The Ticking of the Clock

A few weeks ago my clock came undone.  The minute hand had been loose for some time and I couldn’t seem to get it to stay on.  It finally gave up and landed - plunk - on the dresser.  I gave up, too. 

I have learned, since then, that I don’t really need it.  I can easily tell time within 15 minutes of the “exact” time.  What more do I need?  It’s very seldom that I need to know to-the-minute what time of day it is and I figure that using my clock in it’s current state is just fine and dandy.

I was reminded, over the last few days, that time is meaningless, anyway.  Tuesday, Mom was sick all day and ended up in the Emergency Room at a local hospital.  Wednesday morning I had grandkid duty, then took Mom to the doctor in the afternoon.  By the time I left her house that evening, I was tired.  Going to bed at 8:30, I figured I’d have a good night’s rest and be ready to go again in the morning. 

My body, though, had other plans.  After about 4 hours of dead-to-the-world sleep, my mind and body kicked into hyper-drive.  There was no more sleeping after that - until both mind and body shut down - which was a little after daylight.  I got up but could neither sit up nor hold up my head nor keep my eyelids open.  I laid back down and spent the next 24 hours in a state of Nothingness, feverish at times, and not even dozing until late in the afternoon.  When my normal bedtime came, I slept through the night. 

This morning I feel weak but am able to do those things I couldn’t yesterday - sit up, hold up my head, keep my eyes open.

Hasn’t God created a wonderful machine that we inhabit?  A machine that knows when to say, “Whoa, missy! Rein in those horses and get down off that wagon. It’s time to put a stop to this.”  Which is exactly what happened.  I expect the technical name might be delayed shock and adrenal exhaustion, but hearing my body speak with John Wayne’s voice is more interesting.

The only other time I remember this happening was during the last few weeks that Steve was in the bone marrow transplant unit.  I spent all of my time there; trying to sleep in the family room (with the television blaring in the break room next door) or trying to sleep in his room on a rickety folding bed that was in imminent danger of collapse.  Then one day I went home, walked in and laid down, and didn’t arise for 20 hours.  My body called a halt, that time, too, although I don’t remember hearing from John Wayne.

I’m thankful that God watches over me and that he created such a wonder as the human body.

Exercise

After five consecutive days of working in the Garden every morning at daylight, I decided on my plan for today - do as little as possible. 

A hundred years ago, when I was young and slender and my joints were flexible and my muscles the same, I was in a Yoga class.  I remember that I was able to do most of the exercises, but my problem with the discipline was that I should be expected to remember the names of the positions.  The only one I remember this day is Greeting the Sunrise.  That may not even be the exact name, but that’s how I remember it.  That’s what I’m practicing this morning.  I’m sitting in a wire chair IN the garden, laptop on my lap, ready to Greet the Sunrise. 

If you remember my photo from last week, I had a wire chair piled with cuttings from the Spanish lavender.  I ended up leaving them overnight and they had settled a bit by the next day.  Then, two days ago, I sat in the chair in my garden work clothes, and they gave off the loveliest fragrance.  A few minutes sitting surrounded by that smell and I was ready to work again.  I’ve left them there since and have sat again a few times, like right now.  Because the cuttings were so many, and the stems so woody, and the needles filled with oil, it makes a good cushion and I expect to leave it here until it all crumbles.  Much better than stripping the branches and putting the leaves in a jar to be saved for later use.

I had to walk through two spider webs to get to the chair and from here can see my large garden spider still at the shed.  He or she has been busy this week, maintaining the web and entertaining me.  

Over the last four days I’ve watched the wildlife in this Garden.

A bumble bee - yes, the black and yellow kind - flitted from purple flower to purple flower of the Ruellia looking for nectar.  They must have been mostly empty, but he disappeared complete inside of one of them, and later came back to go through the same routine.  Did he forget that he had already been to that plant, or was he hopeful that something wonderful had happened in the 10 minutes since he had been gone? 

There has been a Monarch in the garden - the signal of their migration this year.  Usually we don’t see them until later - in September - but with everything so wet and still so green and growing, I guess they are getting an early start back to wherever it is they go.

We’ve had a lot of small grasshoppers in the grass at home.  I walked through the front yard there, Thursday evening to put out the garbage can, and kicked up quite a few.  Unusual for us to have so many in town.  Then Friday or Saturday morning here at Mom’s I found a rather large grasshopper in the lantana.  I thought he would jump away as I started weeding and raising the limbs to gather them up for propping, but he seemed comfortable enough where he was, and with what I was doing, that I was able to inspect him from just a few inches away. 

I’ve seen another of those black and red spiders, in another bed this time, so I guess I’d better be a little careful, just in case they are black widow spiders.  This one I smashed quickly, just in case - and before I thought about it - then wished I’d been a little slower on the reflexes so I could examine it’s back more closely (figuratively, of course), and decide if it truly was a spider I didn’t want to make friends with.

The bed I worked Sunday and Monday, digging out the day lillies, had only three earthworms in it.  Considering that the other beds I’ve worked in the middle of the yard had plenty of those excellent gardeners, it makes me wonder why this patch was so bereft of them.  Could it be that the lillies were so tightly packed that the worms had no room to work?  And no supplies to work with?  There were no weeds and no grass, nor anything else in that bed except for a volunteer pecan tree and a few volunteer mulberries that were just beginning to make headway.  Maybe now that it is as emptied of those bulbs and runners as I can get it, they will multiply.  I sure hope so. 

I can hear a bird, a yard or two down, and think it’s the cardinal.  We have a pair of those who like the black oil sunflower seeds that Mom puts out.  We also watched a pair of jays yesterday afternoon, back and forth to the feeders. 

Another sound, besides the traffic, which is rather muffled today, are the cicadas.  Sunday evening, when I was watering, there must have been hundreds of them in the trees.  It’s not an unpleasant sound, though it can be monotonous.  Still, they don’t go at it for long before they take a break.  I wonder if they are calling to each other or if they make noise for their own enjoyment?  Shows you that I know next to nothing about them.  I discovered a blog from an entomologist in Missouri that’s really good reading.  Over the next few weeks, as I read through his writings, maybe I’ll find out about these critters.  

So what does all of this chatter have to do with my title?  Plenty.  What’s the point of exercise if  you receive no benefit from it?  Today, in this chair, I’m receiving the benefit.

Many years after yoga failed to satisfy my need for exercise, I discovered Angela Lansbury.  Mom had a video tape that I wore out, literally, following her exercise routine.  I liked her presentation; the exercises were what I could handle, having had two back injuries by that time; I didn’t have to remember names of positions.  The exercises flowed from one to the other.  Her voice was pleasant, and her philosophy agreeable enough.  The background music easy on the ear but banal as time went on.  But after I wore out the tape, I wore out my commitment to daily exercise. 

Then, years after that, I took a class in Tai Chi.  Mom had been taking classes for years and years.  She liked it and can still do many of the exercises, now, at 87.  The class teacher was good and the exotic and hypnotic music conducive to relaxing the mind and the body.  But the teacher had health problems and the class was short-lived.  I found a CD at the library, put out by a local teacher, and tried to follow that, but had difficulty remembering the positions and Names!! again.

This year, at the library I borrowed a CD that I really like.  It’s called Movement, by Ann Smith, who looks as though she’s a dancer.  She’s about my age (gray hair and some wrinkles), but her body looks more like mine used to when I was in my early twenties.  She has a pleasant and restrained voice and an interesting manner.  She uses Mozart as the background for her exercises.  After no music, Muzak music, and exotic music, it’s a welcome change.    

 

I think I have finally hit upon the right combination for me - Movement and daylight gardening.  Whew!  It’s about time I figured something out.

Now I’ll sit and drink my tea and listen to the dog across the back and a few houses down, yapping and yapping and yapping to be let back inside.  I guess he doesn't know how good it is to be outside.

A Union Officer’s Sword

One of my direct ancestors, Joseph W Davis, served during the American Civil War with two Indiana infantry units.  Many years ago, while researching in the wonderful Douglass Museum in Butler Co, Kansas, I found some information, including a photocopy of a photo of Joseph in full uniform - the only photo of him that I’ve seen.

The Davis family lived in Butler County until Joseph’s death, not long after coming to Kansas from Indiana.  His wife, Nancy, continued to live in Kansas until her own death.

Among the items in the library vertical files was a folder of materials on my particular Davis line.  Included was an album one of the Davis children had put together,  and it was there that I found the photocopy.  There were numerous other papers, most of which I copied and brought home.

I filled in the empty spaces with census records, marriage and death records from books and microfilm (yes, before the Internet). 

Joseph’s daughter, Harriett, and granddaughter, Fronia, are buried in the cemetery in Arapaho, Custer Co, Oklahoma.  A cousin had come to Midwest City to visit and wanted to go to Arapaho and take a look.  It’s not a large cemetery, but we needed records rather than just walking it looking for graves.  I had been there several times before, but didn’t remember exactly where markers were for our bunch and also wanted to know what I might have missed.

Arapaho, the county seat, is A Very Small Town, so off we went to the courthouse to ask for information.  Someone directed us to the bank and a lady who kept the cemetery records.  At the bank, we met Nancy Windsor, who turned out to be another direct descendant of Joseph and Nancy Davis.  What good fortune that was.

Nancy asked if we wanted to meet her mother, the great-granddaughter of Joseph and Nancy.  Of course we did!  We walked down the street to the home of Lela Lenaberg.  Lela graciously met her drop-in guests and began to tell us of her Davis family.  Nancy pulled out some notebooks so we could take notes on information she had gathered or received from others about the Davis family.  (Joseph and Nancy (Janes) Davis are my great-great-great grandparents.)

Lela had an original photo of Joseph W Davis in his uniform, the same one I had in photocopy form.  She also had a surprise for us.  Lena had in her possession Joseph’s sword, the one from his military photograph.  We oohed and aahed and took photos.  A real Civil War sword and one that belonged to our family - what a find that was!  But even more fabulous was Lela herself.

Lela had photographs of George and Harriett (Davis) Stocks, her grandparents (my great-great grandparents) and stories about their daughter Sophronia, my great-grandmother.  From Lela, I learned that Fronia played the piano and that she had a foot crippled as a child.  I don’t know (or remember, if told) if she was born with it crippled or injured it through an accident of some sort.  This was one time I really wished I carried a tape recorder with me, to record Lela’s stories. 

Here’s my file on Joseph and Nancy, the boring stuff to the casual reader, but the clues and results to the researcher.

CENSUS:

1830 Ohio, Champaign Co, Salem Twp, p 44b

Davis, Abel      000100001 / 0000001

male, 15-30 -   ; male, 60-70 - Abel  / female, 40-50 -

- - -

Davis, Isaac  10101 / 210011

male, under 5 -  ; male, 10-15 -  ; male, 20-30 - Isaac Davis, b 1804  /  female, under 5 -  ; female, under 5 - Margaret, b 1829; female, 5-10 -  ; female, 20-30 - Mary Davis, b 1807; female, 30-40 -

- - -

Davis, John   22001 / 01001

male, under 5 - Isaac M, b 1829

male, under 5 - Joseph W, b 1828

male, 5-10 - Philip, b 1825

male, 5-10 - John S, b 1821

male, 20-30 - John Davis, b 1801

female, 5-10 - Mary Elizabeth, b 1822

 female, 20-30 - Mary Davis, b 1801

1830 Census Commentary:  I do not have primary evidence linking Joseph W to John Davis except proximity in census records.  Nevertheless, that proximity and the ability to match every known child of John gives credence to the idea that John is the father of Joseph W Davis

1840 Indiana, White Co, p 220

John Davis   212101 / 010101

male, under 5 - Peter B, b 1837

male, under 5 - Elijah C, b 1834

male, 5-10 - Isaac M, b 1829

male, 10-15 - Joseph W, b 1828

male, 10-15 - Philip H, b 1825

male, 15-20 - John S, b 1821

male, 30-40 -  John Davis, b 1801

female, 5-10 - Margaret J, b 1830

female, 15-20 - Mary Elizabeth, b 1822

female, 30-40 - Mary Davis, b 1801

1840 Census Commentary:  I do not have primary evidence linking Joseph W to John Davis except proximity in census records.  Nevertheless, that proximity and the ability to match every known child gives credence to the idea that John is the father of Joseph W Davis.

1850 Indiana, White Co, Dist 130, 7 August, 103/103 

John Davis, 49, married within the year, farmer, vore 6000, b Virginia

Hannah, 44, b Virginia, married within the year  Elijah, 17, farmer, school, b Ohio

Peter B, 11, school, b Indiana

Shinty A, 8, school, b Indiana

Wm Janes, 14, school, b Indiana

Eliza Janes, 11, school, b Indiana

Elizabeth Janes, 5, school, b Indiana

Elizabeth Harrison, 37, b Ohio

1850 Indiana, White Co, Dist 130, 7 August, 104/104 

Henry Little, 24, married within the year, carpenter, vore 300, b Ohio

Jane, 17, married within the year, b Virginia

1850 Indiana, White Co, Dist 130, 7 August, 105/105

Philip H Davis, 24, farmer, b Ohio

Pheby, 22, b Ohio

Mary E, 2, b Indiana

James Harrison, 9, school, b Ohio

1850 Indiana, White Co, Dist 130, 7 August, 106/106 

Isaac Davis, 21, farmer, married within the year, b Ohio

Sarah A, 20, married within the year, b Indiana

1850 Indiana, White Co, Dist 130, 7 August, 107/107 

Joseph W Davis, 22, farmer, b Ohio

Nancy, 19, b Virgina

Mary Jane, 1, b Indiana

Elizabeth Harrison, 6, school, b Ohio

1850 Census Commentary:  I have included Henry and Jane Little, wondering about their connection to the Davis family (which may be only that of neighbor) since they are smack in the middle of the Davises.

1860 Indiana, White Co, Honey Creek Twp, Reynolds Station, 19 June, 220/220 

Joseph Davis, 32, merchant vore 200 vope 2000, b Ohio

Nancy, 30, b Virginia

Mary J, 10, school, b Indiana

Henryetta, 5, school, b Indiana

Reed R, 4, school, b Indiana

Cintha A, 2, b Indiana

Eliza Morecraft, 19, b Ohio

William Hutson, 21, hunter, b Indiana

1870 Indiana, White Co, Princeton Twp, Wolcott, 29 July, 71/71  

Davis, Joseph W, 43, farmer vope 3400, b Ohio

Mary M, 42, keeping house, b Virginia

Harriett A, 17, school, b Indiana

Reuben R, 14, school, b Indiana

Cynthia A, 12, school, b Indiana

Joca A, female, 8, school, b Indiana

Sheridan, 7, b Indiana

John, 5, b Indiana

Arthur, 2, b Indiana

Raviden?, Elliott, about 24, laborer, b Ohio

Smith, Wilson, about 27, laborer, b Ohio

Burch, Joseph, about 23, laborer, b Indiana

Leatherman, Isaac, about 23, laborer, b Virginia

Cotton, James, 17, laborer, b Illinois

1880 Kansas Mortality Schedule, Butler Co, Douglass Twp, Schedule 5 - Persons who died during the year ending May 31, 1880

line 6, family 32, Davis, J W, 51, male, married, b Ohio Virginia Virginia, farmer, d July, chronic diarea, resident of community 2 years, A W Wilson physician

BIRTH:

---No birth record from 1828 found; See census records

NAME:

---I have not found any use of a middle name by Joseph, himself, or by official documents that name him, to explain the “W” in “Joseph W Davis”.  Some of his descendants each use a different name as his middle name. 

His son, Joseph Arthur Davis, stated his father’s name was “Ware” in the document below. 

---Douglass Museum, Vertical Files, Davis

     Application for Annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act

     Joseph Arthur Davis, [social security number given], white, 602 S Main, McPherson, McPherson Co, Kansas, born Jan 23, 1869, Wolcott, White Co, Indiana; father: Joseph Ware Davis, mother: Nancy Minerva Janes; married to Octavia Francenor Woody.  [lists service] 

In 25 years of looking, this is the only reference I have found to Joseph W Davis' middle name as Ware.  Fellow descendant and researcher Joe Williams has used that reference in his research and has spent much time over the years of tracking family, to try to discover Joseph’s actual middle name.

Both the chart from Fronia Simmons' daughters and the Prairie Fire article from Eben Stocks' daughters give his middle name as “Weldon”.  There is no explanation from notes of those family researchers to give credence to that name either.  As with Ware, there are no Weldons within the previous generations, nor known close neighbors or friends that would provide a clue as to what the “W” stands for.  I continue to use just “W”, so as to not mislead anyone.

MARRIAGE:

---Indiana, White Co Marriage Records, Bk 1, p141

     Joseph Davis to Nancy Janes 

     Be it remembered That on the 26th day of July 1848, Marriage License issued to Joseph Davis and Nancy Janes, a certificate of whose Marriage is thus returned, Indiana, To wit White County. 

     This Certifies That I joined in Marriage as husband and wife, Joseph W Davis and Nancy M Janes on the Thirtieth day of July 1848.  Dave Moore.  Entered Aug 16th, 1848.  Attest: R M Connagehy, Clerk

---Military Pension record

    gives incorrect year (says 1858) but dates marriage as 30 July, near Brookston, White Co, Indiana

---also see Publications

DEATH:

---No civil or medical death record yet found; the closest I’ve come is the 1880 US Census Mortality Schedule for Kansas, and military records - widow's pension

---1880 Kansas Mortality Schedule, Butler Co, Douglass Twp; Davis, J W, . . . d July [1879]

BURIAL

---Tombstone: photographs of marker in Douglass Cemetery, Butler Co, Kansas

     DAVIS /  J W, 1828 - 1879 / Nancy M, his wife, 1830 - 1904

---also marker contemporary to the death of Joseph

     J W Davis / died /  June 19, 1879 / aged / 51y 5m 9d

---Correspondence from Joe Williams"

     The graves are surrounded by Reed's concrete curb installed in 1905.  Joseph's grave is marked with a 40" limestone obelisk mounted on a concrete base.  On the west face of the obelisk under the Masonic Square and Compass is the legend: J W Davis, Died June 19, 1879, aged 51 years 5 mos 9 days.  

On the south face the following epitaph appears:

Father thou hast gone to rest

We will not weep for thee

For thou art now when oft on earth

Thy spirit longed to be.

Father thou art gone to rest

Thine is an earthly tomb

But Jesus summoned thee away

Thy savior called thee home.

 

LAND:

---A Standard History of White County, Indiana; 1915, W H Hamelle, Lewis Pub Co; Chapter XIV; Prairire Township:

Other Early Land Holders

     . . . the following are recorded in the tract book in the county recorder's office as having entered various parcels of land in Prairie Township: . . . John Davis, 1847; . . . Joseph W Davis, 1849.

MILITARY:

---National Park Service Civil War Soldiers

     Joseph W Davis, 63 Indiana Infantry, Union, Co D, Rank in 2 Lt, Soldier's Rank out 1 Lt, Film M540 roll 18

     Joseph W Davis, 116 Indiana Infantry, (6 Months, 1863-4), Union, Co  K, Soldier's Rank in 1 Lieut, Soldier's Rank out 1 Lieut, Film M540 roll 18

---American Civil War Soldiers, The Union Army

     Joseph W Davis, Reynolds, Indiana, enlisted as Lieutenant 2nd Class 21 February 1862; Commission in Co D, 63rd Inf Rgt Indiana; promoted to Full Lieutenant 1st Class on 17 July 1862; resigned Co D, 63rd Inf Rgt Indiana on 06 December 1862

     Joseph W Davis of Monticello, Indiana, enlisted as a 1st Lieutenant on 8/15/1863.  He was commissioned in the 116th Indiana Infantry, Co K on 8/17/1863.  He was mustered out at Lafayette, Indiana on 3/1/1864. 

---Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana, 1865; 63rd Regiment Infantry; 3 Years Service

     Organized at Lafayette, Indiana, as a Battalion of 4 Companies A, B, C, D, February 21, 1862. Duty as prison guard at Lafayette and at Camp Morton, Indianapolis, Indiana, until May. Left State for Washington, DC, May 27.  Attached to Piatt's Brigade, Sturgis' Command, Defenses of Washington, to August, 1862.  Piatt's Brigade, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1862.

     SERVICE--Duty in the defenses of Washington, DC, until August, 1862.  Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 16-September 2. Ordered to Indianapolis, Indiana, October 3. Completing organization of Regiment and prison guard at Camp Morton and Indianapolis until December 25, 1862. . .

---Regimental History: Indiana Soldiers; Civil War; Infantry; 116th Regiment; 6 Month Service

     Organized at Lafayette, Indiana, and mustered in for 6 months' service August 17, 1863.  Moved to Dearborn, Mich, August 31, and guard arsenal until September 16.  Moved to Nicholasville, Kentucky, September 16.  Attached to Mahan's 1st Brigade, Wilcox's Left Wing Forces, Department of the Ohio, to October, 1863.  2nd Brigade, Wilcox's Division, Left Wing Forces, Department of the Ohio, to January, 1864.  District of the Clinch, Department of the Ohio, to February, 1864.

     SERVICE--March from Nicholasville, Kentucky, to Cumberland Gap September 24-October 3, 1863, and to Morristown October 6-8.  Action at Blue Springs October 10.  March to Greenville and duty there until November 6; thence march to Bull's Gap and across Clinch Mountain to Clinch River November-December.  Action at Walker's Ford, Clinch River, December 2.  Duty at Tazewell, Maynardsville and in East Tennessee until February, 1864.  Action at Tazewell January 24.  Mustered out February 29 to March 2, 1864.  Regiment lost during service 1 Enlisted man killed and 64 Enlisted men by disease. Total 65.

---Correspondence from Joe Williams "

     Joseph and [brother] Elijah's lives both took tragic turns as a consequence of their service.  Joseph enlisted in Company D, 63rd Inf Regt of Indiana Vol Inf.  After the second battle of Bull Run, Joseph resigned his commission following personal criticism by his regimental commander, Col John Williams, the nature of which is not revealed.  Joseph later enlisted in Co K, 116th Reg't, IVI as First Lieutenant under the command of his brother Capt Elijah Davis.

     Elijah was an early volunteer enlisting on 1 September 1861 for a term of 3 years as a private in Co I, 27th Indiana Vol Inf at Indianapolis.  On 28 February 1862, Elijah was detailed to the Western Gunboat Service.  He served in the Gunboat service until the end of his enlistment and was dropped from Co I rolls on 15 Jan 1864.  Although unexplained in his military record, we know that on 17 Aug 1863, Capt Elijah C Davis and Lt Joseph W Davis enlisted a full company, which was mustered into service as Co K.

---National Archives, Military records, Joseph W Davis

Item 1: form : handwritten 359 at top, Davis, Joseph W, Co D, 63 Indiana Infantry, 2 Lieutenant / Card numbers: 2709 8552 / 2710 4254 / 2710 4340 / 2709 8575 / 2710 4428 / 2710 4514 / 2710 4598 / 2710 4681 / 2710 5558 / Number of personal papers herein - 2 / Book Mark: 3437 = VS '85

Item 2: form; D / 63 / Ind / Joseph W Davis, 2 Lt, Capt Johnson's Co, 63 Reg't Indiana Inf / Age 34 years / Appears on Company Muster-in Roll of the organization named above.  Roll dated Indianapolis, Ind, May 26, 1862 / Muster-in to date May 15, 1862 / Joined for duty and enrolled: Jan 10, 1862, Reynolds, Ind, 3 years.  / G W Davis, copyist

Item 3: form: D / 63 / Ind / Joseph W Davis, 2 Lt, Co D, 63 Reg't Indiana Inf / Age 34 years / Appears on a Detachment Muster-in Roll of the organization named above.  Roll dated Washington D C, June 19, 1862 / Muster-in to date Feb 21, 1862 / Joined for duty and enrolled Feb 21, 1862, Reynolds, Ind, 3 years. / G M Godfry, copyist

Item 4: form: D / 63 / Ind / Joseph W Davis, 2 Lt, Co D, 63 Reg't Indiana Infantry / Appears on Company Muster Roll dated June 30, 1862, present / G W Davis, copyist

Item 5: form: D / 63 / Ind / Joseph W Davis, 1 Lt, Co D, 63 Reg't Indiana Infantry / Appears on Company Muster Roll for Sept & Oct 1862, present / Remarks: Due him the difference between 1 Lt and 2 Lt from July 17 to Aug 31 / G W Davis, copyist

Item 6: form: D / 63 / Ind / Joseph W Davis, 2 Lt, Co D, 63 Indiana Inf / Appears on Special Muster Roll for Aug 18, 1862, present / G W Davis, copyist

Item 7: form: D / 63 / Ind / Joseph W Davis, 2 Lt, Co D, 63 Reg't Indiana Infantry / Appears on Company Muster Roll dated Sept 6, 1862, present / G W Davis, copyist

Item 8: form: D / 63 / Ind / Joseph W Davis, 2 Lt, Co D, 63 Reg't Indiana Inf / Appears on Special Muster Roll for Sept 8, 1862, present / G W Davis, copyist

Item 9 form: Davis, Joseph W, 1 Lt, Co D, 63 Reg't Ind Inf / Enclosures / Resignations / Other papers relating to - Casualty Sheet of 1

Item 10 form: Officers' Casualty Sheet / State of Indiana / Josh W Davis, 1 Lt, 63 Reg't, Infy / Casualty - Res'd / 6 Dec 1862 / No. and source of the order accepting resignation, etc, 145 Ohio / J B E, clerk

Item 11:  [slip of paper] Lieut Davis / 63d Infty

Item 12: [signed letter of resignation] / Indianapolis, Nov 24, 1862 / Col John J Williams / Cmdg 63 Regt In Vols / I hereby tender my resignation as First Lieutenant of Company D, 63 Regiment of Indiana Vols. / Pay is due me from 1st for __ up to the present time, and I am not indebted to the United States. / Joseph W Davis, 1 Lt, Co D / Co D, 63d Regiment I V / Approved / Jno J Williams / Col 63d Ind Vols / To _ Major N H McLean / A A G - Chief of Staff

Item 13:  [slip of paper]  D# 218 1862 / November 24, 1862 / Davis, Joseph W, Lieut 63 Ind Vols / Tenders Resignation

Item 14:  [slip of paper] D#25 (D O) 18th / Resignation of Lieut J W Davis Co D 63d Indiana Vols / 80,145 / Respectfully transmitted with recommendation of its acceptance if reason appears sufficient / Henry B Carrington / Capt 8th US Infy / Commanding Post / Accept to take effect 6th inst / C W F? / A A G

Item 15:  Respectfully returned to Col Williams, Co D, 63 Ind Vols, for statement of reason for this writers resignation; and its offense, none are stated, They should appear.  / Henry B Carrington, Col 18 Inf USA, Cmdg Col / Post HdQrs / Dec 4, 1862 / Respectfully returned to Col Carrington with the exp ___ of my ____ that the public service ___ be promoted by accepting Lieut Davis' resignation.   He is a clever good-for-nothing officer & I desire to put a more efficient man in his place. / Jno S Williams, / Col 63 c Ind Vols / Camp Sullivan / Dec 4, 1862.  

Item 16:  HdQrs  Dept of the Ohio / Knoxville, Tenn / May 13 '64 / Discharge / HdQrs Dept of the Ohio Station Cin O, SO# 145 / Date Dec 4, 1862 / Respectfully forward w 6 to Adj Gen of __ Army / J M Schofield, Maj Gen, by Comdy / R Morrison A A G (The Genl being absent)

Item 17: form: D / 63 / Ind / Joseph W Davis, 1 Lt, Co D, 63 Reg't Indiana Infantry, age 34 years / Appears on Co Muster-out Roll, dated Indianapolis, Ind, May 3, 1865 / Last paid to "not known" / Remarks: Resigned; Dec 6 of 62. / Elliott, copyist

---National Archives, Pension Claim of Nancy M Davis

 

Pension Index: Davis, Joseph W, widow Davis, Nancy M, service  Co K, 116 Ind Inf / date of filing 1880, ___ 6, application 261138, certificate 216974

Item 1:  Cert # 216974 / Nancy M Davis / Box #35014

Item 2:  Declaration for Original Pension of a Widow / State of Kansas, County of Butler, On this 14th day of February AD one thousand eight hundred and eighty personally appeared before me C N James, Clerk of the District Court, the same court being a court of record within and for the county and Sate aforesaid, Nancy M Davis, age 50 years, who being duly sworn according to the law, makes the following declaration in order to obtain the pension provided by the Act of Congress granting pensions to widows; That she is the widow of Joseph W Davis who Enlisted under the name of Joseph W Davis at Reynolds, on the Fifteenth day of August AD 1863 in Co K 116 Regt of Ind Vol Inft in the war of 1861 and 5, who at Taswell in the State of Tennessee, on or about the month of December 1863, while in the line of Duty, Contracted Chronic Diarrhoea, which resulted in his death near Douglass in the County of Butler and State of Kansas on the Nineteenth day of July AD 1879, that she was married under the name of Nancy M Jaynes to said Joseph W Davis on the 30th day of July AD 1858 [sic], by a minister by name of Storm near Brookston, Ind,  . . . ; that neither she nor her husband had been previously married; that she has to the present date remained his widow; that the following are the names and dates of birth of all his legitimate children yet surviving, who were under sixteen years of age at the father's death, to wit:  / John Davis, born March 7th, 1867 / Joseph A Davis, born January 23, 1869 . . . that no prior application has been filed; . . . ; that her residence is nea[r] Douglass in the County of Butler and State of Kansas, and that her post office address is Douglass, Butler County, kansas.  / Claimant's signature, Nancy M Davis / Witnesses: R R Davis; S E Black.  

Also personally appeared R R Davis, in Hickory and S E Black, in El Dorado . . . .  Sworn to and subscribed before me this 14th day of Februay AD 1880, C N James, Clerk of District Court. 

[Cover when folded]:  [stamped at top]: Department of the Interior, Pension Office, March 6, 1880 / Widow / Claim for Pension / Original / Nancy M Davis, applicant / Widow of Joseph W Davis / Co K 116 Regt Indiana Infantry Vols / filed by Gilmore & Co, . . .

Item 2:  6116. VS 1880 / War Department /Adjutant General's Office / Washington, January 7th, 1881 / Sir:  I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your request of June 22d 1880, for certain information for use in the consideration of application for pension No 261.138, and to return it herewith, with the following information from the records of this office: / It appears from the rolls, &c, on file in this office that Joseph W Davis was mustered into the service of the United States as 1st Lieut Co K 116th Regiment of Indiana Vols, to date Aug 16th 1863 and mustered out with detachment to date March 2d 1864.  No Rolls or Regimental Return on file.  I am, sir, very respectfully, Your Obedient servant, Geo D Ruggles, Assistant Adjutant General / Wm J Armstrong / The Commissioner of Pensions / Washington DC

Item 3:  Pensioner Dropped / United States Pension Agency / Topeka, Kansas / Feby 29, 1908 / Certificate No 216.974 /Class: Widows / Pensioner: Nancy M Davis / Soldier: Joseph W " [ditto marks] / Service 1st Lt K 116 Ind / To Commissioner of Pensions / Sir: I have the honor to report that the above-named pensioner who was last paid at $17, to 4 August 1904 has been dropped because of failure to claim her pension for 3 years. / Very respectfully, Wilder S Metcalf, United States Pension Agent. 

~~~~~~~

Date of this letter about Nancy is in upper right corner but impossible to read except that it was from McPherson and written on the 10th? of something.

PUBLICATIONS:

---Unidentified newspaper clipping (abt 1914, Clinton, Oklahoma), "The Davis Family enjoys delightful reunion"

          One  of the most pleasurable affairs that has been enjoyed in Clinton for many days was the family reunion of the Davis family in this city last Sunday, November 7.  City park was chosen for the event, and although the members of one family were present the company was sufficiently large to suggest a Sunday school celebration or some other similar gathering, there are 58 members of the families of the Davis Bros, and sisters, who are Mrs Mary Pearce of Yale, Washington; Mrs Harriet Stocks of Clinton; Mr R R Davis, of Grandfield, Oklahoma; Mrs Cynthia Pitts of LaFayette, Ind; Mrs Josephine Erickson of Latham, Kansas; Prof John Davis, of Edmond, Okla; Mr J A Davis of McPherson, Kans.

          This   is the first time in 36 years since this happy family all met together, these seven brothers and sisters being children of Mr and Mrs J W Davis, now deceased, all of whom were born in Indiana.  While there were 58 descendants of this worthy couple present on this occasion, only about half of the total number were represented as there are 102, all told, living.

          Following is a list of those present:  Mr and Mrs George Stocks and children; Mr and Mrs Eben Stocks and their children. Guy, Georgena, Grace, Mildred, Sadie, Florence James; Mrs F Stocks Simmons and children Earl, Edith, George, Frank, Alberta, Hazel; Mr and Mrs Bert Stocks Allspaugh and children, May, Pearl, Wilbur, Virgil, Alice, Lewis; Mr and Mrs Jim Owens and children, Lawrence, Francis, Charles, John, Nancy, Myrtle, Elizabeth, Ruth; Mr and Mrs Frank Stocks and children, Earnest, Hugh, Harriet, Frank Jr; Mr and Mrs Carl Goss and children, Harry, Austin,  Thelma, Gerrald; Mr and Mrs Arthur Stocks and son.  Geo Jr, and John Stocks.

---A Standard History of White County, Indiana, Vol 1, Lewis Publishing Co, 1915 

     Chapter 14, Prairie Township; Other Early Land Holders

     Besides those already mentioned, the following are recorded in the tract book in the county recorder's office as having entered various parcels of land in Prairie Township: John Davis, 1835; John Davis, 1847; Joseph W Davis, 1849

     Chapter 11:  The Six-Months' Company

     In the meantime, under the call of June 15th for 100,000 six-months' men, Capt Elijah C Davis and Lieuts Joseph W Davis and Isaac H Jackson enlisted a full company, which was mustered in as K, of the One Hundred and Sixteenth Regiment, on the 17th of August, 1863. The camp of rendezvous was at Lafayette and the first two months of service was occupied in guarding the United States arsenal near Detroit, Michigan, and in routine duties in Kentucky. In October it participated in engagements at Blue Springs and Walker's Ford, but the remainder of its six-months' term was largely passed in guard and fatigue duty. It was mustered out, with other commands of the One Hundred and Sixteenth, at Lafayette.

---A Standard History of Oklahoma, An Authentic Narrative of its Development. by Joseph B Thoburn. 5 v (Chicago, New York: The American Historical Society, 1916), Vol 3, p 1885, Professor John Davis, excerpt:

     . . . John Davis was born in a plain rural Indiana community at Wolcott, March 7, 1867, a son of Joseph W and Nancy M (James) Davis. . . . The father was a farmer, minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and about two years before the birth of Professor Davis had come back from the war with the rank of first lieutenant in an Indiana regiment. Professor Davis has two brothers and four sisters: Reed Davis, a lumber dealer at Grandfield, Oklahoma; Mrs Harriet Stocks, wife of a farmer at Clinton, Oklahoma; Arthur Davis, agent for the Santa Fe Railway at McPherson, Kansas; Mrs Josie Erickson, wife of a stockman at Latham, Kansas; Mrs Cynthia Pitts, whose husband is a music dealer at Lafayette, Indiana; and Mrs Mary Pierce, who lives with her daughter at Yale, Oregon.  . . .    [article contains errors]

---Prairie Fire; Western Oklahoma Historical Society; 1978; Elk City, Oklahoma.  George Samuel Stocks, excerpt

-George Samuel Stocks, married Harriett Ann Davis, 1872-73, at Wolcott, White, Indiana. . . . Mrs Stocks was born June 22, 1853, at Reynolds, White, Indiana.  Her parents were Joseph Weldon and Nancy Minerva (Janes) Davis.  He was born in 1827, in Ohio, and she was born March 3, 1830, in Virginia.

---Family Records of Douglass Pioneer Families, by Daisy Shamleffer, Douglass Museum, Douglass, Kansas  [not dated, copied Nov 16, 1992]            

1877 Joseph (B) Davis - Nancy Minerva Janes

I  Harriet md George Stocks  children:  Eben, Sophronia, Myrtle, Frank, Leo, Lela, Arthur, John

II Mary md Trontly Van Pearse  children: Jesse

III Cynthia md _____ Pitts     children: Cleo, Laticia - Lucille

IV  Reed md Emolyn True   vol 1, p 195

V Josephine  md John Erickson     children: Ross, John

VI John md Lillian     children: Ruth md Armon Williams

VII Arthur md Octavia Woody p 101     children: Vern, Frank, Paul

---Lineage of the Davis family; Vertical file: Davis, Joseph W; Douglass Museum, Douglass, Kansas (Not dated - copied April 1996, part of a letter by unknown correspondent.)

Joseph W Davis b Feb 10, 1828 (Weldon?), d July 19, 1879; bur Douglass, Kans.

Nancy Minerva Janes - Davis; b Va, March 3, 1830, d Sept 14, 1904; bur in Douglass.

children -

1.  Mary Jane Davis b May 26, 1849, d

2.  Hannah Ann Davis, b March 28, 1851, d Sept 1,  1951.  They lived in Indiana then.

3. Mark C Davis b Jan 24, 1851 [sic], d Sep 9, 1953.

4.  Harriett A Davis - Stocks; b June 22, 1854,  in Clinton, Okla.  Mrs Geo Stocks.

5.  Reuben Reed Davis, "Dad", born Feb 21, 1856, Woolcutt [sic] Indiana, d Sept 17, 1931 in Oregon.

6.  Cynthia A Davis b 2-3-1858, d 9-16-1937.

7.  Josephine Davis - Erickson, b 7-28-1862, came to Douglass Kans,  Oct 1877; d Feb 12, 1949, 87 yrs old.  Lived in El Dorado abt 5 yrs, d Winfield, Kans.

8.  Sheridan Davis, b 2-12-1865 - d Aug 1877.

9.  John Davis, b 3-7-1867, d 1-7-1947.  Taught school in Okla & TCU, Ft Worth, Texas.

10  Joseph Arthur Davis b 1-23-1869, d Nov 30, 1948.  Agent for Santa Fe RR in McPherson, Kans.

FAMILY:

---Commentary:

     Children of Joseph W and Nancy Davis are buried in Spring Creek Cemetery, White Co, Indiana.  GLO Records show that in 1837 and 1838 Abel Davis owned land a mile from Spring Creek Cemetery. 

Indiana, White Co, Spring Creek Cemetery, row 9   [LC03;WCGS correo]

*Hannah A Davis, 1851 - 1853, father J W Davis, mother N M Davis

*Mark C Davis, d 1853, father J W Davis, mother N M Davis

*Isabelle Davis, 28 Jan 1801 - 29 Feb 1844

*Mary Davis, 10 Jan 1822 - 1840 

*Margaret J Davis, 12 Jan 1830 - 29 Feb 1844 

*Cynthia A Davis, d 20 Apr 1850, 8 months, father P H Davis, mother Phoebe Davis

Indiana, White Co, Wolcott, Christian Apostolic Cemetery records: row 4

Davis, Sheridan, died 23 Dec 1877, 12 years, 6 months, 3 days; father: J W Davis; mother: N M Davis

MISCELLANEOUS:

---Correspondence from Joe Williams"

     Joseph, unable to take care of the farm after returning from the war, for a time worked as a sub-agent for Wakefield Patent Medicine Company, selling Wakefield's medicine which he also used to relieve his condition (chronic diarrhea contracted during military service).  It became apparent to Joseph and Nancy that they could no longer manage the farm, even with hired help.  They sold the Indiana farm in 1878 and moved to Butler County, Kansas, where they joined the Stocks family.

---Chart: 

I have a copy of a chart, drawn by hand, that is either from Alberta Simmons or Hazel Simmons.  It shows this exactly, including the two paragraphs at the bottom.

[Top line]:  John Davis married Hannah

[Line 2]:  Joseph Weldon, born Feb 10, 1828, Ohio, died July 18, 1879, Butler, Kansas / married July 30, 1848 / Nancy  Minerva Janes, born March 3, 1830, died Sep 14, 1904, Lafayette, Indiana

[Line 3]:  Mary Jan born 1849 / [drops to Harriet - I'll add her on fourth line] / Josephine born 1862 / John born 1867 / Arthur born 1869 / Reed / Cynthia / Chester

[Line 4]:  Harriet Ann born June 22, 1854, Reynolds, Indiana, died Nov 21, 1924, Clinton, Ok / married Feb 7, 1873 / George Samuel Stocks born April 14, 1850, Lucketts, Va, died May 16, 1921, Clinton, Ok

[Line 5]:  John / Arthur / Myrtle / Saphronie, Dec 16, 1875 married Albert Simmons

Notes:  The Indiana Archives show that Joseph W Davis enrolled in the 116th Indiana Volunteers, Co K, on July 15, 1863.  He mustered in Aug 17, 1863 in White County.  Discharged march 2, 1864 as a First Lieutenant.  His age at that time was 36.  He was in Andersonville Prison and contracted a disease which finally took him.

--------------

Saphronie Stocks came in a covered wagon to kansas where she married Albert Simmons.  Albert Simmons made a land run to Clinton, Oklahoma.  He was a lay minister and started the First Christian Sunday School in Clinton.  He was also a carpenter.

COMMENTARY:

There was a Joseph Ware Davis living in Champaign Co, Ohio, who was born 14 years after our Joseph W Davis.  A write-up of the later J W Davis appears in the publication Centennial Biographical History of Champaign Co, Ohio, Lewis Publishing Co, 1902.  It states that Joseph Ware Davis was born 1842 and names his parents who were from Carlisle and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  I have kept a copy of that information as it is entirely possible that the later JW Davis and our own Joseph W Davis are related, having similar, if not the same, names and having both been born in Champaign Co, Ohio.

The Sword

The Davis line was fairly easy to work, back to a certain point.  That point, curiously enough, was the father and mother of Joseph.  After 25 years, I still do not have primary documents that link him to his suspected parents, just proximity evidence.  Nancy’s JANES line has been equally troublesome - through lack of evidence.  I haven’t been able to make enough trips to the areas they came from to look at surviving records.  One of these days . . .