Davis - John L.
John L. DAVIS
H. W. Beckwith History of Montgomery County, Indiana
(Chicago: HH Hill, 1881) p 180
John L. DAVIS, farmer and stock raiser, Crawfordsville, is descended from Welsh ancestry. His parents were natives of NJ. His father, Randolph Davis, married Abigail HOEL in Butler Co, OH and in the autumn of 1826 removed to this County and improved a homestead of Indian Creek, Brown Twp, Sec 13, T 18 R5. The mother is yet living at this place, and has passed several years in her fifth score. The first day after the arrival of the family the men in the company built a cabin, which they all occupied at night. A fire was kindled against the green logs, where the fireplace was soon after made, and the forked flames smiled with a glow of comfort on the new home and its happy inmates. A deer, killed by one of the men, was hung up in a corner. Here it was that the subj. of this biography was b. April 4, 1831. He was the 6th child of his parents. His early life was occupied with the usual employments of that period, such as farming and clearing land; and he wrung meanwhile a common school education from the scanty privileges of the time. He marr. Miss Eliza E. Van CLEVE, daughter of George W. and Margery (BENEFIEL) Van Cleve, who were natives of Ky, and were marr. in Shelby Co, of that state, in 1826. Mrs. Davis was b. on the far where she resides Dec 24, 1834. her parents were Presbyterians, and she has been a communicant in the Old School Presbyterian. Church since her childhood. Three children have blessed the home of Mr. & Mrs. Davis: George E, b. Dec 8, 1862; Little Harry, April 13, 1864, d. Aug 30, 1864; and Margery S. Nov 8, 1866. Mr. Davis is a prominent representative of the Mystic Tie in Montgomery Co. He was made a Master Mason in Mont. Lodge No. 50, June 11, 1852; a Royal Arch Mason in Crawfordsville chapter No. 40, July 30, 1857; rec'd the council degrees in Montgomery Council No. 34, May 5, 1869 and attained the honorable position of a Knight Templar in Greencastle Commandery No 11, Nov 11, 1870. He is a charter member of Crawfordsville Commandery No. 25; was the first treas. and except one year has held that office continuously since. He has attended 3 triennial conclaves of the Knights Templar; the first at Baltimore 1871, the second Cleveland 1877 and the third in Chicago 1880. Mr. D. owns a valuable farm pleasantly situated about 4 mi. So. of Crawfordsville on the Terre Haute turnpike. His real estate comprises 460 acres, 220 being under plow and the rest in meadow and pasture. This fine property, valued at $34,000 has been accumulated by his hard labor and business industry. His superb private residence, one of the best in the County, was erected in 1875 at a cost of $6,000. Exclusive of cellar and attic, it contains 15 handsome rooms. On New Year's Eve, 1879, Mr. & Mrs. Davis entertained at their home upward of 40, including Knights Templar, their wives and others. An elegant supper was spread before a brilliant assemblage of guests, and the affair was too enjoyable not to be conspicuous for a long time in the pleasing recollections of all who were present on that occasion.
Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Parke & Fountain County, Indina, 1893 Chapman Brothers p. 229
John L. Davis, an extensive and wealthy farmer and stockraiser of Union Twp, his beautiful home on Sec. 25 is preeminent in financial circles as one of the most alert, astute and far -seeing of the energetic, braodminded, liberal-spirited business men whose names have been prominently associated wit the progress of Montgomery co. during the last quarter of a century of more. This is his native county, his parents being among its earliest settlers, and he was born April 4, 1831 in Brown Township on land that his father, Randolph Davis, had entered from the Government some years previously. Randolph Davis was born in NJ in 1794 and was of Welsh parentage. His father moved to Ohio when he was quite young and was one of the early pioneers of Butler Co. Randolph Davis was there married to Miss Abigail Hoel, a daughter of a farmer of that State and a native of NJ. She survives him, and is living in Indiana at the advanced age of 98. In the fall of 1826 Mr. Davis came to this State, and bought 400 acres of Government land in Brown Township, upon which he settled. He also bought 160 acres more land of the Government for which he paid $1.25 an acre, besides purchasing other land from time to time until he had 700 acres. He was one of the first to come here, and he found the surrounding country in its primitive condition and very sparsely settled and even at Crawfordsville there were not more than 2 families on the present site of the city. Mr. Davis had to cut down forest trees to make room for the log cabin that he built for his family, which was a rude affair, with puncheon floor and clapboard roof, and a sheet hung over the entrance for a door for a time. He became one of the leading pioneers of the county and was prospered in his every undertaking. He was an extensive stock dealer, and there was probably no man in the county who did more business than he in his day. He lived on the old homestead for over 40 years and then bought a better place. His last days were passed in SE Missouri, where he died in 1866 and there he lies buried. He was a man of marked force of character and was a fine type of our self-made men. In early life he was a Whig in politics and he was a prominent member of the old-time militia, acting as major of a regiment while his son Jacob was a colonel. The family was represented in the late erbellion by his son Isaac. The father was also one of the leading Masons of his day. The parents of our subject had 8 children, of whom 7 grew to maturity, and five are still living, namely: Isaac, formerly a farmer an done of the heaviest stock dealers in thecounty, now living in retirement at Crawfordsville; Eliza, Mary, the wife of John Burgess, a farmer of this county; our subject; and Jemima, the wife of Wesley McKinley of Crawfordsville. Joshua died at age 3. Jacob, who died at Crawfordsville was a heavy grain dealer, pork packer and farmer of this county; and Thompson, now deceased was a farmer in this county. John L. Davis was given excellent educational advantages, as after he left the public schools of his native township he was sent to Waveland Seminary, where he was fitted for college and he then entered Wabash College, where he pursued a practical course of study. He continued to live with his parents until he was 31, assisting the family in the management of the extensive agricultural interests. He farmed on the old homestead for a year after his marriage, which occurred in 1861, and then bought 280 acres of the farm upon which he lives in Union Township. He has purchased other land since, and now has 472 acres, which are well tilled and have been developed into one of the choicest farms of the county by the many valuable improvements that our subject has made from time to time. He and his family dwelt for some 14 years in thelittle brick house that still stands on the place, known as the Elliot Farm, and at the end of that time built their present elegant residence, which is the finest in the township, of a pleasing and appropriate style of architecture, convenient in its arrangements and having an all-pervading air of culture, refinement and unobtrusive hospitality that mark the true home. There are a fine barn and other substantial buildings, all kept in good order and on every hand it is shown that agriculture is carried on systematically, with intelligent regard to the best modern methods. Mr. Davis devotes his farm to general farming and has it well stocked, raising none but the finest grade of cattle, horses and hogs. He has by no means confined his attention to farming but he has branched out in other directions. From 1884 until 1889 he was in the grain business at Crawfordsville, and for about 4 years he was engaged in thepork-packing trade at Terre haute with Charles Allen, Jacob D. Early and Jacob Davis under the firm name of Early, Davis & Co. He has also done a good deal of businesss on the Chicago and Cincinnati boards of trade. he is a shrewd, careful, clear headed financier, invests his money judiciously, invariably securing good returns, and whatever his judgment sanctions is sure to be sound and safe. Our subject is very pleasantly situated as regards his domestic life, as his wife is a true homemaker, who knows how to guide her household affairs so as to contribute to the comfort and well-being of her family, or of any friend or stranger who may be the recipient of their charming hospitality. Mrs. Davis bore the maiden name of Eliza E. Bennifield, and, like her husband, she is also a native of this county, of which her father, George Bennifield, was one of the original settlers. He came here from Jefferson county, having previously come to the state form Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have had 3 children: George E, who lives on his father' s place married Miss Amelia Seaman of this county; Millie is the wife of Dr. James L. Beatty of New Market one of the leading physicians of Montgomery County; and Henry died at the age of 4 months. Mr. Davis is a gentleman of honor and high personal standing, ever courteous and considerate in his intercourse with others, and charitably disposed towards the needy and unfortunate. He is imbued with a generous public spirit, having always the dearest interests of his native county at heart and his hand has fostered many an enterprise for the promotion of its growth. He is identified with its financial institutions as one of the directors of the Citizens' National Bank at Crawfordsville and as a stockholder in the Livestock Insurance Company of that city, that has a capital of $100,000. As a leading member of the Montgomery Co. Agricultural Society, our subject has played an important part in raising the standard of agriculture in this section of the country. He was one of the original stockholders of the society, and it is largely due to the progressive and enlightened policy that he has pursued in the various offices that he has held, from Superintendent of Floral Hall to that of President of the Society, that it has so completely fulfilled the purposes of such an organization. He has spared neither time nor money to make the Crawfordsville Fair what it now is, the best in the State. During his term as president, by his untiring efforts and the able assistance of Sec. FL Snyder, enthusiastically seconded by their fellow members, the Crawfordsville Fair for 1891 far exceeded in number and value of exhibits any fair in Indiana, except the State Fair. Mr. Davis is a Republican of decided political views and he has been an active worker in his party. He is one of the most prominent Masons in the state one of the chief members of Montgomery Lodge and he has taken the 32nd degree of Masonry. He has been Treasurer of the commandery of which he was a charter member and as standard bearer he has carried the banner at six triennials of the order - once at Baltimore 21 years ago and Cleveland, Chicago, San Francisco, St. Louis, Washington and Denver.