Marty and Karla Grant

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William Davis (1809-1874) and Rachel Davis (1810-1865) of Burke, Yancey, Cherokee and Graham Co., NC

[Davis Home] - [Table of Contents] - William Davis - Rachel Davis Davis.

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Rachel Davis is my 4 times Great Aunt.

Special thanks to Ralph Cody (1927-1993) for sharing information on this family, especially two very important Bible records, the first being William and Rachel’s, the other being their son in law John A. Cody’s, both of which contain very helpful information.

Rachel Davis was born 21 Jun 1810 per both the aforementioned Bible records. This is supported by her ages on the 1850 census (40) and 1860 census (50). She was born in Burke Co., NC, now Avery Co., NC, probably on the Three Mile Creek property.

Rachel is the youngest daughter of William Davis (1731-1841) and Frances Carpenter. She was named in his 1836 Will as “Rachel Davis.”

Rachel was seemingly home with her parents for the 1820 census, aged under 10 (1810/1820) and home in 1830, aged 20-29 (1800/1810).

Rachel Davis married William Davis on 8 Apr 1832 per both Bible records mentioned earlier. No official record was found, but they certainly married in Burke (now Avery) Co., NC where they resided at that time. An early family history listed Rachel as marrying “Bill Davis no relation.”

William Davis (referred to as William “Jr” on records when his father-in-law William was still living) was born 18 Jun 1809 per both Bible records. This is supported by all his census records, 1850 age 41, 1860 age 51, and 1870 age 61.

He was born in Iredell Co., NC as proven by his 1860 census entry. This means he is almost certainly a son of Andrew Davis and Elizabeth Houston who became neighbors of the William Davis (Sr) family on Three Mile Creek in the 1820s. They were in Iredell prior to that.

On 31 Mar 1835 William Davis “Jr” made a land entry for 50 acres in Yancey Co., NC described as on the north side of Doehill joining William Davis Sr. The Land Warrant was issued 10 Aug 1835. The survey was made 23 Oct 1835 with no chain carriers listed. The land was granted on 28 Dec 1836. (North Carolina Land Grant # 82, File No 86.)

“Rachel Davis” was named in her father’s Will dated 9 May 1836. William (Sr) named Josiah G. Wise as his Executor, but after Josiah’s death in 1847, the court named William Davis Jr to be Administrator of the estate of William Sr.

On 22 Jan 1839, William Davis (no suffix) made a land entry of 50 acres on Three Mile Creek adjoining Moores and Samuel Carpenter (William’s nephew) on Rogerses Ridge. The Land Warrant was issued 22 Apr 1839. The survey was dated 3 Dec 1839 and had Samuel Carpenter and Levi Carpenter as Chain Carriers. They were William Sr’s nephews. The land was granted on 17 Dec 1840. (North Carolina Land Grant # 300, File # 352.)

It isn’t clear if the above 50 acre grant was for William Davis Sr or his son-in-law William Jr as no suffix was listed on any of the documents.

William Davis is listed on the 1840 census in Yancey Co., NC, apparently with William Davis Sr in his household or maybe vice versa.

1840 Census, Yancey Co., NC

Page	Name (Males first row, females on second)	0-4	5-9	10-14	15-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50-59	60-69	70-79	80-89	90-99	100+
266	Wm Davis	2	1	~	1	1	1	~	~	~	~	~	~	1
	Slaves=0	1	~	~	1	~	1	~	~	~	1	~	~	~

My analysis (who each person *might* be):

1m 100+ (before 1740)      William Davis (c1731)

1m 30-39 (1800/1810)       William Davis (Jr) (1809) son-in-law (son of Andrew Davis)

1m 20-29 (1810/1820)       Alfred Vaughn (1815) grandson (s/o Wm Vaughn and Elizabeth Davis)

1m 15-19 (1820/1825)       Grandson?

1m 5-9 (1830/1835)            George W. Davis (1833) grandson (s/o Wm & Rachel)

2m 0-4 (1835/1840)            1. John H. Davis (1835) grandson (s/o Wm & Rachel)

                                               2. William N. Davis (1837) grandson (s/o Wm & Rachel)

1f 70-79 (1760/1770)         Frances Carpenter Weatherman Davis (1771) wife

1f 30-39 (1800/1810)         Rachel Davis Davis (1810) daughter > m 1832

1f 15-19 (1820/1825)         Eleanor Vaughn (1823) granddaughter (d/o Wm Vaughn and Elizabeth Davis)

1f 0-4 (1835/18400             Frances E. Davis (1839) granddaughter (d/o Wm & Rachel)

Rachel’s father William Sr died in 1841, and her mother Frances died in 1842.

On 24 May 1847, William Davis Jr made a land entry of 50 acres on Bedford Wiseman’s line on the waters of Three Mile Creek on the south side of Buck Hill including John Davis’s improvements. The Land Warrant was issued on 24 May 1847. They survey was dated 20 Jan 1848 with Joseph Davis and John H. Davis as chain carriers. The land was granted on 5 Feb 1850. (North Carolina Land Grant # 576, File # 563.)

John H. Davis was William’s 12 year old son. I’m not sure who Joseph Davis was. Perhaps he was a brother of William.

They are on the 1850 census in Yancey. William’s nephew William Vance (son of Lewis Vance) was residing with them.

1850 Census, Yancey Co., NC, House (cut off), Family 537

They were next door to Levi Houston (1809) who is somehow related to William via his mother Elizabeth Houston.

William and Rachel moved to Cherokee (now Graham) Co., NC in the 1850s, joining her brothers Jacob and Thomas Davis and William’s brother Miles Davis who were already there.

On 22 Feb 1859, Thomas Davis of Polk Co., TN made a deed with William Davis of Cherokee Co., NC (his brother-in-law) for $500 for 153 acres in Cherokee Co., NC. Thomas signed with a mark. Witnesses were John Hyde and William Morgan. (Cherokee Co., NC Deed Book I, p. 102.)

They are listed on the 1860 census in Cherokee Co., NC. They’re next door to Rachel’s nephew Alfred Vaughn. William’s nephew John Cody is residing with them. He’s a son of Godfrey Cody and Caroline Davis.

1860 Census, Cherokee Co., NC, Cheoah District, Montgomery PO, House 725, Family 725

The 1860s were rough on this family with seven of the nine members dying, all far too young. Only William himself and one of their children survived the decade. I don’t know how big a role the Civil War played in this.

 

∙           William N. Davis died 29 Apr 1862 age 25.

∙           George W. Davis died 13 Aug 1862 age 29.

∙           Thomas W. Davis died 15 Oct 1862 age 11.

∙           Jacob P. Davis died 15 Oct 1864 age 17.

∙           John Harvey Davis died 2 Apr 1865 age 30.

∙           Rachel Davis Davis died 9 Sep 1865 age 55.

∙           Josephine Louisa Davis Rice died 31 Oct 1865 age 23.

∙           Frances Elizabeth Davis King died 12 Jan 1866 age 26.

As noted above, Rachel died on 9 Sep 1865 age 55. She’s buried at Old Mother Cemetery in Graham Co., NC. There is no marker for her, though someone made one for the entire family in recent times. She is buried in Lot 82 according to cemetery records.

William Davis is listed on the 1870 census in Cherokee two houses from his brother Miles Davis. Widower son-in-law Gabriel Rice is with him as are a few other people, including an apparent widow Mary Mitchell and her daughter also named Mary. The younger Mary would soon become the 2^nd wife of Gabriel Rice.

1870 Census, Cherokee Co, NC, Cheoah Township, Valley Town PO, House 201, Family 201

William Davis made his Will on 8 Jan 1874 in Graham Co., NC in which he named as his heirs:

Mary J. Cody

John H. Davis heirs

Louisa Rice heirs

Minor heirs of John H. Davis, viz Rowana and Robert Davis.

I desire my friend William Cooper be appt guardian (of above)

appoint my friend G. P. Rice guardian to Sofrony E. Rice dau my dau Louisa Rice

my trusty friend W. B. Crisp my Executor

Signed by William Davis.

Witnesses were William Carpenter (Rachel’s 1^st cousin once removed) and Wm Holloway.

William Davis died on 2 Oct 1874 in Graham Co., NC. He’s also buried at Old Mother Cemetery. I was never able to find a marker for him there, but his name appears on an early record of the cemetery as being in Lot 66. As noted earlier, someone made a more recent family marker and placed it in the cemetery.

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Children

Their family Bible shows William and Rachel had nine children all apparently born in Yancey Co., NC in the section that is now Avery Co., NC.

A transcript of the Bible (shared by the late Ralph Cody, ca 1992).

William Davis was born June 18 day 1809 ----

Rachel Davis my wife was born June 21 day - 1810

William Davis & Rachel my wife was married Aprile the 8 day - 1832

George W. Davis sun of William & Rachel his mother was born Aprile 5th 1833

John H. Davis sun of William Davis & Rachel his mother was born January 3 day 1835

William N. Davis sun of William Davis was born February 16d 1837

(next section very faded, so I'm not sure of the wording)

Frances Elizabeth Davis daughter of William Davis was born June 5th 1839

Louisa Davis daughter of William Davis was born November the 14th day 1841.

Mary Jane Davis daughter of William Davis and Rachel her mother was born September 29 1844.

Jacob P. Davis was born September 22 day 1847.

(next page)

Thomas W. Davis son of William Davis was born January the 24 day 1851.

Nancy Matilda Davis a daughter of William Davis and Rachel her mother was born August the 11 1853 decest October 24 1853.

Wm N. Davis Junr Deceased April the 29 1862 (hard to read)

G. W. Davis Deceased August the 13 1862 (hard to read)

Thomas W. Davis Deceased October the 15 1862.

J. P. Davis Deceased October 15th 1864.

J. H. Davis Deceased April 2nd 1865.

Rachel Davis Deceased September 9th 1865.

Louisa Rice Deceased October 31st 1865.

F. E. King Deceased Jan 12th 1866.

Sophroney (illegible) Rice daughter of Gabriel Rice and Louisa her mother was born December the 20th 1863.

(next page)

Mary Josiphene Mitchel was born June the 4 1854.

Samantha Patterson was born September the 25 1855.

(next page)

Levi Houston was born Aprile 15 day 1809.

William H. Houston son of Levi Houston was born December the 8 day 1840.

Franky E. Houston the daughter of Levi Houston was born July 23 day 1842.

Lancy L. Myra Houston daughter of Levi Houston was born the 20 day of January 1843

John Mc. Houston son of Levi Houston was born the 15 day of September 1846.;

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For Family Group Sheet and other notes see my database pages William Davis and Rachel Davis.

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Revised: January 22, 2026

Copyright © 1996-2026 Marvin A. Grant, Jr. All Rights Reserved.

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