Izard Co., AR - Biographies - William Davis

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William Davis is one of the old and highly honored residents of Izard County,
and during the many years devoted to agricultural pursuits in this region he has
become well and favorably known. His farm comprises 252 acres, of which eighty
acres are under cultivation, and it is well improved with good buildings and
orchards. Some portions of his land are underlaid with minerals and are
considered very valuable. He was born in Campbell County, Tenn., in 1815, and is
a son of James Davis, who was born in Kentucky. The latter received a liberal
education in his youth, and gave his attention to the occupation of farming. He
served in the War of 1812, was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church, and
after his marriage to Miss Sallie Cushenbury, of Tennessee, he removed to
Kentucky (in 1829), where he purchased land and reared his family of six sons
and six daughters: Patsey, Nancy, Baxter, George, Anna, James, Ursula, William,
Ferroby, Joseph, John and Emanuel. William Davis, the immediate subject of this
sketch, was married to Miss Bethenia Dobbs, of Kentucky, in 1835, but her death
occurred in 1858, she having borne a family of eleven children, eight of whom
survive: Mary A., James, Emanuel, Ferroby, Simon, Mark, Ollie and Nancy. In the
latter part of 1858 Mr. Davis took [p.940] for his second wife Harriet A., the
daughter of Isaac Bettis, of Izard County. Ark. This union resulted in the birth
of twelve children, seven now living: William A. Baxter, Rufus M., Martha E.
Anthony W., Tennessee and Minnie L. Their son. Rufus M., was married in 1888 to
Miss Julia Cunningham, of Izard County, and they reside on the homestead with
Mr. Davis. They have one child. Willie. The family attend the Missionary Baptist
Church, of which Mr. and Mrs. Davis have long been members.