52 Ancestors: #27 Caywood Davis, Man of Many Names

Davis family c, 1900. Back row: Rose, Belle, Lawrence.  Front row: William, Caywood, Paris, Sarah, Milton.

I have had a hard time researching my third great-grandfather because his name has been spelled many different ways: Chaywood, Kaywood, Raywood, Leawood, Chawood, Taywood, Cawood, and Charwood. 

Caywood Davis was born September 6, 1856 in Illinois.  He was the son of William Cors Davis and his second wife, Mary "Polly" Nicholson.  Caywood had a younger brother, Warner, and an older sister, Sarah, along with six older half siblings. 

Caywood married Sarah Richardson on October 4, 1874 in McLeansboro, Illinois.  They were both seventeen so they had to have consent from Caywood's father on the marriage certificate.

Caywood was a farmer for at least 20 years.  In 1880, the family lived on a farm in McLeansboro.  Their neighbors included Caywood's brother, Warner, and two of Sarah's sisters, Mary Ann and Lorinda Jane.  By 1910, Caywood had stopped farming and worked as a janitor at a church.  The Davises relocated to Vincennes, Indiana by 1920, and Caywood began a furniture business with his oldest son, Milton.

Children of Caywood and Sarah: Milton, William, Lawrence, Rose, Paris, Belle.

Sometime before 1930, Caywood and Sarah moved to Connersville, Indiana -- maybe because two of their children were living there.  Their daughter, Mrs. Belle Mount, had been living in Connersville since 1920 and ran her own salon, "La Belle Beauty Shop".  Their son, Paris, lived with Belle's family.  He later lived with Caywood and Sarah and was employed as a printer.  Caywood worked as a janitor at the Central State Bank.  He also was an employee at the Spicely Drug Store.  Caywood and his wife were members of the Grand Avenue Methodist Church in Connersville.

On April 9, 1947, following a long illness, Caywood Davis died.  His wife died ten days later.  They had celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary the year before.

52 Ancestors: #22 John B. Davis, Beekeeper of Allison Prairie

John B. Davis was born January 22, 1846 in Knox County, Indiana.  He was the oldest of nine children. His parents were Edmund Davis and Lucinda Gilmore.  Edmund Davis was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

John married Emily "Millie" Shreck on May 20, 1866.  They had three children: Elizabeth, William, and Charles.  Sadly, sometime after 1870,  Emily and two of the children caught a fever and died.

John and his only surviving son William moved to Allison Prairie in Lawrence County, Illinois.   There he met his second wife (my 3rd great-grandmother), Margaret Jane Price.  They were married on the last day of January, 1875.  The couple had six children: Mary Jane, Leonidas (my 2nd great-grandfather), Samuel Hendricks, John M., Dora M., and Viola Mae.  According to his obituary, John and Margaret had three other children that did not survive past infancy.

John Davis' former residence in Lawrence Co., IL

His middle initial "B" may have been a nickname because he raised bees. His gravestone says: John 'Bee-John' Davis.

"He was born and reared in a Christian home.  When he grew to manhood, he made the choice of the Church of the Brethren.  He was a kind and devoted husband and father, and was always interested in the welfare of his children physically and spiritually.  He expressed himself as ready and willing to cross over." (From John B. Davis' obituary.)

John B. Davis died on Oct 8, 1922 from heart failure.

52 Ancestors: #15 Hester Florence Latham's Living Room

I wish I could travel back in time and walk into my great great-grandmother Hester's living room. Whenever I look at this photo, I wonder what books she has on her shelf and what color the velvet sofa is.  I wonder if the African violet on top of the shelf needs watering. (I raise violets myself.)

I wonder what the rest of the room looks like.

Hester and Milton on their 50th anniversary.
Back row, from left: Edith, Virgil, Mildred, Merle, Goldie.
Front row, from left: Pauline, Hester, Milton, Paul.

Hester Latham

Hester Latham, born March 11, 1878, was the daughter of John Wesley Latham and Harriett L.York.  She had an older brother, Joseph Daniel (1869), and a younger brother, Oscar (1881).  Hester grew upon a farm in McLeansboro, Illinois.

At eighteen, she married Milton Davis on September 28, 1896, in Hamilton County, Illinois.  Their first child, Edith, was born in 1897.  They had six more children: Goldie (1901), Virgil (1903), Merle (1906), Mildred (1910), and twins, Paul and Pauline (1916).

Between 1910 and 1914, the Davis family moved from McLeansboro to Vincennes, Indiana.  Milton opened a furniture store there.  (Maybe that's where she got the nice furniture in the photo.)  Hester died in Vincennes on May 7, 1951.

In addition to the pictures of Hester, I also treasure the topaz necklace that she owned.

52 Ancestors: #11 Sarah Elvira Richardson, Horseback Bride

The Richardson siblings. Standing, from left: Henrietta, Amanda, Rose, Elizabeth, Mary Ann.
Seated, from left: Millage, Lucetta, Sarah, Henry.  The eldest sister, Lorinda, had died before the picture was taken.

Sarah Richardson and Caywood Davis were married for 72 years!  The young couple (both were 17) married on October 4, 1874 in McCleansboro, Illinois at the home of Sarah's parents.  Following the ceremony, the couple rode on horseback to the home of the groom's brother, William C. Davis, for the wedding dinner. 

Sarah Elvira Richardson, my 3rd great grandmother, was born on October 14, 1855 in Tennessee.  Her parents were Henry Woodward Richardson and Angeline Hedgecock.  She was one of ten children; eight were girls.  By 1863 her family had moved to Illinois.  Her grandfather, Willis Hedgecock, was a Union captain in the Civil War.  In his wartime diary, Captain Hedgecock mentions visiting Sarah's family after he was discharged.

After Sarah and Caywood were married, they had eight children: Milton, William, Belle, Rose, Lawrence, Millage, Paris, and an infant who died.  They raised their children on a farm in Illinois, but by 1914 they had moved to Vincennes, Indiana.  Caywood started a furniture store with his oldest son, Milton.

Sarah and Caywood Davis with two of their sons.

By 1923 Sarah and Caywood had moved to Connersville, Fayette County, Indiana. Sarah died in Connersville, Indiana on April 19, 1947, ten days after the death of her husband.

52 Ancestors: #7 Milton M. Davis, Vincennes Furniture Merchant

Milton M. Davis, c. 1896

I am here to sell.  You people of Vincennes and neighboring Indiana and Illinois cities who have attended my auctions know that I MEAN BUSINESS when I say "I WILL SELL EVERYTHING TO THE BARE WALLS."  I will be pleased to meet all of my old friends and buyers at the Davis Furniture Company. 

My great-great grandfather Milton M. Davis published these emphatic words in the Vincennes Sun Commercial on September 24, 1935.  For 25 years, he owned and operated the M. M. Davis Furniture Store in Vincennes, Indiana.

Milton was born to Caywood Davis and Sarah Elvira Richardson in Illinois on December 10, 1875.  He had six younger siblings: four brothers (William, Lawrence, Millage, and Paris) and two sisters (Rose and Belle.)  The Davis family lived on a farm in McCleansboro, Hamilton County, Illinois.  On September 28, 1896 Milton married Hester Florence Latham in McCleansboro.  By 1900, they had rented a farm next to Milton's father.  Hester's mother, Harriett, lived with them for a while.  They had 5 children while they lived in McCleansboro: Edith (1897), Golda (1901), Virgil (1903), Merle (1906), and Mildred (1910).  In the 1910 census, Milton was described as a handyman.

An advertisement for Milton's furniture store.

Milton's family and his parents crossed the Illinois border into Vincennes, Indiana sometime between 1910 and 1914.  He and his father opened a furniture store together.  On February 25, 1916, Milton and Hester's last 2 children were born -- twins, Paul and Pauline.

Milton in front of his store in Vincennes.

After nearly ten years of partnership with his son, Caywood left the furniture business and moved to Connersville, Indiana.  Soon afterwards, Milton made an investment in some land, which turned out to be a mistake.  He was sued by the bank for foreclosure in 1924.  Milton was able to hold on to his furniture business and employed his daughter Goldie as a bookkeeper.

His son Virgil, my great grandfather, also began working as a salesman in his father's store.  Virgil and Goldie took over management of the store when Milton retired in 1935.  Milton still continued to have a hand in the family business.

A fire in 1939 caused severe damage to the building of the Davis furniture store.  The store had to be completely remodeled, but the business recovered from the fire and was still operating in 1954.  I'm not sure when the store finally closed down.

Milton died on August 27, 1953 in Vincennes, Indiana, two years after the death of his wife.