I am beyond excited that Michiel Perry allowed LaCrystal Davis and myself, to initially showcase our family history, and now the completion of our book on her platform. At the time that our first article was written in April of 2019, the book was in the process of being completed. The research had been done, interviews with our elders had been conducted, and at the time, the only thing left to do was the finalization process. I am pleased to announce that the book chronicling our family history is now complete. Cornbread My Soul: The Davis Family of Eutawville, South Carolina is available on Amazon.com.
Cornbread My Soul: The Davis Family of Eutawville, South Carolina, took more than two years to complete, and was done as a labor of love. The inspiration for the book was sparked by a post on Facebook in 2014 that our cousin Selena Davis wrote. She posted about her brother locating the tombstone of our forefather, Jacob Davis who was born in 1858. Curiosity led us to want to go see his final resting place, which was once part of The Rocks Plantation Cemetery, near the plantation where many of the Davis family were enslaved. We didn’t know that the trek into the swampy like brush, and undergrowth of what is now Rocks Pond Campground, would lead us to this ancestral burial grounds. Not only did we locate the resting place of Jacob Davis, but many of our ancestors, some of whom were born in the late 1700’s, were also there buried under centuries of soil, overgrown trees, vines, shrubs, and unfortunately some are now underwater. We’ve learned so much from the research that went into writing this book, and we were overjoyed by the responses we’ve received before the book was even released. We were humbled by the amount of shares that our initial article has received since April of 2019, and even more humbled to find out that our journey has inspired others to research their histories. Just as rewarding as that, were the number of actual family members, many of whom we’ve never met, that reached out to us after finding out about the book, Cornbread My Soul: The Davis Family of Eutawville, South Carolina. Writing this book has been a long and sometimes emotional endeavor, but we never gave up. Cornbread My Soul: The Davis Family of Eutawville, South Carolina traces the family back to the mid 1700’s and perhaps to the first family members brought here from Africa.
Cornbread My Soul: The Davis Family of Eutawville, South Carolina is not only a genealogy book, it’s a glimpse into the lives and culture of the people from the interior parts of the Low Country of South Carolina. There are many historical references, but it also contains personal reflections and stories about how our family instilled in us a sense of cohesiveness, and pride by exposing us, (many of whom are products of the Great Migration and the first generation born outside of South Carolina) to our southern roots and culture”. -Myra Davis-Branic
“Wow!!!!! Who would have known that a year and a half after our initial article was posted, that it would gone on to be shared and loved thousands of times?! We are truly grateful for this platform for many reasons. Through this platform, one of Jacob Davis’ brother’s descendants found us, we’ve been able to provide others with tips and encouragement for their journey, and just the other night, there was a lady that read the article when it was reposted a few weeks ago that needed assistance with finding information on her great-grandmother (who was also from Eutawville). Once she gave the plantation/graveyard information where her family was enslaved, we found more than what we could have imagined! Not only were we able to find information about her great-grandmother, but we also found information on her great-grandmother’s grandparents as well, who were not only enslaved and buried on the Eutawville plantation, but they were of the generation that was kidnapped from Africa! The document even listed which country in Africa that they were from!
I am so grateful for Myra’s dedication, tenacity, and pouring her heart into this wonderful gift that she has given to our family! A legacy that will be passed on for many generations to come. Another tool that will keep our descendants connected long after we are gone. Just to name a few, I know that our foreparents Paul, Ellen, Jacob and Bessie, my Great Great Uncle Jackie and Auntie Carrie (Myra’s Grandparents), Cousins Ernest and Margie (Myra’s parents), Delores and Ernestine (Myra’s sisters), and our Cousins Charlie and Reuben, would be just as proud of her as we are. Even though the book was written as a way to preserve our The Davis Family history, there are stories in the book that all families can relate too, historical lessons, and inspiration that will encourage others to embark on their ancestry journey”.-LaCrystal Davis
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