Photographic and manuscript archive of Joel Colley Davis (1847-1914) of Georgia, who served in Company C of the 5th Regiment, Georgia Reserves. Included is a remarkable hand-gilt and colored tintype of the extremely young Davis in uniform. When the regiment was formed in December 1864, Davis was only 17 years old. 

Included with the archive are three documents related to individuals enslaved by the Davis family, including a 1841 slave bill of sale to his grandfather George Cook Davis (1789-1876) and the 1864 last will and testament of John's father, John Morgan Davis (1822-1893). 

Complete list of items include: 

1. Hand-colored and hand-gilt tintype of a young man wearing a shell jacket and striped pants. 2 1/2 x 2 7/8 in.

2. Autograph document signed by Thomas Nelms, as Sheriff. Newton County, Georgia, 4 May 1841. 1 page, 4to, 7 5/8 x 8 3/8 in.

George C. Davis received $115 for "one negro girl by the name of Mary about eighteen months old." 

3. Partly printed receipt completed in manuscript. Signed by J. N & J.B. Cobb. Morgan County, Georgia, 1847. 8 x 3 in. 

A receipt for $850 paid for "3 Negro Slaves named Peggy John + Martha" 

4. Manuscript document signed by John M. Davis. Morgan County, Georgia, 20 May 1864. 1 page, folio, 7 7/8 x 11 3/4 in. Docketed to verso.

Bequeaths to his wife "Mary N. Davis a Negroe boy named Bob." He also leaves, in addition to his 305 acres of land and his chattels, "Twelve Negroes with their increase" to be divided equally amongst his heirs. 
 

5. Outdoor group portrait. Oversize albumen. N.p., n.d. 7 3/4 x 5 1/4 in., affixed to cardstock mount 10 x 8 in. 

6. Full-length portrait of 4 children and their dog. Tintype. 2 1/2 x 3 1/8 in.

7. Half-length studio portrait of a bearded gentleman. Tintype. 1 1/2 x 2 in. 

8. Half-length studio portrait of a woman with a book. Tintype. 1 5/8 x 2 in. 

9. Partly-printed certificate completed in manuscript. Signed by Rufus D. Bullock, as Governor of Georgia. Morgan County, Georgia, 30 January 1871. 10 x 8 3/8 in.

10. Outdoor group portrait. Oversize albumen. [Georgia?], [circa 1875?]. Modern pen inscriptions to lower mount recto and verso identifying the subjects as "Dud & Fled Osborne / Geo. C. Davis + Wife / John M. Davis Mary Davis." Image 8 1/2 x 7 1/4 in., cardstock mount 10 x 8 in.

11. Outdoor group portrait of 10 young men outside the W.H. Davis Machine Shop. Silver gelatin. [Madison, Georgia], September 1926. Period ink inscription to lower margin dates the image.10 x 8 in. 

12. Gilt-printed memorial card for J.C. Davis. Georgia, 1914. 4 1/4 x 6 1/2 in.

13. Three snapshots of Emory Davis & 1955 Ford. Rutledge, Georgia, 10 July 1957 and March 1959.  5 x 3 1/2 in.

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [African Americana, African American History, Black History, Slavery, Enslavement, Abolition, Emancipation]  [Manuscripts, Documents, Letters, Ephemera, Signatures, Autographs] 

[Photography, Early Photography, Historic Photography, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Cased Images, Union Cases, Albumen Photographs, CDVs, Carte de Visites, Cartes de Visite, Carte-de-visite, Cartes-de-visite, CDV, Cabinet Cards, Stereoviews, Stereocards, Stereographs]

Tintype has some bends. 

Documents with separations along old folds, toning,