DAVIS, Joseph A. - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

The history of this worthy resident of Hutton Township, although not characterized by any thrilling details, is that of the life of an honest man and a good citizen, who has performed his part worthily and established himself in the esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens. He is a native of Fountain County, Ind., born Oct. 2, 1846, and is the son of Samuel and Rachel (Mitchell) Davis (sic), natives respectively of West Virginia and Ohio. His father was a farmer by occupation, and after his marriage, located in the Buckeye State, where two children were born, and where the mother died five years later. The two sons of this union were James, now a resident of Kansas, and John, who died in infancy. A few years after the death of his wife, Samuel Davis was again married, to Miss Rachel Colvert, a native of Somerset County, Md., and the daughter of Isaac and Alsey Colvert, who were born in the same State. Soon afterward Mr. Davis went back to Ohio. Of the second marriage of Samuel Davis, there were born ten children, viz., Mary, Minerva, Robert, David, Emily, Nancy, Armanda, Samuel, Joseph and Alice. With the exception of Samuel, who died young, all lived to become men and women. Samuel Davis finally removed to Fountain County, Ind., and from there in 1850, to Charleston Township, this county, where he carried on farming some years, and then removed to Cumberland County, returning to this county five years later; he died in Hutton Township in 1875. He was a man of high moral principle, and while in early youth connected himself with the Methodist Church, later becoming an exhorter. After his death, Mrs. Davis became the wife of John Scott, and still survives. Joseph Davis received an ordinary education, and was but a youth at the breaking out of the late Rebellion. He could not then go into the army on account of his boyish appearance, but was permitted to enlist before the close, which he did in March, 1865, when nineteen years old, becoming a member of CO. B, 54th Ill. Vol. Inf. He was not permitted to participate in any very serious engagements with the enemy, his regiment being detailed on the railroad between Little Rock and Devall´s Bluff, and was in a skirmish with Quantrel and the James boys. The latter finally got away, and the war being then practically ended, young Davis was mustered out a few months later. After becoming a civilian Mr. Davis returned to Coles County, where he engaged in farming until the spring of 1866m and on July 16 following, was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Bennett. This lady, a native of Ohio, was born May21m 1849, and is a daughter of Hiram and Polly Bennett, natives of Ohio. The young people located on a tract of land in Hutton Township, where our subject operated until the spring of 1885, then going to Union Center, learned the blacksmith´s trade, and is now carrying on business for himself. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Davis, eight in number, are recorded as follows: Daisy, born Dec. 4, 1867m died Jan. 5, 1868; Sarah was born March 8, 1869; Ozetta, Dec. 5, 1870; Lyda, Dec. 1, 1872; Sora, Oct. 28. 1874; Joseph, June 20, 1878; Elizabeth, May 24, 1879; Jess, Feb. 21, 1885. Our subject and his wife are members in good standing of the Christian Church, and Mr. Davis uniformly votes with the Republican party. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Walter Davis by name, was a native of France, and came to this country as a soldier with Gen. LaFayette, under whom he served during the Revolutionary War. After the independence of the Colonies had been established, he located near Wheeling Va., where he purchased a tract of land and carried on farming. He married Miss A. Tracey, a native of his own country, who came over with Count De Gras. They became the parents of fifteen children, twelve sons and three daughters, namely, Joseph, Archibald, Walter, Luther, William, James, David, Samuel, John, Arthur, Polly and two others. Tow boys died young. Joseph served under Gen. Harrison in the Indian War, and was killed on the Wabash River in Indiana. Archibald, a seafaring man, while hunting pirates, was captured by the Turks, and held a prisoner twelve months. After escaping he returned to the United States and located in Virginia, where he died. Grandfather Davis finally left Virginia and emigrated to Ohio, settling near Chillicothe, where he purchased a tract of land and became one of the most successful farmers in that region. His death took place in 1858. His wife survived a few years, and died upon the old homestead. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.