Biography of Elihu Davis, Clay Co, AR *********************************************************** Submitted by: Date: Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** From: The Goodspeed Biographical and Historical Memoirs of N. E. Ark. Biographical Information. Elihu Davis, whose success as a farmer and stock raiser is well established throughout the county, is a native of Hardin County. Ky., born March 11, 1821. His father, William Davis, was also a native of Kentucky, and was married in that State to Miss Sarah Hardin, of the same State, although her people were from the Carolinas. William Davis settled on a farm in Kentucky, resided there a number of years, and then moved to Wayne County, Tenn., where he purchased a farm and here reared his children. He died about 1835 or 1836. His wife survived him until 1877, when she died at the home of her son in Arkansas. Elihu Davis was reared in Tennessee and came to Arkansas when a young man of eighteen, or in 1838, locating in Greene County, but now Clay County, and finally settled on his present property in 1844. His nearest neighbor was three miles distant, wild animals were plentiful and many a deer and wild turkey fell before his unerring rifle. Mr. Davis cleared over 100 acres where Greenway is now located, and sold forty acres of this in May, 1889, for an addition to the town. He was married first in Clay County, October 16, 1844, to Susan Sites, a native of Arkansas, who died September 16, 1863. To this union were born seven children, who grew to mature years. Mr. Davis married his second wife, Mrs. Nancy Boggas, a widow, formerly Miss Nancy Shelton, who was born in Alabama. She was the mother of one son by her first marriage. This wife died October 23, 1873, and Mr. Davis married again, in Clay County, Miss Tennessee Horton, who bore him two children, Joseph and Nancy. Mrs. Davis was born in Tennessee, but was reared in Missouri and Arkansas. To Mr. Davis by his first wife were born these children: William A., whose sketch appears in this work; Solomon T., John, Elihn, Jr., Clarissa, wife of T. J. Smith; Sarah, and Mary, wife of Lewis Clippard. To his second marriage one son, Thomas L., was born. Mr. Davis is a Master Mason, and a member of the Baptist Church.