1.  Family Group Sheets compiled by Georgie Tolleson, Betty Ann (Matthiesen) Cogliati, and Maude Irene (Thompson) Rose.

2.  Jordan R. Dodd, ed.  1993.  Kentucky Marriages:  Early to 1850.  Liahona Research, Orem, UT (Broderbund CD-229):

Ferguson, Peter

Davis, Deborah

Jan 4, 1798

Christian Co.

3.  1790 U.S. Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com):  not found, but the VA (and, consequently KY) census was destroyed.

4. Christian County, Kentucky, Tax Rolls, 1797-1816.  Heritage Quest, Microfilm No. V20-72 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

Year

District

Dates of  Receiving Lists

Persons Names  Chargeable with the Tax

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Acres

Watercourse

In Whose Name Entered

In Whose Name Surveyed

In Whose Name Patented

1st

2nd

3rd

1797

29 Aug 1797

Davis Deborah

3

8

4

495

[unreadable]

[unreadable]

[unreadable]

[unreadable]

Legend for numerical data [grey indicates that particular datum was not taken that year]:  A = White Males 21 or over; B = White Males 16-20; C = Blacks over 16; D = Total Blacks; E = Horses & Mares (gelded male horses and female horses); F = Stud Horses (intact male horses); G = Rate of Covering (stud fee, in dollars); 1st/2nd/3rd refer to 1st Rate, 2nd Rate, or 3rd Rate land.

5.  Laura Willis, transcriber.  1997.  Christian County, KY, Wills and Administrations, Volume One, 1797-1813.  Simons Historical Publ., Melber, KY.  On p. 1 (first will in book; was a single paragraph, which I broke up for improved readability; boldface and color added):

WILL BOOK A, Page 1 Will of JAMES DAVIS, deceased

In the name of God, Amen.  I, James Davis, being weak in body but of sound mind and memory, do make and ordain this my last will and testament.  As for the worldly estate with which God has blessed me, I bequeath in the manner following. It is my will that all my just debts be first paid. I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Debora Davis, the whole tract of land on which I live, when at home, on the west fork of Red River, to my son, William C. Davis, arrives to the age of twenty-one years, and after that time.  I leave her, my said beloved wife, the one third of said tract of land, enduring her life laid of any part she chooses.  I also leave her, my said wife, my negroes, Chloe and David, forever, to dispose of as she thinks fit.  I also leave her all my other negroes, to my son Abraham Miller Davis, arrives to the age of twnty-one. And for the purpose of raising and scooling my children, I leave her the whole remainder of my moveable estate after my debts is paid, but should it be more convenient fo her to sell a negro or negroes to pay my debts, it is my will she shall sell any of them she chooses for the purpose.  It is my will for her to keep the property or sell it at her pleasure without being accountable to any person for any of it. I further will to my two sons, William C. Davis and Abraham Miller Davis, the above mentioned tract of land, to be equally divided between them, quantity and quality, each to bear their proportion of their mother's third, to them, their heirs and assigns.  It is my will that in consequence of getting the land, my two sons shall each of them pay to each of their sisters, viz, Betsy, Salley, and Patty, forty pounds before they arrive at the age of twenty-four. I will to my said three daughters, Betsy, Salley and Patty, my negroes that is not otherwise disposed of, to be equally divided between them, as soon as my son Abraham Miller Davis arrives to the age of twenty-one years of age. I do hereby appoint my beloved wife Debora Davis, the sole Executrix of this my last will and testament, and I do hereby impower her to made a deed of conveyance to Brewer Reeves for three hundred acres of land which I sold him on which he now lives. I do hereby revoke any former will by me heretofore made, and declares this my last will and testament.  In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 9th day of February 1797. Test: Thomas Murry Abraham Miller J. Davis Produced in open court and duly recorded this Jul term of 1797. John Clark [County Clerk]

(Our subject's daughter, Elizabeth, married John CLARK's brother, Henry CLARK, Jr.)

6.  Anna Hunsake Meader & Timothy Reeves Meader, Sr.  1980. Cemetery Records of Southern Portion of Christian County, Kentucky.  Hopkinsville, KY (LDS Film #6075676):

JAMES DAVIS CEMETERY, south of Hopkinsville
Name	Birth	Death	Remarks
James Davis	April 17, 1755	March 29, 1797
Abra H. Davis	May 9, 1794	November 1, 1814	[The "H." would appear to be a misreading of "M."]
William C. Davis	October 13, 1796	March 29, 1826
Sallie Harrison	December 16, 1790	December 29, 1861	aged 71 years; daughter of James Davis and wife of Robert T. Harrison

James is said to have been the earliest White man killed in Christian County and to have the earliest tombstone in Christian County.  I'm not certain either of these claims is true.  What is true is that he had the earliest will recorded in Christian Co., KY (see above).

7.

Early Kentucky Landholder, 1787-1811 surname name date bk pg co acres watercourse prior assignee TM p. 76 Davis James 20 Sep 92 1 04 Abraham Miller listed with him Davis James 20 Aug 93 3 04 Paid tax for --- Miller There were many entries for James DAVIS, many of which were lacking county or watershed making it impossible to tell if they might be our subject.  Of the records naming a watershed, none was the West Fork of Red River, or even Red River.  Two records, however, clearly apply to our subject because they mention subject's father-in-law, Abraham MILLER.

8.  Anon.  1986.  "JAMES DAVIS #2."  Pages 149-150 in Family Histories:  Christian County, Kentucky, 1797-1986.  Christian County Genealogical Society, Hopkinsville, KY. 

9.  LDS.  Family Search: Internet Genealogy Service:  AF - Ancestral File (online at FamilySearch.org).