#52ancestors Post Forty-Two: Conflicting Information About Edward Davis of Edmonson, Kentucky

The writing prompt for week 42 of #52ancestors was conflict. I chose to write about Edward Davis, one of my 4th great-grandfathers, as there is very little found about him and information found on Ancestry Public Member Trees conflict. 

Edward's wife was Nancy. She is said to be Nancy Holland, I would like to find some definite documentation. A Nancy Holland married an Edward Davis on March 19, 1807, in Garrard County, Kentucky. If this Edward and Nancy are my 4th great-grandparents, the record below indicates that Robert Davis might be my 5th great-grandfather.

Marriage record for an Edward Davis and Nancy Holland. Are this Edward and Nancy my 4th great-grandparents? 

In 1810 there were 26 heads of households named Edward Davis on the United States Census; three were in Kentucky. My 4th great-grandfather may not have been one of the heads of households. He may have been living with family and not named on the census. 

On the 1820 United States census, 41 men named Edward Davis were heads of households; three in Kentucky with one each in Madison, Garrard, and Union. I don't know enough about Edward to assume that any of these Kentucky men would be my 4th great-grandfather. 

In 1830, there were 73 heads of households named Edward Davis; five were in Kentucky with one each in Trigg, Pike, Edmonson, Madison, and Garrard Counties. I am assuming the Edward Davis in Edmonson is my 4th great-grandfather as there are records showing his family in Edmonson County. 


Some researchers, with my 4th great-grandfather in their tree at Ancestry.com, have added John D. Davis and Sarah Litsey as my Edward Davis' parents. I seriously doubt this is true. Edward L. Davis, the son of John and Sarah, did not marry, lived in Harrison County, Indiana and ran a store in nearby Leavenworth, Indiana. Edward L. Davis died in 1834. 

This Edward L. Davis who died in Indiana is often found in Ancestry's Public Member Trees as my 4th great-grandfather,  Edward Davis whose family lived in Edmonson County. Deed records indicate Edward L. Davis was a
resident of Harrison County, Indiana at the same time my 4th great-grandfather was thought to be living in Edmonson. 

In 1825, Edmonson County was formed from Warren, Hart, and Grayson Counties. An 1825 court record names Edward Davis in a matter of maintaining a road in Edmonson County and an Edward Davis of Edmonson County sold land to Daniel Smith in 1827. Without more detail, I can only assume this is my Edward Davis. 

As Edward Davis is found in early Edmonson County records, a search of the Warren, Hart, and Grayson county records is warranted. 

My 4th great-grandfather can't be found in Edmonson County after 1830. Did he die or did he leave the family? Between 1837 and 1840, four sons of Nancy Davis, all of Edmonson County, were apprenticed to others to learn a trade. 

Known children of Edward and Nancy Davis are Robert M., Allen B., Seth H. (my 3rd great-grandfather), Enoch, and Elijah T. Davis. 

If you are connected to this Davis family and can tell me more, please leave a comment below or contact me on my Facebook page. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018

Sources

Ancestry.com. 1810 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

Ancestry.com. 1820 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

Ancestry.com. 1830 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. 

Ancestry.com. Select trees with relevant information for Edward Davis. Web. 2 Nov. 2018. <https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/pt/PersonMatch.aspx?indiv=try&h&db>.

Edmonson County, Kentucky Genealogy Genealogy - FamilySearch Wiki.  Web. 12 Nov. 2018. <https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Edmonson_County,_Kentucky_Genealogy>

"Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89SQ-1VH3?cc=1804888&wc=QD3Q-443%3A1300207201 : 17 May 2018), 004260348 > image 20 of 688; Madison County Courthouse, Richmond.

Deeds, 1825-1916; indexes, 1825-1944 — FamilySearch.org. Edmonson County, KY. Web. 3 Nov. 2018. https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/008272162?cat=262138
Deeds, 1825-1916; indexes, 1825-1944; ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS56-Z3GV-5

Deed records, 1809-1886, and index to grantors and grantees, 1809-1888 — FamilySearch.org. Harrison County, Indiana. Web. 3 Nov. 2018.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007862545?cat=470691

Order books, 1824-1876 — FamilySearch.org. Edmonson County, KY. Web. 2 Nov. 2018. https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007646770?cat=261492.
Order books; ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PV-2WBF-C

TracyLHeadley-Cook Family Tree. Edward Davis - Facts. Web. 2 Nov. 2018. <https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/34214810/person/19628045645/facts?indiv=try&h&db>.