The Revolutionary Legacy of David Davis

 David Davis is my 5th Great Grandfather

Parents of Thomas Davis

The Last Will and Testament of David Davis, Jr.

 Mecklenburg County North Carolina June 23d 1828

Be it know to all whom it may concern that I divide my plantation into three parts To my son John I divide that part of my land, lying on the West side of the hollow below his fields, crossing the Creek a little above, the lock ford to Joseph Ewarts line. The other two divisions lying on the North & South sides of the Clarks Creek running by my spring.This Creek to be the dividing line of these parts. Silas my son to have choice of the last divisions. The other to be equally divided in valuation between my daughter Elizabeth S. & my grandson Thos. Green Barnet. To Elizabeth and her heirs, should she have any, I allow the half of the proceeding parts.The Smith tools & wagon I wish to be a common stock for the use of all the members of my family; all at the same time contributing their proportional part of labor or expense to repairing them when necessary; or forfeit their right to the use of one or both. My Wife Jane I allow to hold my mansion house during her life and them to have the disposal of all the household furniture.
Signed in                                                                       David Davis
the presence of us
Walter Pharr Jur’t
Jane B. Pharr
 

David Davis was borne about 1758, a son of Rev. David Davis and his wife, Jane Miles.

David married Rebecca Jane Willis on 20 January 1781. His grandson, Thos. Green Barnet,  named within this Will was the son of  of daughter Jane and her husband William Graham Barnett. 

Research data pertaining to the Davis surname during this time period is rare, elusive, hard to find and verify. So this document is a “Works in Progress.” You should verify all data to ensure its validity. 

David Davis, Jr. is my 4th Great Grand Uncle.

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Source: https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/545423:9061?tid=&pid=&queryId=813a0c3df704a7cbe97b31333b7de26b&_phsrc=ngE6&_phstart=successSource

Documenting the Parents of my 4th Great Grandfather Thomas Davis

Data on the parents of my 4th Great Grandfather – Thomas Davis is very sketchy and limited. A review of data on-line clearly shows that little to no research his been done on Thomas‘s parents and what little information there is mostly secondary information from derivative sources – in other words – it’s junk.  

The parents of  Thomas Davis born 22 March 1760 in Cheraw District, South Carolina are David David, changed to Davis and Jane Miles. 

David [David] Davis was born in Merion Township,  Pennsylvania in Nov. 1717. He was a son of Evan David, Sr. and his wife, Jane Rees.

David moved with his family from the Merion Township,  Pennsylvania  to New Castle, Delaware about 1723.

David  Davis and Jane Miles were married in December 1738, in New Castle, Delaware. Jane is reported to have been born in 1720; there is no documentation for this date and it is my belief to be a “guess” based an assumption of marriage at age 18 (1738) for Jane to David.  

About 1739, David and his family along with his brother Benjamin moved to South Carolina and settled in Craven Co., later Marion District. He served as a member of the militia for many years. 

David Davis and Jane Miles had seven children; their youngest son is my 4th GGFather.  Their children were:

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. She died after 1840. 
v. Samuel Davis was born in Apr 1757 in Marion, Craven Dist., South Carolina. He died between Jan 1836 and Jan 1840 at the age of 78.
vi. David Davis Jr. was born in 1758 in Marion, Craven Dist., South Carolina. He died between in 1831 and 1839.
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.
 
On-line trees reports that Jane Miles Davis died before 1772 and that David David died in 1793. As stated previously, these dates are secondary information from derivative sources. They are not sound factual documentation. 

David Davis left a Will dated 29 Apr 1775. Only two of his known children were named within the WILL. They were sons, Thomas and William. 


“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”
 
Much work remains to properly document this line. It will take actual research in local archives in Pennsylvania, Delaware and South Carolina to accurately document this family history. I don't believe sufficiency data exist do this at home on-line.








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1. Edmund West, "Family Data Collection - Individual Records," database on-line, Ancestry (http://Ancestry.com : viewed 3 August 2014), David Davis & Jane Miles; Birth-Marriage-Death.
2. 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. Courtesy of S. Tenney.
3. Right Rev. Alexander Gregg D.D., History of the Old Cheraws (Columbia, South Carolina: The State Company, 1925), page 245.
4. West, "Family Data Collection - Individual Records," database on-line, Ancestry, David Davis & Jane Miles.

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.