Mystery Monday~When Did William Blakeney Davis, Sr. Die?

 The loss of records in Chesterfield County, during the Civil War, makes it very difficult sometime to accurately document the lives of our ancestors from this area. My genealogical database contains way more general dates than I so desire. I’m tired of using “before, after, about, between” to document marriages, births and deaths. For instance, let take a look at William Blakeney Davis, Sr.

William Blakeney Davis, Sr. is a son of William Davis and Julia Thurman. Based on the 1860 population census for Chesterfield county, William Blakeney Davis was age 37, making his birth year to be 1823. My genealogical database has his birth year as about 1823, Chesterfield County, South Carolina. William Blakeney has not been found in 1850 Census. He was not in his father’s household. We also find in the 1860 Census that William Blakeney has married and has a growing family. Research shows that he married Mary Jane Martin abt 1855. This date again is an estimated date based on the age of the oldest child in the household, G. W. M. Davis, male, age 3. George Washington Martin Davis was actually born 1 November 1856. William B. and Mary Jane may have married as late as Jan-Feb 1856. 

1860 CENSUS: Chesterfield County, South Carolina; Roll: M653_1217;  Image: 243; Family History Library Film: 805217; Page: 120, Line 4, Dwelling 368; Family 367; W. B. DAVIS, male, age 37, born in SC; Mary J. DAVIS, female, age 25, born in NC; G. W. M. DAVIS, male, age 3, born in SC and Jam. W. K. DAVIS, male, age 1, born in SC.

William B. and Mary Jane had an additional 8 children between 1860 and 1875 even though William Blakeney enlisted and served in the Civil War. There is a three year break in children between 1862 and 1865. He was a member of  Company “E”, 21st SC INF CSA. 

Mary Jane (Martin) Davis died 15 September 1885 leaving four sons and a daughter under the age of 21. Her youngest, a daughter was age 10. The other six children were age 21 or older.

It is not known when William Blakeney Davis died. We know that on 1 November 1892 he executed a land deed to Owen A. Davis, selling him 50 acres of land on Bear Creek for the sum of four hundred dollar. Until another document is found all we can say is that William Blakeney Davis died after 1 Nov 1892.   

If you have any information related to the demise of William Blakeney Davis I would love to hear from you.

William Blakeney Davis is my 1st Cousin 4X Removed

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1. Land Deed - W. B. Davis To Owen A. Davis Deed; 1 November 1892; Deed Book #11; Page(s) 691-692; Register of Deeds; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC; 3 February 2023.

Chesterfield County SC Estates~Estate Folder #1107~Martha H. (Rushing) Davis.

 

This is a new series of posting, appearing every Sunday, on selected Estate Folders from the Estate files of Chesterfield County. No known estates exist for the period before the Civil War. They were destroyed with the burning of the Courthouse. There are a few “Equity Records” in the State Archives. Do not overlook this valuable resources if you are looking for ancestors in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

Today we will be looking at the following Estate folders:

Folder #1107
Martha H. (Rushing) Davis

This estate folder begins at image #1267 and ends with image #1279. (images 1267-1279)

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19383-31233-32?cc=1911928
 
Martha Hannah Rushing Davis died 23 March 1926 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. Martha married George W. Martin Davis, son of William Blakeney Davis and Mary Jane Martin in 1878 according to information provided for the 1900 census.

Martha and George W. had eight children between 1878 and August 1891; 4 daughters and 4 sons. At her death, in March 1926, only two children survived her; a son, Weldon and daughter Bessie.


Transcription:
2^nd:-
I will, devise and bequeath all my property, personal and real and mixed wherever situate to my son, Weldon Davis, and my daughter Bessie Davis (share and share alike) in fee simple absolute.
3^rd:- I hereby nominate, constitute and appoint, Weldon Davis and Bessie Davis as Executor and Executrix of this my last will and Testament. Witness my hand and seal this 21^st October 1925. 
 
In additional to her personal property William and Martha owned 27 acres of land in the Courthouse township, Bethel School District. 
 
George W. and Martha are buried in the Peniel Cemetery, Chesterfield, South Carolina. 
 
 
 
 
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[1] "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19383-31233-32?cc=1911928 : 21 May 2014), Chesterfield > Probate Court, Estate records > 1865-1927 > Cases 1053-1137 > image 1267 of 1673; county courthouses, South Carolina, and South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia.

Obituary Sunday~Augustus B. Davis Dies

Drops Dead On Street
Gus Davis Succumbs Suddenly at Cheraw
Special to The State.
Cheraw, March 11. – Gus Davis dropped dead at the corner of Kershaw and Greened streets between 12 and 1 o’clock yesterday. Until recent Mr. Davis had a market in Cheraw, but on account of failing health he had given this up, and for the past few months had no regular business. He was a great sufferer from rheumatism. His death was due to hearth trouble.
Mr. Davis, whose wife died a year ago, is survived by three sons, Clarence, Walker and Barney. Mrs. Ada Johnson and Mrs. Kelly, both of the Teal Mill section of this County. ¹
 
Augustus B. Davis was born on 26 August 1861 to William Blakeney Davis and Mary Jane Martin. He came from a large family with 9 siblings; 1 sister and 8 brothers. He married Margaret Odom and they also had a large family of 10 children; 5 sons and 5 daughters.

Augustus “Gus” died on 10 March 1920 most likely from a heart attack. His wife, Margaret, aka Maggie, had died in June 1918. Only 5 of his children; 2 daughters and 3 sons, survived their parents. 

Gus and Margaret are buried in the Peniel Cemetery. 

Augustus B. Davis is my 2nd cousin 3 times removed.


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[1] “The State”, Columbia, South Carolina, Friday, March 12, 1920, page 7; Drops Dead on Street Gus Davis Succumbs Suddenly at Cheraw
[2] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 7 November 2013); Memorial page for Augustus B. "Gus" Davis; (26 August 1861–10 March 1920); Find a Grave memorial # 115680882, Citing Mar. 10, 1920; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.

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