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
.bmp)
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 . . .
