Dave

Born: ca.1790 on Providence Plantation, Liberty Island
Died: 1856 of “old age”; Dave is interred in Laurel Grove South Cemetery
Family Members (possibly included): Musah, Joe, Jenny, Chloe, Hannah, Little Musah, Billy, Maria.  Chloe or Hannah seem likely to have been Dave’s spouse, and Billy, his son.

Dave was born into enslavement in the 1790s at Liberty Island near Thunderbolt, on the Readick family’s Providence Plantation. Here amongst members of the Salzburger Community, Dave spent the first 27 years of his life. In 1817, upon the death of Catherine Readick, he was sold to Samuel Davenport. Dave was forced to live outside the Salzburger Community in urban Savannah for the first time; and, adapt to what was likely a vastly different way of life. Sale to the Davenports also meant separation from friends and family, and in all likelihood, Dave’s children. This helps to explain why after the death of Samuel Davenport, Dave ran away in January 1822. He had only resided with Isaiah and Sarah for a short time.

Isaiah sought Dave’s capture through advertisements in Savannah newspapers. Dave remained on the run for at least eight months - a testament to his intelligence and grit in being able to avoid his captors for a significant amount of time. The runaway notice advertised by Isaiah provides crucial insight into Dave’s origins and life, as well as his appearance and occupation. Dave was 5 feet 11 inches tall, and described as “well made,” likely an indication of a muscular stature. According to the runaway notice, Dave worked as a waggoner for several years, and was well-known in the community. His occupation and familiarity with many in Savannah helps to explain in part how he was able to sustain his life as a runaway for an extended period of time.

When Dave was captured or returned eight months later, he was subjected to public auction, an experience he shared with his fellow bondpeople again some six years later. The circumstances are not clear, but Dave remained with the Davenports following the auction in 1822. In 1828 he was subjected to the public auction of Isaiah’s estate following his death. Although Sarah Davenport ultimately repurchased several of her bondpeople, Dave was not among them. Instead, Sarah sold Dave to Aaron Champion, and Dave would remain with Champion for the rest of his life. In 1856, Dave died from “old age” and was interred in Laurel Grove South Cemetery.

Dave’s lived experiences illustrate the uncertainties faced by enslaved individuals in their daily lives as a result of the ever-looming prospect of sale to another owner. The death or financial hardship of an owner could mean the abrupt uprooting of an enslaved individual’s life, and the painful separation from family. In the case of both Dave and Nancy, it is interesting to note that both originated and remained within the Salzburger Community until adulthood. When forced separation occurred through sale, they both ran away. Dave’s occupation as a waggoner illustrates an exceptional case of mobility. His movement throughout Savannah as a waggoner allowed Dave to build an extensive network of free and enslaved contacts in the community. This no doubt helped to sustain his life on the run. By living in Savannah for the entirety of his life, Dave, like Mary, would have been well- known in the community.  He left behind an extensive geographic footprint.