New City Plaza to Affect Davis Baby Graves with Changes to Historic Montgomery

With new changes coming to Historic Montgomery in anticipation of the much needed McCown Street Project, the preparation of the third phase of the project which involves two city lots that flank the Montgomery Historical Society’s N.H. Davis Museum & Pioneer Complex on Liberty Street, there is some concern as to the graves of two of Nathaniel Hart Davis’ children who died in childhood; and are represented by two Crimum Lily plants that are located on the southern lot that borders Liberty and Eva Streets, an area that was once N.H. Davis’ front yard. The children, Baby Girl Davis, and her baby brother Nathaniel Hart Davis, Jr, were born in a time when many infants did not survive childhood, and heartbreak in the Davis family was no different than other families in Montgomery, where in the local cemeteries there are numerous examples of the graves of children who passed away in tragic circumstances. In a recent meeting of the historical society board of directors, there was some worry as to the disposition of the site once the city embarks on the planned plaza earmarked for the lot.

“We have gravestones for the children located just inside the historical society property, that borders the property,” said MHS President Billy Ray Duncan. “But the graves themselves are located on the city lot, and with landscaping to come, we were initially concerned that the graves could wind up under a parking lot.”

A rendition of the plaza project shows that the approximate location of the graves could conflict with either the planned angled parking lot or its associated sidewalk. Many longtime citizens are positive the babies are buried on the site, but no one is sure as to the actual location of the bodies. Two Grand Crinum Lily plants mark one possible location of the burials, but efforts to make an actual finding were inconclusive, including one cadaver dog search in the past that yielded no results.
The lily plants, as per custom, were placed at the foot of the grave, while any grave markers themselves would be facing east. Since the bodies were both less than five months old at the time of their passing 175 years ago, it is possible that the corpses could have fully disintegrated due to heat, moisture, and soil acidity. There is also the theory that the children were buried in the Old Methodist Cemetery which has been open since the 1840s, which is a short walk from the Davis Cottage. 

A representation of the completed project once the lots to the north and south of the N.H. Davis Museum and Complex are fully developed

The MHS Board of Directors were in agreement that some sort of memorial be placed on the plaza site in remembrance of the children, and the city is very receptive to the idea. Montgomery Mayor Sara Countryman, and City Administrator Brent Walker, are in agreement with the MHS, but it is yet to be determined as to the placement of a memorial, but both Countryman and Walker reassured MCN that the landscaping of the new plaza will not be complete without a memorial to the Davis children.

Baby Girl Davis was born in October 1851 only living a few hours, while her younger brother Nathaniel Hart Davis, Jr. was born in November 1853, and lived for approximately five months before passing away in April 1854. The lily plants themselves are physical representations of the children, and have stubbornly remained on station over the decades as sentinels of the children’s souls; despite being mowed over at times, starved of moisture during droughts, and inundated with heavy rain events.

“We have had a lidar crew and other experts examine the area, and no one has confirmed if there are any remains there,” said Mayor Countryman. “We have talked about continuing the

memorialization of the two children by putting in a plaque, keeping the lilies, and paying homage to remember them.”

City Administrator Brent Walker, like the mayor, is supportive of a memorial to the Davis children, with the idea to place the site closer to the historical society property line, citing concerns over utilities located on the property.

“With the new design, we’re going to relocate the lilies a bit closer to the house itself,” said Walker. “We’re going to have signage so we can explain the children’s short lives.”

Walker went on to say that the project has just achieved the approval process, with the planning phase in its infancy, and that the project will go out to bid, so that the exact details are available to complete the project. The city will also be looking for assistance from the Montgomery Historical Society to tell the story of Baby Girl and Nathaniel Hart Davis, Jr, two infants who perished in the early part of Montgomery’s history, when modern medicine was lacking, and only the strongest children survived until adulthood.