Marty and Karla Grant
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Davis Genealogy - Brunswick and Columbus Co., NC
Welcome to my Davis genealogy pages. I am interested in the Davis surname in Brunswick and Columbus Co., NC.
Davis was the 7th most common surname in the United States in 2000. By 2010 it had dropped to 11th.
Due to how common this name is, my interest is limited to the two counties mentioned and not beyond that with some exceptions as I followed my Davis relatives out of that area.
I do have another Davis line in western North Carolina that is not related to these as far as I can tell. Click here for information on those Davis families.
My Davis family lived around Livingston Creek in what is now Ransom Township of Columbus Co., NC. However, that area was part of neighboring Brunswick Co., NC, North West District, until the 1870's when that section was annexed by Columbus County.
They were listed as white on records after 1850 but before that they were “free colored” usually meaning of African ancestry or mixed race.
My first Davis ancestor is my Great Great Grandmother Mary Catherine Davis (1866-1900/1910) who married William Henry Watson in 1882 in Columbus Co., NC. Mary was born in what is now Columbus Co., NC but at her birth was still part of the Northwest District of Brunswick Co., NC. She was born out of wedlock to a single mother:
Mahala Davis (c1845-aft 1880) never married as far as I’m aware, unless it was after 1880. In 1866 she had Mary Catherine Davis out of wedlock. There is a bastardy bond that she signed along with William R. Skipper and William Smith Jr, neither of whom were named as the father, in fact she refused to name the father. However, I do believe the father was William B. Smith who was the William Jr on the bond. I can’t prove it via paper trail, but I have numerous DNA matches to members of his family and this connection would definitely explain why. Mahala Davis’s parents:
Cornelius Davis (c1805-aft 1890) and Tabitha Jones married ca 1830/33 in Brunswick (now Columbus) Co., NC. I have no primary evidence, but I’m reasonably sure that Cornelius is a son of:
Richard Davis (bef 1764-aft 1830) and unknown wife. Richard Davis, his siblings and their mother were slaves who were freed by their master John Davis, Esq. in 1764. Richard Davis served during the American Revolution, according to a statement his mother made in 1791. Richard’s mother:
Grace Davis (bef 1743-aft 1792) was a slave belonging to John Davis, Esq. who freed her in 1764. The freedom of her and her children was confirmed by the state in 1792.
Grace’s master was John Davis, Esq. (c1705-1765) of Berkeley Co., SC and New Hanover and Brunswick Co., NC. He was twice married, 1st to Ann Parris in 1725, and 2nd to Rebecca Moore ca 1744. One might wonder why he freed Grace in 1764. Was she his daughter? Or was he the father of one or more of her children? Perhaps there was no biological connection at all, though I do have potential DNA matches with members of this family. Regardless, John and Grace are connected, thus I’ve researched him and his family as thoroughly as I can. They were incredibly “well to do,” having several Governors in the family as well as other prestigious office holders. John Davis’s parents:
Cpt. David Davis (d c1714 Berkeley Co., SC) and Ann Moore (d 1726 Berkeley Co., SC). Ann was a daughter of Carolina Colony Governor James Moore and Lady Margaret Berringer.
Revised: July 17, 2026
Copyright © 1996-2026 Marvin A. Grant, Jr. All Rights Reserved.
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