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What DNA evidence supports this statement?
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Davis-1090
Thomas Davis cannot be said with absolute certainty to be a son of John Davis of Acton Turville, but is highly likely based on the facts that:
- James Davis of Haverhill is a proven son of John Davis of Acton Turville.
- John Davis of Acton Turville had a proven son Thomas who was an adult when he wrote his will in 1626.
- John Davis of Acton Turville had a son John baptized in 1601. You would predict that the next son Thomas would have been born about 1603. Thomas Davis of Haverhill was born about 1603.
- Thomas Davis of Haverhill was married in Chipping Sodbury, less than 10 miles from Acton Turville.
- James Davis and Thomas Davis appeared in New England around the same time and then both moved to Haverhill around the same time.
- James Davis and Thomas Davis of Haverhill had a close association with each other and even testified for each other in several suits.
What other evidence can we present for parentage of the brothers who came to Haverhill, Massachusetts during the Great Puritan Migration?
Abstract of will of JOHN DAVIS, Acton Turville, 1626 is below. He named his children Samuel, Thomas, James, and grandchildren (children of James) James, John and Sarah. His widow was Sara.
Abstract of will of JOHN DAVIS, Acton Turville, 1626
In the name of God Amen, I, John Davis of Acton Turville in the countye of Glouc., yeoma', sycke in bodye but of good and p'fect memory, do make thys my laste will and Testament in manner and form following. My bodye to be buryed in ye Churchyarde of Acton Turville aforesaide. It' I gyve unto my sonne Samyll in regard of one cowe whych . . . Item I gyve unto my sonne Thomas twelve pence. Item I guve unto . . . sonne twelve pence. Item I geve unto James Davys and John Davis my sonne James his sonness...shillings a peece. I gyve unto Sara my sonne James his daugher (ten shillings?). Item I gyve unto Sara my nowe wyfe on coffer. ffurther my will is that I...which I gyve unto my Sonn Samyll in regard of his...him bymy executor when he have served his apprentis...not then to remayne to my sonne James his children. It'l al the est of my goods moveable and unmoveable and ye executorsyeare of my lease...my sonne James Davys whome I make my executor of this my last will and testament. Also I do Intreate and Apoynt will p'formed...Apryll 1626. The marke of John x Davis
Notes
Edwin P. Davis concludes that John of Newbury was the John who was the 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.
From https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Davis-942
Children of John and Agnes Davis:
- James Davis. He was probably born in the 1590s based on his marriage though he was said to be aged 96 at his death in 1679 (likely an exaggeration). He married Cicely Thayer and had six known children. They immigrated to New England by 1635. James died 29 January 1679 in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
- Thomas Davis. Born about 1603 (deposed aged 66 in 1669). Named in the will of father and of his uncle Thomas. He is said to be the Thomas Davis who settled in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1635.
- John Davis. Baptized on 16 April 1601 at Acton Turville. He was named in the will of his uncle Thomas. He is said to be the John Davis who settled in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1638.
- Ephraim Davis. He was named in the will of his father and of his uncle Thomas. He apparently never left England, but is probably the Ephraim Davis mentioned in Massachusetts records as having married the sister of Robert Bills who died 15 December 1635. This Ephraim died before 8 January 1638 when his widow's second husband, the Rev. John Knowles of Watertown, was appointed administrator of Bills' estate.
- Samuel Davis. Named in the will of father and of his uncle Thomas. Probably still underage in 1626 as he was to receive his inheritance after completing his "apprentis."
From https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1696321/comments-on-thomas-davis
My name is Daryl Davis and I have taken the big 700 Y-DNA test. My results are backed up with documentation to a common ancestor with two other testers (both tester have taken a Y-111 DNA test). I have a two step genetic distance with a common ancestor of Moses Davis (1657-1724 Oyster River, N.H. ) and a five step genetic distance with a common ancestor of John Davis ( about 1550-1626 Acton-Turville South Gloucestershire England.) Also I have one step genetic distance with an unknown common ancestor about 1750. Again this other tester did a Y-111 DNA test. I did a SAPP test comparing my DNA STRs with a proposed descendant of Thomas Davis (1603-1683). The best results of the seven testers compared to mine was an eighteen step genetic distance. This would put a common ancestor hundreds of years before John Davis of Acton Turville. My opinion is that the DNA of the proposed ancestors of Thomas Davis son of John Davis is proven that they are not descendants of that Thomas Davis. My DNA match proves that Samuel Davis of Rumney Marsh is the brother of James Davis of Haverhill but I have no DNA match That proves Thomas Davis of Haverhill is also a brother of James Davis.
References
- http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Davis?frame=ycolorized Grouped under John Davis of Newbury, Mass.
- WikiTree contributors, "James Davis (abt.1595-1679)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Davis-941 : accessed 15 February 2024).
- WikiTree contributors, "Thomas Davis (abt.1603-1683)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Davis-1090 : accessed 15 February 2024).
- WikiTree contributors, "John Davis (abt.1562-bef.1626)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Davis-942 : accessed 15 February 2024).
- WikiTree contributors, "Agnes (Unknown) Davis (abt.1570-1623)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-498221 : accessed 15 February 2024).
- 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).
- https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~cdavis2/
- “Thomas Davis, of Haverhill - Is there enough evidence to connect parents?” (1/22/2023) (Geni.com discussion)
- 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). < FamilySearch >; (document attached)