52 Ancestors: #50, Nancy Rivers

 


Amy Johnson Crow of No Story To Small has started a challenge of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.

From her blog “The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor. Not only should this get me blogging more, but also to take a deeper look at some of the people in my family tree.”

The focus of my blog post today is Nancy Rivers.







Nancy Rivers was born 15 December 1767 in the Cheraw District, now Chesterfield County, South Carolina. Her parents are unknown. In 1787/1788 she married Thomas Davis, born 22 March 1760, son of David Davis and Jane Miles.

I have been researching Chesterfield County families for 38 years. I only know of two documents that actually mentions the name Nancy Rivers, Nancy Rivers Davis or Nancy Davis. They are:

• Thomas Davis Revolutionary Pension File – W-8655 ¹

William Davis Affidavit

Thomas Davis was married to his deponents Mother Nancy Davis in Chesterfield District South Carolina in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven or eight (1787 or 1788) and as husband and wife

William Rivers Affidavit

Since his first recollection that he was raised within one fourth of a mile from the said Nancy Davis, then Nancy Rivers deponents Aunt and well recollects the time they were married but was not present at the marriage and to the best of his knowledge and belief would say they were married about the year Seventeen hundred and eighty seven or eight (1787-88) that the said Thomas Davis lived the year before he was married with his deponents father and has known them as husband and wife ever since in which relation they were respectable members of the Methodist Church up to the time of his said Thomas Davis death

• John Calvin Davis Family Bible ²

Nancy Davis died December
The 15 1853 Age 86 years Exact

Thomas Davis died 20 March 1845 and Nancy Rivers Davis died 15 December 1853.Thomas and Nancy were married (1787-1845) 58 years. During that time they raised eleven children; 6 sons and 5 daughters. Their son Michael (child 9) is my 3rd great Grandfather.   
Nancy & Thomas had the following children:

i. Samuel Davis, born Jan 1789, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; moved out West.
ii. William Davis, born 1790, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States; married Julia Thurman, abt 1814, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; died aft 1860, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
iii. Susannah Davis, born abt 1794, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married John H. Wadsworth, 1819–20, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; died bet 1870 and 1880, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
iv. Isaac Jacob Davis, born 18 Aug 1795, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; married Sarah (LNU), abt 1820; died 13 Jun 1877, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
v. Hulda Davis was born in 1797 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. It is not known when she passed away.
vi. Jonathan Daniel Davis, born abt 1800, Cheraw, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Sarah STB RIVERS, 1818, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; died abt 1839–1840, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
vii. Elizabeth Rebecca Davis, born 1798–1802, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; married Lewis Boatwright, abt 1818, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; died aft 1870, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
viii. Sarah Jane Davis, born 1804, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Jesse Freeman, abt 1826, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; died aft 1870, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
ix. Michael Davis, born 13 Mar 1806, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Hulda Rivers, 1832, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; died 26 Apr 1888, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
x. Mary "Polly" Davis was born on 25 Jun 1808 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina She died on 20 May 1890 at the age of 81 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.38
xi. John Calvin Davis, born 14 Dec 1812, Cheraw, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Charlotte Hurst, 31 Jan 1836, Darlington, Darlington, South Carolina; died 12 Jul 1865, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.

Nancy Rivers Davis is my 4th Great Grandmother.








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[1] Thomas DAVIS and W-8655, compiled military record (1779-1783), Rev. War Pension and Land-Bounty Application Files, (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), NARA microfilm publication M804, Roll 766 and http://www.fold3.com/image/1/15484583/
[2] Family data, John C. Davis Family Bible, Holy Bible, (New York: n.p., 1844); original owned in 2004 by Old Darlington District Genealogy Archives, [address for private use].