Jesse Davis was born either in Rowan or Stokes County, North Carolina, probably around 1778 and possibly to Henry Davis (though we’re still researching that part). The first mention of him in North Carolina records occurs on 16 March 1799, when he married Charity Hunt, daughter of John Hunt and Charity Hunt (who were cousins).
Jesse and Charity’s first child, Mary Margaret, and possibly their second, Joannah, were born in North Carolina before the family moved to Muhlenberg County, in west-central Kentucky, just west of modern-day Bowling Green. They were part of a broader family migration that included both Charity’s parents and most of her siblings, as well as possibly Jesse’s father, Henry Davis.
Jesse was granted 200 acres on the banks of the Muddy River in the eastern part of Muhlenberg County on 13 August 1807 and bought an additional 100 acres in 1814 next to that plot. He also purchased 88 acres from brother-in-law Jonathan Hunt in 1827.
Once in Kentucky, five more children were born to the couple: Lucy, Gasham, Ransom, Joseph, and Sarah, according to a Bible record transcribed by Edward Manley and published by the Russellville Chapter of the DAR.
Jesse died in July 1828 of unknown causes, leaving his widow Charity to raise their children alone. She never remarried, which was rather unusual on the frontier. (Her daughter-in-law, Permelia Whitaker Davis, also chose not to remarry after being widowed.) This would have made for a hard live as a farmer but would also have ensured that Charity (as well as Permelia) could make her own decisions without ceding property rights to a second husband.
Charity continued to live in southeastern Muhlenberg County amidst her siblings and other relatives. She last appears in records in the 1850 census, where she is enumerated living with four-year-old Nancy J. Fleming, presumably a grand-daughter of Charity’s deceased daughter, Mary Margaret Davis Fleming.
In 1854, Jesse and Charity’s surviving heirs recorded a deed in which they sold their right, title, and interest in the land Jesse had bought in 18 and described as “the land where [our] mother Charity Davis now lives.” While the deed was written in 1839, the fact that it wasn’t recorded until 15 years later suggests that Charity had died by then. Tax records support this hypothesis; Charity appears through 1853 but has vanished from the tax list in 1854.
Jesse Davis (b. ca. 1778, North Carolina — d. about 1830, Muhlenberg, KY)
m. 16 Mar 1799, Rowan, NC
Charity Hunt (b. ca. 1780, Rowan, NC — d. ca. 1854, Muhlenberg, KY)
Children:
i. Mary Margaret Davis (b. 26 Sep 1804, Rowan, NC — d. about 1834, Muhlenberg, KY); m. David Fleming
ii. Joanna Davis (b. 15 Dec 1806, Rowan, NC — d. aft 1870); m. Thomas Whitaker
iii. Lucy Davis (b. 21 Mar 1811, Muhlenberg, KY — d aft 1860, Butler, KY; m1. Wiley Whitaker, m2. Jefferson Grubb
iv. Gasham Davis (b. 21 Mar 1811, Muhlenberg, KY — d about 1847, Muhlenberg, KY); m. Permelia Whitaker
v. Ransom Davis (b. 23 Dec 1813, Muhlenberg, KY — d. by 1840)
vi. Joseph Davis (b. 8 Oct 1818, Muhlenberg, KY — d. by 1859)
vii. Sarah Davis (b. 8 Oct 1818, Muhlenberg, KY — d. 6 Feb 1871, Muhlenberg, KY); m. William H. Whitaker
Sources
- Jesse Davis, dec’d, estate settlement, County Court Records, Muhlenberg Co, KY, 29 Nov 1830.
- Charity Davis household, “1850 US census of population,” Muhlenberg Co KY, Subdivision 2, page 535, 8 Oct 1850, sheet 268, dwelling #631, family #631, ll 16-17, Ancestry online, accessed 3 Jan 2011.
- Charity Davis household, “1840 US census of population,” Muhlenberg Co KY, page 354A, line 25.
- Jesse Davis to Charity Hunt, 16 Mar 1799, Hugh Davis, bondsman; Jno L. Henderson, witness, Rowan Co NC, Marriages of Rowan Co NC, 1753-1868, Brent Holcomb, page 101.
- “Davis Family Bible,” Kentucky Society of the DAR, Vol. I, 1961-1962; transcribed by Edward M. Manley, Los Angeles CA, for the Russellville Chapter, DAR, 929.27305 D29d.
- David Fleming to Margaret Davis, , Muhlenberg, KY marriage bonds.
- Squire Harper Davis , certificate of death, Butler Co, KY, 18 Nov 1924, issued 24 Nov 1924, file #24253, Fred Cartwright, informant, chronic nephritis, 1846, “Gish” Davis, father; mother’s name not given, Lewisburg Cemetery, Kentucky Death Records, 1852-1953, Ancestry online, accessed 3 Jan 2011.
- Lydia M. Davis and David Harper, 4 Feb 1866, Muhlenberg KY, Lott Harper (born NC) & Polly Harper (born KY); Gasham Davis (born in US) and Permelia Davis (born in US), Kentucky Marriages, 1851-1900, Ancestry online.
- John P Davis to Harriet Hall Ingler, 20 Mar 1862, Gasham Davis (dead) and Permelia Davis, born KY; James Hall and Cynthia Hall, Muhlenberg Co Marriages, page 208.
- Inos Davis, Muhlenburg KY death register, 6 August 1855, Mud River, Muhlenburg KY, flux, father, Gashom Davis (of Mud River).
- “Mrs. Parmelia Davis, widow of Gasham Davis, dec’d” (Muhlenberg Co KY, County Court Orders, Book 5, p 151)