My Genealogy Hound

JOSEPH DAVIS, a son of Simeon and Lydia (Toby) Davis, was born in the autumn of 1820, at the town of Carroll, Chautauqua county, New York, and died in Jamestown, in 1887. The grandparents of Mr. Davis were of English extraction. Paul Davis (grandfather) was for many years a venerable minister of the Baptist church. Simeon Davis, the father of the subject of this sketch, removed to this county, settling in the town of Carroll and following the occupation of a farmer.

Joseph Davis was reared on his father’s farm and assisted in the working of it until he reached manhood, having attended the schools of his neighborhood. He bought a farm in Kiantone town, which he resided upon and cultivated until 1867, when he removed to Jamestown where he lived until his death in 1887. Politically a republican, he was elected in 1854, as one of the first constables of Kiantone town, and in the following year was the superintendent of schools.

Mr. Davis married Almira Van Namee, a daughter of James S. Van Namee, who was born in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, New York. He was of German parentage and came to Carroll at an early day — probably prior to 1806 — where he followed farming and lumbering until his death which occurred in 1834, at the age of sixty-two years. He married Polly Atkins and had six children: Minor, Milo, Loett, Howard, Almira (Mrs. Davis) and Adaline. Milo became a prominent farmer in Kiantone town — was the first inspector of election after the town was formed in 1854, and was re-elected the following year. Mr. and Mrs. Davis were the parents of one child, a son: Elanson C., who married Nellie Bailey, lives in Jamestown and is the father of two children — Joseph and John.