John Davis, of Newbury

NOT the same as John Davis?

NOT the child of Thomas Davis, of Haverhill

The John Davis Controversy

John Davis, father of Cornelius, died in Newbury on Nov. 12, 1675. John's ancestry differs, depending on who you talk to. In the narrative, I state that John is the son of Thomas, the immigrant, and estimate his birth at about 1623. My kin have always "known" that John was Thomas' son. This is family tradition that has been passed down for hundreds of years. But we modern genealogical researchers require evidence to substantiate such claims.

Thomas' only documented children were Joanna (1629) and Joseph (1631). In The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Hoyt says that John was born about 1612, married "Elnor" (she is mentioned in his will), and had the seven children we know of. Savage, in his Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, lists [some] John marrying Mary in 1641, along with the listing of the children. In Torrey's New England Marriages Prior to 1700, John's wife is listed as Elinor. None of these references make any connection between John and the immigrant brothers Thomas and James. In the Davis of Acton-Turville manuscript, Edwin P. Davis concludes that John of Newbury was the John who was the brother of Thomas baptized in Acton-Turville on April 16, 1601.

But Brian Frith, the man who researched the Acton-Turville parish records, states that this is mere conjecture. There is no evidence linking this John Davis to the John Davis who died in Newbury in 1675. So, who was John Davis, really? I choose to believe that he was the son of Thomas Davis rather than the brother. John's marriage date and children's birth dates suggest a man born closer to 1623 than 1601. Will we ever know for sure? Probably not; but longstanding family traditions cannot be dismissed out of hand. Unless it can be proved otherwise, a tradition passed down for generations has just as much merit as any other "conclusion" when the evidence is less than conclusive.

Links

•  http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cdavis2/

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He settled in Newbury or Haverhill, the entire area being known as Salem at that time in history. He married Elinor, possibly of the family Milford, and had seven children. Of this brood, the sixth child, Cornelius, was a man who was called to fight for England and his King, and the fact that he did so had a profound effect on where subsequent generations of the Davis Family would live.

Children of John and Elinor, all born in Newbury, MA:

   1. Mary Davis born October 6, 1642.

   2. John Davis born January 15, 1644.

   3. Zachary Davis born January 15, 1646.

   4. Jerimiah Davis born June 21 1648.

   5. Mary Davis born August 12, 1650.

   6. Cornelius Davis born January 15, 1653.

   7. Ephraim Davis born September 29, 1655. 

He settled at Newbury, Massachusetts c 1638, and died there on November 12, 1675. His widow, Mrs. Eleanor Davis presented an inventory of his estate on September 26, 1676. She received 20 shillings from the estate of Anthony Somerby of Newbury in his will dated January 22, 1685. And William Foster, of Charlestown, in his will dated may 7, 1696, leaves "to my Kinswoman Elenor Davis in England and her daughter Mary Davis twenty shillings apeice".

References

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Davis-2259
• Davis, Edwin Pountney. Davis, of Acton Turville, Gloucestershire: The Ancestry of James, Thomas and John Davis, who Settled in Newbury, Massachusetts c1638. (São Paulo, Brazil : privately published, 1984). (document attached)
• https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~cdavis2/