In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1831
From Biographical records of Linn County, Iowa .. (1901)
L. L. DAVIS.
This worthy citizen of College township was born in Zanesville, Ohio, November 4, 1 83 1, the son of Thomas and Margaret Davis, who were both natives of South
Wales, and who, after they were married, came to this country about the year 1820. To them were born six children, the subject of our sketch being the only one living. Thomas Davis was a wheelwright by trade, and this he followed until the time of his death, which occurred in 1842, and his remains are interred in Cleveland, Ohio. His wife survived him until the year 1875, passing away at the age of seventy-five years, and her remains are interred in Granville.
Mr. Davis-received his education at Newark, Ohio. He continued to live with his mother, after the death of his father, until he was twenty-three years old, when, in the fall of 1854, he went to Iowa, but returned to Ohiq the following spring, only to go back to Iowa in September, 1855, Avhen he purchased forty acres of wild, uncultivated land in College township, and later added another forty acres to it, and from this, through skill and industry, Mr. Davis has made one of the very finest farms in the township. Many times during the early part of his residence on this land has he been obliged to drive wild cattle of? his fields in order to preserve his crops.
On September 18, 1855, L. L. Davis was united in marriage with.Anna Jones, a native of South Wales and the daughter of John G. Jones, a cooper by trade, who with his family came to this country and settled in Ohio, where he passed the remainder of his (lays. To Mr. and Mrs. Davis nine children were born, eight of whom are now living: Margaret Anna married A. M. Dice, a farmer living in Fairfa.x township; Estella A. lives at home; William died at an early age; Perry M. married Miss Millie Stephenik and lives in College township; Katherine Alice teaches school; Effie married Shirley Minor, a farmer living in College township; Maud S. is a school teacher; Minnie May lives at home; Lew married Ella Butler and lives, in College township.
Being a stanch Republican in politics and a very able man, Mr. Davis has been elected road supervisor for twenty years, also a school director and justice of the peace, but he declined to fill the last named office. In religious faith he and his family are Baptists, and are held in the highest respect and esteem by all who know them.
As printed in Biographical records of Linn County, Iowa .. (1901). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1901. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.