Samuel Davis, of Mercer County

Samuel Davis was captured by the shawnee indians in Kentucky when he was 14 years of age. His parents were killed and his brother escaped. He was released three years following when a treaty was signed between the indians and the settlers.

Disambiguation

There is some confusion between Samuel Davis b:1770 in Bucks, PA who married Dorothy "Dolly" Gaines in Jan 1790 and died 28 Sep 1856 (86 yrs old) as shown above but in Mercer Co, KY. They had 6 daughters, Martha Barbee Irvin, Kitty or Kathrine Smith, Nancy Reid, Sarah White, and Susan Ewing, and 4 sons, John Wilson Davis, George Davis, William Gaines Davis, and Ezekiel Davis.

Family

1790 - Consent for marriage

Source: "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z6-7GP : Fri Oct 20 00:17:43 UTC 2023), Entry for Sammuel Davis and Dolley, 2 Jan 1790. Spouse's Father's Name N Gaines

---

Dorothy Gaines married Jan 5 1790 Mercer, Kentucky, United States to Samuel Davis.

List of children (needs checking)

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LHZ9-2FN

Martha Barbee Irvin (born Davis)
John W Davis
George Davis
Malinda Davis
William Gaines Davis
Ezekiel Davis
Katherine Smith (born Davis)
Nancy Reid (born Davis)
Sarah White (born Davis)
Susan Ewing (born Davis)

Notes

https://www.ancestry.com/boards/localities.northam.usa.states.kentu...

Searching for any information about Abraham Voorhies, born c 1795 in KY, living in Mercer County in the 1850 census (listed as Abram Voris, a blacksmith). …. He was still in Mercer County in the 1860 census, then moved to Mackville in Washington County for the 1870 and 1880 census. His wife was Mary Polly Davis. We are attempting to establish his parentage. …. We are not sure about the parents of Mary Polly Davis either. Her father may be Joseph Davis married to Jane Hamilton or Samuel Davis married to Dolly Gaines.

---

https://www.ancestry.com/boards/localities.northam.usa.states.kentu...

I descend from Sally Gaines /John Stone. Looking for info on Sally's family. #5239: "Kentucky Kinfolks, Genealogy From the Louisville Herald-Post, The Kentucky Explorer, Volume 11, Number 6 - November 2, 1996. By permission. Mercer County. Williams Gaines was a Culpeper County, Virginia man. He married Ann Strother. They and older children moved to Kentucky, settling in Lincoln County, Kentucky. In Kentucky he had warrants for various tracts for his services in the Revolution. He bought land in Mercer County, Kentucky, and moved there. Will dated January 3, 1821, proved April, 1827, lists his children: Martha Gaines (Patty) married January 21, 1782, John Barbee; Mary Gaines (Polly), born 1765, died October 10, 1830, aged 65, in Lebanon, Tennessee, married January 29, 1786, to George Finley; Frances Gaines (Fanny), married August 2, 1792, William Threlkeld; Lucy Gains,married firstly William Sledd, secondly January 28, 1788, Thomas Threlkeld;Dolly Gaines married January 5, 1790, Samuel Davis; Elizabeth Gaines (Betsy), married October 24, 1795, Rowlett Rice; Kitty Gaines married William Bruce; Susannah Gaines married Joseph Helm; Sarah (Sally) Gaines, born 1782, married John Stone; Gabriel Gaines; Stother H. Gaines, married January 9, 1810, Ann Fisher; William M. Gaines, died single, will dated April 17, 1838, probted May, 1838; Ezekiel Fields Gaines, married December 30, 1812, Susannah Fisher.

---

https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/g/a/i/James-Leslie-Gaines/GENE1-0007....

William Gaines was a Revolutionary War Soldier, listed in the DAR, Patriot's Index. His will dated 1/3/1821, proved april 1827, Mercer Co., Kentucky (Will Book 9, pages 33-34, Harrodsburg, Kentucky) In his will he mentioned his living children and on grand-daughter.

Children of WILLIAM GAINES and ANN STROTHER are:

iii. DOROTHY "DOLLY" GAINES65, m. SAMUEL DAVIS, January 04, 1790.

References

• "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z6-7GP : Fri Oct 20 00:17:43 UTC 2023), Entry for Sammuel Davis and Dolley, 2 Jan 1790. Spouse's Father's Name N Gaines
• "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V653-FQ3 : Fri Oct 20 00:07:59 UTC 2023), Entry for Samuel Davis and Dolly Gains, 5 Jan 1790.
• https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Dolly_Gaines_%281%29 (links to disputed husband)
• https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/g/a/i/James-Leslie-Gaines/GENE1-0007.... cites
  • 65.jhgainesD.FTW, Date of Import: Apr 17, 2003.
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LHWK-8JH (unsourced parents)
• https://ket.org/program/connections/child-marriage-laws-in-kentucky... “Prior to passage of Senate Bill 48, Kentucky had no minimum age for marriages. Pollard says 16- and 17-year-olds could marry with parental consent. Children under 16 could wed if a judge approved of the union and if a pregnancy was involved.”
• DAR Ancestor #: A043095 (descendants of William Gaines) - Dorothy Gaines is not listed
• https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-1-656897271-2-500708/dor...
• “Samuel Davis Irvin Speaks of Grandfather Samuel Davis and Tecumseh.” Family Bible page: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSGS-Y99P-6. Samuel Davis. Born in Scotland, was the captive of Tecumseh’s mother in the Shawnee tribe from age 14-17.