- Gertie Davis is not the biological daughter of popular American abolitionist Harriet Tubman, she was adopted in 1874
- She was named “Gertie” by Harriet and her husband Nelson Charles Davis; a former slave in South Carolina, and American Civil war veteran
- Gertie’s father died in 1888, while her mother passed away in 1913
Gertie Davis is the adopted daughter of the well-known American abolitionist and political activist, Harriet Tubman. Tubman and her husband Nelson Charles Davis adopted her in 1874.
Details regarding Gertie’s life revolve around her mother who was born into slavery, escaped it, and later helped several enslaved people gain freedom through the Underground Railroad. Here is what we have been able to gather about Gertie Davis.
Gertie Davis Is Not Harriet Tubman’s Biological Daughter
Gertie Davis is not the biological daughter of Harriet Tubman. As indicated, she was adopted by Tubman and her husband Charles Davis in 1874 and became known as their daughter since then.
Five years before Gertie’s adoption, her parents got married on March 18, 1869, at the Central Presbyterian Church.
Going forward, there are a lot of queries on the internet regarding her date of birth, but none of these have been answered as there is no availability of that yet. Nonetheless, findagrave.com indicates her date of birth to be 1874, but after careful analysis, the information is not authentic. This is because 1874 was reported by several credible sources as the year she was adopted.
She Got The Name “Gertie” From Harriet And Nelson
It is difficult to explore and point out the kind of relationship Gertie had with Harriet Tubman and Nelson Charles Davis who had been a slave in North Carolina and also served as a soldier in the American Civil war. Notwithstanding, she got the name “Gertie” from the two after they adopted her.
Consequently, the three lived together as a family, but it was reduced subsequently. On October 14, 1888, her father Nelson Charles Davis whose surname she used passed away after suffering from tuberculosis. It was alleged that he was unable to keep a job because of the disease while alive, and as a result, Gertie’s mother assumed the role of taking care of the family’s needs.
Her parent’s marriage lasted for almost two decades.
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When Did Gertie Davis Die?
It is noteworthy to mention that there is no clear documentation of the life and times of Harriet Tubman’s daughter by historians and the media. This also extends to her death as no reports are indicating when she died and the causes of her death.
Despite the unavailability of details regarding her death, findagrave.com recorded the year of her death as 1913, but on a closer look, the year is the same as the year her mother Harriet Tubman died. Her mother’s date of death was probably mistaken for hers.
Besides, she was reported to have died at a relatively young age.
What Happened To Her Mother?
Gertie Davis’ mother Harriet Tubman date of birth was reported differently by different sources. Some give her date of birth as March 1822, while others put it as 1820. She died on March 10, 1913, in Auburn County, Maryland.
While alive, Gertie’s mother was born into slavery as Araminta Ross to Harriet “Rit” Green and Ben Ross. As a slave, she was hired out to work at a young age, first as a nursemaid, then as a cook, and later as a woodcutter.
She escaped to Philadelphia in 1849, leaving her family behind before making her way to Baltimore, Maryland, to rescue her sister and two children in December 1850. It was here that her journey as an abolitionist and political activist began. She reportedly went on 13 missions and lead 70 enslaved people through the Underground Railroad to other free states and Canada. Moreover, there are reports indicating the number of missions and enslaved people she helped find the freedom to be 19 and 300, respectively.
As a result of her exploit, a bounty was put on her head by slaveholders totaling $40,000. She went to work as a scout and a spy for the union army during the American civil war of 1861 to 1865.
After the war, Gertie’s mother settled in Auburn and started the Harriet Tubman Home for Indigent-Aged Negros. In addition, she was involved in several causes such as the women’s suffrage movement in the United States.
