Biographical Sketch of William W. DAVIS (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris <jMcDmorris@comcast.net>. *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 722-3. "WILLIAM W. DAVIS, a prosperous and prominent farmer, residing in Tredyf- frin, who has served as justice of the peace for many years, and ranks among the most respected citizens of Chester county, is the eldest son and only surviving child of John M. and Anna M. (Walley) Davis, and is a native of Tredyffrin township, this county, where he was born November 19, 1828. The Davis family trace their transatlantic origin to Wales, and their American ancestry back to Llewellyn Davis (or David, as the name was then spelled), who was born in Wales but emigrated to America while yet a young man, and in 1705 purchased two hundred and five acres of land in Easttown, Chester county, and on October 16, 1708, bought an additional tract of three hundred acres of Lewis Walker, in Valleyton (now Tredyffrin) township, where he finally settled. On November 14, 1709, he married Bridget Jones, by whom he had four children: Elizabeth, Isaac, Sarah and Llewellyn. He died in Tredyffrin township, and his widow afterward married James David. "Isaac Davis (great-grandfather) married Elizabeth Bartholomew, May 30, 1738, and buying the interests of the other heirs, settled on the old homestead, where he die din 1778. He was a justice of the peace and an active and useful citizen. His children were: Benjamin, Mary (married John Morgan), Thomas, John, Sarah (married Daniel Wilson), Elizabeth (wedded Maj. Ezekiel Howell), and Joseph, a physician. His widow survived him one year, dying in July, 1779, and the estate was divided between their sons Benjamin, Thomas and John. "John Davis (grandfather) was born in Tredyffrin township, where he grew to manhood and married Ann Morton, a daughter of John Morton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. To them was born a family of seven children: Isaac, John Morton, Mary, Charles Justis, Ann, Benjamin and Albert. He entered the Continental army in 1776, as captain of a company he had raised, and on October 21, 1780, was commissioned a captain in the regular Pennsylvania line, serving as such until the close of hostilities, January, 1782, after which he became a member of the Society of the Cin- cinnati. During the war he participated in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, Paoli, Stony Point and Yorktown, and served with General Wayne in South Carolina and Georgia. In April, 1800, he was appointed brigadier- general of the first brigade of Chester and Delaware county militia, and on March 31, 1803, was commissioned associate justice of Chester county, a position he filled until disabled by the increasing infirmities of age. He died at his home in this county in 1827. "His eldest son, Dr. Isaac Davis, was born in this county, July 27, 1787, educated at Norristown, read medicine and graduated from the university of Pennsylvania in 1810. He began practice at Edgemont, Delaware county, but was soon after appointed surgeon of the 6th United States infantry by President Madison, and served with that regiment at various points until his death - by the rupture of a blood vessel - at Ft. Jackson, Mississippi, July 21, 1814, in the twenty-seventh year of his age, and unmarried. "John Morton Davis, second son of Gen. John Davis and father of the subject of this sketch, was born on the old homestead in Tredyffrin township, this county, in 1788, and died there in 1848, at the advanced age of sixty years. He was reared on the farm, received a good English education, and devoted his entire life to agricultural pursuits. In politics he was an ardent whig, and he and his family were all strict members of the Presby- terian church. Mr. Davis was twice married, first wedding (1818) Eliza- beth Knight, of the city of Philadelphia, by whom he had two children: Mary and Albert K., both now deceased. Some years after her death, in 1827 he married Anna Maria Walley, a daughter of William Walley, of Eng- land. To this latter union was born a family of six children, three sons and three daughters: William W., Elizabeth, Henrietta, John M., Isaac H., and Anna M., all of whom are now deceased except William W. "William W. Davis was reared principally on his father's farm, receiving his early training in the common schools of his neighborhood, and com- pleting his education in a private school at Berwig, this county, under the charge of Prof. Noble Heath. After leaving school he engaged in farming, and has devoted all his life to that occupation, believing with Washington that 'agriculture is the noblest pursuit of man.' He owns a farm of one hundred and sixty-five acres of choice land, nearly all im- proved and in a good state of cultivation, with commodious farm buildings and every modern convenience for carrying on his operations. Politically he is a stanch democrat, and has been serving as justice of the peace in Tredyffrin township for a number of years, beside having held, at one time or another, nearly all the other township offices. He is a man of good judgment and wide experience in life, and his advice is frequently sought by neighbors and friends on many important subjects, particularly on legal questions and in the settlement of estates. On current topics he is always well posted and can converse entertainingly and still takes a lively interest in political matters, though not so active perhaps as in earlier years. On April 18, 1876, Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Cornelia W. Davis, a daughter of Chas J. Davis, of this county. They have one child, a son named Henry W., who was born March 15, 1877, and is living at home with his parents."