Barbour County AlArchives Biographies.....William B. Davis February 27 1815 - after 1893 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 12, 2004, 9:17 am Author: Brant & Fuller (1893) WILLIAM B. DAVIS. - Conspicuous among the prosperous planters of Barbour county is William B. Davis, who was born in the county of Russell, Ala., on the 27th day of February, 1815. His father, Gardner H. Davis, a wealthy planter and prominent man of southern Alabama, was born in Upson county, Ga., in the year 1804, and came to this state prior to the Indian war of 1836, in which he took a part. He settled in Russell county, which he represented in the legislature in the year 1862, and while a member of that body opposed the ordinance of secession, being one of the leading whigs in the assembly. When the war broke out, however, he cast his fortunes with the south, and while too old to take an active part in the struggle, sent five sons to the front, all of whom did valiant service for the Confederacy, He was married in Upson county, Ga., to Mary Trice, whose family were for many years residents of Talbot county, that state, where one of them, Dr. Zach Trice, became an eminent physician and surgeon. About ten years after his marriage, Mr. Davis settled in Russell county, Ala., near the town of Salem, thence moved to Glenville, in what was then Barbour county, and died there in March, 1873. His widow survived him until August, 1879, at which time she was laid to rest in the old burial ground beside her husband. They had a family of eleven children, the following of whom are living at this time, namely: Hiram A., E. M., William B., Sallie, wife of J. J. Blackstock, Zach L., Mrs. Julia Owens, John G. and Emma, wife of J. M. Jones. The gentleman for whom this sketch is prepared was raised on a farm near Glenville, Russell county, and during the years of his youth and early manhood assisted his father in agriculture. He attended such schools as the county afforded at intervals until the breaking out of the war, and in July, 1863, enlisted in the Seventh Confederate Partisan Rangers, with which he served until his company was disbanded a few months later and re-organized as a part of the Tenth Georgia cavalry. He served with the regiment in the exciting campaign of Virginia and participated in the memorable raids around Petersburg, and was in the breastworks of that city when Grant made his celebrated attack. He returned home before the surrender and since the war has been following agricultural pursuits in the neighborhood where he now resides. He purchased his present beautiful plantation of 1,200 acres, four miles from Eufaula, about the year 1877 and now he has one of the finest and most comfortable homes in Barbour county, where he dispenses a genuine old-fashioned southern hospitality. Mr. Davis is regarded as one of the solid men of the county and few have made as thorough success of agriculture, to which useful calling he has devoted the best years of his life. He has been prominently identified with the grange movement ever since its organization. He is a democrat in his political belief, and belongs to the Methodist church, in which for a period of seventeen years he has filled the office of steward. April 23, 1867, Mr. Davis and Mary L., daughter of T. R. Coleman, were united in the bonds of wedlock. They have had two children, one dying in infancy and the other, Thomas E., at the age of fifteen years. Additional Comments: from "Memorial Record of Alabama" This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb