DAVIS FAMILY

Posted by Sam D. Lawson <lawson@hsonline.net> on Sat., 8 January, 2000

Surname: DAVIS, JAMES, PHILLIPS, OWENS

I was thrilled to get your responses, cousins! Wow! It sounds as though you've been researching for quite some time. I have, too. I have found some great stuff just recently and thought we could all share our information if you'd like. I guess I kind of wrote this up in a "biographical sketch" of sorts. Hope you enjoy, add to your existing information, then please share anything at all that you might have. I'm very glad to meet you, even if it is via the internet!

I'm actually connected to TWO DAVIS lines from Fayette County, Pennsylvania...I have a DAVIS line through a Hannah DAVIS, daughter of Meshach DAVIS and Nancy Ann LEWIS. Now, Hannah DAVIS married to Zachariah DAVIS, a son of James DAVIS and Keziah PHILLIPS. For a long, long time, it was thought that my James DAVIS was the James DAVIS who was a son of old Owen DAVIS. This is just not so...I hope this explains it a little better. Let me know what you think. Ok?

James DAVIS

Posted by Sam D. Lawson on Sat., 8 January, 2000

Surname: DAVIS, PHILLIPS

James DAVIS, born about 1761 and who died on 10 September, 1850. I believe he came from Delaware.He was the last survivor of the Revolutionary War in southern Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and also the largest, physical male in the county at the time. He was married about 1784 to Keziah PHILLIPS, born about 1762-68, she died 20 June, 1816 (her tombstone says at age 48). They both died in Fayette County, Pa. and are buried in the Woodbridgetown Church Cemetery near Georges Creek and Rubles Mill...James DAVIS was living at Valley Forge, Pa. "with an uncle" when General Washington wintered his troops there during the Revolution. James DAVIS drew a pension, albeit a small one, approved 14 March, 1835 (Laws of Pennsylvania, 1834-35, pp.71-72), Penna Act# 51.
James and Keziah (PHILLIPS) DAVIS had the following children:

a. Samuel DAVIS, born 6 December, 1785.

b. Joshua DAVIS, born 10 July, 1787, and married to Catherine (AMBROSE), born 26 July, 1793, and died 5 April, 1872. Joshua DAVIS died 20 February, 1816, leaving his widow and two daughters: Keziah, born 7 September, 1812, and died 14 May, 1833,and Sarah, born 26 July, 1815, and died 2 June, 1841, leaving a son, James D. CUSTER. (Sarah DAVIS married to Isaiah CUSTER on 11 February, 1840. Isaiah CUSTER was born 26 November, 1815, and died 15 November, 1890) On the 1850 Fayette County, Pa. Census, his widow, Catherine (AMBROSE) DAVIS, is living with her children "AND" the elderly father-in-law, James DAVIS (1761-1850)...

c. Zachariah DAVIS, born 10 January, 1789, and married in the fall of 1813 to Hannah DAVIS, born in 1795, to Meshach DAVIS and Nancy Ann LEWIS. Zachariah and his wife, along with her parent's family moved to Butler County, Ohio, about spring of 1814. Zachariah and Hannah moved on across the state line about 1817 into Franklin County, Indiana, near Bath, at Colter's Corner. This is my line...

d. David DAVIS, born 6 May, 1793, and married to Mary WOODALL. They had five children: David DAVIS who married to Mary HUGH; Nancy DAVIS, who married Alfred BARMORE; Kezia DAVIS, who married _____ KILDOW; James DAVIS; and Joel DAVIS.

e. Hannah DAVIS, born 8 November, 1795, and died 6 February, 1829. Hannah married on 31 May, 1812, to Judge Samuel NIXON, a son of William NIXON and Yanacha AYERS. Samuel NIXON was born 9 May, 1789, in Georges Township, Fayette County, Pa., and died 28 May, 1859. Father-William Nixon, Mother-Jane Wynn

Samuel married
#1--Phoebe Ewing, June 16, 1831, Uniontown

no children

#2 Hannah Davis-
married May 1, 1812, Fayette Co. Pa

Children of Hannah and Samuel
1. James Boyle Nixon Dec. 3, 1828- Nov 8, 1894
2. Jane Feb. 23, 1813- Apr 13, 1859
3. Sarah Feb 4, 1827- Feb 16, 1901
4. Keziah Feb. 16, 1815- Feb 23, 1838
5. Dorcas September 7,1816- March 8, 1851
6. Eliza August 9, 1818- July 21, 1824
7. Mary Ann July 24, 1820
8. William October 25, 1822
9. Ayers July 12, 1824
They all were born and died in Georges Twp., Fayette Co., Pa

f. Keziah DAVIS, born 29 March, 1798, and died 10 November, 1831. Keziah DAVIS married to Henry SMITH, Jr., a son of Henry SMITH, Sr. and Elizabeth GROVENSTADT. Henry SMITH, Jr. was born 11 November, 1791, and died 1 February, 1870.

Keziah and Henry SMITH, Jr. would have five children: David who married Sarah BRYSON; James R. who married Mary BRYSON; Elizabeth who married John TADE; Mary who married Jacob BOSLEY; Hannah who married Uriah CARTER; Eliza Jane who married John FOSTER.

g. Mary DAVIS, born 25 January, 1806, and died 4 August, 1871, and married William MILLER on 22 November, 1827, the son of David MILLER and Catherine (nee GETZENDANNER)AMBROSE, widow of Christopher AMBROSE. William MILLER was born 14 February, 1806, and died 14 October, 1891. One of the children of Mary DAVIS and William MILLER was Sarah MILLER born 12 February, 1834, and died 16 January, 1920, at Uniontown, Pa. Sarah MILLER married to Jonathan McFADDEN 4 July, 1853.

For many, many years it was thought that this James DAVIS was a son of old Owen DAVIS (5 December, 1725- 7 July, 1810) of Fayette County, Pa., "BUT HE IS NOT."

Owen DAVIS

Posted by Sam D. Lawson on Sat., 8 January, 2000

Surname: DAVIS, JAMES, OWENS, PHILLIPS

The following biographical sketch is information collected from different
sources: The Isaac DAVIS bible copied 1 March, 1927 (LDS Film# 163741,
compiled by W. Guy Tetrick, labeled COGAR-COOKMAN brought to my attention by my good friends, David and Verlene Cole, of Roy, Utah) last in the possession
of an Olandus WEST, of Clarksburg, West Virginia; "THE HISTORY OF TONOLOWAY
BAPTIST CHURCH" (Fulton Co., Pa.?) by Harry Stuart Holman, M.A., 1980; the Messech JAMES Deed
from Franklin County, Pennsylvania Deed Book# 3, Page 169; and the Harry E.
Foreman collection, "HISTORY OF LITTLE COVE Volume IV (1967)" and "FORT
LOUDON SIDELIGHTS, FRANKLIN COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA (1970)"; as well as
"AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS OF FRANKLIN COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA" by
Fendrick...

Owen DAVIS was born 5 December, 1725, and died 7 July, 1810, at Ruble's
Mill, Georges Creek, Fayette County, Pennsylvania (Will of Owen DAVIS,
Georges township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Vol.1, Page 390, dated 12
January, 1803, and proven 3 August, 1810). He was the son of Philip and
Jane DAVIS. Owen DAVIS has a sister listed in the bible record, Mary DAVIS,
born 29 December, 1727. Nothing more on her. Owen DAVIS' first wife was
Sarah OWENS, the daughter of Samuel and Sarah OWENS. Sarah OWENS, Owen
DAVIS' first wife, was born 20 April, 1735, and died in 1762. Their
children were:

1. Philip DAVIS, born 18 October, 1751, and died 25 September, 1837, in
Smithfield, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He married Hannah JENKINS, born 27 August, 1761, a
daughter of John and Elizabeth JENKINS (Will of John JENKINS, Georges
township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, dated 10 February, 1793, and proven
6 April, 1795). Philip DAVIS married to Elizabeth JENKINS in Fayette County, Pa., on 8 February, 1779. Their children were: Sarah, Owen, Elizabeth, Ruth, and John
DAVIS. Fayette County, Pennsylvania Church Records, 1784-1811, Minute Book
Of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, of Georges township (Smithfield) lists a
Hannah DAVIS who died 1 April, 1848, aged 87 years...Also a Philip DAVIS
who died 25 September, 1837, aged 85 years, 11 months, and 6 days.

2. Samuel DAVIS, born 15 May, 1753, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
and died 6 April, 1826, in Smithfield, Springhill Township, Fayette County,
Pennsylvania (Will of Samuel DAVIS, dated 4 April, 1826, and proven 19
April, 1826). Samuel married Elizabeth STANCZ (STENTZ) about 1794.
Elizabeth was the daughter of Philip STANCZ (STENTZ)(Will of Philip STENTZ,
Fayette County, Pennsylvania, dated 3 February, 1807, and proven 2
September, 1807). Elizabeth was born 8 December, 1765, and died 3 February,
1851, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Their children were: Philip born 24
August, 1791; Catherine born 18 July, 1794; Owen born 16 October, 1799;
Samuel born 24 March, 1796; and Daniel DAVIS born 3 June, 1801. Fayette
County, Pennsylvania Church Records, 1784-1811, Minute Book Of Mt. Moriah
Baptist Church, of Georges township (Smithfield) lists the death of one
Samuel DAVIS who died 6 April, 1826, aged 72 years, 10 months, and 8
days...Elizabeth DAVIS, died 3 February, 1851, aged 85 years. Owen DAVIS
died 17 April, 1849, aged 49 years, 6 months.

3. Mary Elizabeth DAVIS, born 10 April, 1755. She married in 1773 to
Morgan JONES, the son of Morgan JONES and Eleanor EVANS.

4. Sarah DAVIS, born 7 May, 1757, died 11 November, 1798, in Greene County, Pennsylvania. She married about 1785, in Staunton, Augusta County, Virgina, to Jonathan MORRIS. Jonathan MORRIS was born 15 June, 1753, in Apple Pie Ridge, Berkley County, (West) Virginia, and died 20 March, 1841, in Greene County, Pennsylvania. They had children: Samuel MORRIS born 7 September, 1778, in Greene County, Pa., and died in December, 1871; Joseph MORRIS born 11 November, 1780; Owen MORRIS born 25 October, 1783, and died 18 May, 1860; Lucretia Louisa MORRIS born 30 April, 1787, in Waynesburg, Greene County, Pa., and died 23 March, 1867, in Le Harpe, Illinois; Mary MORRIS born 14 March, 1790, in Greene County, Pa.; Sarah MORRIS born 7 May, 1793, in Greene County, Pa., and died 2 October, 1853, in Greene County, Pa.; Abner MORRIS born about 1796, in Greene County, Pa.; Jonathan MORRIS born 16 September, 1796, in Cambridge, Ohio; Elizabeth MORRIS born 11 November, 1798, in Greene County, Pa.; Levi MORRIS born 10 April, 1802, in Greene County, Pa.; and Isaiah MORRIS born 15 June, 1806, in Greene County, Pa, and died 10 January, 1906, in Hancock County, Illinois.

5. Jane DAVIS, born 28 October, 1760, died before 1803.

After Sarah (OWENS) DAVIS' death in 1762, Owen DAVIS remarried to Hannah
JAMES possibly in late 1763 or early 1764. Hannah JAMES was born 24 March,
1745, to Messech and Mary JAMES. Owen DAVIS was a wagon driver for General
BRADDOCK during the 1750's and is believed to have known the JAMES family
while in that southwestern part of what was then Cumberland County,
Pennsylvania. Messech JAMES lived about one mile up the Conococheague Creek
from Thomas BARR'S place on what is now the site for the village of Fort
Loudon, in present day Franklin County, Pennsylvania. This section, known
as the "Conococheague Settlement" was doubtless among the earliest of the
country to be settled. The patent for the tract of land on which the town
of Fort Loudon is situated bears the date of 1 March, 1737. It was surveyed
and laid out on 6 May, 1738, unto William WILSON in Heidelberg township,
the county of Lancaster (Peter's township was not organized until about
1750, and Franklin County not until 1784). William WILSON found another
parcel of land that he liked better, abandoned this one and Messech JAMES
got a warrant for it on 4 October, 1745. For the 370 acre tract, Messech
JAMES paid 57 pounds, seven shillings to the colony which included quit
rent for a clear title back to 1 March, 1737. The JAMES patent bears the
date of 30 September, 1748. The land upon which the fort was afterwards
built was settled by one Matthew PATTON dated 18 April, 1744. Mr. Patton
was another of Messech JAMES' neighbors.

From Maryland sources, Quote: "Shingas came to the Conolloways and the Big
Cove, killed and took about thirty persons and drove the remainder from
their homes shortly after BRADDOCK'S Defeat when BRADDOCK was only thirty
miles from Fort Cumberland." In like vein we read "the Indians were
massacreing dozens of settlers on the Conolloways and in the Big and Little
Coves while BRADDOCK was marching on Fort Duquesne a slight thirty miles to
the west."

Saturday, 1 November, 1755, about one hundred Indians, Shawnees and
Delawares, among them Shingas, the Delaware King, entered the Great Cove
and began murdering the defenseless inhabitants and destroying their
property. The savages divided into two parties, one of which attacked the
inhabitants of the Cove and the other swept down on the Conolloways.
Sheriff POTTER reported on 14 November, 1755, "that of 93 families which
were settled in the Coves and the Conolloways forty seven were either
killed ot taken and the rest deserted." The Messech JAMES homeplace was one
of those burned in that particular Indian attack on 1 November, 1755.
Sheriff POTTER stated that forty men went with him to Matthew PATTON'S (one
of Messech JAMES' neighbors) one of whom was the Reverend STEELE. POTTER
said that the old officers hid themselves to save their scalps. The men
found no Indians at PATTON'S but saw the building on fire at the Messech
JAMES home. When they reached the JAMES place they again found no Indians
but the cattle had been shot and the horses were standing, bleeding, with
Indian arrows sticking in them...In the FORT LOUDON SIDELIGHTS (Foreman),
on page 148, there is a picture of the site of the Messech JAMES place. The
Thomas BARR place was between the homes of Messech JAMES and Matthew PATTON.

Messech JAMES died prior to 1771, intestate...His heirs are mentioned in a
deed (Franklin County, Pennsylvania Deed Book# 3, Page 169) as:

a. William JAMES, carried off by Indians and never seen again.

b. Isaac JAMES, carried off by Indians and never seen again.

c. Enoch JAMES who married to Sarah BOWEN, a daughter of David BOWEN and
Hannah DAVIS. Enoch JAMES is listed in REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS FROM FRANKLIN
COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

d. Jean (Jane) JAMES who married to John ROSS/ROSE. Jean, or Jane, was
received by letter to the Tonoloway Baptist Church, with her sister Sarah
(BOWEN) JAMES, in November, 1766.

e. Sarah JAMES who married to David Bowen, the son of David BOWEN and
Hannah DAVIS.

f. Hannah JAMES who became the wife of Owen DAVIS, the son of Philip and
Jane DAVIS.

g. Mary JAMES who married to Samuel OWENS.

From "THE HISTORY OF TONOLOWAY BAPTIST CHURCH" by Harry Stuart Holman,
M.A., 1980, page 63, we find that Owen DAVIS and his wife, Hannah JAMES,
were baptized in August, 1766. They were transferred to the Great Bethel
Church in Springhill township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in
September, 1771. In August of 1760, Owen DAVIS had moved from Frederick
County, Maryland, to land he had purchased on Lick Run, a tributary of the
Conococheague Creek in Franklin County. As late as 1783, the DAVISES were
living in Westmoreland County. Owen DAVIS and his wife, Hannah JAMES, would
have the following issue together:

6. Elizabeth DAVIS, born 15 February, 1764, died before 1803. She
married to Daniel FERROL. Hannah FERROL, a daughter of Daniel FERROL and
Elizabeth DAVIS, born 9 October, 1784.

7. Meshach DAVIS, born 4 September, 1765, died in Franklin County,
Indiana, near Bath or Colter's Corner, 11 October, 1845. He married to
Nancy Ann LEWIS, a daughter of Margaret LEWIS, about 1786.(Margaret LEWIS
remarried to a John GRIFFITHS, of Georges Creek township, Fayette County,
Pennsylvania. John GRIFFITHS Will dated 17 November, 1789, and proven on 24
January, 1791). Nancy Ann LEWIS was born about 1769, and died 2 March,
1832, in Butler County, Ohio, near Dry Fork, in Morgan township. Meshach
DAVIS, after his wife's death, probably went to live with either his son,
Isaac DAVIS and his wife Martha FOSTER, or, his daughter's family, Hannah
(DAVIS) DAVIS. Hannah was the wife of Zachariah DAVIS, son of James DAVIS
and Keziah PHILLIPS of Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Meshach DAVIS and his
wife's graves are in the George Cemetery one mile west of Okeana, Butler
County, Ohio. This is just across the state line from Franklin County,
Indiana. Meshach and Nancy Ann's other childrn were: Polly born 3 march,
1791; Isaac born 9 April, 1804; Owen; Thomas; James; Samuel; and Margaret
DAVIS.

8. Evan DAVIS, born 11 July, 1767, died before 1803. He married to
Elizabeth JOLLIFF, a daughter of James and Hannah JOLLIFF, on 7 July, 1786.
Their children were: Owen DAVIS born 20 May, 1787; James DAVIS born 24
November, 1788; Enoch DAVIS born 11 September, 1790; Squire DAVIS born 11
September, 1790; Hannah DAVIS born 19 February, 1792; Martha DAVIS; Sarah
DAVIS; and Susanna DAVIS born 19 July, 1803, died 7 November, 1804.

9. Ruth DAVIS, born 23 August, 1769, and married to a _______ BROWN.

10. Enoch DAVIS, born in February, 1772. He married to Catherine
SHACHLET, a daughter of John and Barberry SHACHLET. Catherine SHACHLET was
born 18 August, 1778. Their children were: Shachlet; Owen; Barbara; John;
and Otto DAVIS.

11. Hannah DAVIS, born in September, 1774. She married to Budd GASKILL.
Budd was a gunsmith. The family removed to Crawford County, Pennsylvania.

12. Susanna DAVIS, born 17 July, 1776.

13. John DAVIS, born 16 March, 1779, died 6 January, 1820. John married
to Elizabeth ARCHEY (ARCHER), a daughter of John and Hannahm ARCHEY
(ARCHER), on 25 February, 1802.

14. Lewis DAVIS, born 8 July, 1782, died 12 November, 1782.

15. Isaac DAVIS, born 25 August, 1783, died 2 August, 1854, in Crawford
County, Pennsylvania. He married to Frances WEST, a daughter of Job WEST
and Mary GASTON, on 29 December, 1804. Isaac DAVIS apprenticed himself to
Jacob WEBB of Luzerne township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, on 1
November, 1798, to learn the potter's trade, which he followed many years.
Their children were: Marcellus J. DAVIS born 23 June, 1828 (never married);
Owen VanBuren DAVIS born 23 November, 1836 (never married); and Hannah
Almeda DAVIS born 5 January, 1839. Hannah Almeda DAVIS married to William
W. WEST, a son of Eli WEST and Belinda KING. The following is a notation in
the back of Isaac DAVIS' bible, "Susanna CASSADAY, daughter of Felix and
Susanna CASSADAY, born 20 February, 1789, the intended wife of Isaac DAVIS."

16. James DAVIS, born 19 September, 1785. He married to Susan FITZGARLE
(FITZGERALD), a daughter of John FITZGARLE (FITZGERALD), on 26 January,
1806. Susan was born 17 December, 1785. THIS IS "NOT" THE SAME JAMES DAVIS THAT MARRIED TO KEZIAH PHILLIPS...

17. Anna DAVIS, born 5 March, 1790. Anna married about 1805 to David COLE, born 30 March, 1788. After
Owen DAVIS died on 7 July, 1810, Hannah (JAMES) DAVIS went to live with the
David COLE family in Redstone township, near Brownsville, Fayette County,
Pennsylvania. She was living in this family later in 1810. About 1820,
David COLE moved his family to Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Hannah
(JAMES) DAVIS is no longer with the family and is thought to have died,
with burial in or around Redstone township. Anna and David COLE had these
children: Isaac COLE born 18 June, 1808; Daniel COLE born 24 February,
1810, and died 5 November, 1810; Owen COLE; Owen DAVIS COLE born 19 July,
1811; Elizabeth COLE born 14 April, 1813; Hannah COLE born 20 August, 1815;
Mary COLE born 18 May, 1817; Daniel B. COLE born 19 April, 1819; and Samuel
COLE born 10 March, 1821.

Anthony Keefer, on 16 June, 1999, informed me that Owen DAVIS' Millseat
property appears to have been put up for auction for a $328.25 bill owed to
Charles BROWNFIELD. With interest the court awarded BROWNFIELD $50.00 since
the executors had not sold in on their own to settle debts. It was put up
for sheriff's sale and bought by Jesse EVANS, of Philadelphia, for
$1500.00...Venditioni exponas is the legal term used...Book O, Page 28, 21
January, 1814. The property was sold back to Philip DAVIS, Jr. on 30 July,
1831...Deed Book S, Page 126, Georges township.

Anyone interested in these families, please contact:

Sam D. Lawson
1929 Hiker Trace
Columbus, Indiana 47203-3541

lawson@hsonline.net