Amanuensis Monday~Evan David Will, 1748

Amanuensis Monday is a genealogy blogging theme. It was started by John Newmark who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog.
His definition of Amanuensis is:
Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

Today’s subject is the WILL of Evan David, written in August 1748.¹
In 1927, Harry Alexander Davis wrote a book entitled “The Davis family (Davies and David) in Wales and America : genealogy of Morgan David of Pennsylvania. Morgan David’s  descendants migrated from Pennsylvania to New Castle County, Delaware and eventually the Father and Grandfather of our known ancestors migrated and settled in the Welsh Neck area of South Carolina.²
Our ancestor, Thomas Davis married Nancy Rivers. He was born in the Cheraw District, South Carolina, on 22 March 1760. The DAVID surname was changed to DAVIS the generation after Evan David or the parents of Thomas Davis, David Davis and Jane Miles.³    
Evan David was the Grandfather of Thomas Davis husband of Nancy Rivers Davis. He was twice married. His first wife was Jane Rees whom he married  12 January 1711 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Our Davis line is through their son, David Davis. Jane Rees David died 1 December 1723 in New Castle County, Delaware.⁴ 
Evan Davis next married Jane Morgan in 1724, It is Jane Morgan and their 4 children that is referenced in this Will. The Thomas mention in this will is not Thomas Davis born 1760. There’s another generation between Thomas and Evan David. The parents of Thomas Davis born 22 March 1760 is David Davis and Jane Miles.⁵   


In the Name of God Amen. I Evan David Sen^r of Pencader Hundred in New Castle County being very sick & weak of body but of perfect & sound mind & memory (blefsed be God for the same} do make appoint & constitute this my last will & testament In manner & form following that is to say. IMPR^S. I order all my just debts and funeral Expenses to be paid by my Executor hereafter named.
Item. I give & bequeath to my Eldest Son John David one hundred & fivety <sic> acres of Land adjoining of land of Reas Rees to him his heirs & Afsigns forever. As also I give & Bequeath to him Sd John two Cows & four sheep to be delivered him by my Executors.
Item, I give & bequeath to my Son Joshua David fivety acres of Land that I bought of Thomas John to be pofessed by him when he comes of age of one & twenty years & by his heirs or afsigns afterwards forever, likewise I give him one cow & six sheep to be delivered him by my Executors when he come to of age aforeSd.
Item, I give to my Daughter Margaret three Cows & six sheep to be delivered her by my Executors as above Sd.
Item. I give Bequeath & devise to my Beloved wife Jane David and son Thomas all the remainder of my lands tenements Rights titles Estate goods Chattles & effects whatsoever to be professed by them jointly during the natural life of my said Wife & then to belong unto & be professed by my Sd. son Thomas his heirs & afsigns for ever Appointing & Constituting them & none other to be Executors of this my last will & Testament, ordaining likewise & willing that if my Sd Son Thomas die without issue that all his part belong unto & be professed by my son Joshua above named & his heirs & afsigns forever, AND I do hereby revoke disanull & make void every other & former will by me made constituting this only to be my last will & Testament . In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 21^st day Aug^st 1748.
Sealed signed & declared by Sd Evan Davis Sen.
Simon James} Timothy Griffeth
William Evan}

Evan David is my 6^th Great Grandfather. 

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[1] New Castle County, Delaware, LDS FHL microfilm #006539: Will Book "G", page 207-208, EVAN DAVID; Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
[2] 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 9.
[3] 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.
[4] 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 9.
[5] Ibid.

Amanuensis Monday~David Davis, Sr.

 
Amanuensis Monday is a genealogy blogging theme. It was started by John Newmark who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog.

His definition of Amanuensis is:
Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

Today’s subject is the WILL of David Davis written 29 April 1775.¹



Will of David Davis Senr.
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. I David Davis Senr. of South Carolina Craven County: being Weak in Body but of sound Mind and Memory Blefsed be God: do this Twenty Ninth day of April In the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven hundred and Seventy five: Make and Publish this my Last Will and Testament In Manner following: That is to say: Principally and first of all I allow that all my Lawful debts be paid out of my personal Estate. Also I will and allow to my son William Davis the plantation or tract of Land I now live on adjoining Crowders Creek Also I will and allow to my son Thomas Davis Twenty pounds proclamation money of North Carolina. To be paid to him by son Wm, at the Expiration of Two years after my death. Also I will and allow that my personal Estate be Equally divided between my son Thomas and William Davis and make and constitute and ordain Col. Thomas Neel Esq. and John Howe to be my executors of this my Last Will and Testament in Trust: In witnefs thereof I said David Davis have to this my Last Will and Testament set my Hand and Seal the day and year above written.
                                                                        DAVID DAVIS {seal}
Signed Sealed and delivered
by the Testator and for his Last
Will and Testament In presence
of us who were present at the signing
and sealing thereof.
John Howe )
Davis Neel )
Jean Neel )
 
David Davis was born in Nov 1717 in Merion Township. He signed his Will on 29 Apr 1775  in the Cheraw District, South Carolina.² He died in 1793 at the age of 76 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

David Davis and Jane Miles were married in Dec 1738. Jane Miles was born in 1720 in Pencader Hundred, Delaware. She died before 1772 at the age of 52.

David Davis and Jane Miles had the following children:
i. John Davis was born in 1741 in Marion,Craven Dist.,South Carolina. He died in May 1778 at the age of 37.
ii. James Francis Davis was born in 1743 in Marion,Cheraw Dist.,South Carolina. He died in 1808 or 1809 at the age of 65.
iii. William Davis was born about 1751 in Marion,Cheraw Dist.,South Carolina. He died before 1810 at the age of 59.
iv. Jane Davis was born in 1753 in Marion,Cheraw Dist.,South Carolina.
v. Samuel Davis was born in Apr 1757 in Marion,Craven Dist.,South Carolina.
vi. David Davis was born in 1758 in Marion,Craven Dist.,South Carolina.
vii. Thomas Davis, born 22 Mar 1760, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Nancy Rivers, 1787 or 1788, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; died 20 Mar 1845, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.


David Davis is my 5th Great Grandfather. 




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[1] Charleston County, South Carolina, SC Court of Ordinary Will Books, WILL of DAVID DAVIS; digital images, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org: copied November 1997); Book TT, page 583, Family History Film: #0023477.
[2] Ibid.