My Genealogy Hound

James H. Davis, a prominent general farmer and stock raiser of Springfield township, Oakland County, who owns 173 acres in section 17, is a member of one of the oldest pioneer families of the locality, one which, on account of the substantial and reliable character of its members, gave a name to what is now the prosperous town of Davisburg. The birth of James H. Davis took place November 23, 1827, in Ulster County, New York. He is a son of Cornelius and Agnes (Winfield) Davis, both of whom were born in the State of New York.

On both paternal and maternal sides, Mr. Davis conies of Revolutionary stock, both grandfathers having been officers in the American Army and both were pensioners. Andrews Davis, his paternal grandfather, was born in Holland, and died at Olive, Ulster County, New York, the father of these children: Mrs. Sally Dowd; Cornelius; Henrickson; Charles and John.

Cornelius Davis was born in 1703 in Ulster County, New York, and in young manhood served as a soldier in the War of 1812, having the rank of sergeant and being stationed at Staten Island. For his services his widow drew a widow’s pension. In 1836 Cornelius Davis, with his family, including that of his son-in-law, Isaac Losee, started by way of the Erie Canal on what was then a very long journey, the objective point being Springfield township, Oakland county, Michigan. On account of the difficult transportation facilities beyond Detroit, the family brought only the bare necessities and on many occasions the good mother lamented the absence of useful household utensils, and the father felt the need of a tool or a bit of farm machinery left behind in the old home and not replaced in the new one for a long period. Mr. Davis was a man of excellent business ability and it was shown when he secured the whole of section 17, Springfield township, for himself as the first settler, knowing full well that such well situated land would soon attract other settlers, and in this view he was right. The second family to come to the neighborhood was that of Philip Frisby, who located on the west, and the second one was that of Timothy Jones. The first year the Davis and Losee families spent together in the log cabin, 26 by 30 feet in dimensions, which they soon erected. The land was cleared with the use of from three to five yoke of oxen and was put under cultivation by Mr. Davis and his family, although for some years many hardships had to be endured. Game was plentiful at first, but our subject recalls one time when the family bill of fare was reduced to potatoes and salt. He can recall the time when the Indians passed by their home on their way to Detroit to petition Governor Cass for rations. He also remembers an occasion when his mother was badly frightened with fear of wolves which could be heard howling in the timber and darkness had fallen before he could bring home the cows. The second year of pioneer life was the hardest, prior to the harvesting of any crops or the raising of any hogs or cattle. When potatoes were harvested, Mr. Davis hauled them to Detroit and there received 13 cents a bushel. Mr. Davis also can recall the visits of good Elder George Cornell, who made his pastoral visits to the pioneer neighborhood on horse- back and held services in the log school house. Those were days when men and women were not judged by the clothes they wore and lads like our subject were eager listeners, in overalls and bare feet.

Cornelius Davis was married to Agnes Winfield, who was born in Orange County, New York, and was a daughter of Abram Winfield, and they reared this family: Andrews; Mrs. Mary Losee; John C., of Pontiac; Thaddeus C.; Jerome Z.; James H., of this sketch; Mrs. Sarah Burnham; and Isaac L. During the second year of his life in Michigan, Cornelius Davis erected a sawmill and during the year erected a comfortable plank house, a building which is still standing and in Davisburg used as a barn, the village covering a part of the 620 acres originally taken up by Mr. Davis. He was a man of much endurance and great industry, one of the representative pioneers of the township.

James H. Davis was nine years of age when he accompanied his parents to Oakland County. He was reared among pioneer surroundings, his education being obtained as occasion offered. He now owns 173 acres of the original tract of land taken up by his father, and farming is now carried on there by his son, Le Verne. The land is well situated for general farming and stock raising, and it has been the custom of Mr. Davis to devote much attention to high grade Calloway cattle which he exhibits at the various county and State fairs and which have won many premiums. He also raises fine sheep and hogs and his yield of potatoes and the various grains is far above the average. For many years he was very prominent as a farmer but has lately retired somewhat from activity.

Mr. Davis was married first to Maria Simpson, who died four years later. She was born at Cambridge, New York. At death she left three children, viz: William T., deceased; Myron H., a merchant of Pine River, Minnesota; and John M., of Baker City, Oregon, who has three children, Maude I., Ethel and Elmer. The second marriage of Mr. Davis was to Ann Irwin, of Canada, a daughter of David and Ellen (Arnett) Irwin, to which union five children were born, namely: Mrs. Lydia Reynolds, of Gladwin, Michigan, who has three children, Nina V., Davis and Marcella; Leroy of Independence township, Oakland County, who has three children, — James, Henry and Marjorie; Le Verne, who operates our subject’s farm, and for the past five years has been supervisor of Springfield township; Mrs. Hephzibah Dowd, who died leaving one child, Kathleen: and Martha, of Buffalo, New York.

Mr. Davis has been identified with the Democratic party all his life and is an active supporter of its principles. Never desiring office, he has always refused to qualify even when elected to the same by his fellow citizens who on many occasions have chosen him as a candidate. He has been an active member of the Methodist Church for many years, serving officially and as superintendent of the Sunday-school. Fraternally he is a Master Mason and belongs to Austin Lodge, No. 48, of Davisburg, and belongs also to the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Few citizens of the township are better or more favorably known than Mr. Davis, whose long and upright life and many sterling traits of character have given him prominence entirely aside from the fact of his being one of the capitalists of the section.