We Know Their Names:

Ms. Westfield began by conducting reverse deed research at the Chatham County Court House to trace the origins and rebuild the lives of the enslaved members of the Davenport House prior to coming into the home. The deed records provided leads for several other sources of information, such as estate records and wills.  This allowed for a timeline and story to be constructed for each person, as well as a better understanding of each individual’s unique geographic footprint.

Once Ms. Westfield learned about individual owners from deed records, she researched their landholdings, occupations, and the locations where they lived. This enabled her to pinpoint the geography of the enslaved persons owned by the Davenports. Information about previous owners and locations provides information about living conditions and other relevant information. These sources also revealed information about family members, and the subsequent generations of enslaved children owned by the Davenports. In the next stage of research, the geographic footprint for each person may indicate place-based experiences, neighbors, or other everyday experiences deriving from location. In essence, Ms. Westfield conducted research of all primary sources; and, traced down every possible lead that would tell her more about the experiences of the enslaved persons at the Davenport House.

The Deed and Probate Records Offices at the Chatham County Courthouse were very critical and very traditional repositories for information. Primary source documents were pertinent to this research, and included deed and estate records, wills, and historic Savannah newspapers. Runaway notices about the enslaved were also extremely important. The Laurel Grove South Internment and Jail Register Records at the City of Savannah Research Library and Municipal Archives were some of the resources unique to Savannah that were consulted for this history.

Ms. Westfield’s research into the lives of each enslaved individual was structured into several categories. The initial section for each person traces her/his origins and life up until their entry into the Davenport House. The next section focuses on locations where each person lived, who their owners were, family members, and other relevant information. This also involved creating maps for each individual - tracing their geographic footprint through time. The final step was to summarize the findings and create concise interpretations for Davenport docents based on the feedback from those involved in the project and other revisions.

Although the Davenport House staff has done a tremendous job collecting historical data on the enslaved members of the household, Ms. Westfield’s research provides new information about each person and emphasizes specific themes that can be incorporated into museum interpretation. It is also the first time that a geographic footprint for each individual has been created. The general knowledge is changed because it is no longer general. Individual stories can now be told, and we know more of their names.