It’s Family Time~Robert Richard Davis

Robert Richard "Ricks" Davis was born in 1821, a son of Jonathan Daniel Davis and his wife, name unknown. Ricks, as he was known, married Sarah ‘Sallie’ Rivers daughter of William Rivers and Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Rivers. We can only estimate their marriage year based on the birth of their first born. That child, a son named Richard Frederick ‘Fred’ Davis, was born 21 October 1837. Based on this date it’s very likely that Ricks and Sallie were married about 1836; Ricks would have been 15 and Sallie would have been 18.  

In the 1850 Census we find Sarah without a husband, living with her aged Father,  with three young children in the household; Richard Frederick ‘Fred’ Davis, Elijah Thomas Davis and Hannah Davis, a daughter born in May 1846. 

1850 Census, Chesterfield County, SC

There’s been a lot of speculation on the absence of Robert Richard "Ricks" Davis from the household in 1850 with no definitive answers found documented. Based on almost 40 years of research, it is my opinion that this is a clear case of “spousal abandonment”. 


The children of Robert Richard Davis and Sarah Rivers are:
 
i. Richard Frederick "Fred" Davis, born 21 Oct 1837, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Elizabeth McBride, abt 1863, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Lucy Hardy White, aft 1901, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 8 Nov 1915, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
ii. Elijah Thomas Davis, born 26 Jun 1845, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Mattie Deese, 7 Aug 1870, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 26 Nov 1920, Hartsville, Darlington, South Carolina.
iii. Hannah Davis, born May 1846, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married William Riley Grant, abt 1867, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 23 Jun 1923, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
 
Robert Richard "Ricks" Davis is my 1st Cousin 4 times removed.
 
Sarah ‘Sallie’ Rivers Davis is my 3rd Great Grand Aunt.






 
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1. Harry Alexander Davis, The Davis Family (Davies and David) in Wales and America: genealogy of Morgan David of Pennsylvania (Washington, D.C.: H. A. Davis, 1927), page 124.
2. James C. Pigg, Chesterfield County Cemetery Survey; Self-Published, 1995, Page 831. Tombstone of Sarah RIVERS; 1818–1901, Zoar United Methodist Church Cemetery, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
3. 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield District, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield District, South Carolina, Page 179B, Line 16, family 1242, dwelling 1242, Household of William Rivers; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2010); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
4. 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page: 128B; Line 8, Dwelling/Family 489/488, Household of Sarah [RIVERS] DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 3 August 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_1217.
5. 1900 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #21, Page 100B, Line 61, Dwelling/Family 297/303, Household of Frederick DAVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 3 August 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm T623_Roll: 1523.
6. James C. Pigg, Chesterfield County Cemetery Survey, Self-Published, 1995. Tombstone of Sarah RIVERS.
7. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 9 November 2014); Memorial page for Sarah Davis; (1818–1901); Find a Grave memorial # 100262602, Citing Zoar United Methodist Church Cemetery; Brocks Mill, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.