Go to Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Diana, Goddess of the Hunt — for Ancestors!
 
Go to Every-Name Index
Every-Name Index
William DAVIS
Mary CRAWFORD
Martha Louise CRAWFORD?
PLEASE NOTE:  the father of our subject is said to be, but is not remotely proven to be, Joseph Emory DAVIS, eldest brother of Pres. Jefferson DAVIS.

Joseph Emory DAVIS had no known children with his wife, Eliza VAN BENTHUYSEN, but he acknowledged three illegitimate children (viz., Florida Ann, Mary Lucinda, and Caroline) and adopted two other children (viz., the infant son of Jane NICHOLSON and Martha QUARLES).  I know of no documentation supporting that Joseph Emory DAVIS had an illegitimate son, and the fact that he openly acknowledged three illegitimate daughters and adopted two other children makes it highly improbable that, if he had a biological son, he wouldn't have at least acknowledged him, if not adopted him.

Joseph's father, Samuel Emory DAVIS, was born in Georgia and moved to Kentucky by 1797 — Samuel is on the 1800-1808 tax rolls of Christian Co., KY, with land on the West Fork of Red River.  As a boy of 13-yrs in 1797, Joseph would have made the move from Georgia to Kentucky with his parents.  Samuel then moved his family to Mississppi in 1808.  That Joseph moved with his parents is supported by the fact that Joseph's eldest daughter, Florida Ann, was born in 1811 in Mississippi.

Daniel SHELBY is on the on the tax rolls of Christian Co., KY, from 1807 to 1809, with land on the West Fork of Red River; he is the only SHELBY in the county during those years.  One can argue that Joseph Emory DAVIS had a dalliance with a daughter of Daniel SHELBY, but where's the evidence?  One can argue that Rachel SHELBY was that daughter of Daniel SHELBY, but where's the evidence?  One can argue that a son, William, was the product of that dalliance, but where's the evidence?  And only if William was born in Kentucky is such a contention even plausible.  If William was born in either IL or SC, it becomes highly improbable that he is Joseph's son. 

 
Husband:  William DAVIS
Birth:  1808/9, SC? IL? KY? — it appears William did not know where he was born
Father:  Mr. DAVIS — said to be, but not remotely proven to be, Joseph Emory DAVIS
Mother said to be:  Rachel SHELBY — father said to be Daniel SHELBY
Marriage-1:  16 Jul 1827, Gallatin Co., IL
Wife-1:  Maria / Mary "Polly" CRAWFORD
Birth:  23 Feb 1808, Randolph [now Pope] Co., IL
Death:  22 Nov 1886, Ridgway, Gallatin Co., IL
Father:  John CRAWFORD (1750s-1833)
Mother:  Mary Agnes "Nancy" GLASS (1770s-1832)
Marriage-2:  8 Dec 1887, Gallatin Co., IL
Wife-2:  Martha Louise CRAWFORD
Birth:  5 Aug 1830, Gallatin Co., IL
Death:  1 Jan 1910, Gallatin Co., IL
Other Spouses:  m1. Mr. CRAWFORD; m3. 21 Nov 1896, Gallatin Co., IL, Franklin S. GLASS
Father:  William R. CRAWFORD
Mother:  Martha STEVENS

Martha married William DAVIS as Mrs. Martha L. CRAWFORD, so are we certain her maiden name was also CRAWFORD?

Children with Mary CRAWFORD — born in Gallatin Co., IL:
1.  James F. DAVIS, b. 20 Jul 1828; d. 24 Apr 1877, Gallatin Co., IL; m1. 12 Sep 1850, Gallatin Co., IL, Elizabeth J. MARTIN; m2. 6 Jan 1876, Sarah Jane __?__
2.  Nancy Elizabeth DAVIS, b. 29 Apr 1830; d. 3 Apr 1912, Ridgway, Gallatin Co., IL; m1. 19 Mar 1846, Gallatin Co., IL, Garland Miller KIMBRO; m2. 20 Feb 1865, Gallatin Co., IL, Scipio A. LAMB
3.  Mary Lucinda DAVIS, b. 7 Mar 1837; d. 29 Dec 1906, Herrin, Williamson Co., IL; bur. Crawford Cem., Ridgeway, Gallatin Co., IL; m1. 24 Jul 1856, Gallatin Co., IL, Nathaniel Porter HOLDERBY; m2. 2 Jan 1891, William R. PRYOR
4.  John E. DAVIS, b. 11 Feb 1841
Children with Martha CRAWFORD(?):
?


Sources (n.b., Randolph Co. was formed from St. Clair Co. in 1795, Gallatin Co. was formed from Randolph Co. in 1812; White Co. was formed from Gallatin Co. in 1816; Pope Co. was formed from Gallatin and Johnston Cos. in 1816):

1.  Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900:
Davis, William (of White Co) Crawford, Maria Gallatin 07/16/1827
Davis, William Crawford, Martha L (Mrs) Gallatin 12/08/1887
Glass, Franklin S Davis, Martha L Gallatin 11/21/1896

2.  1830 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com):  no William DAVIS in Gallatin Co., IL.  Of the two William DAVIS'es in White Co., IL, one is too old to be our subject and the other, while he is in the right age class and has one daughter, he has no sons (00001-10001).

4.  1840 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #3-4 of 6; extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):
1840 IL Gallatin Co. North Fork Precinct pp. 60B-61A Ln. 9 William Davis 001 011 - 101 001 0100000
These data indicate:
No. & Sex Age Class Therefore Born Individuals Inferred
1 male 10-14 1825-1830 = James (b. 1827/8)
1 male 20-29 1810-1820 = ?
1 male 30-39 1800-1810 = William (b. 1808) 
1 female 4 or under 1835-1840 = Lucinda (b. 1836/7)
1 female 10-14 1825-1830 = Nancy (b. 1830)
1 female 30-39 1800-1810 = Mary (b. 1808)
1 person employed in agriculture
The male in his 20s is too old to be their son.

5.  1850 Census Index/Microfilm (online at GenealogyLibrary.com):  North Fork Precinct, Gallatin Co., IL, p. 370B, 33/33, enumerated 3 Sep 1850 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):
William Davis 41 M Farmer 300 S.C.
Mary      " 42 F     Ill.
James H.  " 22 M Laborer   "
Lucinda   " 13 F     "
John E.   " 10 M     "

6.  1860 Census Index/Images (online at Genealogy.com, Image #4-5 of 7):  Crawford P.O., T8_.R8E, 3rd PM, Gallatin Co., IL, Roll 180 (Book 1), pp. 1049-1050, 1340/1340, enumerated 18 Aug 1860, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1860 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):
William Davis 53 M   Farmer 1000 500 Illinois
Mary 53 F         Illinois
John 18 M         Illinois
Elizabeth 30 F         Illinois
William J 13 M         Illinois
Lucinda J  8 F         Illinois
[next page]
Rachel J  7 F         Illinois
Garland M  4 M         Illinois
Listed two households from Robert & Martha TROUSDALE, who are three households from John & Nancy CRAWFORD.

7.  1870 Census Index/Images (online at Genealogy.com, Image #39 of 94):  Equality P.O., T8_.R8_, Gallatin Co., IL, Roll 224 (Book 1), p. 351A, PN 23, 173/173, enumerated 9 Jun 1870, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1870 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):
Davis Wm 61 M W Farmer 1000 500 Ky
  "   Mary 62 F W House Keeper     Ky
Brinkly Mary S 15 F W       Ills
Brinkly Robt E 13 M W       Ills
Listed next to son, John E. DAVIS.

8.  1880

9.  Kirk Bentley Barb.  1971.  "Extract from Genealogy of Jefferson Davis."  Appendix III, pp. 488-508 in Papers of Jefferson Davis, Volume 1, 1808-1840.  Haskell M. Monroe, Jr., and James T. McIntosh, eds.  Louisiana State Univ. Press, Baton Rouge.  [Rev. ed. of 1991 not seen.]  No mention of a liaison between Joseph Emory DAVIS and Rachel SHELBY, nor of a son, William DAVIS.

10.  Haskell M. Monroe., Jr. & James T. McIntosh, eds.  1971.  "Genealogy of the Davis Family."  Appendix IV, pp. 505-529 in Papers of Jefferson Davis, Volume 1, 1808-1840.  Louisiana State Univ. Press, Baton Rouge.  [Rev. ed. of 1991 not seen.]  No mention of a liaison between Joseph Emory DAVIS and Rachel SHELBY, nor of a son, William DAVIS.

11.  Ernesto Caldeira.  1983.  "Davis Family Genealogy."  Appendix II, pp. 402-416 in Papers of Jefferson Davis, Volume 4, 1849-1852.  Linda Lasswell Christ, Mary Seaton Dix, and Richard E. Beringer, eds.  Louisiana State Univ. Press, Baton Rouge.  No mention of a liaison between Joseph Emory DAVIS and Rachel SHELBY, nor of a son, William DAVIS.

12.  Genealogy of the Davis Family at Rice University.  No mention of a liaison between Joseph Emory DAVIS and Rachel SHELBY, nor of a son, William DAVIS.

13.  Janet Sharp Hermann.  1990.  Joseph E. Davis, Pioneer Patriarch.  Univ. Press of Mississippi, Jackson, MS (out of print).
Hermann supports a liaison between Joseph Emory DAVIS and Rachel SHELBY in Christian Co., KY, with a resulting son, William DAVIS, b. 1808.  Her sources are entirely secondary.  As she states,

"…family tradition has convinced me that William was indeed Joseph's son"

Tradition?  As if there weren't hundreds, possibly thousands, of fanciful family legends — all untrue — of being connected to Jefferson DAVIS!

14.  WorldConnect (online at RootsWeb.com).

Contact Home
Page
Table of
Contents
DNA
Hub
Biddle
DNA
Carrico
DNA
Corbin
DNA
Cupp
DNA
Danish
DNA
Ely
DNA
Lyon(s)
DNA
Rasey
DNA
Reason
DNA
Rose
DNA
Straub
DNA
Pedigree
Charts
Census
Records
Every-Name
Indices
Everything I have is online at this web site.  I have no further information, so please don't write asking me if I do.
On the other hand, if you feel I've made an error, please don't hesitate to notify me, but in which case,

please include a link to the page you are referencing.
There are over 18,000 pages on this web site, and I simply don't remember every page, much less every person on every page.

"The Cloud" is double-speak for "dumb terminal on a main frame." Been there; done that. Never again.
You are giving away not only your privacy, but control of your data, your apps, and your computer to a corporation. Is that really where you want to go?
The IT guys on the big iron hated the Personal Computer because it gave users freedom and power; now they've conned you into being back under their control.
Table of Contents
Go to Table of Contents
 
Privacy Policy ______
Every-Name Index
Go to Every-Name Index

¤