The Davis Family of Boone County, Iowa

CYRUS M. DAVIS.

Iowa is one the greatest agricultural states in the Union. The splendid productions of field and meadow have been a most important element in its welfare and prosperity. Its products have been shipped out into other states and its influence upon trade has been very great. It is a well known fact that agriculture is the basis of all prosperity and those countries advance more rapidly where the productions of the fields arc sufficient to support the people..Mr. Davis is numbered among those in Boone count) who have won for Iowa il did reputation in this n gard I [e owns and operates a farm of one hundred and eighty acres on sections -'4 and 25, Worth township, and the old home place is substantially improved ami is a valuable tract of land. He came to Boone county in October. 1N54. being then only twelve years of age. his birth having occurred in Harrison county, Ohio, November 18, 1842. His father, Lewis Davis, was a native of Virginia, born in 1820, and in 1832 went to Ohio with an uncle, becoming a resident of Harrison county, that state, when the district was a frontier region. There he grew to manhood and when he had attained to years of maturity he sought a companion and helpmate for life's journey, being united in marriage to Miss Alary Ann Ames, whose birth occurred in Harrison county. Mr. Davis followed farming there for a number of years and six children were there added to the family, in 1854 he came to Boone county, lo\\a. and purchased land and developed a farm in Worth township, spending his remaining days upon that place. He died in 180,2. at the age of seventy-two years, while his wife passed away in February, 1900. In their family were six sons and seven daughters and all readied adult age, hut one brother and one sister are now deceased.

Cyrus M. Davis spent the first twelve years of his life in the state of his nativity and during the remainder of his youth lived in Boone county. He was early trained to the arduous duties of field and meadow in the development of a new farm, giving to his father the benefit of his services until he was nineteen years of age, when the country claimed his aid. He felt that his first Aw was b the I Fnii m and in 1862 he joined Company I. Thirty-second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which he proceeded to the south and was assigned to duty with the Western Army. He participated in the battles of Cape Girardeau, Nyo Meto, Little Rock, Brownsville, and went with General in the Red River expedition, being forty-two days under fire in that campaign. He was also in the battle of Alexandria, Fort De Russy, Pleasant Hill and many smaller skirmishes. He afterward took pari in the battle of Eastport, Mississippi, and in die three days' engagement at Nashville. After the battle of Tupelo he went to Mobile with his command, took part in the battle there and afterward proceeded to Montgomery, Alabama, and participated in the siege and capture of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely. He served with valor and loyalty until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged at Davenport, Jowa, in August, 1865.

Mr. Davis immediately afterward returned to his home. He was ill in the hospital but once, having spent two weeks in the hospital at Brownsville, Arkansas. He had always been found at his post of duty, faithfully defending the cause of the Union, but with rejoicing returned to Iowa when the country no longer needed his services, the preservation of the Union being an assured fact. He then remained with his father upon the old home farm until his marriage, which was celebrated in this count).in the 18th of March, [866, the lady of his choice being Mrs. Sarah \l. Boone, a widow, and a daughter of John Nut! the pioneer farmers of Indiana. She was born in that state, bu1 reared in Boone county. After his marriage Mr. Davis rented land for two years and then located upon his present farm, on section-4. Worth township, first purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of raw prairie, on which he built a small house. Throughout the months of spring, summer and autumn he was found in the fields attending to his crops they pr igressed toward perfection. After a number of years had passed his first home was replaced by a good substantial residence and all modern equipments and accessories have been added to his property, so that it has now become very valuable. The boundaries of the farm have been extended by additional purchase until he now has two hundred! acres there. He also bought two hundred acreof timber land on section 15. 1 >rth tow ship, ami hagk a id pasture land. In connection with general farming engaged in the raising and breeding of stock and regarded aone of the prosperulturists and stock men of tinlocality.

tome of Mr. and Mrs. Davis has been blessed with six children, and only two of the number are now living, Zilpha and James Allien. The former is yet with her parents, while the latter is married ami followed farming with his father. He lias one child. Ina May. The members of the family who have passed away are: CMlie, who died at the age of nineteen years; Harrison, who died at the age of eight years; Annette, who died at the age of two years; and an infant.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Jesse Davis, a retired farmer living on his finely improved place of one hundred and sixty acres on section 9, North township, has made his home here for the past third of a century. He was born in Harrison comity, Ohio, October 4, 1844, and was eleven years of age when, in 1855, he came to Boone county. Iowa, with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Davis, who were farming people. Extended mention of the family is made in the sketch of Henry L. Davis which appears on another page of this work. Jesse Davis had but limited educational advantages, attending subscription schools only after his removal to Boone county. At the age of twenty-one years he commenced farming for himself and operated a part of the old homestead for about eight years. After his marriage, however, he purchased land and at different times owned several farms in Worth township, which he subsequently disposed of and finally became the owner of his present valuable farm, which is well tiled and is a very productive and well improved place. He carried on general farming and handled much stock, but is now practically living retired, while the land is cultivated by hired help.

In 1873 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Davis and Miss Mary A. Hiatt, a daughter of James Hiatt, a pioneer carpenter and contractor. She was born in Indiana and was but three years of age when the family came to Boone county. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have had five children, namely: Lillie May. who is now the wife of C. H. Johnson and has one son, Harvey; Mrs. Ida lille Dyer, who lives in the eastern part of Boone county and has one child, Russell; Albert, a farmer of Des Moines township who married Miss Carr and has two children, Marvin and Lester; Bessie, the deceased wife of a Mr. McQuilken; and one child who died in infancy unnamed.

Although Mr. Davis has always taken an active interest in public affairs, he has never accepted office, preferring to give his entire time to his farming interests. His political support has always been given the republican party. He is progressive and public-spirited and can always be relied upon to further any movement which he believes will prove of benefit to his locality.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

HENRY LEWIS DAVIS.

Henry Lewis Davis, a respected citizen and representative agriculturist of Boone county, was born in Harrison county, Ohio, on the 9th of October, 1850, a son of Lewis and Mary Ann (Ames) Davis, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. They took up their above in Muscatine county, Iowa, on the 6th of October, 1854, and in June, 1855, came to Boone county, the father entering three hundred and twenty acres of land in Colfax township. Later disposing of this property, he bought a tract of eighty acres in Worth township and subsequently extended the boundaries of his farm by additional purchase until it embraced more than three hundred acres. He continued to reside thereon throughout the remainder of his life, passing away on the 25th of May, 1892, while his wife was called to her final rest on the. 26th of February, 1900. Mr. Davis held the office of county coroner for two terms and also served in minor township positions, making a creditable and commendable record as a public official. The period of his residence in this county covered thirty-seven years, and he gained an extensive and favorable acquaintance within its borders. To him and his wife were born thirteen children, as follows: Margaret Ann. who is deceased; James A., who was killed at the battle of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, in 1864; Sarah Ellen, deceased; Cyrus M., an old soldier who makes his home in Luther, Iowa; Jesse, living in Boone; Elizabeth J., who is the wife of Charles Fleming of Arkansas; mary Maria, who is the widow of John Nutt and resides in Boone; Henry Lewis, of this review; Catherine A., the wife of S. T. Steelsmith, of Troy, Idaho; George A., of Worth township; Keziah M., who is the widow of Nimrod Rule and lives in Boone; Abraham L., of Fort Dodge; and Abbie Amanda, who is the wife of Albert Nutt, of Boone.

Henry Lewis Davis, who was a little lad of five years when his parents settled in this county, remained on the home farm until twenty-five years of age and then made his way to California, following farming in San Luis Obispo. At the end of a year he returned to Boone county and purchased a tract of ninety-nine acres adjoining the old homestead. He eventually disposed of the property which he had acquired and at the present time owns one hundred and thirty-nine acres comprising a part of the home place. During the last few years he has devoted his time and energies to both farming and stock-raising.

making a specialty of shorthorn cattle. His undertakings as an agriculturist have been attended with gratifying and well deserved measure of success, and he enjoys an enviable reputation as one of the prosperous and esteemed citizens of his community.

On the 23d of August, 1876, Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Arabell C. Cross, a native of Boone county and a daughter of Isaac and Maria (Keigley) Cross, both of whom were born in Greene county, Pennsylvania. They came to this county about 1855, and here the father turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. He passed away in May, 1907, while the mother was called to her final rest in April, 1900. They had two children: Mrs. Henry L. Davis; and Sarah E., who is the wife of Robert McMillen, of Indianola, Iowa. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Davis have been born four children, as follows: Alta E., who is the wife of E. C. Payne, of Worth township; Clara Belle, who is the widow of Saul Dyer and resides in Boone; James Leroy, of Beaver township, Boone county; and a daughter who died in infancy.

Mr. Davis gives his political allegiance to the republican party, has served in the capacity of supervisor for two terms and has also acted as township assessor and trustee, ever discharging his public duties in a most satisfactory manner. Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, while his religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church, which receives his support. As a citizen he is public-spirited and whatever tends to promote the best interests of the community receives his indorsement and hearty cooperation. He has spent most of his life in this county and is therefore widely and favorably known, commanding the high regard of all with whom he has been associated.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.