Subject: DAVIS Surname From: BNOREM Date: April 23, 1998 Charles - I'm interested in your DAVIS line and whether or not they may tie in with mine in GA. I have John DAVIS, wife Elizabeth (maiden unkn), who both made their wills in Effingham Co., GA - John's, 30 May 1793 and Elizabeth's 2 May 1793 in which she mentions her "deceased" husband's legacy to her, so it's a pretty safe bet to say that John died within a day or two of writing his will. Children named in John's will were: sons, Joseph, John, James, William, Samuel, George, Walter, & daughter, Nancy. A William Osteen received a ten pounds legacy (or at that rate equally divided according to the amount of the Estate) - his relationship is not designated, but an Elizabeth Osteen was one of the witnesses, so Wm. Osteen may have been either a son-in-law or nephew, according to whether Elizabeth Osteen was John Davis' dau. or sister. John Davis also mentions "my lands at Buckhead, according to my Contract with William and Samuel, paying what monies I owe for said lands, it shall be their Right and Property". Do you have any clues where Buckhead may have been? I found 2 possibilties on the GA map - one on Ossawba Island off the coastline of Bryan Co. ( Bryan was created from part of Effingham in late 1793), the other Buckhead was located in Morgan county, (which was still part of Indian Lands until 1803 when Baldwin Co was created & Morgan from Baldwin in 1807) - this one was the most unlikely in my opinion. Son, Walter, is my direct ancestor & he went to MS in 1809/10, then to FL 1824. I have most of his descendants to the present. According to his son, Ellis Fairbanks Davis, on the 1880 census of Jackson Co., FL, Walter was born in SC, but I haven't been able to separate all of the John Davises in SC to identify which one was Walter's father. My John had a land warrant for 500 acres located on the north side of the Great Ogeechee River in that part of Effingham Co. which later was in Bryan Co., dated 1787, so I know John was in GA by then, but don't know where he came from in SC. I believe Elizabeth Davis was probably John's 2nd wife from the way her will was worded: ----------------------------------------------- Concerns I dispose of as follows: (Viz) What my deceased husband gave me at his death I desire should be sold for as much as it will fetch and equally divided between my four children, Elizabeth, George, Ann and Walter, as witness my hand this second day of June 1793, and my desire is that my son, Joseph Davis, and Joshua Loper should see that this my last will should be fulfilled". The words 'four' and 'George' * interlined (underlined ?) before signed in presence of Joseph Davis, Elizabeth Lanier* (her mark), - Joshua Loper. We the subscribers, believing this Testament to be the will & Desire of our Deceased Mother do freely & voluntarily agree that the same should be Executed agreeable to the terms of the same. Witness our hand this 9th September 1793. John Davis Sam'l. Davis Wm. O'Steen George Davis Nancy Davis ----------------------------------------------------- I have since had correspondence from a descendant of George which informs me that George m. Elizabeth Lanier and they went to MS, lived & died there. I believe the witness, Elizabeth Osteen, on John's will may have been the dau of Elizabeth Davis by a former marriage since she is named as a child in Elizabeth's will, but not in John's. Another one of the witnesses in John's will was Agnes Davis, which was probably the wife of either William or Joseph - I've not got that straight, yet. I know I've probably told you more than you ever wanted to know, but I'm hoping that something out of all this mess will give you enough to tell if your Davis line & mine are related, and perhaps give me a clue on who my John & Elizabeth' parents may have been, and where they lived in SC before going to GA. ANY help will be very much appreciated. Thank you, Betty Norem ==== SCROOTS Mailing List ==== Go To: #, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, Main |