Jeff Davis County was created from northern portions of Appling and Coffee counties on Aug. 18, 1905 by an act of the General Assembly (Ga. Laws 1905, p. 55). By the terms of the act, the new county became effective on Jan. 1, 1906. Jeff Davis County's boundaries were defined by law as:

"Beginning at a point on the Altamaha river which bounds the present counties of Appling and Tattnall, being at the northeast corner of land lot 659; thence running the land line south to the southeast corner of land lot 443; thence due west the land line to the southwest corner of land lot 448; thence again due south the land line to the southeast corner of land lot 272; thence again due west the land line to the southwest corner of land lot 271; thence due south the land line to the northeast corner to land lot 222; thence due east the land line to the northeast corner of land lot 224; thence again due south the land line to the southeast corner of land lot 122; thence again due west the land line to Coffee county line dividing Appling and Coffee counties at the southwest corner of land lot 116; thence beginning at the southeast corner of land lot 116 in Coffee county and running west the land line to the southwest corner of land lot 129; thence running north the land line to the Ocmulgee river, which now forms the present boundary line between the counties of Coffee and Telfair, all being in the first district of Coffee county; thence along the Ocmulgee and Altamaha rivers to the point of beginning."

Georgia's 142nd county was named for former Confederate president Jefferson Davis.

Historical Maps

 

 

1883

 

1904

 

1910

 

1915

 

1952

 

1955

 

1970a

 

1970b

 

1999

 

2001a

 

2001b

© Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia

Go to Historical Atlas of Georgia Counties

Go to Jeff Davis County Courthouse page