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 1837, Columbiana county
From The history of Jasper county, Missouri : including a condensed history of the state, a complete history of Carthage and Joplin, other towns and townships : together with numerous portraits of prominen (1883)
THOMAS DAVIS, post-office Jasper, farmer. The subject of this sketch was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, March 13, 1837, and was the son of Samuel and Nancy Davis, natives of Virginia, who moved to Ohio at an early date. Our subject's father, Samuel, worked in the salt mines, and at the age of twenty gave his father three barrels of salt to let him et married to Miss Nancy Young. By this union they had six children, our subject being the third child. He moved to Illinois at the age of fifteen and was there educated, working at home until twenty-five years of age. He was married to Miss Cecelia Hendricks March 3, 1864, and the same year moved to Jasper county. Mo. He built the first store in Midway? now Jasper, and kept store three years; then moved upon his present farm of 129 acres, which is well improved and well worked. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have three children; Mary E., Minnie M., and Charles A., and an adopted boy named George H. Baker. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are members of the Dunkard Church and stand high in the community.
As printed in The history of Jasper county, Missouri : including a condensed history of the state, a complete history of Carthage and Joplin, other towns and townships : together with numerous portraits of prominent (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1883. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.