Descendants of Eli Davis

 

1. Eli Davis  was born 11 Aug 1779 in Stafford Co, Va, and died 23 Jan in Hancock County, Tn. He married Martha Patsy Baker 3 Apr 1806 in Grayson Co, Va, daughter of Andrew Baker and Elizabeth Avant/Avent. She was born 27 Oct 1791 in Wilkes County, North Carolina, and died 21 Nov 1869 in Hancock County, Tn. 

   

Bicentennail History of Lee County Virginia 1791-1992
Eli Davis Sr. was born August 11, 1779 "on the Potomac" in Stafford County, Virginia. His parents are unknown at this time, Doloras Ramsey Ham said, there are some who believe that Eli Davis' father was one John Davis, who served in the Rev. War and lost a leg.
Eli was a traveling school teacher. Family tradition states that he taught his own children from 6 to 9 o'clock at night by candlelight.
In March 1808 Eli bought land on the S. Fork of the Holston River in Washington County, Virginia. This land was sold and the family moved to Sequatchie Valley, Tennessee to teach school. Martha wasn't happy there in Warren County, Tennessee. She related that she saw too many "new graves." The family moved back to Virginia for a short time, then came to Claiborne County, Tennessee. They remained in the area of Mulberry Creek where Martha and Eli Sr. died and were buried on the "Old Davis Place."
Eli Davis Sr. and his family were in Claiborne County, Tennessee by about 1813 according to the birth records to their children. At least 3 land grants were surveyed for Eli Davis Sr. in then Claiborne County, Tennessee (Roll 66, Bk 9:6537, Roll 71, BK 14:376 & 703 ) during the 1820's .
Eli Davis Sr. purchased 22 acres from Neal McNeal in 1829 (Roll 20, Deed BK V. I:567-8). The land "on Mulberry Creek" (now Hancock County, Tennessee) acquired by some of the Ramsey Descendents of Mary F. Davis Hatfield, a daughter of Eli Davis Sr.
Martha was a excellent Herb Doctor. People would come for miles to get her to go and doctor the sick, bringing a horse for her to ride. She also delivered babies. It was said that she broke her hip and stayed in bed for a year or more, but eventually recovered and resumed riding horse back and doctoring the sick.
Another story told about "how Grandma killed the deer." One day some hunter's dogs ran a deer into the mill pond. The men folks were away from home, so Grandmother "Martha Baker Davis" took a butcher knife and waded into the pond waist deep. When the dogs were barking the deer turned it's head toward them and she came up close and killed it with the knife. About this time the hunters arrived and Grandma said "Gentlemen, there's your deer." This incident took place at the Hugh Clarkson place on Martin's Creek (Lee County, Virginia) where Eli & Martha Davis lived for a short time.
This story is told by some of her descendents: "When Eli Davis Sr. and wife Martha "Patsy" Baker started to Tennessee, near Chattanooga, she was carrying a gun on her shoulder and some mischievous boys asked her if she was going hunting and as they passed on back of her she replied, "Yes, don't you see the 'pack' behind me?"

Eli Davis Sr. and his family were in Claiborne Co., Tenn by about 1813 according to the birth records to their children. At least 3 land grants were surveyed for Eli Davis Sr. in then Claiborne Co., Tenn. (Roll 66, Bk 9:6537, Roll 71, BK 14:376 & 703 ) during the 1820's . Eli Davis Sr. purchased 22 acres from Neal McNeal in 1829 (Roll 20, Deed BK V. I:567-8). The land "on Mulberry Creek" (now Hancock Co, Tenn) acquired by some of the Ramsey Descendents of Mary F. Davis Hatfield, a daughter of Eli Davis Sr.
Eli Davis Sr. was born August 11 1779 "on the Potomac" in Stafford County , Virginia. His parents are unknown at this time.
Eli was a traveling school teacher. Family tradition states that he taught his own children from 6 to 9 o'clock at night by candlelight.
In March 1808 Eli bought land on the S. Fork of the Holston river in Washington Co., Virginia. This land was sold and the family moved to Sequatchie Valley, TN to teach school. Martha wasn't happy there in Warren Co., TN. She related that she saw to many "new graves." The family moved back to Virgina for a short time, then came to Claiborne Co., TN. They remained in the area of Mulberry Creek where Martha and Eli Sr. died and were buried on the "Old Davis Place."
Written by Augusta Sinon
Thank You Augusta!!
My mother, Della Edens Combs (born 1904), spent quite a bit of her childhood with her maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Hatfield Louthan. Elizabeth once told Della that her Grandmother Davis (Martha) kept her milk and butter in crocks in the spring on the "Old Davis Place" (as was the custom in those days. Women milked their cows and carried the bucket to the spring house, built over the site where the water comes fresh out of the ground--sometimes from under a rock). There they strained the milk into crocks and left it in the water to cool for the next meal. I think they also did their butter churning at the spring.
One day when Grandmother Davis went to the spring, she discovered that her crock had mysteriously disappeared. Since it was very unlikely that anyone would have come by and taken such a thing as a crock, the only explanation was that the crock had sunk into the spring and maybe floated back under a rock where it could not be reached. To Elizabeth's knowledge, the crock had never been found. Della herself lived on an adjoining farm to the "Old Davis Place" and remembers Martha's spring as a very good one that flowed from between two large rocks and never went dry or even got low in the summer. Who knows, Martha's crock may still be down there somewhere!

The papers I sent you are yours and if I find more will send them to you. I feel they mean more to you than the other cousin. I have been aiming to write Cousin Nettie Ramsey and see if she has more records. She lives near the old home and her mother owned the old Davis home where your grandfather and my grandmother were raised and they are buried there (Eli Davis Sr. and wife Martha) my grandmother (Polly Davis Hatfield) had stones put to their graves after I was old enough to remember. They are made of limestone and a regular stone mason carved their names and dates and dressed the stones. I would love to go back there and see them. Cousin Nettie's address is Miss Nettie Ramsey, Sneedville, Tenn. She will be 76 years old April 3rd and I was 76 March 12th.

The following submitted by Joe Mode:
Eli Davis, Sr. was born 8/11/1779 on the Potomac" in Stafford County, VA. Eli Sr. married Martha "Patsy" Baker (b. 10/27/1791 in Wilkes Co., NC), daughter of Elizabeth Avant and Rev.  Andrew Baker, in Grayson County, VA 4/3/1806.  The marriage was performed by her father, Rev.  Andrew Baker, who was a chaplain in the Revolutionary War.  Andrew Baker was a Baptist minister who pastored churches in VA and NC.  The last church Rev. Andrew Baker pastored was the Thompson Settlement Church in Lee County, VA. Rev. Andrew Baker's wife, Elizabeth Avant, was a daughter of Amy Massie and Peter Avant /Avent. The Avants were of French Huguenot ancestry. Elizabeth also descended from William Claiborne, the Gooch family, and English nobility.

 

   The family made their way down through Virgina to Claiborne County, TN by about 1813 according to

   the birth records of their children. The land "on Mulberry Creek" (now in Hancock County, TN)

   acquired by Eli Davis, Sr. is still referred to as the "Old Davis Place" and is presently owned

   by some of the Ramsey and Louthan descendants of Mary F. Davis Hatfield, a daughter of Eli Davis,

   Sr.

 

Eli Davis, Sr. was called a traveling school teacher. Family tradition states that he taught his own children from 6 to 9 o'clock at night by candlelight. Martha (Baker) Davis was known as an excellent herb doctor. She was sought after by people from miles around to do her doctoring and to deliver babies. A story is told about "how Grandma killed the deer." "One day some hunter's dogs ran a deer into the mill pond.  The men folks were away from home, so Grandmother (Martha Baker Davis) took a butcher knife and waded into the pond waist deep. When the dogs were barking the deer turned its head toward them, and she came up close and killed it with the knife. About this time the hunters

arrived and Grandma said, 'Gentlemen, there's your deer." This incident took place at the Hugh Clarkson place on Martin's Creek (Lee County, VA) where Eli Davis, Sr. lived for a short time.

 

In March, 1808 Eli Davis, Sr. bought land on the S. fork of the Holston River in Washington County, VA. This land was sold and the family moved to Sequatchie Valley, TN to teach school.  This story is told by some of their descendants: "When Eli Davis, Sr. and his wife, Patsy (Martha) Baker started to TN, near Chattanooga, she was carrying a gun on her shoulder and some mischievous boys asked her if she was going hunting and as they passed on back of her she replied, "Yes, don't you see the 'pack' behind me?"

 

Martha wasn't happy there in Warren County, TN.  She related that she saw too many "new graves." The family moved back to VA for a short time, then came to Claiborne County, TN. They remained in the area of Mulberry Creek where Martha and Eli, Sr. died and were buried on the "Old Davis Place." Eli Davis, Sr. died 1/23/1861 and Martha died 11/21/1869.

 

 

 Children of Eli Davis , Jr. and Martha Patsy Baker are: 

   2   i. Patsy Davis.

+ 3   ii. Elijah Davis was born 4 May 1807 in Hancock County, Tennessee, and died 19 Oct 1884.

  4   iii. John Davis was born 1809 in Tn, and died 1877 in Tn never married.  He was a teacher and was skilled at woodcraft.

  5   iv. Louisa Davis was born 1813 in Tn, and died 1829 in Tn is buried at the "Old Davis Place" Mulberry Gap, TN.

  6   v. Andrew Baker Davis was born 1813 in Tn, and died 1845 in Tn ) m. Malinda Lewis, daughter of Earl Lewis.
           This family lived near Little Rock, Arkansas..

  7   vi. Emily Davis was born 1815 in Tn, and died 1883. She married Henry Hatefield eldest son of Mary "Polly" Yeary
            and Abner Hatfield. Henry and Emily had no children.  They lived on Mulberry, neighbors of Adam
            Y. and Mary Hatfield. 

  8   vii. James H Davis was born 1817 in Tn, and died 1865 in Va. He married Belinda Crumley. She was born 1815/1835.
        James H. Davis was deacon and church clerk of the Mulberry Gap Baptist Church for many years. He was a farmer
        just  north of the TN line in Lee County, VA. James H. and Malinda Davis were parents of 4 or more children.

  9   viii. Mary “Polly” Fulkerson Davis was born 1819 in Tn, and died 1906. She married Adam Hatefield  son of
       Mary  "Polly" Yeary and Abner Hatfield. Adam Y. and Mary Davis Hatfield made their home on Mulberry Creek
       on the land deeded to Adam by his father, Abner in 1845. They are buried on this Hatfield homeplace. 
       They were the parents of 10 children. 

  10   ix. William David Davis was born 1821 in Tn, and died 1872 in Al. He married Nancy Hill daughter of Ben Hill.

              William Davis was killed in a logging accident in Alabama. He and Nancy had no children. . 

11      x. Eli Davis, Jr. (7/6/1823-5/24/1917) m. Nancy Jones, daughter of James and Lorinda Warren Jones, on 11/26/1845 in Lee County, VA. Eli Davis, Jr. taught school for about 44 years in Claiborne County, TN and Lee County, VA. He and Nancy had 5 children, two of whom continued an interest of their father, Eli Davis, Jr., and started a business venture of their own. This business became the "Silver Leaf Nursery near Rose Hill in Lee County, VA.

12      xi. Martha "Patsy" Davis (11/7/1825-1900) m. Jacob "Jake" Shuff Walker, who was a farmer and blacksmith at Tazewell, TN. He is the son of Edward Walker, Jr. and Mahala "Haley" Tussey. Jake and Patsy Davis Walker were parents of 10 children. Both are buried in a cemetery above the Straight Creek Missionary Baptist Church near Tazewell, TN.     (Walker Family Records)  one child Rev. John Davis Walker married  Margaret Ann HOUSTON, Born on 13 Jun.  Margaret Ann HOUSTON was the daughter of William Jasper HOUSTON - Also Joe Mode has contributed to this by adding 22 pictures of the Rev. John Davis Walker Family

  13   xii. Elizabeth Davis was born 1829 in Tn. She married Daniel Jones.  Their one child died young.

  14   xiii. Elvira Davis (11/12/1832-1/24/1890) never married.  Eivira died at Kerby Knob, KY and is buried near the home of Mrs. Laura Smith, a granddaughter of John Davis Hatfield (nephew of Eivira Davis and son of Mary Davis and Adam Y. Hatfield).

 

 Descendant Register, Generation No. 2

 

3. Elijah Davis (Eli Davis , Jr.2, Eli Davis , Sr.1) was born 4 May 1807 in Hancock County, Tennessee, and died 19 Oct 1884. He married Rebecca Fletcher, daughter of James Fletcher. She was born 1814 in Hancock County, Tennessee, and died 1867 in Montague County, Texas.  She daughter of James and Rebecca Fletcher.  This was the James Fletcher who gave land for the Thompson Settlement Baptist Church.  Elijah was a farmer, surveyor and teacher

   

 Children of Elijah Davis and Rebecca Fletcher are:

+ 14   i. Andrew Baker Davis was born 14 Jan 1838 in Nashville, Tennessee.

  15   ii. Charles O Davis died in Montague County, Texas.

 

2. Mary Fulkerson Davis (Eli Davis Sr1) was born 16 FEB 1819 in Hancock County, Tennessee, USA, and died 20 JAN 1906 in Hancock County, Tennessee, USA. She was buried 22 JAN 1906 in Hancock County, Tennessee, USA. She married Adam Yeary Hatfield, son of Abner Hatfield and Mary Polly Yeary. He was born 1813 in Claiborne County, Tennessee, USA, and died 24 APR 1877 in Hancock County, Tennessee, USA. He was buried 26 APR 1877 in Hancock County, Tennessee, USA.

   

 Children of Mary Fulkerson Davis and Adam Yeary Hatfield are: 

  3   i. Martha Jane Hatfield was born 6 AUG 1840, and died 12 APR 1918.

  4   ii. John Davis Hatfield was born 17 JAN 1842 in Claiborne County, Tennessee, USA. He married Alzira Jane Couch. She was born ABT 1847. 

  5   iii. Elijah Davis Hatfield was born 30 OCT 1843 in Claiborne County, Tennessee, USA. He married Sally Dean. She was born ABT 1848. He married Nettie Stark. She was born ABT 1848. He married M Elliott. She was born ABT 1848. 

  6   iv. Mary Hatfield was born 29 NOV 1845 in Claiborne County, Tennessee, USA, and died 20 MAY 1927. She married Josiah Ramsey. He was born ABT 1840. 

  7   v. Elizabeth Hatfield was born 7 JAN 1848 in Claiborne County, Tennessee, USA. She married Tom Louthan. He was born ABT 1843. 

  8   vi. Susannah Hatfield was born 11 MAY 1849 in Claiborne County, Tennessee, USA. She married Cyrus Tyler. He was born ABT 1844. 

  9   vii. Elvira Hatfield was born 17 JUN 1852, and died 18 SEP 1896.

  10   viii. Elisha William Hatfield was born 9 SEP 1854 in Claiborne County, Tennessee, USA.

  11   ix. Frances Emily Hatfield was born 24 MAY 1857 in Claiborne County, Tennessee, USA. She married Thomas. He was born ABT 1852. 

  12   x. Laura Nervesta Hatfield was born 5 FEB 1860 in Claiborne County, Tennessee, USA. She married John Calvin Parker. He was born ABT 1855. She married J B Southern. He was born ABT 1855. 

 

Descendant Register, Generation No. 3

 

14. Andrew Baker Davis (Elijah Davis3, Eli Davis , Jr.2, Eli Davis , Sr.1) was born 14 Jan 1838 in Nashville, Tennessee. He married Evaline Hock ABT 1857, daughter of Jesse Hock and Elizabeth Homsley. She was born 25 Mar 1837 in Madison County, Arkansas. 

   

 Children of Andrew Baker Davis and Evaline Hock are: 

  16   i. James O Davis was born 1857/1885.

  17   ii. William J Davis was born 1857/1885.

  18   iii. John C Davis was born 1857/1885.

  19   iv. Abraham Lincoln Davis was born 1857/1885.

  20   v. Cleopatra Anne Davis was born 1857/1885. She married ??? Bolyn. He was born 1840/1890. 

  21   vi. Mary Elizabeth Davis was born 1857/1885.

  22   vii. Martha Albertine Davis was born 1857/1885.

  23   viii. Rebecca Druscilla Davis was born 1857/1885.

  24   ix. Benjamin Franklin Davis was born 1857/1885.

  25   x. Sydney Emmet Davis was born 1857/1885.

 

 

Walker Family Files
 

Back to Joe Payne’s Genealogy Page