A Wilson Family Tree
Notes for William Cunningham Davis
From the Parks manuscript:
William Davis the next in succession in the family, (if I mistake not) was born December 8, 1765. I can speak of him from my own recollection, have been familiar with him from my earliest infancy until near fifteen years old; and an inmate of his family and participant of his generous hospitality and affectionate kindness for more than six months, after I was a man. At an early age he married Annie Caldwell, a scion of the good old Scotch-Irish stock, and worthy of her husband. They settled at Red Rock Spring soon after their marriage; and there they lived beloved and respected by all who knew them, until separated by her death about the year of 1835 or ’36. And he continued to dwell in the same house until his death at the mature age of eighty-six.
They had three children, Walter, born in 1791, William Caldwell, 1791, and Martha Ann, 1803. William Davis was a warm hearted, affectionate man and particularly so to those of his own kith and Kin. He had a turn for public business. At my earliest recollection he was overseer of the poor, in which office he continued until late in life. He was also for many years justice of the peace, and afterwards High Sheriff of Augusta County. In these offices he was faithful to his duties, and the poor of the county went with all of their complaints, as to a father. He was a kind neighbor, and hospitable to strangers. He was remarkable for his abstemious habits never tasted ardent spirits and detested tobacco in all of its forms. He kept a good table, but his own diet was very simple.
According to Parks (above), he was born on 8 Dec 1765, but "Tinkling Spring: Headwater of Freedom", p. 461, says that his gravestone has his death on 3 Feb 1852 at age 86 yrs., 1 mo. and 24 days, which works out to 10 Dec 1765. There are actually several different birth and death dates in different sources. "In Search of Kate", by Charlotte Ann Abney Metzger, says this (p. 159):
William and Annis Davis are buried at Tinkling Spring Graveyard eleven miles southeast of Staunton in Augusta County, Virginia. On the stones of their graves are the inscriptions: "In memory of William Davis who departed this life February 9, 1852, Aged 86 years, 1 month, 24 days," and "In memory of Annis Davis, wife of William Davis, died April 24, 1837, 73 years old."
I don't know whether February 3 or February 9 is correct for his death, but for now I am using the dates from "Tinkling Spring".
They lived at Rock Spring Farm. -- WFT 22 # 1690
No middle name given in WFT 5 # 1914 and WFT 137 # 229.
WFT 137 # 299:
Supplement to the Annals of Augusta County, Virginia
According to Cynthia McBride (e-mail dated 8 Oct 2019), William served as a Private under Capt. Francis Long in the Augusta County Militia in the Revolutionary War. This is confirmed by a statement from 1781 or 1782 included in Chalkley's Chronicles (Vol. 1, pp. 525-26) with William Davis as a signatory (also Jas. Davis and Charles Donely). Note that William would have been only 15 or 16 years old at the time.
Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above. ...Mike Wilson
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