Our Davis family commences with three brothers names Edward, James & Robert who came to America shortly before 1730 from Wales. Robert settled in Kennett, Chester County, Pennsylvania. James & Edward first appear in Monocacy Manor, Maryland and by 1734 had moved on to what later became Berkeley County, West Virginia.
There was without question some connection to the Quaker Church in the early days but no formal record of their membership has ever been found.
Gary W Watson
February 2012
He had the following children.
+ 2 M i James Davis was born about 1705. He died before 7 Dec 1756. 3 M ii Edward Davis was born about 1707 in Wales. He died before 10 Apr 1738 in Orange County, Virginia.
Quaker Marriage Certificates, New Garden Monthly Meeting, Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1704-1799, by Gwen Boyer Bjorkman, page 42, Thomas Mills son of John Mills of Monoquisy Near ye River Potomack & Elisabeth Harrold of ye same place daughter of Mary Harrold widow... 18 4 month (June), 1730... at ye house of Josiah Ballengars at Monoquisy aforesaid... In attendance at the wedding: James Wright, George Mathas, Henry Ballenger, Josiah Ballinger, Nathaniel Wood, Morgan Bryan, Jonathan Richardson, EDWARD DAVIS, Chidly Mathis, William Sweeting, John Reece, John Williams, Ruben Mills, Henry Mills, Jonathan Harrold, Mary Wright, Mary Ballengar, Hannah Ballengar, Mary Williams, Hannah Wood, Martha Brian, Racheld Harrold, Mary Mills, SARAH VANMETERE, Elizabeth Barton, Ann Beals, Elizabeth Wright, John Beals Jr, Phebe Beals, John Wright, Elinor Bryan, T M (mark of) Thomas Mills, Elizabeth Mills, John Mills, Rebeckah Mills, Mary Harrold, John Mills Jr, Hur Mills, William Beals, Liddie Beals, Sarah Beals Sr, Sarah Beals Jr, Martha Wright.
Pioneers of Old Frederick County, Virginia, by Cecil O'Dell, 1995, page 68, On 12 Nov 1735, Edward Davis received a patent form the Colony of Virginia for 875 acres of land, located on Tullises Branch (a branch of Harlan Run) from present-day Hedgesville, Berkeley County, West Virginia, eastward for 1-1/3 miles. This tract was surveyed by Robert Brooke on 26 Dec 1734. Edward was one of the witnesses of Thomas Mills and Elizabeth Harrold held at the house of Josiah Ballenger in Monocacy on 18 Jun 1730 (present-day Frederick County, Maryland). Edward Davis sold all of his 875-acre patent land on 10 Apr 1738, having already left Orange County, Virginia.
Hopewell Friends History 1734-1934, Frederick County, Virginia, page 34, Edward Davis, 875 acres on Tullis' Run, in what is now Berkeley County, West Virginia. On April 10, 1738, as shown in the second deed book of Orange County, Va., Davis disposed of this tract of land in three separate parcels: (1) To Peter Hedges, for £30 5sh, 300 acres on the west side of Sherrendo River and Opeckon Creek, on a branch of Hungoluta River called Tulise's Branch; adjoining James Davis's land, and part of 875 acres granted to Edward Davis on November 12, 1735; witnesses, Richard Morgan, Solomon Hedges, and Joshua Hedges; (2) To Richard Morgan, for £30 5sh, 300 acres, described as above, and adjoining Solomon Hedges; witnesses, Joshua Hedges, Solomon Hedges, and Peter Hedges; (3) To Solomon Hedges, for £18 5sh, 275 acres, described as above, and adjoining Peter Hedges and Solomon Hedges; witnesses, Richard Morgan, Peter Hedges, and Joshua Hedges. In most instances cited above Edward Davis signs "Edward Devis." All three tracts in the above conveyances are described as lying "near the mountain." "Hungoluta" is an attempt at Cohongoluta or Cohongoruton, which were old names of the Potomac from its junction with the Shenandoah at Harper's Ferry to the Alleghany Mountain. In the above conveyances Edward Davis is described as "late of Orange County."
Virginia Land Office Patents, Book 16, page 406, Edward Davis, 12 Nov 1735, 875 acres on a branch of Cohongoruto called Tulise's Branch.
Orange County, Virginia, Deed Book 2 Page 475, This Indenture made this April 10, 1738 between Edward Davis, late of Orange County in the Colony of Virginia of the one part and Richard Morgan of the same place of the other part... for and in consideration of 30 pounds... on the West side of the Sherrendo River, Opeckon Creek, on a Branch of the Hungoluto River called Tullises Branch, it being part of a tract containing 875 acres granted unto him the said Edward Davis the 12th of November 1735...containing 300 acres of land more or less... Witnesses: Joshua Hedges, Solomon Hedges, Peter (x) Hedges.
Orange County, Virginia, Deed Book 2, Page 481, This Indenture made this April 10, 1738, between Edward Davis, late of Orange County in the Colony of Virginia of the one part and Solomon Hedges of the same place of the other part... for and in consideration of 30 pounds... on the West side of the Sherrendo River, Opeckon Creek, on a Branch of the Hungoluto River called Tullises Branch, it being part of a tract containing 875 acres granted unto him the said Edward Davis the 12th of November 1735...containing 275 acres of land more or less... Witnesses: Richard Morgan, Peter (x) Hedges, Joshua Hedges.
Orange County, Virginia, Deed Book 2, page 486, This Indenture made this April 10, 1738 between Edward Davis, late of Orange County in the Colony of Virginia of the one part and Peter Hedges of the same place of the other part... for and in consideration of 30 pounds... on the West side of the Sherrendo River, Opeckon Creek, on a Branch of the Hungoluto River called Tullises Branch, it being part of a tract containing 875 acres granted unto him the said Edward Davis the 12th of November 1735...containing 300 acres of land more or less... Witnesses: Richard Morgan, Solomon Hedges, Joshua Hedges.
Frederick County, Virginia, Deed Book 10, page 483, 1 Aug. 1765. [Lease] Between Solomon Hedges and Rebeccah his wife of Hampshire to Thomas Hilyard of Frederick consideration of five Shillings part of a Tract of Land lying and being now in Frederick County and on the West side of Opechon Creek and is part of a Tract of Eight Hundred and Seventy five Acres Granted to Edward Davis the 12th Nov 1735... Line of Peter Hedges... Containing one Hundred and two Acres of Land more or less... Rents of one Pepper Corn on the Twenty ninth Day of September only if same shall be lawfully demanded... Solomon Hedges. Rebecca (O) Hedges. Witnesses: Thomas Rutherford, George Michael Laubinger, Henry Brinker. Recorded 3 Sep 1765
Frederick County, Virginia, Deed Book 10, page 487, 1 Aug 1765, [Lease] Between Solomon Hedges and Rebeccah his wife of Hampshire County to Allen Cox of Frederick County... consideration of five Shillings... one Parcel of Land part of a Tract of Land lying and being on the West side of Opechon Creek and is Part of a Tract of Land Containing Eight Hundred Seventy five Acres Granted unto Edward Davis the 12th Nov 1735... Containing one Hundred and Seventy three Acres... Rent of one Pepper Corn on 29th day of September is same be Lawfully demanded. Solmon Hedges, Rebecca (O) Hedges. Witnesses: Thomas Rutherford, Geo Michael Laubinger, Henry Brinker. Recorded 3 Sep 1765.
Berkeley County, Virginia, Deed Book 1, page 161, 15 Jun 1772; William Morgan 100 acres for 80 pounds to York Henry Poctoll, part of 875 acres granted to Edward Davis and he to Richard Morgan and he by his will requested 100 acres deeded to said York. Will dated 1763. Lease and release.
Berkeley County, Virginia, Deed Book 3, page 263, 10 Jan 1775; William Morgan heir of Cap't Richard Morgan dec'd, 200 acres for 300 pounds to Alexander Ogle on the head of Tunese Branch adj to the North Mountain, part of 875 acres granted to Edward Davis in 1735 and he conveyed 300 acres to said Richard Morgan in 1738 and by his last Will, ordered 200 acres to John Hedges or his assigns. Land adj to Allen Cox, York Henry. Witnesses: Martin Woolford, Wm Brown, John Shepherd. Lease and release.+ 4 M iii Robert Davis was born about 1710. He died in May 1760.