Hester Ann Wilkins Davis manuscript collection
Abstract
This collection contains the diary of Hester Ann Wilkins Davis (1809-1888) written during the Civil War years as well as notes related to the Davis family.
Dates
- 1861-2007
- Majority of material found in 1861-1864
Creator
- Davis, Hester Ann Wilkins, 1809-1888 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use
The reproduction of materials in this collection may be subject to copyright restrictions. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine and satisfy copyright clearances or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections. For more information visit the MCHC’s Rights and Permissions page.
Biographical Note
Hester Ann Wilkins Davis was born on April 14, 1809. Her father, William Wilkins, was a successful dry goods merchant in Baltimore, Maryland. She married Allen Bowie Davis (1809-1889) in 1839. Allen, the son of Thomas (1789-1833) and Elizabeth Bowie Davis (1772-1840), inherited the Greenwood estate in Montgomery County, Maryland from his father and was a successful businessman and farmer. He also served as a county magistrate and a representative at Maryland’s constitutional convention in 1850. He and Hester had five children: Allen Bowie (d. 1850), Thomas (1840-1849), William Wilkins (1842-1866), Rebecca Dorsey (1843-1921), and Esther Wilkins (1847-1894). Hester Ann Wilkins Davis died on October 9, 1888.
Extent
0.8 Linear Feet (2 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The collection is divided into two series: Hester Ann Wilkins Davis Diary and Notes on Davis Family.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchase from Del Kuzemchak in January 2017.
Scope and Contents
The collection contains the diary of Hester Ann Wilkins Davis during the Civil War years as well as notes related to the Davis family. Davis was an avid diarist, writing near daily entries about her family and friends, local politics, and the Civil War. In her diary, she makes clear her opinions and regularly draws comparison between Bible stories and her environment. She strongly opposed the South’s secession, but did not support the abolition of slavery, and often blamed the Northern states for causing the war. Notes taken about the Davis family by the diary’s previous owner are also included in the collection.
Creator
- Davis, Hester Ann Wilkins, 1809-1888 (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Hester Ann Wilkins Davis manuscript collection
- Status
- Under Revision
- Author
- Lara Westwood
- Date
- 2017-05
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2020-02-20: Manually entered into ArchivesSpace by Sandra Glascock
Repository Details
Part of the H. Furlong Baldwin Library Repository
H. Furlong Baldwin Library
Maryland Center for History and Culture
610 Park Avenue
Baltimore MD 21201 United States
4106853750
specialcollections@mdhistory.org