Amanuensis Monday~Sale of C. W. Davis Estate Lands

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 Sale of C. W. Davis Estate Lands. ¹


Transcription:

P. F. Spofford Sheriff  to    Jesse C. Smith   Deed


The State of South Carolina
                                                 To all whom these presents shall come or be made known, or whom the same may in anywise concern I P F Spofford Sheriff of the County of Chesterfield in the said state send Greeting Whereas William B. Davis In on or about the twenty fifth of December in the year one thousand eight hundred and Seventy One did exhibit his Petition in the Court of Probate in the County of Chesterfield and State aforesaid asking that the real estate of C. W. Davis deceased might be sold. And the Court, being at issue before the Honorable Court aforesaid, came on to be heard on the first day of January A. D.  one thousand eight hundred and seventy two when the said Court, after a full hearing thereof and mature deliberations in the premises, did order, adjudge and decree that the the <sic> real estate of C. W. Davis deceased hereinafter mentioned and described should be sold at Public Auction by the Sheriff of Chesterfield County, on the terms and for the purposes mentioned in said decretal order, as by reference  thereto on file in the said Court, will appear. And the said Sheriff after having duly advertised the said real estate for sale, by public outcry on the fifth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Seventy Two did then, openly and publicly and according to the custom of Auction, Sell and dispose of the said Real estate below described unto Jesse C. Smith for the sum of one thousand and ten dollars$1010.00 he being at that price the highest bidder for the same.
Now know all men That I the said P F Spofford Sheriff as aforesaid in consideration of the premises and also in consideration of the sum of Three Dollars paid by the said Jesse C. Smith the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged have granted, bargained, sold and released, and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell and release unto the said Jesse C. Smith and his heirs and assigns, All that piece parcel and tract of land, Situate lying and being in the County of Chesterfield and State aforesaid on the waters of Abrams Creek, Containing  three hundred and fifty six acres more or less, bounded by lands of G. R. Boatwright, R. W. Smith, Mary Jones, Isaac Smith and Owen Bittle. Together with all and Singular the Rights, Members, hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever, to the said tract of land, belonging or in anywise appertaining and the reversions and remainders, rents, issues and profits thereof and Also, all the estate, right, title,interest, dower, possessions, property, benefit, claim and demand whatsoever, both at law and in Equity of the said C. W. Davis deceased and of all the parties in the Said Suit and of all other persons rightfully claiming or to claim the same or any part thereof by from or under them or either of them.
To Have and to Hold the said tract of land herein before mentioned and described with its hereditaments, privileges and appurtenances unto the said Jesse C. Smith his heirs and assigns forever. 
In witness whereof I the said P F Spofford Sheriff as aforesaid, under and by virtue of the Said decree have hereunto set my hand and seal at Cheraw, S. C. this Eight day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and Seventy Two and in the ninety-Sixth year of the Sovereignty and Independence of the United States of America.
Sealed and Delivered}                                             P. F. Spofford {LS}
In presence of}                                                                     S.C.C.
Henry McIver
W. E. McCreight
 
{U. S. Stamps amounting to}
{One 50/100 Dollars properly canceled}
 
The State of South Carolina
Chesterfield County}
                                 Personally [appeared] before me Edwin F. Malloy Notary Public came Henry McIver and made oath that he saw the within named P F Spofford Sign, Seal and as his act and deed, deliver the within deed and that he with W. E. McCreight witnessed the Execution thereof, and the cancellation of the United States Internal Revenue Stamps of$1.50/100 thereto affixed.
Sworn to before me this 9th}                                       Henry McIver
day of February A. D. 1872}
Edwin F. Malloy {LS}}
Notary Public}
 
Auditors Office
Chesterfield Co. }
             Recorded Feb 10th 1872 in Sales Book A, page 6
                                                                         T. L. Weston
                                                                                   A.C. C.
 
                           Recorded 10th February 1872
                           Orign’l Delv’ to Jesse C. Smith

Carroll Washington Davis died on 6 February 1863. His 2nd Wife, Mary Boatwright Davis, passed away on 22 February 1863. By Christmas of 1871 their estate was still unsettled. So, the oldest son of the first marriage, William Benjamin Davis petitioned the Courts to sell the 346 acres of land.

The farm (346 acres) went on sale, at public auction, on 5th of February 1872 and was sold to Jesse C. Smith, the highest bidder, at $1010.00 dollars. 

Carroll Washington Davis was twice married to sisters. He first married Elizabeth Boatwright, daughter of Lewis Boatwright and Elizabeth Rebecca Davis on 17 Feb 1846.  To this union was born 3 children:

• William Benjamin Davis
• Julia Elizabeth Davis
• George Richard Davis

Elizabeth Boatwright Davis died 15 December 1853.

Carroll Washington  then married her (Elizabeth) younger sister Mary Boatwright on 10 August 1854. To this union was born 4 children:

• Catherine Jane Davis
• Lewis Boatwright Davis
• Margaret Elizabeth Davis
• Mary Eliza Davis

Carroll Washington Davis and his two wives are my 1st Cousin 4 times removed. Elizabeth Rebecca Davis Boatwright is my 3rd Great Grand Aunt.





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[1] Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Deed Book 3: pages 594 to 596, P. F. Spofford Sheriff to Jesse C. Smith Deed; Register of Deeds, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina

Sunday’s Obituary~William Benjamin Davis

William Benjamin DAVIS -  Another of Chesterfield's grand old gentlemen who wore the grey has answered the final summons and joined the vast army on the other short. Mr. W. W. Davis, of the Zoar section, answered to the last "taps" and fell asleep at seven o'clock Tuesday evening. Eighty-two years of age, his health had been failing for some time and his passing was not unexpected. Mr. Davis had lived a long, useful and happy life, a devout Christian and a high type of southern gentleman. He enlisted in the Confederate army at the age of 16, was seriously wounded and captured. He was a life long member of the Methodist Church. His body was laid to rest Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 at the Morven cemetery, the Revs. Latham and Way performing the last sad rites. He was married three times and is survived by his present wife and the following children: Mr. J. J. Davis, Mrs. Minnie Mauldin, Mrs. W. R. Winfree, Mr. W. W. Davis, Mrs. A. M. Gardner, Mrs. Irene Miller, Mr. C. E. Davis, Mrs. Bessie Griggs, Mr. E. D. Davis, Mrs. Thurman B. Teal, Messrs. J. Colon Davis, Hoy W. Davis and Leo F. Davis and a very extensive family connection. [The Chesterfield Advertiser, July 11, 1929, page 1, col. 4]

William Benjamin Davis was known to his friend and family as “Uncle Dock.” Uncle Dock was my 2nd Cousin 3 times removed.






__________________________
James C. Pigg, Obituaries from the Chesterfield Advertiser 1927-1931; Self-Published, 2002. Obituary of William Benjamin Davis; page 51; The Chesterfield Advertiser,11 July 1929, page 1, column 4, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

Amanuensis Monday~Civil War Recollection of William Benjamin Davis

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 a letter written by William Benjamin Davis documenting his time in the Civil war and return home. ¹

William Benjamin Davis.
I, W. B. Davis, volunteered in April 1863, enlisted in Company E, 21st S.C. (South Carolina) Regiment on Morris Island. In less than a month (I) was wounded by a shell on Battery Wagener (Wagner); it was a fifteen inch shell. I was sent to Summerville Hospital. It took two doctors two and one half hours to get the powder out of my face.

When able for service (I) was returned to Battery Wagener (Wagner), (and) from Battery Wagener (Wagner) to Fort Sumter. We whipped the Union army ten to one. From Charleston we were transferred to the Northern Army of Virginia. during the battle of Warhaul (Port Walthal) Junction I was detailed to the rear to guard a lot of baggage, (and) for three days and nights I had only a small piece of bread and a glass of milk for each meal. From there I carried the baggage about two miles back carrying as much as I could at a time for a short distance until I had covered the distance of two miles; at this place I had only wild onions to eat for three days and nights. some Cavalry-men (cavalrymen) passed and gave me a piece of bread and meat for some stationery to write to their homefolks.

From Warhaul (Port Walthal) Junction we went to Cold Harbor, from Cold Harbor to Drewery’s (Drury’s) Bluff, from Drewery’s (Drury’s) Bluff to Gaines (Gaines’) Mill and then to Bermuda Hundred. There I lost my uncle (,) Capt. (Captain) Benjamin Thomas Davis; he was wounded in the thigh and died from the wound. My Uncle Alfred W. Davis was made captain of Company E in his place.

From Bermuda Hundred we went back to Cold Harbor, from there to Malvernrs’ (Malvern) Hill, from there to East Petersburg. On June 18th we fought two hard battles. In one of these battles William A. Davis was wounded in (the) right chest. On June the 24th (in a battle between the Appomattox River and City point Road) I was wounded in the left side by a minnie ball (and) was carried to the rear to a Field Hospital, from there to City Point, put on the old New York boat and sent to Fortress Monroe, from there to Hampton Virginia (Prison) Hospital. Was there seven months with my bowels discharging through the wound partly(.) The first time I left my bunk, I slid on my hands and back to the ward masters (wardmaster’s) office and begged him for a piece of tobacco and he put me on his feather bed and let me rest all the afternoon.

(I) was sent from (the) hospital to Butlers (Butler’s) Bull-pen on (the) 23rd day of Jan. (January,) 1865(,) I was given (a) furlough and transportation home, but on the night of the 22nd Wilmington was captured and I was turned back at Greensboro, and sent to Charlotte and my transportation taken away from me. I stayed in Wayside Hospital one night and started home on foot(,) walked two and rode three miles the first day, second day walked half mile and rode eight, was too weak to travel, begged a man to let me spend the night or sleep in his horse stable but he refused, but later hitched a yoke of oxen to his carriage and brought me two miles towards Monroe, N.C. (North Carolina) to the next house(.) There I found a noble man and woman who took me in and cared for me (for) a week.
From there I rode on a wagon loaded with corn and meat to within two and one half miles of State line between Monroe and Chesterfield(.) The wagon broke down in a creek and there came a rider saying the Yanks were coming, so the driver said he could bring me no further(.) He jumped on the best mule and told me to take the other and follow(.) I rode from about two hour of sun ‘till 9 o’clock that February night in my shirt sleeves and my wound discharging nearly all the time. Had not a bite to eat all day, about nine o’clock we saw a fire, found it was a captain’s camp fire, he gave me all I could eat.

The next day (Sunday) I rode all day on a wagon, night found us about eighteen miles north of Wadesboro(.) There the captain (seeing my condition) went to a Widow Ladies (widow lady’s) house (and) asked her to keep me till Monday morning and he gave me $25.00 and a doctor gave me $20.00 The widows (widow’s) overseer said he would bring me to Wadesboro (,) so he went off for a horse and buggy and I haven’t seen him since. I stayed there a week, had a severe cough, couldn’t sleep, so the lady treated my cold and cured the cough.

After waiting a week for the man (Stevenson) to come back I wanted to get home, so the lady let me ride her horse across a creek, then turn him back to her on the other side.

I walked half a mile in a half day to a Mr. Hancocks (Hancock’s) and he brought me to Wadesboro(.) From there Mr. Tom Little brought me to Alfred Baucom’s place, by night I had walked on to the William Jerman place near Bethel Church and stayed with him a day and night(.) He sent me on an oxcart to Squire John Ratliff and he (with a good horse and buggy) refused to bring me home. So the cart brought me on to Peter Jones, he had picked up an old mule and pulled an old buggy out of Jones Creek, so then he borrowed a pair of plow lines and sent me to my Grandfathers (grandfather’s) for I had no father and mother, each having died during the war.

My father served during the first year of the war, but his health failed and he was sent home and died soon afterwards. I reached home on March the 8th 1865.

That was the end of my militery (military) career.

W. B. Davis
Co. E. 21st S. C. Regt., of Volunteers


 W. B. Davis' father was Carroll Washington Davis. He served with Company C, 2nd Battalion South Carolina Sharp Shooters CSA. He died in February 1863. ²



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[1] Source: Transcribed by me from original letter in possession of The Stonewall Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Chesterfield South Carolina
[2] "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, Family Search (https://www.familysearch.org/ : Viewed January 2012), images, "Carroll W. Davis, Probate File #66," images 23-158; South Carolina Archives and History.

Military Monday~Two W. B. Davis’, Same Regiment, One War Record

There were two W. B. Davis (cousins) in the same outfit (Co. E., 21st SCV – William Blakeney Davis and William Benjamin Davis. This in turn has resulted in a mixing of records on Fold3 making it impossible to differentiate between the two William B. Davis.

William Benjamin Davis was the 16 year old son of Carroll Washington and Elizabeth Boatwright Davis was inducted into Company “E”, 21st South Carolina Volunteers (SCV). He gave his age as 17; but, was just barely 16 years old. He was enlisted by Capt. Davis, which is his Uncle, Capt. Alfred W. Davis. 

William Blakeney Davis was born in 1823 making him to be in his late thirties when the war started. He was a son of William and Julia Thurman Davis.

After William Benjamin Davis returned home from the war , he wrote a lengthy biographical sketch of his time in the war.

Quotes from William Benjamin Davis biographical sketch:

“I, W. B. Davis, volunteered in April 1863, enlisted in Company E, 21st S.C. [South Carolina] Regiment on Morris Island. In less than a month [I] was wounded by a shell on Battery Wagener [Wagner]; it was a fifteen inch shell.”

“From Charleston we were transferred to the Northern Army of Virginia. during the battle of Warhaul [Port Walthal] Junction”

“From Warhaul (Port Walthal) Junction we went to Cold Harbor, from Cold Harbor to Drewery’s [Drury’s] Bluff, from Drewery’s [Drury’s] Bluff to Gaines [Gaines’] Mill and then to Bermuda Hundred. There I lost my uncle [,] Capt.  Benjamin Thomas Davis; he was wounded in the thigh and died from the wound. My Uncle Alfred W. Davis was made captain of Company E in his place.”

“From Bermuda Hundred we went back to Cold Harbor, from there to Malvernrs’ [Malvern] Hill, from there to East Petersburg. On June 18th we fought two hard battles. In one of these battles William A. Davis was wounded in (the) right chest. On June the 24th (in a battle between the Appomattox River and City point Road) I was wounded in the left side by a minnie ball [and] was carried to the rear to a Field Hospital, from there to City Point, put on the old New York boat and sent to Fortress Monroe, from there to Hampton Virginia [Prison] Hospital. Was there seven months with my bowels discharging through the wound partly[.]”

“(I) was sent from (the) hospital to Butlers [Butler’s] Bull-pen on [the] 23rd day of Jan. [January],  1865[,] I was given (a) furlough and transportation home, but on the night of the 22nd Wilmington was captured and I was turned back at Greensboro, and sent to Charlotte and my transportation taken away from me. I stayed in Wayside Hospital one night and started home on foot[,] walked two and rode three miles the first day, second day walked half mile and rode eight, was too weak to travel, begged a man to let me spend the night or sleep in his horse stable but he refused, but later hitched a yoke of oxen to his carriage and brought me two miles towards Monroe, N.C.”

End of quotes from William Benjamin biographical sketch of his time during the war. 

The below documents matches the written experience of the actual soldier so clearly it’s related to William Benjamin Davis.

At the Battle of Petersburg, on 21 June 1864, Private William B. Davis was wounded and captured.

 

Transcription of above document

(5-11-31)
William B. Davis, Pvt E 21 SC Inf CSA
Enl. Apr 22, 1863 at Morris Island, SC.
He was wounded in left hip and captured June 21, 1863 at Petersburg, Va.
He remained in US hosp at Fort Monroe, Va until Feb. 1, 1865 when he was sent to prison at Point Lookout, Md., where he was paroled and was delivered to the conf. agent of Exch at Coxes Landing, James Rivers, Va. Feb. 14, 1865.
He was admitted to hosp. at Richmond, Va., Feb. 15, 1865 and furloughed there for 60 days, Feb. 21, 1865
No later record has been (over)
Page 2
found, there being no Co. muster rolls in file subs to Oct. 31, 1864.
(below)
The inclosed <sic> Q should be &c with date rel to William Blakeney Davis &c

(This note indicates a mixing of the records of William Benjamin Davis and William Blakeney Davis)

The military records for W. B. Davis clearly shows that he became a prisoner of War in June 1864 document shows that he received a parole as a prisoner of War in 1863.  More proof that this record on Fold 3 could be for William Benjamin Davis or William Blakeney Davis.



Both William B. Davis mentioned above served in Co. “E”, 21st SCV.

Fold3 records show that William Benjamin Davis was wounded at Petersburg; thus, William Blakeney Davis was paroled in July 1863.

If you have information on either of these William B. Davis; I would love to hear from you. 

William Benjamin Davis is my 2nd Cousin 3 times removed.
William Blakeney Davis is my 1st Cousin 4 times removed.




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[1] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 12 August 2012), entry for William B. Davis, Private; Twenty-first Infantry SC Volunteers; Confederate..
[2] William Benjamin Davis Civil War biographical sketch