DAVIDSON-John H. - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

REV. JOHN H. DAVIDSON, (deceased), Newtown, son of Robert J. and Catherine (Hilliard) Davidson, was born in Pennsylvania, November 26 1819, and died August 1 1880. His father immigrated with his family to Ohio when he was very young. About 1828 the family came to Fountain county Indiana, and settled at Wrightstown in Richland township. (See biography of William Hamilton Wright, Richland township). Their home was at this place several years. He and his father followed farming and brick making and on January 11 1844 he was married to Miss Mary Yeazel. Mr. Davidson had been an acceptable and efficient member of the United Brethren Church, and prior to his marriage had commenced giving exhortations at the old Presbyterian church (abandoned years ago). And at Possum Point, on the banks of Coal Creek in Richland township. He was ordained a minister in the church at the annual conference held in Vermilion County Indiana, April 4 1859. His certificate of ordination was signed by David Edwards, Bishop. After this he traveled on the circuit and preached until just before the death of his wife in 1862, when he was compelled by a large and constantly increasing family to quit the pulpit, because the income from that source was inadequate to their support. The children by his first marriage were; William N. b. November 20 1844, John A. b. May 17 1846, died October 4 1847, Anna R. b. March 21 1848, died September 10 1850, Hernando b. December 17 1849, died September 4 1850, Catherine b. February 10 1851, Calvert b. October 8 1852 (deceased), Mary b. January 30 1854, died December 15 1862, Robert Newton b. June 23 1865, Hamilton b. January 29 1857 (deceased), Celestia b. August 4 1858, Martha b. April 4 1861. March 16 1863, he was married to Mary Jane Keller, relict of Henry C. Bever. Her children by her first husband were; Jacob Deloss (deceased), Robert M., Joseph M. (deceased), Sarah E. (deceased), Barbara A. (wife of John Crumley) and Henrietta (deceased). By her second marriage she had the following; Ira B. died in infancy, Nettie E. b. February 2 1865, Columbus, Samuel A., Fleming E. Truman O., and Latimore E. Mr. Davidson was on the circuit no more after his last marriage, but during winters he assisted his brethren in their protracted meetings until he was stricken with his final illness, two years before his death. He had preached with practical success and was held in estimation by the community where he had always lived. HE was a kind father, and a devoted and affectionate husband. He left his family in comfortable circumstances.