Doddridge County Roots

A West Virginia Genealogy

First Name Last Name
Home Search Login  
Share Print Bookmark
Joseph DAVIS

Joseph DAVIS

Male 1770 - 54

Personal Information    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Joseph DAVIS 
    Died BTWN Mar 48 & Jan 54  [1] 
    Born 1 Apr 1770  New Jersey Find all individuals with events at this location  [1] 
    Gender Male 
    Notes 
    • The following passage, including the note, is quoted from "Davis - The Settlers of Salem, WV," p. 21, under the family of Joseph Davis (b. 1770):

      From Hardesty's, Doddridge Co. (1883 ed.), "The most destructive storm that ever visited this section of the state occurred on the third day of June 1833.... The Baptist Church, a heavy hewed log building at West Union,and the first ever erected within the present limits of the county, was razed to the ground. Near it stood the residence of Joseph Davis, one of the first settlers, it was blown down and he was killed...."
      (Note: Without question this reference is to the Seventh Day Baptist Church which was a branch of the Salem Church and later became the Middle Island Seventh Day Baptist Church. We believe the point that Joseph Davis was killed to be in error, in that he signed a deed in Doddridge County in 1848. Descendants of William Davis, #127 [son of Joseph's brother Nathan Davis & Jane Sutton, who married Sophia Cheney], who still have the old family Bible in their possession, claim that William was killed in such a storm about 1837, also a young daughter was killed in the same storm.)
    Person ID I20592  Doddridge County Roots
    Last Modified 15 Dec 2015 

    Father Nathan DAVIS,   b. 9 May 1740, Westerly, Washington Co, RI Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Bef Oct 1814, Salem, Harrison Co, (W)VA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 74 years) 
    Mother Annie (Ann) GIFFORD,   b. 7 Jan 1742, New Jersey Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Oct 1820, Salem, Harrison Co, (W)VA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 78 years) 
    Family ID F15031  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Hannah SUTTON,   d. Aft 18 Jan 1854 
    Married CA 1795  [1] 
    Notes 
    • An analysis of the neighboring households in the 1810 Census of Harrison County, Virginia has determined that Joseph and Hannah Davis were residents of present-day Doddridge County at that time.

      Joseph Davis in the 1810 United States Federal Census
      Name: Joseph Davis
      Home in 1810 (City, County, State): Harrison, Virginia
      Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 2
      Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15: 1
      Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 : 1
      Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 4
      Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1
      Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
      Number of Household Members Under 16: 8
      Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
      Number of Household Members: 10

      Because the 1820 and 1830 censuses were reported alphabetically by head of household, rather than household-to-household, it cannot be determined where within the county each household was located.

      Joseph Davis in the 1820 United States Federal Census
      Name: Joseph Davis
      Home in 1820 (City, County, State): Harrison, Virginia
      Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
      Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
      Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 2
      Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 2
      Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
      Number of Persons - Engaged in Commerce: 1
      Free White Persons - Under 16: 4
      Free White Persons - Over 25: 2
      Total Free White Persons: 6
      Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 6

      Joseph Davis in the 1830 United States Federal Census
      Name: Joseph Davis
      Home in 1830 (City, County, State): Harrison, Virginia
      Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 1
      Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 1
      Free White Persons - Males - 50 thru 59: 1
      Free White Persons - Females - Under 5: 1
      Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: 1
      Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19: 2
      Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: 1
      Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49: 1
      Free White Persons - Under 20: 5
      Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 3
      Total Free White Persons: 9
      Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 9

      We have not found a record for Joseph Davis in the 1840 Census, but it is almost certain that he was still in the part of Harrison County that is present-day Doddridge County, formed in 1845.

      Records show that on March 31, 1848 in Doddridge County, Joseph and Hannah Davis signed a deed donating a lot to the Middle Island Seventh Day Baptist Church where the Pioneer Cemetery (aka the Old SDB section of Blockhouse Hill Cemetery) is now located. [per Susie Davis Nicholson, p. 21]
    Children 
     1. Keziah DAVIS,   b. 5 Sep 1796,   d. 14 May 1862  (Age 65 years)
     2. Joseph Sutton DAVIS,   b. 1 Oct 1798,   d. 12 Jun 1879  (Age 80 years)
     3. Hannah DAVIS,   b. CA 1802
     4. Catharine DAVIS,   b. 10 Jun 1804, Virginia (now West Virginia) Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Jun 1852, Doddridge Co, (W)VA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 48 years)
     5. Ananias DAVIS
     6. Ann DAVIS,   b. 1811,   d. Bef Sep 1876  (Age 65 years)
    Family ID F7585  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Sources 
    1. [S83] Davis - The Settlers of Salem, West Virginia, Susie Davis Nicholson, (Gordon Printing Co, Strasburg OH, 1979 (Revised & Enlarged) < www.wvgenweb.org/harrison/books.htm >), p. 21.