Who is Gertie Davis? Life, Death, and Facts About Harriet Tubman's Daughter

Gertie Davis is remembered as the adopted daughter of an American abolitionist and political activist, Harriet Tubman, and war veteran, Nelson Charles Davis. She was adopted by Tubman and Davis in 1874 after their marriage on March 18, 1869.

Her mother Harriet Tubman was known to be a very strong humanitarian and freedom fighter during and after the American civil war of 1861. Additionally, she advocated for women’s voting rights and was the first keynote speaker at the first National Federation of Afro-American Women’s meeting.

Life And Death Of Harriet Tubman’s Daughter

Gertie Davis’ life before and after she was adopted by Harriet Tubman and Nelson Charles Davis in 1874 is still under wraps. Much of what is known about her revolves only around the years she became known as their daughter.

Her parents got married nearly four years after the American Civil War which lasted from April 1861 to May 1865. According to reports, the wedding took place at the Central Presbyterian Church on March 18, 1869.

After being together for about five years, Tubman and Davis extended their family by adopting Gertie in 1879 as mentioned. Since the adoption, she became known as their daughter.

Moving forward, the media or historians have not been able to document or tell how Tubman’s daughter lived her life or when and how she passed. Nevertheless, findgrave.com indicated her date of birth to be 1847, which was when she was adopted, and 1913 as the year she died at the age of 38/39.

Elusive Facts About Gertie Davis

1. Her Mother Suffered Severe Pain And Illness Due To Mistreatment During Enslavement

At a very tender age, Harriet Tubman was abused physically by her slave owners. This act was very common in many slave-owning homes. Tubman was injured by her owner at a very tender age. This was when her owner was trying to stop another slave from escaping.

She was badly injured and given no medical care. Tubman never recovered from the damage the injury had on her brain and skull.

She continued to suffer periodic seizures which have been said to be a form of epilepsy.

2. Historians Believe Her Mother Has A Biological Daughter

Historians have questioned Harriet Tubman’s relationship with a girl whom she referred to as her niece. After she traveled to Auburn, New York in 1859, she was later seen with a young girl named Margret.

Many believed that the girl resembled Tubman and not just that, historians tend to believe they shared a strong bond which was more of a mother-daughter bond.

3. Gertie Davis’s Mother Died Of Pneumonia

After a lifelong charity and generosity, Harriet Tubman was said to have died in near poverty. It was even said that she struggled to pay off her debts which later made her supporters raise funds for her.

Even with her predicament at that time, she continued to donate money and also a part of her land in New York for the creation of a home for the aged. It was named Harriet Tubman’s Home for the Aged and was only open to poor black people.

She fell ill in 1911 and was taken to the home she helped create. Harriet Tubman died of pneumonia on March 10, 1913.

4. Harriet Tubman’s Honors And Commemorations

Gertie Davis’s mother made so many contributions to the history of African American history. Aside from working to promote the cause of women’s suffrage, she was an American icon who has been praised by many leaders all over the world.

The then U.S Treasury Secretary Jack Lew who served in that capacity from 2013 to 2017, announced adding a portrait of Tubman to the front of the twenty-dollar bill in April 2016. However, it was not considered by the next U.S Treasury Steven Mnuchin in 2017 saying they had more important issues to focus on than that.

In 2021, the treasury department resumed the effort of adding Tubman’s portrait to the $20 bill and many are hoping the process would be accepted.

Her life and slavery story has been the subject of many of art. Her sculptures have been placed in quite several American cities.

Furthermore, Harriet Tubman was inducted posthumously into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1973 the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame in 1985, and also the military intelligence Hall of Fame in 2019.

5. What Happened To Gertie Davis?

In the entire history of Harriet Tubman, her daughter Gertis Davis was only mentioned a few times. The war veteran did not share what happened to her daughter after she was adopted into the family and nothing was heard of her again.

Also, she might have been her only child as no record shows she has children elsewhere.