Notes for: Randolph Davis
1860 Census, Harrison Co, Virginia (now West Virginia):
Randolph Davis, 34, farmer; Eliza J. Davis, 39; James H. Burton, 9; Mary E. Burton, 5.
1870 Census, Harrison Co, WV (Tenmile Township), enumerated on Aug 17 1870:
Randolph Davis, 44, farmer; Nancy Davis, 40; Stephen J. Davis, 2; Nancy E. Davis, 2 months; James H. Burton, 17; Mary I. Burton, 14; Nancy Davis, 88.
1880 Census, Harrison Co, WV (Tenmile District), enumerated on Jun 23 1880:
Randolph Davis, 54, farmer; wife Nancy Davis, 49; son Stephen J. Davis, 12; dau Nancy E. Davis, 10.
There is some confusion regarding the parentage of James H. (Burton) Davis and his younger sister Mary (Burton) Davis. "Davis - The Settlers of Salem WV," p. 61, lists Mary Davis as a natural child of Randolph Davis and Eliza Jane Meek, while pointing out that James H. Burton was in their household in 1860 as an apparent stepson of Randolph Davis. But both children are identified with the surname Burton in the 1860 Census of the household of Randolph Davis and his wife Eliza. Relationships are not stated. The children appear again in the 1870 Census of the household of Randolph Davis and his second wife Nancy F. Randolph, again with surnames Burton and relationships not given. But James' marriage record identifies him as James Davis, son of Randolph & Hannah Davis, and his death record identifies him as James Henry Davis, son of Charles Davis & Hannah Buck. No record of a marriage for this couple was found, but the 1850 Census lists within the household of Samuel P. Randolph and his wife Hannah a Charles C. Davis (19) and a Hannah Buck (19), relationships not stated. The marriage record of James' sister Mary has the entry "Unknown" for her parents, while her death record states that she was the daughter of Charles & Hannah Davis.
A Harrison County history collection includes an article written by Randolph Davis' grandson, Stanley Fox Davis (1898-2003), which contains the following statement regarding Randolph Davis: "In 1851 he married Eliza Meek, who died in 1862. They had no children. ... In 1867 Randolph Davis married Nancy Elizabeth Fitz Randolph.... Randolph and Nancy Fitz Randolph Davis had two children, Stephen Jesse Davis, my father, and Nancy Eliza Davis (Smith). They also reared two bound children, James (Jim) Davis and Mary Davis (Fury) (Fitz Randolph). Jim and Mary both adopted Davis as their surname."
In view of the above, it is likely Randolph Davis and Eliza Meek were adoptive or foster parents of James and Mary Burton; it is also possible that the natural parents of James and Mary were Charles C. Davis and Hannah Buck, a marriage record for whom has not been found. Basis for the surname Burton is not known.