Guide to the John D. Davis Papers

Record Group 007

Date Span:  1783-2003 (bulk 1830-1950)

Extent:  0.75 cu. ft.  (26 Files)

Biographical Sketch:  Dr. John D. Davis (October 31, 1936 – June 14, 2011) was a resident of Dothan, born to the family of Dr. Dupree Davis and Mrs. Lottie Lee Davis.  After graduating from Auburn University and the UAB School of Dentistry, Dr. Davis practiced for 40 years, beginning a joint practice with his father.  In addition to being a licensed dentist, Davis was an ordained minister and licensed merchant mariner who served in the Coast Guard Reserve.  He was his extended family's historian as well as an avid historian and archaeologist of the Chattahoochee / Flynt / Apalachicola River Basin.

Scope / Content:  Documents the family history of the Derrick—Owen—Moody—Davis families as they lived in Charleston, SC, the Montgomery/Pike Co. area of Alabama, and Dothan, AL.  Contains plantation, slaveholding, and landholding records from the 19th century, a German-language Bible, Records of the Southeast Alabama Dental Society, various World War II era family papers, and two local newspapers commemorating significant events.

Organization:  Organized into 3 series: 

1. Series 1. SE AL Dental Society Records, 1937-1959, 1992 (1 File Folder):  Minutes of meetings and financial records of the Southeast Alabama Dental Society, 1937-1959 and 1922.
2.  
3. Series 2.  Family Papers, 1783—1945, 1963  (23 File Folders):  Personal and plantation records of the Derrick--Owen--Moody--Davis families of Montgomery or Pike Co., AL (1783-1946);  Old and New Testaments in German Bible used by David Derrick to preach to German congregation in Charleston when he rode circuit in mid-19th century.  WW2 materials:  RAF pilot's bible; letters from RAF trainee (also named John Davis) at Napier Field to Davis family in Dothan; Davis family ration book.
4.  
5. Series 3. Newspapers, 1945.  2 issues:  Dothan Eagle of May 7, 1945; Special War History Section, Mont. Advertiser of Oct 21, 1945.

Provenance:  Records of the SE AL Dental Society came to Dr. John D. Davis from his father, a dentist in Dothan.  Plantation and family records came to Dr. Davis by way of his great uncle, George Clyde Davis, via the latter's will.  Davis's mother provided the World War 2 materials.

Processing Note:  Collection came to the Wiregrass Archives in 2 accessions:  007-08-0627;  007-08-0712;

Preferred Citation:  John D. Davis Papers, RG 007, The Wiregrass Archives, Troy University Dothan Campus, Dothan, AL.

Date processed:   2008

Processed By: TB, HDMc

INVENTORY

Series 1:  SE AL Dental Society Records, 1937-1959, 1992;  1 File Folder

File I.D.                             File Label

007-08-0627-001-001     Southeast Alabama Dental Society - Financial Statements, [1938 - 1957, 1992] and Meeting Minutes [1937-1957,1959, 1992]

 

Series 2:  Family Papers, 1783—1945, 1963;  23 File Folders
Personal and plantation records of the Derrick--Owen--Moody--Davis families of Montgomery or Pike Co., AL (1783-1946);  Old and new Testaments in German Bible used by David Derrick to preach to German congregation in Charleston when he rode circuit in mid-19th century.  WW2 materials:  RAF pilot's bible; letters from RAF trainee (also named John Davis) at Napier Field to Davis family in Dothan; Davis family ration book.

Plantation records arranged by Davis in three-ring binders, labeled by volume number.

File I.D.                             File Label

007-08-0627-001-002     Moody and Derrick Miscellaneous Papers [V.1] [1833 - 1834, 1836 - 1840, 1844 - 1845, 1848, 1872, 1874, 1876, 1877, 1881, 1883]

007-08-0627-001-003     Receipts Miscellaneous - Owen Land Black Leather Wallet [V.2B] [n.d.]

007-08-0627-001-004     Records for Slaves and Household Accounts [V.2B] [1783, 1850, 1855, 1858, 1860 - 1862, 1865 - 1871, 1873 - 1875, 1879 - 1881, 1885 - 1886, 1892, 1901, 1903 - 1904, 1910]

007-08-0627-001-005     Land Deeds [V.2B] [1831 - 1832, 1834 - 1835, 1850 - 1851, 1865, 1873, 1886, 1972, 1974, 1979]

007-08-0627-001-006     Receipts Miscellaneous - Owens [V.2B] [1848, 1850, 1859, 1861, 1863, 1866 - 1870, 1872 - 1874, 1877, 1879, 1880, 1882 - 1883, 1885, 1888, 1890, 1892, 1894 - 1896, 1904, 1906, 1910, 1913, 1955, 1933]

007-08-0627-001-007     Notes and Other Legal Instruments [V.3.] [1863, 1868, 1873, 1875 - 1879, 1886 - 1892, 1895, 1899 - 1904, 1906 - 1907, 1913 - 1918]

007-08-0627-001-008     Cotton Receipts [V.4] [1868 - 1872, 1874, 1876, 1880, 1883, 1888 - 1890, 1892 - 1893, 1897 - 1898, 1904, 1907, 1909, 1912 - 1913, 1915, 1927 - 1938]

007-08-0627-001-009     Owen Sister - Miscellaneous Papers [V.4] [1919 - 1920]

007-08-0627-001-010     Railroad Receipts (C.H. Owen) [V.4] [1862 - 1872]

007-08-0627-001-011     School Receipts [V.4] [1861 - 1863, 1866 - 1867, 1875]

007-08-0627-001-012     Returned List [V.5] [ 1877 - 1880, 1884, 1890 - 1894, 1900, 1902]

007-08-0627-001-013     Tax Receipts [V.7] [1833 - 1835, 1843 - 1847, 1849 - 1852, 1854 - 1856, 1858 - 1859, 1861 - 1863, 1866 - 1867, 1869 - 1873, 1875 - 1877, 1880, 1882 - 1883, 1885, 1891 - 1894, 1901 - 1905, 1908 - 1910, 1912 - 1916, 1918, 1922 - 1942]

007-08-0627-001-014     Tax Receipts [1933 - 1942] and Wallet and Contents [1939 - 1940, 1945 - 1946] [V.7]

007-08-0627-001-015     Confederate Currency [1864] [V.7], Currency [1918] [V.9] File located in vault

007-08-0627-002-001     Owen Sister Miscellaneous Papers [V.8] [1891, 1904, 1907 - 1908, 1910, 1912 - 1915, 1919 - 1920, 1922 - 1923, 1928 - 1929, 1934, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1945]

007-08-0627-002-002     Paper Fragments and Letters [V.9] [ 1847, 1859 - 1865, 1868, 1880, 1891 - 1892, 1897, 1902, 1907 - 1908, 1910 - 1914, 1916 - 1917]

007-08-0627-Map 8        Account Records, Property Deeds [V.2] [ 1844, 1851, 1859]

007-08-0627-Map 8        Returned Lists [V.6] [1872 - 1926], Montgomery County Map 1963

007-08-0627-Map 8        Returned Lists [V.6] [1927 - 1943, 1946]

007-08-0712-001-001     Correspondence to Dr. Dupree and Lottie Lee Davis [1940 - 1946] from RAF pilots trained at Napier Field, AL.

007-08-0712-001-002     War Ration Books for John Dupree Davis, Lottie Lee Davis, and Dupree Davis [1943]

007-08-0712-001-003     Bible - New Testament Partial John Davis [September 15, 1939]

007-08-0712-001-004     19th Century German Bibles

 

Series 3:  Newspapers, 1945.  2 issues

File I.D.                             File Label

007-08-0712-Map 8        The Dothan Eagle [May 7th, 1945]

007-08-0712-Map 8       Montgomery Advertiser [October 21, 1945]

 

Contact Us

Wiregrass Archives
Troy University Dothan Campus
Everett 128
502 University Dr.
Dothan, AL  36303

Phone: 334-983-6556 x21327
Email: wiregrassarchives@troy.edu