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Any Advice or Information Appreciated Benjamin E Davis
I am brand new at this type of research. I'm afraid I'm not very good at it thus far. My dad is wanting to find out where his family came from. I am so stuck!! I am at 1832 Georgia with a Benjamin E Davis. I know absolutely nothing about his parents or siblings. I have found him only once in the census 1870 Choctaw Mississippi, married to a Jane J (do not have a clue on a maiden name). They had sons named Levi C, which I have found. John T which I have not found. Francis M. F. which I have not found. Ora B which I have found. Annual L which I have found. Jane J and all the boys were born in Mississippi. The three boys I have found went to Cleburne/Van Buren Arkansas. I know Benjamin and Jane went to Arkansas too because they had another child Elisa in 1880 in Arkansas listed in Ora B household in 1900. I can not find Elisa either other than this one time. I also know that Benjamin had to pass away in Cleburne/Van Buren Arkansas because I found the family written about in a book and it says that Annual, which was born around 1870 had to be raised by an uncle John Bradford after his father died. I haven't found that connection either. Since they had a child in 1880 I figure he died within a couple of years of 1879. I would be so thankful for any advice or information so that I might trace this Davis line further than Benjamin E for my dad. I did purchase the DNA test for my dad and results should be here in a few weeks. I'm hoping that will help, but I'm not counting on it since it will be his maternal and paternal lines. He is more interested in the Davis line. Thank you so much for your time reading this, and for any advice or information. It is MUCHLY appreciated. Cindy
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tera Davis on
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Good morning Cindy,
I think we all have those "brick walls" where we just can't find information on an ancestor. Can you tell us who Benjamin E. Davis' children are? Sometimes it helps to "work up" so to speak. I am unsure how many generations removed Benjamin is from your father, but if you can give us more information between your father and Benjamin it might help.Thanks!Tera Davis -
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I sure can :) Benjamin E Davis b1832 Georgia, Jane J spouse b abt 1842 Mississippi. Children: Levi Clifton b abt 1855 ( I think they have the birthdate wrong, but you know how that goes.) I found Levi in Arkansas (Cleburne/Van Buren) Frances M F b. abt 1863, I have not found Frances. John T b. abt 1865. I have not found John T. Ora Bird b. abt 1866-1918. Ora (his name spelled a million different ways Orris, Ohra) was one I also found in Arkansas (Cleburne/Van Buren) Annual Lafayette b abt 1872-1957. His name also a million different ways (Annel, Annuel) I also found in Arkansas (Cleburne/Van Buren). All these children were male born in Mississippi. Then they have a daughter Elisa born Arkansas 1880. My lineage is Ora B Davis who was married twice, Elisa E Anderson, Nancy Parlee Eoff. Elisa is the mother of the son my lineage is from. Ern Monroe b 1902-1983 Arkansas and married Pearl Collins b 1907-1980. My lineage then goes through Ora Jay Davis Sr b.1922-2001 (born Arkansas died Texas). He married Dorothy Faye Simmons b 1924- 1967 (Born Arkansas died Texas) I believe Ora Jay had several wives. Then my dad Ora Jay Davis Jr who is still living born 1940 Arkansas and lives in Texas. He married Elsie Lee Pruitt who is my mother. He is now married to someone else. So I will type that easier to read:
Benjamin E Davis 1832 Georgia married Jane J ? children Levi C, John T, Frances M F, Ora B, Annual L, Elisa
Ora B (Bird) Davis 1866-1918 born Mississippi died Arkansas married Elisa E Anderson
Ern Monroe Davis 1902-1983 Arkansas married Pearl Collins
Ora Jay Davis Sr 1922-2001 born Arkansas died Texas married Dorothy Faye Davis
Ora Jay Davis Jr 1940 still living born Arkansas lives in Texas married Elsie Lee Pruitt
A note: My dad said Ern Monroe told him he was named after Benjamin. If that is the case I'm thinking the E stands for Ern.
Also, I found Annual L and Ora B in a book "The People of Cleburne County". They reported Annual had to live with an Uncle John Bradford because his father died when he was young. Annual was born in 1870, but they have 1872 down. Their sister Elisa was born in 1880 in Arkansas and is living with Ora B in the 1900 census. that is about all I know. Thanks for looking into it.
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Thanks Cindy,
When I get a chance I will try my hand at finding something....one more question...which part of Texas (and if you also live in the great state) does your dad live in? I am in Texas as well!
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Well yes I live in the "Promised Land" also. Actually my mailing address is Paradise, Wise County but I'm in the boonies. My dad lives in Cleburne, Johnson County. We lived in Boyd, Wise County for a long time but he went to a class reunion and met up with someone, divorced my mom and married her. My mom and dad always had a bad marriage. I'm just surprised he waited til I was 35 to divorce... My grandfather Ora Jay Sr died in Johnson but buried in Wise. My grandmother Dorothy Faye died in Tarrant and buried in Alvarado...not sure if that is still Johnson county or not. She was a twin. Have you ended up finding more relatives by helping others in their searches? I have met up with a couple of people from my dad's side, emailed them, talked on phone with them. It has truly been a blessing. I've been able t answer questions and open up doors for them, and they have been able to answer a lot of questions my dad has had. Many of his relatives still live in Arkansas. One of them I've been talking with invited us to go to a family reunion. This is my third cousin once removed, but she lives up there where they all lived. We thought we could spend the week together and look for documents. I've never done that before, but I bet the newspaper that ran in the 1800s in Cleburne would be the ONLY place I might find any information on Benjamin's death. They were rural people, farmers, not educated, so I think they just didn't report any births, deaths, or marriages in his time. It sure has made this difficult. I've exhausted all my efforts, unless I can regroup and get another angle to search from. My dad is getting up there in years, and I so want to give him the answer to his question about where did his Davis family come over from and where did they enter the U S. FYI...don't know if this is helpful at all, because I've only been doing this for a month or so, but I did notice that all the Davis men in the family had Dark hair and blue eyes. They have that listed on the WWI and WWII registration forms. My grandfather had that coloring, as well as his brothers. My dad does also, and two of his sisters as well. They all have the olive color skin....lucky! I'm a redhead :(......but I do tan when I'm out. I have some freckles but not huge and all over like a lot of redheads. My dad really thinks that his family came from Ireland....I'm not sure why. All the names I've seen in the family look English, but he thinks that the Ern is like the name Ernin which I guess is Irish. I know there are three places Ireland, Wales, and England. I also know they mixed along the journey. Sounds like the 40 yrs in the wilderness...lol...not really..that just crossed my mind. I wanted to buy my dad a framed picture with the Davis name and the coat of arms or whatever you call that, when I go to Disney World in a couple of weeks. But I have to know which one Ireland, Wales, or England. If I've spent a month (feeling like I'm spinning my wheels)...not getting closer to an answer, I feel like the odds are not in my favor. I'm just praying God will open the right doors to let me find out so I can bring that back for him. Well, again I thank you so much for your time. I do appreciate it so much. cindy
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Ah....you are a ways from me as I am in Lubbock (bottom of the panhandle) (west Texas) but we were in the Dallas and Johnson counties just a few weeks ago. My uncle lived in Cleburne until his death in the 90's or early 2000's. So he lives in Cleburne, Texas? I was confused first reading thinking there was a Cleburne Arkansas. In fact, my husband was IN Alvarado or very near it, visiting a step-brother, while I was in Burleson visiting with an old classmate! (Small world) When you mention research bringing you to meeting new people, yes I have met several myself, and part of that trip I was speaking of was to attend my husband's family reunion with family he had never met before! We had a blast so I would suggest going if you are able. I also asked my husband, before I do much research since he is ALSO a Davis, if any of that rang a bell for him in his tree. His reply
I didn't recognize any, but that time period is where my disconnect is. They may be ancestors, that I do not know of yet. Ask her if she has a 'Cassie' Davis short for Caswell Henderson Davis born 1854 in Cass, Georgia, who moved to Texas and died about age 34. We believe he was son of a Henderson Wade Davis in that area in Georgia but have not proven it.
So if you have run, or do run across any information in that direction, please let us know. I, too, am stuck on Davis ancestors on MY side of the family, although they are a few generations back...and UNFORTUNATELY have hit a brick wall with MY Davis' too, but I shall carry on.MY DNA results came out 94% British Isles and I have England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales ancestors that I have identified. I also have some German and presumably Native American, so I am a real "Brit" myself.
Keep looking and we will also keep looking and hopefully we will find ALL of our Davis' eventually!!!
Tera
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Right now as far as my knowledge, Benjamin is the only one from Georgia, but it is possible some of his family is from there also.,,,after all they had to live there for a little while anyway. That is so cool about your DNA results. I can't wait for my dad's to come in. Maybe they will match us together as distant cousins also:). Yes, I am speaking of Cleburne Texas. My dad's old stomping grounds Alvarado, Burleson, and Cleburne. He graduated High School there. I will have to ask him how he ended up there...because he was born in Independence County in a hole in the road don't blink or you will miss it town called Thida. I know a lot of my dad's moms' family lived there in Alvarado. That family name was Simmons. So strange, my dad's family just had a reunion maybe in July or so over in Cleburne. His sisters are Jetta Gray, LaVerne Walls, and Kay Kirkland. My tree on ancestry is set to private only bc I'm working on it and put info in it that is only for a trial (so I don't want someone to think Oh I will copy that when I'm not even sure it is correct. But if you want I can share it with you if you will let me know your email on there so I can send you an invitation. Maybe I should go back and see if there is a Benjamin E associated with those Davis' you mentioned?? Well, I'm going to go call my dad now and bring him up to date on all that I've been doing and the little I have found out. Thanks Again so much and good luck to you also. Oh my email is ccrichtones@yahoo.com, if you need that. TTYL Cindy
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Cindy,
I THINK that the email associated with ancestry.com is everettdavis@gmail.com (my husband's email) but if you can't find us that way let me know and I'll get him to figure out how to do it because he knows. MY email (not associated with ancestry is teradavis@gmail.com. Our reunion that we went to was actually in Iowa Park (near Wichita Falls) and it was for the "Roberts" side of HIS family, although we took cemetery pictures of the Roberts side of MY family there as well. We haven't found kinship on either the Davis or Roberts side and our dna didn't come back as a match so I guess we aren't related (good thing, huh?) but we sure have a LOT of commonality to not be...but perhaps your dna will match ONE of us!! LOL!!
And if you want to ever set it to "public" what we do is write "TEST" out beside anything we are just filling in to try and find information...I guess some people might still think it is fact, but if you see anything on our tree that says "TEST" it is because we are just experimenting!
Talk to you later Cindy!
Tera
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K...just wanted to let you know I sent an invite to your husband's gmail on ancestry. That's a good idea about the word test being on there :) Have a blessed evening! cindy
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Tera
Had to let you know my dad came back 94% British Isles and 6% undetermined.....lol. Just got the results. Cindy
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WOW!!! We are the same!! LOL!! Do you have it tied to your family tree where it will show if we have common markers??
Tera
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Yes. It is for Ora Jay Davis Jr, on my tree. I couldn't remember if you gave me the name of your tree or not, but my dad has 5 pages of 95-96 percent 4th-6th cousins. I was surprised about that.:)
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Mine is under T.C. (administered by everettldavis) so if you see that, it is me...if you just see everettldavis it is my husband....I looked a bit last night but Ev said it could take a few days for the dna to populate all matches...but I have over 100 pages of "distant cousins" so it'll take a while for me to view them all, and my kids are in town right now...but I'll look when I can...he is looking at his I think right now! He said you are doing an excellent job because all of what he is finding in your tree are the same things you have already found!
Happy hunting!!!
Tera
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