Elinor Davis

Other Events and Attributes:

• Married: 28 Oct 1703, Christ Church, Middlesex, Virginia, USA

Notes:

John Davis (III), about 1681-1779 Catherine Ragland, about 1681-1710 (?)

In Christ Church Parish, Virginia Births, 1653-1812, it is documented that John Davis (III) was born July 7, 1681 in Christchurch, Middlesex, Virginia and that his parents were John Davis (II) (about 1648-1720), of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, and Sarah Watts. In later records John is referred to as a “planter” (landed proprietor) of Middlesex County, Virginia.

At an apparently very young age in 1696 in Middlesex County, Virginia John Davis (III) married Catherine (“Katy”) Ragland. Catherine was the daughter of Evan Ragland, Sr. and Susanna Pettus and was born in New Kent County, Virginia. If birth and marriage years are correct, John and Catherine would have been only about 15 years old when they married.

Catherine's father, Evan Ragland, had been shanghaied/kidnapped in England when he was a young teenager and brought to America where he was sold as an indentured servant. He later married his “owner's” daughter, and Catherine was their first child.

However, there is considerable confusion regarding this ancestor. In the book The Raglands: The History of a British-American Family, Vol. I (published 1978), author Charles J. Ragland, Jr. writes: “It is probable that John Davis is the same age as Catherine's father [Evan Ragland], and that he was kidnapped and brought to this country at the same time as Evan. He was a widower with several children when he married Catherine and undoubtedly a number of years older than she.” Is the author confusing him with an earlier John Davis?

Ragland family tradition states John He an cousin Evan Ragland were kidnapped at Watchet, Somerset, England and sold as endentured servants to Stephen Pettus family. Evan married daughter of Pettus and became a planter. John married Catherine Ragland, daughter of Evan Ragland.Line: John Davis 1679-?
Rev. William Davis 1699-1763
William Davis Aug 9, 1729-June 4, 1790
Joseph H. Davis, Sr Oct. 20, 1775-Oct 1 1850
John Egbert "Jack" Davis ca 1806-1850
Remainder of line was in Tennessee after John Egbert and several of his brothers migratwed there in 1837.

John and Catherine are thought to have had the following children:
(Reverend) William Davis, about 1699-1763, married Elizabeth Shelton
Ruth Davis, born about 1709, married Eustace Hoord
Catherine is said to have died at a young age; some say she died in 1703, others say 1710. If Catherine died in 1703, who was the mother of Ruth Davis, reportedly born in 1709?

Additional confusion results because several other children (Joanna, Joseph, Matthew, Elizabeth, Elinor, Jonathan, and others) are attributed to John, yet there is no record that he remarried. John Davis (III) reportedly died about 1779 in Virginia. If correct, he would have been 98 years old.

Compiled from various public web sites. Please check facts to your own satisfaction; there are many variations in information for the various John Davises.) It is thought that John Davis (III) was born about 1681 to John Davis (II) (about 1648-1720), of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, and Sarah Watts. John (III) was born in Christchurch, Middlesex, Virginia and died about 1779 in Virginia. He was a landed proprietor ("planter") in Middlesex County.

At a young age in 1696 in Middlesex County, Virginia, John Davis (III) married Catherine (Katy) Ragland (about 1681-1710). Catherine was the daughter of Evan Ragland, Sr. and Susanna Pettus. Catherine was born in New Kent County, Virginia. Catherine's father had been shanghaied/kidnapped in England when he was a young teenager and brought to America where he was sold as an indentured servant. He later married his "owner's" daughter and Susanna was their first child.

If their 1681 birth years are correct, John and Catherine would have been only about 15 years old when they married.

However, in the book "The Raglands: The History of a British-American Family, Vol. I," by Charles J. Ragland, Jr., published 1978, is the following statement: "It is probable that John Davis is the same age as Catherine's father, and that he was kidnapped and brought to this country at the same time as Evan. He was a widower with several children when he married Catherine and undoubtedly a number of years older than she." It is unclear if the author may be confusing John (III) with a different John Davis.

It is believed John and Catherine had the following children, probably in addition to others:

(Reverend) William Davis, about 1699-1763
Ruth Davis, born about 1709, married Eustace Hoord

John married Elizabeth Crank on 28 Oct 1703 in Christ Church, Middlesex, Virginia, USA. Elizabeth was born in 1685 in , Lancaster, Virginia, USA; died on 19 Sep 1740 in Christ Church, Middlesex, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

John Davis (II), 1648-1720 Sarah Watts, about 1664-1728

There were several John Davises in 1600s and 1700s in Virginia. Most Davis researchers say that our John Davis, reportedly known as John Davis, Jr., was born in 1648 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia to John Davis (Sr. or I) (about 1610-1665) and Mary Green, who had emigrated from England to Virginia.

According to the Christ Church Parish, Virginia Marriage Records, 1653-1812, John Davis married Sarah Watts (about 1664-1730) on January 26, 1679 in Christchurch, Middlesex, Virginia. Sarah would have been only 15 years old if her birth year is correct. Sarah is believed to have been the daughter of John Watts, born 1638, and Alice English, born 1639.

It is generally reported that John and Sarah had the following two children: (unusual in those days to have only two children)
Hannah F. Davis, born about 1680, married John Graves
John Davis (III), born about 1681, married Catherine Ragland

Could John and Sarah have divorced, after a very short marriage? Some genealogists say Sarah Watts married Henry Pope in 1683 and had eleven additional children. If so, there would have been a divorce since John Davis was still alive in 1683. John Watts’ (Sarah's presumed father) will mentions a daughter Sarah Pope and a son-in-law Henry Pope.

John Davis (II) is believed to have died September 20, 1720 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. Sarah is believed to have died October 28, 1728, also in Isle of Wight, Virginia.

John married Sarah Watts on 26 Jan 1679 in Christ Church, Middlesex, Virginia, USA. Sarah (daughter of John Watts and Alice English) was born in 1664 in , Middlesex, Virginia, USA; died in 1730 in , Middlesex, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Little is known of John Davis (I) and Mary Green other than a few basic facts from the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

John Davis (I) was born in Gravesend, Kent, England in 1610. His parents are said to have been James Davis and Rachel (unknown maiden name) of England. He married Mary Green, who was born in 1615 in Mentmore, Buckingham, England. Mary’s parents are believed to have been Thomas Green, born about 1584, and Mary Jane Moore, born about 1588, both of England.

John and Mary were married about 1637 in Gravesend, Kent, England. They emigrated to the colony of Virginia, county of Isle of Wight, in 1648. Their children are believed to have been:

Elizabeth Davis, born about 1637 in England
Thomas Davis, born about 1644 in Virginia
John Davis (II), born about 1648 in Virginia, married Sarah Watts
William Davis, born about 1650 in Virginia

Both John and Mary died in Newport Parish, Isle of Wight Co., Virginia.

John married Mary Green in 1637 in Gravesend, Kent, England. Mary was born in 1615 in Mentmore, Buckingham, England; died in Newport, Isle of Wight, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Alice English. Alice was born in 1639. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

James married Rachel Keyes. Rachel was born in 1590 in , , , England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]