East Texas Family Records, Volume 7, Number 4, Winter 1983 Page: 41
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EAST TEXAS FAMILY RECORDS VOL. 7, NO. 4, WINTER 1983
RUSK COUNTY - JEREMIAH G. DAVIS - A FAMILY HISTORY
By Bobbie F. Thornton
Piano, Texas
According to Bible record, Jeremiah G. DAVIS was born 16 June 1815, but I have
not been able to discover his place of birth or his parents. The 1850 and 1860
Censuses of Texas show his place of birth as Tennessee, and the 1870 Census of
Texas shows his place of birth as Alabama. According to family tradition, Jeremiah
G. DAVIS, was in Texas by 1835, and fought for Texas Independence prior to
returning to Alabama, but no proof can be found. He may be identical to a Jeremiah
G. DAVIS who is found in Monroe County, Mississippi, witnessing the will of
James R. E. DAVIS, of Pickens County, Alabama, in 1833. James R. E. DAVIS shows
as his father in the will, William DAVIS. Jeremiah G. DAVIS may also be identical
to a J. G. DAVIS in Monroe County, Mississippi, who buys DAVIS Company from
his cousin John DAVIS, and who owns half-interest in the steamboat "Iberia".
The first time I definitely pick up my Jeremiah G. DAVIS in the public records is
on the 1840 Census of Marion County, Alabama. The 1850 Census of Texas, shows
that he was in Rusk County, Texas, by 1844, and he is shown on the 1846 Republic
of Texas Poll List. He is shown in deed records of Rusk County, Texas, from 1852
through 1861. Deed record dated 25 June 1855 shows "consideration of the love
and affection that I have for my niece, Prudence HIGGS, wife of James E. HIGGS",
but since I do not know the names of brothers and sisters of Jeremiah G. DAVIS, I
cannot figure out how Prudence is his niece. There seems to be a close connection
between the DAVIS, GURLEY and HIGGS families. They are shown in Williamson and
Maury Counties, Tennessee, having legal transactions with each other, and the
HIGGS family shows up in Marion County, Alabama, and Rusk County, Texas, alongside
the DAVIS and JOWELL families. Jeremiah G. DAVIS' son Gilford Calloway DAVIS
named one of his sons, Gurley Bourland DAVIS.
In November of 1855, Jeremiah G. DAVIS bought the headright of James Ratcliff of
Tyler County, Texas. Jeremiah G. DAVIS advanced from private to first lieutenant
in Company I, 1 Regiment (Hays') Texas Mounted Volunteers in the Mexican War and
received bounty land in Shelby County, Texas, as a result of this service. John
Salmon "Rip" FORD's memoirs show a Jeremiah S. DAVIS, first lieutenant, twice
wounded at Zacualtipan. Family tradition states that Jeremiah G. DAVIS, also
fought in the Civil War, but I cannot document his service. There is a record,
the original of which was filed under the name "J. T. DAVIS", Captain, Company F,
Bradford's Regiment Cavalry, which may be his. One of the muster rolls shows the
name as "J. G. DAVIS" and the signature on the letter included in the record appears
to be "J. G. DAVIS". Jeremiah G. DAVIS died 14 September 1870, probably in
Rusk County, Texas, as he appears there on the 1870 Census which is dated 22
August 1870.
According to Bible record, Jeremiah G. DAVIS married 17 December 1835, Matilda
Caroline JOWELL, who was born 8 January 1819, daughter of John JOWELL and his
wife, Mary LEARWOOD. John JOWELL's parents were Ratliff JOWELL and his wife
Chrystie ABERCROMBIE, and Mary LEARWOOD's father was Edmund LEARWOOD of South
Carolina. I cannot find the place of marriage of Jeremiah G. DAVIS and Matilda
Caroline JOWELL. Matilda was born in Lawrence County, Alabama, and according to
family tradition, her parents came to Texas in 1835 with their five children, the
older three of whom were already married, and the younger two Matilda and her
41
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East Texas Genealogical Society. East Texas Family Records, Volume 7, Number 4, Winter 1983, periodical, Winter 1983; Tyler, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth38043/m1/43/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting East Texas Genealogical Society.