Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War, was the son-in-law of Zachary Taylor, 12th president of the United States. In 1835 Davis married Sarah Taylor. They moved to Mississippi and began to operate a cotton plantation. Within months Sarah became ill with fever and died. She was 21 years old. After her death, Davis entered politics and served in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. He then became secretary of war in the cabinet of Franklin Pierce. When the Civil War began in 1861, he took the oath of office as president of the southern states. maybe this should be on the Davis web page.