Stephen Davis

Stephen Davis was alive in May of 1691 when he and Edward Ball probated the will of Sarah Davis (probably his wife). In 1692 his sons, Thomas and John, divided the lands of their then deceased father.

He was from Hartford, Connecticut, 1646, freeman of Conn. 1658, he came with others from Milford, Conn. and they founded on the Passaic River, the City of Newark. He held various offices since Newark's incorporation1666-1713 ....

Biography

From http://www.axtell-surname.org.uk/fam18553.html

Excerpts from "Bloomfield, Old & New" An Historical Symposium by Several Authors Published by the Centennial Historical Committee Bloomfield, New Jersey 1912. “DAVIS”

Steven Davis of the Milford group was the Davis ancestor. No recordappears concerning any grant to him of land in Bloomfield. There are many records showing that Thomas Davis, his son, had acquired a number of tracts in this neighborhood near the Second and Third rivers previous to 1700. A deed in the possession of the Davis family of Bloomfield, dated November 7, 1711, in the reign of Queen Anne, conveys 111 acres in the Eastern Division of New Jersey from Thomas Wall of Middletown, Monmouth Co., to Thomas Davis of Newark. Which descendant of Stephen Davis was the first to make his home on Watsesson Plain we are unable to state. Caleb, the father of Deacon Joseph Davis, died in 1783, aged sixty-six years and his wife, Ruth, in 1793.
The Davis line in Bloomfield appears to run as,follows:

• Stephen, the founder, died in 1691. His sons were John, Thomas and Jonathan.
• Thomas (2) who was born in 1660 and died January 26, 1738, acquired much land in different parts of Essex County, and one of his deeds for property further away has been mentioned. He had sevenchildren: Thomas, Jonathan, Stephen, James, Apphia, Sarah Ball, and Mary.
• From Thomas (3) descended
• James (4), whose will in 1748 mentions Thomas (4), who died in Bloomfield in 1780 and four daughters. It is this Thomas who gave the lot for the school.
• From Jonathan (3), who died in 1690, descended
• Caleb (4), born 1717 and died in Bloomfield 1783; and
• Deacon Joseph (5), born 1753, died June 5, 1827. The children of Deacon Joseph were Caleb, Charles, Joseph Austin, Henrietta, Abigail, Martha and Mary.
• Henrietta was the last of children to occupy the old homestead, and later
• a grandson, Charles M., the son of Caleb (6), resided there.
• Joseph Austin was the well-known physician, who is still remembered by hundreds of his former patients.
• Another line comes from Moses Davis, sons of whom were John, Joseph and Henry.

Notes

Notes

The Davis homestead was converted into restaurants and a tea house thru the years. Today it is called 'Bloomfield Steak and Seafood House'. In order to receive a liquor license, the entrance had to be changed because of NJ state laws stating liquor could not be served facing the entrance of any building that had been a church at one time. The walls are several feet thick - used as a fortress against hostile Indians. Tiny windows used to show through the foundation walls, so a rifle could be shoved through them during a possible raid. My grandmother, Alma Davis [McDowell] was the last Davis to be born in this home. Submitted by: Judy Gluck

Sources:

• http://www.billputman.com/Davis.pdf
• "History of Essex and Hudson Counties, NJ"; Vol. I, Pages 27, 46-47 52, 54-77; Vol. I, Chapter VIII, page 21; Chapter IX, page 23, Chapter XXXIII, page 361; Chapter XXXV, pages 397, 403-419, 423, 425, 427, 442-43, and 455.
• "Historical discourses relating to the First Presbyterian Church in Newark"; pages 15, 34, 80, 317.
• "Biographical and genealogical history of the city of Newark and Essex County, New Jersey"; pg. 97.
• "The Municipalities of Essex County, New Jersey, 1666-1924"; pgs. 27. Many other pages duplicate the information from the History of Essex and Hudson Counties, NJ.