Jefferson Davis

Davis was smitten by his commanding general, Zachary Taylor's daughter, Sarah. The couple got married on June 17, 1835, against Taylor's wishes, and after that the young soldier resigned from the army the same year.

A few months after marriage, Sarah contracted a deadly disease, suspected to be either yellow fever or malaria, succumbed to her illness, and died.

In 1844, Governor Richard Howell's granddaughter, Varina Banks, caught the eye of the thirty-five year old Jefferson, and both of them got married in the month of February the following year. They had six children, of whom only three lived till they grew up.

Jefferson Finis Davis was born to Samuel Emory and Jane Cook, on June 3, 1808, in Fairview, Kentucky. The family moved to and settled down in the Wilkinson County of Mississippi, where the child pursued his education.

He first went to the Wilkinson Academy, in Mississippi, and later the ‘Catholic school of Saint Thomas’ near Kentucky. In 1818, he attended the ‘Jefferson College’, and after graduating, enrolled at Lexington's 'Transylvania University'.

Towards the end of 1824, he joined the 'United States Military Academy', known popularly as 'West Point'.

After completing college, Davis began serving at 'Fort Crawford's '1st Infantry Regiment', in Wisconsin, under the leadership of General Zachary Taylor.

In 1832, Jefferson moved to Mississippi, and when the 'Black Hawk War' took place, he was given the responsibility of taking the Native American chief, Black Hawk, to jail.

Three years later, on April 20, the young army official resigned from his post as Second Lieutenant. Following his resignation, he oversaw his estate at Brierfield, and being an advocate of bonded labour, kept increasing the count of slaves he owned.

In 1840, he joined the 'Democratic Party', and was selected as one of the attendees of the political faction's meeting in Jackson, the capital of Mississippi. Two years later, he spoke at the convention, and subsequently contested in the election to the House of Representatives, in which he was defeated.

Having attended the third conference of the 'Democratic Party', he established himself as an able political leader, and was appointed as a presidential elector in 1844. In this capacity, he supported James K. Polk, the candidate representing the 'Democratic Party'.

As the US Senator and Secretary of War, Jefferson ensured that new routes were ascertained for building the 'Transcontinental Railroad'. He also ensured that a part of Arizona, in Mexico, was bought as a more convenient rail route.

Apart from helping improve connectivity, he also ensured that soldiers got a remuneration increase, a measure that hadn't been taken for more than 25 years. This also helped increase the number of people who voluntarily joined the army, to serve their nation.