USA > New York > Genealogical and family history of central New York : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the building of a nation, Volume I > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92
The following is from a paper by Rev. Thomas Cobbet : "About 5 or 6 years after (an intend- ed attack upon "Nahumkeick" by the Indians) in the first planting of Ipswich ( as a creditable man informs me, namely Quartermaster Per- kins) the Tarratines or Easterly Indians had a design to cut them off at the first, when they had but 20 or 30 men, old and young belonging to the place (and that instant most of the men had gone into the bay about their occasions, not hicaring there of ) it was thus one Robin, a friendly Indian, came to this John Perkins, then a young man then living in a little hut upon his father's island on this side of Jeffries Neck, and told him that on such a Thursday morning, carly they would come four Indians to draw him to goe down the Hill to the water side, to truck with them, which if he did, he and all neare him would be cut off ; for there were 40 burchen canones, would lie out of sight, in the brow of the Hill, full of Armed Indians for that purpose ; of this he forthwith acquaints Mr. John Winthrop, who then lived there, in a howse near the water, who advised him if such Indians came, to carry it ruggedly toward them, and threated to shoot them if they would not be gone, and when their backs were turned
to strike up the drum he had with him besides his two muskets, and then discharge them ; that those 6 or 8 young men, who were in the marshes hard by a mowing, haveing theyr guns each of them ready charged, by them, might take the Alarme and the Indians would per- ceive theyr plot was discovered and haste away to sea againe; which was accordingly so acted and tooke like effect ; for he told me that pres- ently after he discovered 40 such canoues sheare off from under the Hill and make as fast as they could to sea. And no doubt many godly hearts were lifted up to heaven for de- liverance at Salem and this at Ipswich."
John Perkins opened the first ordinary or inn in Ipswich and was chosen quartermaster of the military. He was one of several to sign a petition, February 16, 1681-82, to resist the claims of Mason to a title to lands about Glou- cester. He was engaged in the coast fisheries and used a part of what is Little Neck for curing his fish, as early as 1645. He gave his sons farms before his death. He died December 14, 1686, and his wife, September 27, 1684. Children : John, born in 1636, died 1659; Abraham, 1640; Jacob, 1646; Luke, 1649; Isaac, 1650; Nathan- iel, 1652; Samuel, mentioned below ; Thomas ; Sarah.
(III) Samuel, son of John (2) Perkins, was born at Ipswich, in 1655, and married, in 1677, Hannah, daughter of Twifford and Han- nah West. He had a deed of land in Ipswich from his father, on which he had built a house in 1674. He served as a soldier in the Narra- gansett war, and for his services then received a portion of land at Voluntown, on the eastern border of Connecticut. This land afterwards came into possession of his son Ebenezer, who settled upon it. Samuel Perkins was a cord- wainer by trade. He died intestate in 1700. His wife survived him and was administratrix of his estate. Children : Samuel, born Novem- ber 26, 1679 ; Ebenezer, mentioned below ; Eliz- abeth, June 13, 1685 ; John, May 12, 1692.
(IV) Ebenezer, son of Samuel Perkins, was born in Ipswich, February 3, 1681. He mar- ried (first ), August 14, 1710, at Preston, Con- necticut, Hannah Safford. He married (sec- ond) He was a farmer by occupation and removed from Ipswich to Pres- ton, where he bought one hundred and twenty- three acres of land, October 27, 1714. He sold this land in 1716, and removed to Volun- town, and settled on the land given his father for services in the Narragansett war. Novem-
II3
NEW YORK.
ber 17, 1735, he sold this land, and removed to Coventry, Rhode Island. He died in the latter place, before 1754. Children, recorded in Preston: Newman, born March 8, 1711 ; Samuel, May 18, 1712; Oliver, April 29, 1713; Charity, July 4, 1714 ; Ellenher, July 26, 1718; Lemuel, April 2, 1720; Ebenezer, mentioned below; John. Child of second wife : Margaret, 1729, married, December 26, 1751, Levi Adams, of Canterbury, Connecticut.
(V) Ebenezer (2), son of Ebenezer (1) Perkins, was born in Voluntown, Connecticut, July 1, 1721. He settled at Coventry, Rhode Island, and married there, March 22, 1741, Abigail Pratt. Children : Mary, born Septem- ber 28, 1742; Hannah, June 25, 1744; Martha, November 10, 1746; John, mentioned below ; Ebenezer, April 18, 1752; Abigail, November 6, 1754; Francis, March 3. 1757; William, June 12, 1761.
(VI) John (3), son of Ebenezer (2) Per- kins, was born at Coventry, Rhode Island, January 2, 1749, according to the town rec- ords, and died at Burlington, Otsego county, New York, November 1, 1812. ( His birth before the change in the calendar, in 1752. accounts for the different day of the month given as his birthday, viz : January 13). When he was twenty years old he settled in Foster. Rhode Island, and, in 1785, removed to Pow- nal, Vermont, where he resided for six years. He came to Burlington, New York, in 1794, and settled there on a farm. He was a minute man in the revolution, in Rhode Island, with the rank of orderly sergeant. He married Elizabeth Harrington, who was born June I, 1749. Children: Sarah, Abigail, Elizabeth, Joanna ; Ebenezer, mentioned below ; Martha, Mary, John, Josiah, Caleb and Joshua.
(VII) Ebenezer (3), son of John (3) Per- kins, was born in Foster, Rhode Island, April 30, 1777, and died in Burlington, New York, October 28, 1851. At the age of sixteen he went with his parents to Vermont, and thence to Burlington, New York, before his parents, cleared land and built a house for the family. which came a year later. He married Ruth Children : John S., mentioned below ; Amy, Ebenezer, Thomas, Ruth and Truman.
(VIII) John S., son of Ebenezer (3) Per- kins, was born in Burlington, Otsego county, New York, March 22, 1796, and died in Virgil, New York, August 18, 1854. He was edu- cated in the public schools and from early youth followed farming for a livelihood. In 8
1820 he came to Virgil, but two years later lie returned to his native town. In 1833 he set- tled permanently in Virgil, however, and lived there on a farm during the rest of his life. He married, March 2, 1815, Sally Elster, who was born May 4, 1797, and died August 19, 1885. Children : John Casper, mentioned below ; Ebenezer, Thomas, Judson Vinton, Amy and Phebe.
(IX) John Casper, son of John S. Perkins, was born at Burlington, in 1815, and died at Virgil, January 9, 1883. After attending the public schools of Burlington and Virgil, in which he received a good education, he taught school in Virgil for a time. His principal occu- pation in life, however, was farming, and he lived most of the time in Virgil. In his younger days he was active in the state militia. Like his father and ancestors for generations before him, he was a zealous and earnest member of the Baptist church.
He married ( first) Achsah J. Sessions, born May 23, 1819; (second) Catherine Jane Price, born September 26, 1818, died February 18, 1896. Child of first wife: 1. John Horace, born November 30, 1842, a market gardener in Cortland, New York, who married Meliona Oakes, and has eight children: Fred, Frank, Ella, Dell, Grace, Ada, Cora and Hattie. Chil- dren of second wife: 2. Josephine, born Sep- tember 23, 1845: married John Stillman, and had: Frank B., Emma, William J., Earl and Eva. 3. Achsah, born April 20, 1848, died January 19, 1849. 4. Emma V., born January 4, 1853, died May 31, 1857. 5. William Jay. mentioned below.
(X) William Jay, son of John C. Perkins, was born in Virgil, Cortland county, New York, February 2, 1855. He received his edu- cation in the public schools, at the old Cortland Academy, and at the Cortland State Normal School. When he was seventeen years old he became a clerk in a drug store, and, three years later, was admitted to partnership by F. H. Cobb, in the manufacture of confection- ery, importing and dealing in foreign fruits, nuts, tobacco, etc. The firm was known as Cobb & Perkins, and continued with the ut- most success until 1895, a period of twenty years. In 1896 Mr. Perkins engaged in busi- ness as a druggist in Cortland. When his store was destroyed by fire, in March, 1905, he decided to retire from business. He has continued to make his home in Cortland, how- ever, and has spent much time in travel in
116
NEW YORK.
gave to young Jewett the use of his private office and library, thus enabling him to com- plete his medical course in less than the usual time. For a short time he engaged in practice with his former preceptor, Dr. Shipman, at Cortland, and then settled at Summer Hill, Cayuga county, New York, where he met with considerable success. In 1849 he settled at Cortland, where for fifty years he was actively engaged in the practice of his beloved pro- fession. Success in his chosen calling had greater place in his mind than its emoluments, and he was wont to treat rich and poor alike, regardless of financial consideration. His rides over the roads of Cortland county were made in all kinds of weather, at all hours of the day. and much of his study was carried on in his carriage or sleigh, while visiting distant patients. He was an admirer of good horses and was often dependent upon the intelligence of these well-trained animals to convey him safely through snowdrifts and over rough roads, while he was engaged in study. Dr. Jewett took very few vacations, was known as an exceptionally skillful surgeon, and was considered one of the best read physicians of the state. Ile was esteemed quite as highly as a citizen and died widely regretted. He gave no attention to political matters, or other inter- ests outside of his profession, finding his re- ward in the sense of duty done. He was one of the founders of the State Medical Associa- tion, was a member of its council, vice-presi- dent, and president of its Third Branch Asso- ciation. He was a member of the Cortland County Medical Society and of the New York Medico-Legal Society. He was a frequent contributor to medical journals, was accurate in diagnosis and in surgical operations, the family physician of many leading families of Cortland county. At the time of his death he was the oldest practitioner in that district.
He married. October 1, 1850, Matilda El- mira Ingalls, born July 2, 1828, at Summer Hill, Cayuga county, New York, daughter of Benjamin Ingalls. She died in Cortland, June 16, 1907. Children: 1. Granville Sharp Pat- terson, born July 30, 1851, resides on the paternal homestead in Cortland. He married ( first), August 23, 1882, Anna M. Etheridge, who died April 5, 1898, and he married (sec- ond), November 26, 1903, Nellie A. Lennon, who died January 31, 1908. He married (third), August 22, 1910, M. Frances McHale. 2. Alden March, mentioned below. 3. George
Walter, born May 11, 1855, died at the age of three years thirteen days.
( IX) Alden March, second son of Dr. Homer O. and Matilda E. (Ingalls) Jewett, was born December 21, 1852, in Cortland, and pursued his studies in the academy and State Normal School, of that town. In 1871, in his nineteenth year, he entered the employ of Delos Saunders, a jeweler of Cortland, and remained with him three years, in the meantime master- ing the trade. For the next eleven years, he was employed in Pennsylvania, and returned to Cortland in 1886. At this time he opened a store on his own account, and since that date has continued upon the same site. His uniform courtesy to patrons and his shrewd business management have brought to him much suc- cess, and his store is one of the best estab- lishments of the kind in Central New York. Mr. Jewett is active in the social life of the community, being a member of Cortlandville Lodge, No. 470. F. and A. M., of Cortland ; Cortland Chapter, No. 194, R. A. M. : Central City Council. No. 13. of Syracuse ; and Cort- land Commandery, No. 50 K. T. He is also one of the charter members of. Cortland Lodge of Perfection, A. A. O. N. M. S. J. U. S. A., and a member of Central City Consistory, S. R. M., of Syracuse, and a member of Kalurah Temple. A. A. N. M. S., at Binghamton. He is past commander of Cortland Commandery. and past thrice potent master of Cortland Lodge of Perfection. For many years he has been vestryman in Grace Episcopal Church.
He married, August 28, 1890, Clara Lucy Smith, daughter of Judge Abraham P. and Mary E. (Bronson) Smith, of Cortland (see Smith IV). They have one daughter, Helen Etheridge Jewett, born June 6, 1891.
(The Smith Line).
(I) Henry Smith (Henri Schmidt) was born in 1748, in Germany, and located, when a young man, in Walkill, New York. He was a soldier in the revolution, serving in the Sec- ond New York Regiment, and died in Killa- wog, Broome county, New York, in October, 1829.
(II) Abraham, son of Henry Smith, was born in 1778, in Coxsackie, New York, and died in Virgil, Cortland county, New York, in 1863. He was an early resident of that town and engaged in agriculture. He married Nancy Hunt, daughter of Dr. Japhet Hunt, the first white child born in Cortland county, in 171I.
117
NEW YORK.
(III) Nathan, son of Abraham and Nancy (Hunt) Smith, was born in Virgil, April 8, 1808, died in Cortland, October, 1884; mar- ried Lucy Mallory.
(IV) Abram P., son of Nathan and Lucy (Mallory) Smith, was born April 6, 1831, in the eastern part of the town of Virgil, and died July 4, 1897, in Cortland. After attend- ing the common schools of his native town, he attended Cortland Academy, at Homer, and the State Normal School, at Albany, from which he was graduated in 1853. After teach- ing one year at the head of the Marathon schools, he decided to take up the study of law and entered the office of Hon. Horatio Ballard, in Cortland, with whom he continued his studies until admitted to practice in the state courts, January 8, 1856. In November, of the same year, he was elected district attorney for Cortland county, in which position he con- tinned three years, and, in 1859, was the Re- publican candidate for county judge. At the opening of the civil war, he enlisted as a mem- ber of the Seventy-sixth New York Volunteer Infantry, known as the "Fighting Seventy- sixth," which was recruited chiefly in Central New York. On the organization of the regi- ment he was commissioned quartermaster, with the rank of lieutenant, and served until May, 1862, when he resigned to resume his law prac- tice in Cortland. He was elected judge and surrogate of Cortland county in 1867, and served continuously sixteen years, the longest period in which the office had been held by the same person up to that time. He was admitted to practice before the United States courts. January 4, 1874. Down to the expiration of his term as judge he had practiced independ- ently, and soon after admitted to partnership his son, David Eugene Smith, and for one year this firm was in active practice under the title of A. P. & D. E. Smith. At the end of this time the latter was succeeded by Dorr C. Smith. In 1889 the latter gave way to Henry A. Dickinson and the firm of Smith & Dickin- son continued in active practice until the death of its head. Judge Smith was noted as a jury lawyer and was occupied in the trial of an enormous number of cases. As a judge he was clear, firm and concise, and his decisions were rarely called in question. He was a power in the councils of the Republican party, and was often in demand as a public speaker, being witty and fluent, and exercised a wide influ- ence among the people of Central New York.
He compiled a history of the Seventy-sixth Regiment, which has since been the standard work in that line. He was a member of Grover Post, No. 98, Grand Army of the Republic, and was socially congenial and popular in the community. He was very helpful to many young men who were ambitious to make a start in the profession, and was uniformly kind and sympathetic with all.
He married (first) Mary Elizabeth Bronson, born May 27, 1837, in Virgil, and died in Cort- land, July 31, 1872. He married (second) Mrs. Ellen P. Stedman. There were four children of the first marriage, namely: Bron- son, David Eugene, Nora and Clara Lucy. The first and third died in childhood. David Eugene, born January 1, 1860, now holds the chair of mathematics in Columbia College, New York, and is the author of many mathe- matical text books. Clara Lucy, born Febru- ary 28, 1869, was married, August 28, 1890, to Alden March Jewett, of Cortland, as above noted. She is an active member of the Daugh- ters of the American Revolution, of which she is a past regent (see Jewett IX).
BATES George Bates, said to have been born in England, located at Brim- field, Hampshire county, Massa- chusetts, before 1735. He married at Brim- field, December 6, 1735, Rebecca Dick. Chil- dren, born at Brimfield: Mary, October 9, 1736; George Jr., December 23, 1737 ; Samuel, November 9. 1738, married Eunice Sherman and lived at Brimfield ; Hepzibah, February 2, 1741 ; Thomas, January 18, 1743; Asa, May 20, 1745; Lemuel, mentioned below ; Elisha. March 25, 1749.
(II) Lemuel, son of George Bates, was born at Brimfield, March 4, 1747. He left his native town about 1800, and located in what is now Cincinnati, Ohio, driving through the wilderness with other pioneers, and he owned a hundred acres in what is now the heart of the city of Cincinnati. He was a saddler by trade, and, in addition to his trade, was a dealer in cattle, and operated the ferry across the river to the Kentucky shore. He was seized with malarial fever, like so many of the other pioneers in this section of the country, and was obliged to leave the place. He stopped on his way home, at Syracuse, New York, and later decided to locate at Homer, New York, where he bought a farm on which he spent the rest of his life. He was a soldier in the revolu-
118
NEW YORK.
tion from Brimfield, sergeant in Captain Eben- ezer Stoddard's company (Second Hampshire) in 1782, and was engaged in suppressing the insurgents at Northampton. He married Faire- zinah (also given Resinah) Thompson, of Scotch ancestry. She died at Homer, New York, August 3, 1852, aged ninety-eight years. Children : Sally, born at Brimfield, November 20, 1773; daughter, March 24, 1776; Joseph Thompson, October 17, 1778; Patty, February 5. 1781 ; Samuel, July 20, 1783; Ransford, May 19, 1785; Bathsheba, November 27, 1787 ; Lemuel, mentioned below; Barbara; Hepsi- bath; Tabitha ; Fairezinah, April 27, 1797; Nabby, February 10, 1799.
(III) Lemuel (2), son of Lemuel (I) Bates, was born in Brimfield, in 1790, and died in Homer, New York, August 29, 1882, aged, according to his gravestone, ninety-one years. He was a young lad when the family went west, and he returned with them to Homer, and he followed farming there all his active life. He married ( first) Anna Stephens, who died April 27, 1825, aged twenty-four years ; (sec- ond) Phebe Ann Sweet, who died June 19, 1856, aged fifty-one years. Children of first wife : Calvin, Stephen S. and Joseph T. Chil- dren of second wife : Horton S., Henry ; Will- iam, mentioned below ; Augustus, Ballard, El- nora, Nancy, Caroline and Phebe.
(IV) William, son of Lemuel (2) Bates, was born in Cortland, New York, April 21, 1831, and died September 14, 1904, aged sev- enty-three. He was educated in the public schools and learned the trade of blacksmith in his native town, where he lived until 1860, when he removed to Freetown, New York. He followed farming in connection with his black- smith business. He was a member of the lodge of Free Masons, at Moulton, New York, and of the Baptist church. He married (first) Elvira Woodruff, born in 1832, died December 4, 1862, daughter of Madison and Hannah ( Russell) Woodruff, of Cortland. He mar- ried (second) Margaret Borthwick, of Free- town, New York, who survives him ( 1911). Children of the first wife: Eugene Wallace, mentioned below ; Frank W., died February 24, 1874, aged nineteen years. Children of second wife: George, Merton, Martha, Nellie and Jennie.
(V) Eugene Wallace, son of William Bates, was born in Cortland, New York, October 13, 1853, and was educated there in the common
schools, Cortlandville Academy, Normal School of Cortland, and took a commercial course at Lovett's Commercial College, of Binghamton, New York. For three years after he left school he was a bookkeeper in Cortland, and afterward he entered the employ of his grand- father, Madison Woodruff, a manufacturer of pottery, in Cortland, and continued with him for eight years. In 1885 he bought out the business of his employer and carried it on alone for about six years. After selling the pottery business he was for a time a retail grocer, but since 1895 he has been in the insur- ance and real estate business in Cortland, and has achieved notable success. From January, 1901, to January I, 19II, he was assessor of the city. In religion he is a Methodist, and was on the board of trustees of the Methodist church. He is a member of Vesta Lodge, No. 255, of Odd Fellows, of Cortland. In politics he is Republican.
He married, in 1874, Ella Palmer, born at Cortlandville, May 16, 1853. died November 25, 1906, daughter of Prosper and Lucy ( Still- man ) Palmer, of Cortland. They had one son, F. Albert Bates, born in 1875, now a clerk in the office of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Com- pany, at Cortland; married Anna Wright, of Homer, New York, daughter of Lewis Wright, and they have two children: Eugene W. and Darlene W. Bates.
Mr. E. W. Bates married ( second), Decem- ber 17, 1907, Helen O. Brooks, daughter of James A. and Ophelia Brooks, of McGraw- ville, New York.
BATES (IV) Joseph Thompson Bates, son of Lemuel (2) Bates (q. v.), was born in Homer, New York, in 1822, and is now living at Union, Broome county, New York. He had a public school education. He learned the trade of harness- maker, and for several years was employed as a journeyman at his trade in Marathon, New York. He came to Cortland, where he was for thirty years constable and deputy sheriff of the county during part of that time. In 1890 he retired from active business and for several years has made his home with his son and daughter in Union. He has a wide ac- quaintance throughout Cortland and the coun- ty, and is held in high esteem by all who know him. He married Sarah Hatfield. Children : Rosetta ; Allen; Anna; Theodore T., mention-
119
NEW YORK.
ed below: Ida; Rev. William, a Baptist min- ister at Union ; Mina, lives with her brother, Rev. William, at Union.
(V) Theodore Thompson, son of Joseph Thompson Bates, was born at Cortland, Au- gust 1, 1853, and was educated there in the common schools. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to the trade of tinsmith at Homer, New York, and afterward also learned the trade of plumber at Cortland. In 1882 he embarked in business in Cortland, in the firm of Bates & Hollister, plumbers and tinsmiths. and the firm continued until 1885, when it be- came Smith, Kingsbury & Bates, afterward Smith & Bates, and finally T. T. Bates, without a partner. In 1906 the present partnership was formed, under the name of T. T. Bates & Son. Mr. Bates has been very successful in business and is counted among the most sub- stantial men of affairs in the community. He is well known in the Masonic fraternity, in which he has taken the thirty-second degree. He is a member of Cortlandville Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of which he has been worshipful master ; of Cortland Chapter, No. 194, Royal Arch Masons, of which he has been high priest ; of Cortland Commandery, No. 50, Knights Templar, of which he has been com- inander; of Otseningo Valley Consistory, of Binghamton, and of Kalurah Temple, Mystic Shrine, of Binghamton. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of Cortland. He married, in 1874, Theresa C. Carn, of Homer. New York, born in 1855, daughter of Edward and Mary ( Hare ) Carn. Children, born in Cortland: Arthur Earl, mentioned below ; Mabel Irene, died in infancy.
(VI) Arthur Earl, son of Theodore Thomp- son Bates, was born in Cortland, New York, May 15, 1878, and educated in the public schools of his native town and at the State Normal School, at Cortland. He learned the plumbing business in the employ of his father, and, in 1906, was admitted to partnership. Since then the business has been conducted under the firm name of T. T. Bates & Son. He is a member of Cortlandville Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; of Cortland Chapter, No. 194. Royal Arch Masons; of Cortland Com- mandery, No. 50, Knights Templar, and was raised a Mason, exalted to chapter and knight- ed to commandery by his father. He is past master.
He married, February 12. 1906, Grace L.
Bogardus, of near Mason City, Iowa, born June 26, 1885, daughter of Seymour and Jessie ( Webster ) Bogardus. Children : Arthur Sey- mour, born July 23. 1908: Blanche Bogardus, February 5, 1910.
Before the general adoption of DAVIS surnames in Great Britain the Welsh people were accustomed to distinguish those bearing the same Christian name from one another by adding the father's name with a possessive, as "Harry's," "David's" and these were in time shortened and slightly varied, thus forming the very frequent names among those people, of Williams, Jones, Harris and Davis. The family whose history is herein outlined was among those early planted in New England, and has furnished citizens to New York and other states, who have been noted for energy, probity, ability and high moral character. There were numerous Amer- ican immigrants bearing the name early located in northeast Massachusetts. Francis Davis was a resident of Amesbury, Massachusetts, as early as 1640. James Davis was in Newbury before that date. John Davis was located in Ipswich, and a second John Davis was among the early residents of Newbury.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.