Notes for Samuel Davis Jr.
Samuel Henry Davis was the son of Samuel Davis Sr (b.1753 in Westmoreland Co., VA, died 1838 in Bartow Co., GA) and unknown wife.
Samuel Sr's father (unknown given name) left Wales, arriving in Virginia before the Revolutionary War where he reared a family including 4 sons that fought in the Revolutionary War. Those sons were Matthew, Jonathan, John and Samuel Sr.
Samuel Sr fought in the Battle of Yorktown and present at the surrender of Cornwallis. After the war he moved to Burke Co., NC where he married and reared a family of 4 daughters and four sons including Samuel Henry. Two of the sons - William and John - served in the war of 1812.
Samuel Henry Davis married Alisa Morris in Rutherford Co., NC on Sept 16, 1824. Alisa Morris was the daughter of Henry "Hal" Morris and Catherine "Katy" Goodbread and the granddaughter of William "Buck" & Sarah (Rayburn) Morris. William of Irish descent and Sarah of Scotch descent.
Samuel Henry's wife Alisa Morris Davis died about 1829 in Burke Co., NC leaving 2 children: William Henry Davis about 2 1/2 years old and daughter Sarah "Sally" Davis who became the wife of W.K. Harris.
Samuel Henry Davis was a farmer and also engaged in gold mining. In 1835 he sold his farm and moved to Cass Co., GA and later Gilmer Co., GA until 1855 when he moved to Dallas Co., TX. His last days were spent with his son William Henry Davis. He had never remarried.
Samuel Henry Davis' grave is said to have been the second burial at the site that would later become Hightower Cemetery. Samuel's grave was marked with a native stone. Family history notes state that the first burial was that of an itenerant house painter named Phillips who was killed by Indians and that Samuel's son Wm Henry Davis dug the grave. Wm Henry Davis later buried his father, Samuel, here after his death in 1858.
An account of this family is found in the book, "A History of Texas - Biographical Sketches of Families of Central Texas", published in 1896 by the Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, IL.
4587 and this article is also reprinted in the book, "Hurrah for Morgan Mill" by Gene Williams published in 1996.