DAVIS FAMILIES
Blount & Knox Co., Tennessee


Rev. Dr. Doug Showalter, 54 Main St., Falmouth, MA 02540 -- dougshow@cape.com
Updated 1 Nov 1999

GENERATION 7:
[Possibly] THOMAS DAVIS who was born after 1760, as was his wife, whose name is unknown.

GENERATION 6:
WILLIAM DAVIS and JANE HOOPER were married on 25 Oct 1832 at the Eusebia Presbyterian Church in Blount Co., TN. William was born abt 1800 in NC. Jane was born abt 1800--[possibly] in Iredell Co., NC, the daughter of JAMES HOOPER and [Elvira/Caroline/Martha??]. William deserted his family in August 1856. Jane received a pension from the U.S. Government [#96474] beginning 27 Jan 1865, following the death of her son Hiram while in the service. Pension records indicate that prior to his death, Hiram was Jane's "sole support." Jane died 14 Aug 1875 in Knox Co., TN.

[Generation 5]
William and Jane had the following children:

--JOHN HARVEY DAVIS [b: 31 July 1831, Blount Co., TN]--m: Nancy Wells Berry on 27 July 1865 in Knox. Co. John died 20 Aug 1890 in Knox Co. and is buried at Mt. Pleasnt Baptist Church Cemetery in Knox Co. His wife Nancy died 26 Jun 1914.

--WILSON N. DAVIS [b: 27 Jun 1833, Blount Co., TN]--m: (1) Mariah ____ (2) Esther [Easter] Maranda Baker [SEE BELOW]

--CAROLINE DAVIS [b: abt 1838, Blount Co., TN]--m: Louis Falconnier on 13 May 1858. He was born about 1823.

--MARTHA A. DAVIS [b: 18 Nov 1839, Blount Co., TN]--m: Charles Augustus Sandberg on 9 Aug 1857. Martha died 15 Mar 1884 in Knox Co. Charles was born 25 Mar 1823 and died 12 Aug 1885.

--WILLIAM FRANKLIN DAVIS [b: abt 1842, Blount Co., TN]--m: Mary Freeman King on 9 Jan 1862. William died abt 1905 in Knox Co. Mary was born abt 1838 in TN.

--HIRAM DAVIS [b: abt 1845 in Blount Co., TN]. He served in the 6th Regiment Tennessee Volunteers as a Private. He was killed near Annapolis Junction, MD on 26 Jan 1865 when the troop transport train in which he was riding broke an axle.

--ISABELLA ELMIRA DAVIS [b: 26 Sep 1847, Blount Co., TN]--m: Jacob Millard French on 28 Sept 1873 in Knox Co., TN. Isabella died 28 Dec 1914 in Knox Co. Jacob was born 3 Nov 1851 and died 8 Aug 1899.

--GLASCO C. DAVIS [b: 1850, Blount Co., TN]--m: Siotha Vandelie White on 21 Sept 1871 in Knox Co., TN. He died on 22 Jun 1906 in Kimberlin Heights, Knox Co., TN. She was born 25 Mar 1850 and died 4 Jul 1912.

--DANIEL T. DAVIS [b: 29 May 1853, Blount Co., TN]--m: Martha Ann Elizabeth Ward. Daniel's middle name may have Trundle or Thomas. He died 18 Oct 1910 in Sevier Co., TN. Martha was born 28 Jun 1859 and died 5 Feb 1922. Daniel also was married to Martha Elizabeth Emert on 7 Sept 1871.

GENERATION 5:
WILSON DAVIS, also known as "Wilse" or "Willie," was born 27 June 1833 in TN. He married first MARIAH ______. She was born about 1832. He married second ESTHER [Easter] MARANDA BAKER on 26 March 1862 in Knox. Co. Esther was born on 6 April 1843 in TN and resided in Blount Co.

Wilson and Esther are buried in Eusebia Presbyterian Church Cemetery 12 miles NE of Maryville on highway 411. The 14 May 1898 edition of the "Maryville Times" notes "Wilse Davis, an old and respected citizen of the 13th district, died Wednesday. He was 66 years of age."

[Generation 4:]
Wilson and Mariah ______ had the following children:

--MARUSHA [Marusa/Marcena?] E. DAVIS [b: 26 Sept 1856]--m: Cruze. She died 17 Nov 1894.

--AMANDA DAVIS [b: abt 1857], who may have m: John T Stephens on 11 June 1888 in Knox. Co., TN.

--WILLIAM R. DAVIS [b: abt 1859]

--HARVEY BROWN DAVIS [b: 1860 at Sims Corner, Knox Co., TN]--m: Margaret Clementine Presilia Monday on 22 Dec 1881.

Wilson and his second wife, Esther, had the following children:

--SARAH JANE DAVIS [b: abt 1864], who may have married in Knox Co. either Leonard H. Kidd on 6 Nov 1887 or Charles C. Anderson on 11 April 1889. Sarah died after 1922.

--MARTHA DAVIS [b: abt 1864] Martha died after 1922.

--MAGNOLIA DAVIS [twin--b: 30 July 1866]--m: Robert Brady Mayfield [SEE BELOW]

--CALEDONIA DAVIS [twin--b: 30 July 1866]--m: Moses A. Armstrong on 11 June 1885 in Knoxville, Knox Co., TN. Caledonia was known as "Calley." She died 26 May 1952.

--MARY [T/L/J.?] DAVIS [b: abt 1867]

--NANCY TENNESSEE ALICE DAVIS [b: 8 May 1870, Knoxville, Knox Co., TN]--m: Samuel Prater on 7 Sept 1890 in Knoxville, Knox Co., Tn. She died 2 Oct 1943 in Knoxville, Knox Co.

--CHARLOTTE B. DAVIS [b: 18 Sept 1874]--m: Berney. Charlotte was known as "Lottie." She died 1 July 1917.

--ELIZABETH DAVIS [b: 13 Dec 1876]--m: Charles Alex Walker. Elizabeth was known as "Liz"/"Lizzie." She died 25 Feb 1932. Charles was born 18 Sept 1867 and died 11 May 1938.

--CHARLES "DOCK" DAVIS [b: 5 Apr 1878] died before 1922.

--CORA C. DAVIS [b: Dec 1879/80?]--m: James Allen Minton on 7 Mar 1900 in Knox Co., TN. He was born May 1873 in TN. She died 5 Dec 1918 [the infamous flu epidemic?] at Third Creek Pike, Knoxville, Knox Co., TN and is buried at Third Creek Cemetery.

--DORA LEE DAVIS [b: 5 Sept 1882]--m: Samuel Allison Spangler. She died 8 Dec 1950. He was born 25 Aug 1875 and died 29 Mar 1951.

--LUTHER CLEVELAND DAVIS [Sr.] [b: 16 Oct 1884]--m: Elsie May Slatery. He died 6 Mar 1968. Elsie was born 10 May 1886 and died 9 July 1960.

--ALICE DAVIS [b: after 1866]--m: Sayne. She died after 1922.

--BELL DAVIS [b: after 1866]--m: Berney.

--KATE DAVIS [b: after 1866]

The "Old Davis place" was said to be in Blount County near Seymour. One of Wilson's daughters who married Sam Spangler was said to have been living there in 1950.

My descent is through Wilson and Esther's daughter Magnolia [a.k.a. "Maggie"] and her husband Robert Brady Mayfield whom she married on 30 November 1886 in Knox County. Robert died in a train yard accident on 27 September 1907 in Lonsdale. In 1912 Maggie married her second husband, MOSES CUNNINGHAM [a.k.a. "Uncle Yank"] from the Bearden district of Knoxville. He died about 1947.

Magnolia's obituary appears in the June 22, 1950 News-Sentinel. It reads, in part:

"Services were held at Piney Grove Baptist Church this afternoon for Mrs. Magnolia Davis Cunningham, one of the 'identical Davis twins' of Blount County who, at 83, were still considered 'the spittin' image' of each other. The twin sister is Mrs. Caledonia Davis Armstrong, now ill at her home in Asbury...[Magnolia] died at the home of a niece, Mrs. Dulcie Mays [Sevier Ave.]...each year relatives arranged a birthday celebration of the twins...more than 200 relatives attended last year's celebration."


With special thanks to Co-Researchers of these DAVIS families:

Additional information, corrections, or questions are most welcome, please contact:

Rev. Dr. Douglas K. Showalter


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