(1) Name: George W. DAVIS
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Birth: February 6, 1827 Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky
Death: December 18, 1920 Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky Age: 93
Father: George M. DAVIS (1794-)
Mother: Mary McCLINTOCK (1796-)
Misc. Notes
GEORGE W. DAVIS, [1] furniture and undertaking ; P. 0. Paris ; is the oldest furniture dealer in the place; ee was born in this city, Feb. 6, 1827; second son of George M. Davis, who was born in Berkeley County, Va., son of Thomas Davis, who settled at Ruddel's Mills Precinct in this county at an early time. The mother of our subject was Mary, daughter of James McClintock, a native of the Emerald Isle. In 1843, our subject began learning the cabinetmaker's trade with J. P. Kern, and continued until he had completed his trade. In 1848, he began business in this town, in the furniture and undertaking line, and has since continued. June 22, 1851, he formed a matrimonial alliance with Helena, daughter of Jacob and Julia (Young) Miller, and by her had eight children, five living : James K., Nellie, George M., Owen L. and Rudolph. Mr Davis is a member of the Presbyterian Church and Elder of same. Thomas Davis, the grandrather of our subject, lived for sometime at Ruddel's Fort, upon his first coming to Kentucky, he married Sarah Ruddell, who died at the age of ninety-seven, in Pike County, Mo., where he removed in 1825; eight children were born to him, of whom was George M., the father of our subject. George M. served in the war of 1812, after which he came to Paris, and engaged as a gunsmith and remained until his death, which occured in 1833, of cholerra; of the children born to him were: Sallie, who died, aged nineteen; Margaret, wife. of W. W. Mitchell; James T. and George M , of Paris; Mary, wife of James Ingels, and Andrew, who died, aged twenty-five.
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GEORGE WILLIAM DAVIS 1827-1920
The following sketch written by Mrs. Eleanor Davis Swearingen Rice and Mrs. Francis Jacobs Check-, Jr. was published in The Kentuckian-Citizen June 1, 1943.
George William Davis was born February 26, 1827 in Paris. A representative sent to interview Mr. Davis, as a pioneer in the undertaking profession in Kentucky and one of the oldest active undertakers in America, published an interesting article in "Crane and Breed Quality Talks," in June 1914. From this article much information has been obtained.
In 1843, at the age of sixteen, George Davis went to work in a cabinet shop owned by "Boss" Jesse T. Kern, where coffins were made. In a period of five years, he assisted in making several hundred coffins. One of which was made for a woman weighing three hundred and fifty pounds, and one for a man who was six feet eleven and one-half inches tall in his stocking feet and whose brother was six feet, eight inches.
The largest funeral in which Mr. Davis ever assisted was the burial of three Bourbon County soldiers of the Mexican War of 1847. At the close of the War a company from the county went to Mexico and brought home their dead.
During the cholera epidemic the disease was at its worst stage in Paris and vicinity in the months of July and August 1849, and as many as twenty-one deaths occurred in twenty-four hours. It was necessary to call in carpenters to assist in making caskets.
In January 1848 Mr. Davis and his cousin, William T. Davis, purchased the undertaking and furniture establishment from Mr. Kern, including in the transaction tools, supplies, stock, "good will," and a hearse valued at two hundred and fifty dollars. This may be the one he speaks of "a little hearse, with shafts, for one horse which I as driver used in delivering coffins in town and country." The firm later possessed the first two-horse hearse in Bourbon County.
In July 1848 George W. Davis bought his partner's interest and reorganized it with six workmen in his employ. He served in many instances as minister, singer and undertaker, as well as grave-filler. On many occasions due to the panic of the populace, he was the only person present at the burial. His father died of the cholera, as did Mr. Kern. He himself was stricken at one time but soon recovered enough to carry on his business. This he did with an ever present spirit of public zeal, which quality in his make-up was uppermost during his life.
On the death of his eldest son, Thomas, another son, George Ruddell Davis, carried on his father's work. Shortly thereafter a third son, Rudolph, was added to the force, and still later the grandson, Ireland Davis.
In 1913 Mr. Davis, advancing in years, disposed of the furniture business and moved to the old Presbyterian Church building. Thus the firm returned to its original business as begun in 1843.
He was a faithful member of the Presbyterian Church for seventy-two years. "Mr. George W. Davis is the oldest living member, being in the eighty-fourth year of his age. He united with the church in 1848 and in 1855 was made a deacon. Ten years later, Mr. Davis was called as an Elder and has ever since been a devout and constant member." -Lexington Herald Nov. 13, 1910. He sang in the choir with a mellow tenor voice until quite advanced in years. He was also superintendent of the Sunday school. A religious poem that he wrote was published in "The Christian Observer" April 30, 1913.
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February 6, 1921. Memorial of George William Davis, who died December 18, 1920. He was born February 6, 1827 and joined the Presbyterian Church when he was twenty-one years old. He soon became a deacon and was elected an elder in 1866. He was Superintendent of the Sunday School for almost forty years. [2]
Spouses
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1: Helena MILLER
Father: Jacob MILLER
Mother: Julia YOUNG
Children: Thomas
George Ruddell
Rudolph
Sources
1. History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky, ed. by William Henry Perrin, O. L. Baskin & County, Chicago, 1882, p. 460.
2. Presbyterianism, p. 24
(2) Name: Helen Frances DAVIS
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Birth: January 7, 1925 Bourbon County, Kentucky
Death: February 6, 2000 Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center, Fayette County, Kentucky Age: 75
Father: John B. DAVIS
Mother: Jane WILMOT
Misc. Notes
Subject: Lair
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2000 11:14:11 -0600
From: George And Sandie <geosan@lakeozark.net>
To: Bob Francis <darby@visi.net>
Bob,
If you will send me your address, I will put the original in the mail to you tomorrow morning. Until it arrives, the obit reads:
Helen Frances D. Lair, 75, Argyle Drive, died Sunday, February 6, 2000 at the Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center. A native of Bourbon County, she was born January 7, 1925, to the late John B. and Jane Wilmot Davis. She was a homemaker and a retired home economics teacher in the Bourbon County School system. She was a volunteer for Heritage Hospice and Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center, and a member of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Survivors include her husband, Matt R. Lair, Jr., and nieces and nephews.
Services were held Wednesday, February 16, 2000 at the First Christian Church by Rev. Norman Hagley and Rev. Caroline Bloomfield, with interment in the Lexington Cemetery. Casket bearers were Stephen Mayes, Michael Mayes, Dickie Mayes, Matthew Mayes, Bobby Mayes, Chris Whitehouse and Jerry Milburn. Honorary casket bearers were members of the Lair Circle at the First Christian Church.
The family suggests memorials take the form of contributions to the church building fund or to one's favorite charity. Preston-Pruitt Funeral Home, Inc., Danville, was in charge of arrangements.
Spouses
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1: Matthias LAIR Jr.
Father: Matthias LAIR (1895-)
Mother: Hazel HOUSTON
(3) Name: Lucinda Farrar DAVIS
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Birth: June 5, 1797
Death: December 14, 1873 Age: 76
Father: Samuel Emory DAVIS (~1755-1824)
Mother: Jane COOK (~1760-1845)
Misc. Notes
William Stamps (b.November 5, 1797) Married Lucinda Davis the sister of "Jefferson Davis" the President of the the Confederacy. Their home was called "Rosemont" and was located near Woodville, Mississippi.
Their son Captain Issac Stamps C.S.A. fought in the Civil war Company E, "Hurricane Rifles," 21st. Mississippi Infantry - Barksdale's Brigade and fell at Gettysburg in the first charge from the Peach Orchard towards little round top, July 2, 1863 mortally wounded he died the next day July 3rd. 1863.
On July 3, 1998 he was honored by having his picture placed on the wall of faces in the visitors center at the Gettysburg Nation Battlefield Park.
OLD HOMES IN BOURBON
"Walnut Lea", William Stamps Home on Georgetown Pike, near Paris, Kentucky. Built in 1823. Data co-piled by Miss Elizabeth B. Grime., Historian Jenima Johnson Chapter’, D. A. R.. published in the Friday, September 21, 1954 issue or the Kentuckian-Citizen.
Walnut Lea, the Stamps home, is situated two and one half miles from Paris on the Georgetown Pike. The earliest records of Bourbon County show that the land on which this homestead was established belonged to Robert Whitledge, a revolutionary Soldier. He and his wife, Nancy Whitledge, conveyed it to James Morin on Jan. 9, l787, while Kentucky was still a part of Virginia. Soon after James Morin and his wife, Jane Shore Morin, settled here, the Indians killed an entire family on the farm of U. S. Senator John Edwards, just back of this place and tradition says James Morin and wife hourly expected the return of the Indians and were armed for defense.
James Morin was killed in felling a tree. His widow married William Stamps who built the present house in 1823 An article of agreement between William Stamps and Enoch Hughes and Henry Leer who were to do the carpenter work on the houss is still in existance. It recites "the main body of the house to be two stories high with one room 20 feet by 20 in the clear’ and a passage at one end 10 ft by 20 in the clear with one pair of stairs; a and six windows with 24 lights each 3 by 10 and six panel doors and four presses and two chimney pieces, also an ell 56 ft by 5 by 10, three panel doors and two presses and two chimney pieces and six grates and two cellar doors; also the said Hughes and Leer to get the shingles and hew the rafters with the exception of cutting and sawing the blocks for the shingles which the said Stamps is to do for them, also the said Hughes and Leer to get the timber for the window frames out of Locust and prepar the finish in a plain, neat and workmanlike manner, with venetian shutters to every window. The bill for’ plastering the house has also been preserved. A beautiful carved mantel stands in the main room. The floors are of ash.
Unusual features are the two little rooms of brick built over the entrances to the cellars and standing under the long side porch. On the death of William Stamps in l855 his Granddaughter, Elizabeth Ewalt Hedges, aquired the old home. The next year she added three rooms to the orlinal house. It is in a good state of preservation and is now occupied by a descendant, Mrs. Georg L. Clayton (Ann McMil1an Talbott). The name “Walnut Lea" was given to the place on account of the many walnut trees and the level land.
Gov. Thomas Metcalfe spent many nights here with his first cousin, William Stamps, while enrout from his home in Nichclas County to the Executive Mansion in Fankfort, the trip being too long to take by carriage in one day. Joseph and Jefferson Davis were often guests in the home, their sister having married the oldest son of William Stamps.
WILLIAM STAMPS
William Stamps was born in 1765 in Fauquire County, Virginia. He married Jane Morin, nee Shore, on January 26,1792 Bourbon Co., Kentucky. Her first husband was James Morin who was killed in felling a tree. At the January term of court in 1801, Bourbon County, Ky., William Stamps was appointed guardian to Sarah, Joseph, Elizabeth and Margaret Morin, children of his wife by her first husband, James Morin. William Stamps died at the age of ninety years on October 22, l855. His death certificate states that his parents were William and Polly Stamps. Jane Shore Stamps died August 11, 1858. They are buried in the family burial ground near the old homestead. They lived at "Walnut Lea" which was built by William Stamps in 1823, on the Georgetown Pike near Paris, Kentucky. Their issue.;
1. Anne Stamps, born Nov. 28,1792, married John Martin
2. Maria Stamps, born Feb. 17, 1794, married Richard Ewalt
3. Jane Stamps, born July 1, 1795, married Wm.Alexander
4. Harriet Stamps, born Oct. 6, 1796, married 1st Hugh Thompaon,
2nd Lochart
5. William Stamps, born Nov. 5, 1797, married Lucinda Davis, sister to Jefferson Davis. Their home was called Rosemount and was located near Woodville, Mississippi.
6. Keturah Stamps, born Feb.3, 1799, married Henry Ewa1t
7. John Sore Stamps, born July 25, 1800, died 1823
3. Thomas S. Stamps, born July 9, 1803, married Elizabeth McConnel1
9. America Stamps, born April 17, l8O5, died at age of 9 years
Spouses
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1: William STAMPS
Birth: November 5, 1797
Death: March 4, 1878 Age: 80
Father: William STAMPS (1765-1855)
Mother: Jane SHORE (1765-1838)
Misc. Notes
William Stamps (b.November 5, 1797) Married Lucinda Davis the sister of "Jefferson Davis" the President of the of the Confederacy. Their home was called "Rosemont" and was located near Woodville, Mississippi.
Their son Captain Issac Stamps C.S.A. fought in the Civil war Company E, "Hurricane Rifles," 21st. Mississippi Infantry - Barksdale's Brigade and fell at Gettysburg in the first charge from the Peach Orchard towards little round top, July 2, 1863 mortally wounded he died the next day July 3rd. 1863.
On July 3,1998 he was honored by having his picture placed on the wall of faces in the visitors center at the Gettysburg Nation Battlefield Park.OLD
HOMES IN BOURBON
"Walnut Lea", William Stamps Hone on Gorgetown Pike, near Paris, Kentucky. Built In 1823. Data co-piled by Miss Elizabeth B. Grime., Historian Jenima Johnson Chapter’, D. A. R.. published in the Friday, September 21, 1954 issue or the Kentuckian-Citizen.
Walnut Lea, the Stamps home, in situated two and one half miles from Paris on the Georgetown Pike. The earliest records of Bourbon County show that the land on which this homestead was established belongod to Robert Whitledge, a revolutionary Soldier. He and him wife, Nancy Whitledge conveyed it to James Morin on Jan. 9, l787, while Kentucty was still a part of Virginia. Soon after James Morin and his wife, Jane Shore Morin, settled here, the Indians killed an entire family on the farm of U. S. Senator John Edwards Just back of this place and tradition says James Morin and wife hourly expected the return of the Indians. ana were armed for defense.
James Morin was killed in felling a tree. His widow married William Stamps who built the present house in 1823 An article of agreement between William Stamps and Enoch Hughes and Henry Leer who were to do the carpenter work on the houss is still in existance. It recites "tth, main body of the house to be two stories high with one room 20 feet by 20 in the clear’ and a passage at one end 10 ft by 20 in the clear with one pair of stairs; a and six windows with 24 lights each 3 by 10 and six panel doors and four presses and two chimney pieces, also an ell 56 ft by 5 by 10, three panel doors and two presses and two chimney pieces and six grates and two cellar doors; also the said Hughes and Leer to get the shingles and hew the rafters with the exception of cutting and sawing the blocks for the shingles which the said Stamps is to do for them, also the said Hughes and Leer to get the timber for the window frames out of Locust and prepar the finish in a plain, neat and workmanlike manner, with venetian shutters to every window. The bill for’ plastering the house has also been preserved. A beautiful carved mantel stands in the main room. The floors are of ash.
Unusual features are the two little rooms of brick built over the entrances to the cellars and standing under the long side porch. On the death of William Stamps in l855 his Granddaughter, Elizabeth Ewalt Hedges, aquired the old home. The next year she added three rooms to the orlinal house. It is in a good state of preservation and is now occupied by a descendant, Mrs. George L. Clayton (Ann McMil1an Talbott). The name “Walnut Lea" was given to the place on account of the many walnut trees and the level land.
Gov. Thomas Metcalfe spent many nights here with his first cousin, William Stamps, while enrout from his home in Nichclas County to the Executive Mansion in Fankfort, the trip being too long to take by carriage in one day. Joseph and Jefferson Davis were often guests in the home, their sister having married the oldest son of William Stamps.
WILLIAM STAMPS
William Stamps was born in 1765 in Fauquire County, Virginia. He married Jane Morin, nee Shore, on January 26,1792 Bourbon Co., Kentucky. Her first husband was James Morin who was killed in felling a tree. At the January term of court in 1801, Bourbon County, Ky., William Stamps was appointed guardian to Sarah, Joseph, Elizabeth and Margaret Morin, children of his wife by her first husband, James Morin. William Stamps died at the age of ninety years on October 22, l855. His death certificate states that his parents were William and Polly Stamps. Jane Shore Stamps died August 11, 1858. They are buried in the family burial ground near the old homestead. They lived at "Walnut Lea" which was built by William Stamps in 1823, on the Georgetown Pike near Paris, Kentucky. Their issue.;
1. Anne Stamps, born Nov. 28,1792, married John Martin
2. Maria Stamps, born Feb. 17, 1794, married Richard Ewalt
3. Jane Stamps, born July 1, 1795, married Wm.Alexander
4. Harriet Stamps, born Oct. 6, 1796, married 1st Hugh Thompaon,
2nd Lochart
5. William Stamps, born Nov. 5, 1797, married Lucinda Davis, sister to Jefferson Davis. Their home was called Rosemount and was located near Woodville, Mississippi.
6. Keturah Stamps, born Feb.3, 1799, married Henry Ewa1t
7. John Sore Stamps, born July 25, 1800, died 1823
3. Thomas S. Stamps, born July 9, 1803, married Elizabeth McConnel1
9. America Stamps, born April 17, l8O5, died at age of 9 years
Children: Issac (1823-1863)
Jane Davis (1820-)
Anna Aurelia (1823-)
William (1825-1843)
Sarah Davis (1837-1852)
Jefferson Davis (1838-1910)
Infant (1840-)
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2: Hugh DAVIS
Birth: 1792
Death: July 12, 1817 Age: 25
Marriage: December 12, 1816
Children: Hugh Robert Davis (1818-1871)
(4) Name: Honorable. Samuel Marshall DAVIS
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Birth: August 2, 1836 Shelby County, Kentucky
Father: Theophilus DAVIS
Misc. Notes
History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky, Ed. by William Henry Perrin, O. L. Baskin & Co., Chicago, 1882. p. 589. [Scott County] [Georgetown City and Precinct]
HON. Samuel M. Davis, State Senator; Georgetown; is the son of Theophilus Davis, who was a prominent farmer of his native county of Shelby, and died in 1845, leaving four sons and three daughters. Of this number, the oldest brother, Co. John F. Davis, served in the Confederate army, on the staff of Gen. John C. Breckinridge, and during the last year of the war, commanded an Alabama regiment, and was elected Clerk of the Shelby County Court, being also a prominent candidate for the Clerk of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, in the race of 1882. Our subject, Samuel M. Davis, was born in Shelby County, Ky., Aug. 2, 1836. He laid the foundations for his future usefulness in a good English education, obtained in the common schools and Shelby College. On attaining manhood he engaged in farming and trading in his native county, until 1866, when he removed to Georgetown and purchased a farm near its limits, and continued farm operations with increased success, dealing largely in stock of all kinds, until 1878. In September, 1878, he formed a partnership with J. Webb and conducted a large and successful business in dry goods in Georgetown, until 1882. In politics, Mr. Davis has always been a staunch Democrat, and was first elected to the Georgetown Board of Trustees in 1871, and served in that body seven years, the last three as its Chairman. He was elected Chairman of the County Democratic Committee in 1879, and discharged its duties with ability during the campaigns of 1880 and '81. He was nominated in July, 1880, to fill the unexpired term of Jas. Blackburn, in the State Senate, from the 22nd Senatorial District, and elected to the office without opposition. Mr. Davis is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sinking Fund, and member of the following committees: Penitentiary, Bank and Insurance, Morals of Religion, and Propositions and Grievances. He was married in 1865 to Miss Alice, daughter of Joseph B. Kenney, of Georgetown, and has two children living.
Spouses
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1: Lavenia Alice KENNEY
Birth: 1843 Georgetown, Kentucky
Father: Joseph Bonaparte KENNEY (1806-1887)
Mother: Margaret LANDER (1806-)
Misc. Notes
Joined NSDAR # 91659, Charles Lander line.
Marriage: 1865
Children: Elizabeth
Theophilus
(5) Name: William DAVIS
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Birth: January 28, 1814 Bourbon County, Kentucky
Father: Thomas DAVIS (1768-1837)
Mother: Sarah RUDDELL (1768-1864)
Misc. Notes
DAVIS, William - b: 1814 Bourbon Co, KY
Source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co. - page: 733
Residence: Davis Twp
William Davis was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, January 28, 1814, and was the son of Thomas and Sarah (Ruddell) Davis, natives of Virginia. William, the youngest of ten children, is the only one of the family now living. When he was eleven years old his parents removed to Pike County, Missouri, and settled near the village of Clarksville, being among the first settlers of that part of the state. At the age of twenty-two, December 24, 1835, Mr. Davis was married to Miss Elizabeth Price. He was subsequently engaged in farming in Pike County, until 1856, when he came to Henry County and settled in the tract of land upon which he still lives. He was the first man to settle away from the timber in that section, but he located on the prairie and entered nearly 3,000 acres of land. The first year he put 100 acres under fence and raised a crop of corn. He now has 400 acres in the farm, all improved, and about one-half in cultivation. He is growing tame grass quite successfully, having seventy-five acres. He has handled a large number of cattle, and now keeps about seventy-five head, twenty being high graded Short Horns from the noted herd of Kissinger. He also keeps sixty Cotswold sheep and 100 Berkshire hogs. The town of Ladue is situated on land granted by Mr. Davis to the railroad company. His father died in Pike County in 1837, at the age of sixty-eight years, and his mother lived until ten years ago, having reached the age of ninety-six years. Mrs. Davis died January 14, 1878, having borne a family of twelve children, six of whom survive: Margaret Ann, (now Mrs. Carl Shy) William B., Mollie, (wife of George Mayes) Ellen, (wife of Henry Settles) George and Jennie, (wife of Porter Settles). John, the eldest, died when twenty-three years old. Sarah Frances died at twenty, and Thomas having entered the militia of Pike County, was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun in the hands of a comrade. Lucinda and Henrietta were each about two years old, and Joseph had just became of age. On September 19, 1878, Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary A. Rutledge. Her maiden name was Mary F. Waggener, and she was born in Mason County, Virginia, May 6, 1833, and was married in 1857 in Putnam County, Missouri, removing thence to Texas, where she lived for several years. She had five children: Annie, the eldest, (wife of John Harrison); William died at fifteen, and Joseph, Charles and Minnie, are at home. Mr. D. and wife are members of the Christian Church, and in politics he is a Republican. He is an energetic, thorough business man and a model farmer.
Spouses
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1: Elizabeth PRICE
Death: January 14, 1878
Marriage: December 24, 1835 Pike County, Missouri