CLARISSA “CLARA” (DENNEY) DAVIS

Clarissa “Clara” (Denney) Davis gravestone
(Photo by Vernon B. Paddock)

B. 1795 in New York
D. March 27, 1856
Find A Grave memorial (click here)

  • Father: Clark Denney, born in New York; Clark died 1809 in Onondaga County, NY
  • Mother: Phebe (Mosher) Denney
  • Husband: Lemuel C. Davis born 1789 in Stafford, Tolland County, CT, son of Lemuel Davis (1755-1804) and Abigail (Fuller) Davis (1759- ); Lemuel died March 11 1856 in Avon Township, Lake County, IL  (See section pertaining to Lemuel C. Davis buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery)
  • Children:
    1. Phoebe A. (Davis) Farrand born April 28, 1820 in Ontario County, NY; married William Farrand (1820-1885) in New York; Phoebe died January 31, 1901 in Sumner, Bremer County, IA; Phoebe and William are buried in Wilson Grove Cemetery, Sumner, IA

According to the Sumner Gazette (Sumner IA) Thursday, February 17, 1901:

“Mrs. William Farrand, – Miss Phoebe Davis was born in New York State 81 years ago the 29th day of last April; was married about 65 years ago to Wm. Farrand, came to Illinois in 1853, to this county in 1873, and to Sumner in 1883, where she resided till she departed this life Thursday night, January 31st, 1901. Her husband died in 1885.  She was the mother of five children, two of whom preceded her to the other shore.  Her surviving children are O. L. and E. W. Farrand, of this city, and Mrs. Fred Wood, of South Dakota.  The funeral took place at the M. E. church in this place last Sunday morning.  The pastor being sick, services were conducted by Rev. L. O. Sutherland, pastor of Presbyterian church, who delivered a most excellent and appropriate sermon for the occasion.  Burial was made by the side of the remains of her husband in Wilson’s Grove Cemetery.”

2. Lemuel Clark Davis born October 1, 1822 in Manine Township, Canandaigua, Ontario County, NY; married (1) Sarah H. Grant (1825-1873) about 1845; married (2) Hariette; Lemuel died March 11, 1915 in Avon Township, Lake Co, IL (See section pertaining to Sarah H. (Grant) Davis buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery) (See section pertaining to Lemuel Clark Davis buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery)

3. Roxanna (Davis) (Delap) Briggs born about 1826 in New York; married (1) William H. DeLap (?-1885) about 1852; William was a physician in Athens, Calhoun County, MI; In 1874 he was listed as having a “Bathing Apparatus” patent; she married (2) Albert Briggs (?-1896) on November 19, 1887 in Athens, Calhoun County, MI, son of Austin Briggs (1786-1862) (See section pertaining to Austin Briggs buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery) and Annis (Town) Briggs (1788-1862) (See section pertaining to Annis (Town) Briggs buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery); her children were born in Avon Township, Lake County, IL; Roxanna died October 29, 1895 in Athens, Calhoun County, MI

According to the Michigan, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1784-1980:

“In the Matter of the Estate of Roxanna Briggs (formerly Roxanna DeLap), deceased.
   To the Hon. George Ingersalt, Judge of Probate for said County:
   The petitioner of Clara Smith respectfully represents to said Court that she is interested in said Estate as one of the heirs at law of said deceased:
   The said deceased departed this life at the village of Athens, in the State of Michigan, on or about the 29th day of October, A. D. 1895….
   …Your Petitioner further represents that the names and residence of the heirs-at-law of said deceased, so far as the same are known to your petitioner, are as follows, vix:
   Rollin S. DeLap (son), of the city of Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois,
   William DeLap (son) of the village of McGregor, county of Aitkins and State of Minnesota
   Clara Smith (daughter and your petitioner) of the village of Vicksburg, county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan”

4. Alson Wesley Davis born 1828 in Steuben County, NY; married Hannah (Davis) (Davis) Baker (1828-1908) on November 28, 1850 in Lake County, IL, daughter of Samuel Davis and niece of Lemuel Davis; Hannah married (2) Charles Baker in December 8, 1867 in Crawford County, MO; Hannah and Charles are buried in Saint James Cemetery, Saint James, Phelps County, MO; Alson was a Civil War Veteran, rank of Sergeant, Company G, 22nd New York Cavalry (1863-1865); Alson died April 4, 1865 in Annapolis, Arundel County, MD as a paroled prisoner; buried in the Annapolis National Cemetery, Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, MD

According to the genealogytrails.com website for Phelps County, MO, “Biographies” in regards to George W. Davis, son of Alson W. Davis, grandson of Lemuel C. Davis:

“George W. Davis
Prof. George W. Davis, principal of the St. James High-school, is among the popular and successful educators of Phelps County, Mo., and has bent all his energies to perfect himself in his chosen calling; and it may be truthfully said that his labors have met with flattering success.  He was born in Lake County, Ill., in 1853, and is a son of Alson W. and Hannah Davis, both of whom were born in Steuben County, N.Y., in 1828.  Alson W. Davis removed to Lake County, Ill., when Chicago was a mere trading post, and was reared and married in that county.  In 1859 he returned to Steuben County, N.Y., and while there enlisted in the First New York Artillery for three years, or during the war, and after about two years’ service with the Army of the Potomac was discharged on account of ill-health, but after six months’ rest improved so in health that he again joined the army, enlisting in Company G, Twenty-second New York Cavalry.  He was taken prisoner at Weldon Railroad, near Richmond, Va., in 1864, and was kept in captivity in Andersonville, Libby, Florence and Charleston prisons, and died a paroled prisoner at Annapolis, Md., April 4, 1865, and is buried in the National Cemetery.  He was a cabinet-maker by trade, and was a son of Lemuel C. Davis, who was of Welsh descent, and a farmer of Connecticut, and died in Lake County, Ill.  Judge Noah C. Davis, of the New York Supreme Court, who was appointed by President Grant, is his nephew.  Our subject’s mother was a daughter of Samuel Davis, a brother of Lemuel C.  The former was also a native of Connecticut, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.  He died in Steuben County, N.Y.  In 1867 Prof. George W. Davis and his mother came to Phelps County, Mo., and here the mother is still living, the wife of Charles Baker, whom she married in 1867.  Prof. Davis is an only child, and was reared on a farm, receiving a common-school education, until fourteen years of age.  After coming to Missouri he was sick for a long period, which left him a cripple for life.  From 1885 to 1888 he attended the Cape Girardeau Normal School, graduating from the “C” and “B” courses, and began his career as a pedagogue in 1874, and with the exception of one year, when he was in school, has taught up to the present time.  He is entering on his second year’s work at St. James, and bids fair to become among the foremost educators of the day.  He is a member of the I.O.O.F., Big Spring Lodge No. 237, and in his political views supports the principles of the Republican party, his first presidential vote being cast for Hayes.  His step-father, Mr. Baker, was born in Hampshire, England, in 1825, and as his parents were quite poor he was compelled to begin the battle of life for himself at a very early age, receiving but very little schooling.  When about ten years of age he hired out as a shepherd boy, which occupation he continued for some five years, receiving about 4 shillings a week for his services, and the following four years worked at gardening.  He was then employed in a dock-yard for about two years, at which time he had accumulated enough money to enable him to come to the United States (1850), and spent some years in various parts of the Western States and Territories trading with the Indians.  He was engage in carpentering in Illinois about ten years, and then came to Missouri in 1867, where he has since lived, actively engaged in agricultural pursuits.  [Source:  “History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri”, Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co. 1889; Transcribed by K. Mohler]

According to the New York, U.S., Registers of Officers and Enlisted Men Mustered into Federal Service 1861-1865:

“Name of deceased, Steuben County, Avoca, Alson W. Davis; Age at the time of death: 37; Civil condition: M; Citizen: “box checked”; Date of entering the service: Dec 30, 1863; Regiment first entered: Cav 22d N.Y.; Original Rank: Commillary; Regiment to which he belonged at the time of death: 22 N.Y. Cav.; Rank at time of death: Commillary; Volunteer: “box checked”; Date of death: April 4th 1865; Place of death: Annapolis MD; Died of sickness acquired in service: “box checked”; Widow: “box checked”; Parents no dependant: 2; Number of minor children: 1; Place of Burial: Ananpolis Md; Remarks: Typhus Fever – nearly starved at Andersonville”

According to the U.S., Registers of Deaths of Volunteers, 1861-1865:

“Surname: Davis; Christian Name: Alson W.; Rank: Sgt; Co.: G; Regiment: 22 N.Y. Cav; Date of Death: April 4; Place of Death: Div No 2 G H Annapolis Md; Cause of Death: Typhus Fever; Remarks: G. S. Palmer S. W. S. V.”

5. Maria (Davis) (Wright) Abrams born about 1834 in Ontario County, NY; married (1) Orlando Saltmarsh Wright (1829-1917) a Justice of the Peace and Doctor on July 25, 1851 in Lake County, IL, son of Amos Webster Wright and Minerva (Griswold) Wright early pioneers of Warren Township, Lake County, IL; Maria and Orlando live in Avon Township, Fox Lake post office, IL in 1860; Orlando’s sister, Melinda Griswold Wright, married Elijah Middlebrook Haines, founder of Hainesville, Lake County, IL; Orlando remarried Elvira Hampton and possibly another woman; Maria, at the age of 56, married (2) Henry D. Abrams on December 12, 1889 in Franklin County, IA; Maria died October 10, 1923 in Los Angeles County, CA; Maria and Orlando had the following children: Frank (1852- ) and Virginia M. (1854-1860).  (See section pertaining to Virginia M. Wright buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery)

According to the Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1951:

“Return of Marriages in the County of Franklin For the Year Ending October 1st, A. D. 1890.
No. of License: 18; Date of License: Dec. 2, 89; Full Name of Groom: Henry D. Abrams; Place of Residence: Sheffield IA; Occupation: Real Estate & Ins. Agt.; Groom’s Age next Birthday: 57; Color: W; No. of Groom’s Marriage: 2nd; Groom’s Place of Birth: New York; Groom’s Father’s Name: Henry J. Abrams; Groom’s Mother’s Maiden Name: Rachal Ray; Full Name of Bride: Maria Abrams; Bride’s Maiden Name if a Widow: Maria Davis; Bride’s Place of Residence: Sheffield Ia; Bride’s Age next Birthday: 56; Color: W; No. of Bride’s Marriage: 2nd; Bride’s Place of Birth: New York; Bride’s Father’s full Name: Lemuel Davis; Bride’s Mother’s full Maiden Name: Clarrissa Denney; Where and When Married: Sheffield Ia, Dec. 12 -1889; By Whom Married, Name and Office: J. H. Haywood, M.E. Min.; Date of Return: 12 17 1889″

Additional Information:

According to the 1850 U. S. Federal Census in the Town of Avon, Lake County, IL the household members were:

“Lemuel Davis, age 60, occupation: farm, born in Connecticut; Clarissa Davis, age 55, born in New York; Wesley Davis, age 23, born in New York; Maria Davis, age 16, born in New York”