part in Cambridge, Eng. Mrs. Davidge is the d/o the late learned Judge Dorsey: accomplished in music, harp & piano being decidedly good.
I had absolutely no idea they ran a girl’s school back in the day. It was mentioned that Mrs. Davidge might have to take up teaching music lessons again while they were in the board house and Francis was off finding work in NY. There was another notice that has him singing a hymn along with a Mr. J.H.B. Latrobe (a name I recognize from the letters, just think! I touched their correspondence, the last thing that remains of them) for the dedication of the Green Mount Cemetery. The Sat Aug 20, 1836 edition also notes that he has taken over the position of editor of the Balt. American newspaper. So, I think he was a multi-talented guy. Either that he was a jack-of-all trades. And, I think I figured out his other sister’s name was Sarah. As I found one mentioned in a marriage book as “Sarah Davidge, daughter of John B.”
I was excited. Having a brie and apple baguette for dinner was also exciting- especially seeing as yesterday was my three-year anniversary of the end of my joyous study abroad experience. B&A baguettes were tradition for us in Wales, especially while watching P&P.
The “Shakespeare in the Park” commercial was also a winner to me. I am amused by little nothings.
I noticed that there was a War of 1812 pension book, and knowing that Francis Davidge volunteered for that war, I decided to look him up. He was actually shot in the butt area during that conflict, one can only imagine how. Was he running away from the enemy? Or was he flashing them, a la Braveheart. I somehow doubt that. More amusingly, I had previously done some research on his descendents, and his great-great-whatever grandson was in WWII and was also shot in the butt. A family trait? I can’t remember his name, but his profile is wandering around the IMDB as he was in movies. But, I could buy their pension records, well some of them for $14.75, or the complete file for $37. One more thing to flit away my money on. Perhaps I should go apply for jobs at the National Archives once my schooling is done.
I did find an exciting tidbit from the National Intelligencer out of D.C. I skipped right past a notice saying that a Mr. and Mrs. Davidge’s Academy for Young Ladies was being opened on the first Mon in Sep. But then in the Sat Oct 5, 1839 edition, I found this:
Letter from David Hoffman, of Balt, to a gentleman in VA: regarding Mr. & Mrs. Davidge’s Academy for Young Ladies. Mr. Davidge is a middle-aged gentleman, s/o the late learned Pofessor Davidge, or Medical College in this city & was educated in part in Cambridge, Eng. Mrs. Davidge is the d/o the late learned Judge Dorsey: accomplished in music, harp & piano being decidedly good.
I had absolutely no idea they ran a girl’s school back in the day. It was mentioned that Mrs. Davidge might have to take up teaching music lessons again while they were in the board house and Francis was off finding work in NY. There was another notice that has him singing a hymn along with a Mr. J.H.B. Latrobe (a name I recognize from the letters, just think! I touched their correspondence, the last thing that remains of them) for the dedication of the Green Mount Cemetery. The Sat Aug 20, 1836 edition also notes that he has taken over the position of editor of the Balt. American newspaper. So, I think he was a multi-talented guy. Either that he was a jack-of-all trades. And, I think I figured out his other sister’s name was Sarah. As I found one mentioned in a marriage book as “Sarah Davidge, daughter of John B.”
I was excited. Having a brie and apple baguette for dinner was also exciting- especially seeing as yesterday was my three-year anniversary of the end of my joyous study abroad experience. B&A baguettes were tradition for us in Wales, especially while watching P&P.
The “Shakespeare in the Park” commercial was also a winner to me. I am amused by little nothings.
