TALIAFERRO COUNTY, GA - BIOS Davidson, Paul Dr. ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Rhoda Fone RhodaFone@aol.com Dr. Paul Davidson was born March 1820, died August 22, 1859, Taliaferro County, GA. There is some confusion regarding his place of birth. The 1850 census shows him born in VT, in 1880 his son, Arthur C. Davidson, shows his father born Vermont, but in 1900 both Arthur and his sister, Mary (Davidson) Pool, show their father was born in New Hampshire. He studied at the Medical School of Augusta where he received his degree. Later, in the 1870s, his son. Arthur C. Davidson, would attend the same school of medicine. Paul Davidson was married to Drusilla A. Jackson on July 18, 1843 in Richmond Co., GA. Their marriage was announced in The Augusta Chronicle on July 24, 1843, as follows: "MARRIED, In this county, on the 18th inst., by the Rev. Mr. Gouldin, Dr. Paul Davidson of Burke Co., to Miss Drusilla A. Jackson, of this county." Prior to their marriage, David and Drusilla signed a marriage contract in Burke County, GA, which shows that she brought to the marriage a considerable estate. Assets mentioned in the marriage contract were 1166 acres of land, a negro slave and her female child, 52 promissory notes of $30 each, one note of $15 (all dated Nov. 24, 1840 totaling $1535), 36 promissory notes of $30 each and one of $11.15 (all dated Dec. 6, 1841 totaling $1091.15), and a judgment obtained by Drusilla A. Jackson in the Superior Court of Burke County for the sum of Fourteen Hundred dollars besides interest due. It was agreed that Baldwin B. Miller and William J. Evans be executors or administrators of the estate which was to be in trust for Drusilla and her intended husband, Paul Davidson for their use "during the Term of their natural lives. Provisions were made should they die and leave children or grandchildren. Soon after their marriage, Paul and Drusilla moved to Taliaferro County, Georgia where they are found in 1850, as follows: 1850 Census, Taliaferro Co., GA Division 78 Roll 83, Page 337 15 October 1850 Dwelling 334, Family 334 PAUL DAVISON, age 30, m, occupation: M.D., val. real est.: 3100, b. VT (?) Drucilia, age 30, f, b. GA Alanza [Alonzo], age 5, m, b. GA Arthur C., age 1, m, b. GA In addition to the two sons above, Paul and Drusilla had two daughters born after 1850 - Mary D. Davidson and Henrietta Davidson. Drusilla predeceased Paul and he remarried shortly after her death to Sarah (surname unknown, b. January 1834, GA). Paul and Sarah had two daughters, Sarah Burtha Davidson and Pauline Davidson, and possibly a son John (see below). The will of Paul Davidson was written May 8, 1859 and probated in Sept. 1859 in Taliaferro Co. He named his wife Sarah, children Sarah Burtha, Arthur C., Mary D., Henrietta J., an unnamed infant daughter, and nephew Stephen Jackson of Burke County. James A. Flynt was appointed guardian to Mary, Henrietta and Arthur, children of his first wife. 1860 Census, Taliaferro Co., GA P. O. Crawfordville Roll 137, Page 33 23 July 1860 Dwelling 258, Family 256 JAS. A. FLYNT, age 56, m, Farmer, val. real est.: 20895, pers. est.: 59800, b. GA Rebecca E., age 32, f, b. GA James S., age 13, m, b. GA Wm. T. (?), age 10, m, b. GA Eugenia, age 8, f, b. GA ARTHUR C. DAVIDSON, age 13, m, b. GA MARY D. DAVIDSON, age 10, f, b. GA HENRIETTA J. DAVIDSON, age 8, f, b. GA Sarah J. Davidson and her children have not yet been found in the 1860 census but in 1870 she is listed with her two daughters and also a child, John Davidson, age 9. This somewhat of a puzzle. Paul Davidson died in 1859 at which time the youngest was an infant daughter (Pauline). The only plausible explanation might be that John was actually about 10 years old and born after his father's death. (In the 1910 census, Sarah did show that she had 3 children with none living at that time). CHILDREN OF DR. PAUL DAVIDSON BY DRUSILLA JACKSON: I. ALONZO DAVIDSON. He is listed in the 1850 census as age 5 but is not found in the 1860 census. It appears that he was the Alonzo Davidson buried in Old South Liberty Presbyterian Church. Wiley Jones' book does not show any further information, but another survey of these tombstones by Jimmy Sheehan and Dan Crumpton in 1986 shows "Alonzo Davidson, age 6 yrs," so he likely died about 1851. ----------------------------------------- II. ARTHUR CHASE DAVIDSON, born Feb. 1849, died August 20, 1821, Sharon, Taliaferro Co., GA. He married Jan. 9, 1868, Taliaferro Co., to Ada Vistula Mershon (b. Jan. 9, 1846, Warren Co., GA, d. 1929, daughter of Arden Rucker Mershon and Ruth Cason Pool.) Arthur and Ada are both buried at Sharon Methodist Cemetery, Taliaferro Co. (Ruth Cason Pool Mershon is also buried at Sharon Methodist Cemetery.) As stated above, Arthur Davidson attended the Medical College of Augusta, graduating in 1877. He practiced medicine in Taliaferro County for many years and was much loved and respected by all who lived there. 1880 Census, Taliaferro Co., GA District 172 Roll 166, Page 394A 15 June 1880 Dwelling 177, Family 134 DAVIDSON, ARTHUR C., w, m, age 31, Head, mar., Practicing Physician, b. GA, father b. Vermont(?), mother b. GA. ADA, w, f, age 34, wife, mar., Keeping House, b. GA, parents b. GA Walter C., w, m, age 10, Son, At School, b. GA, parents b. GA Mary A., w, f, age 8, dau., At School, b. GA, parents b. GA Albert ? A., w, m, age 7, Son, b. GA Robert A., w, m, age 6, Son, b. GA Mary, w, f, age 28, Sister, single, b. GA, father b. Vermont?, mother b. GA The Augusta Chronicle, Friday, August 21, 1931 Father of Augustan Expires in Sharon Dr. Arthur Davidson is Dead; Practiced 44 Years Sharon, Ga., Aug. 20 -- Dr. Arthur C. Davidson, father of Dr. A. A. Davidson, of Augusta, died here tonight at 7 o'clock. Funeral arrangements will be announced later. He had practiced medicine here since 1877. Besides his son, Dr. Davidson, he is survived by another son. W. C. Davidson, Greensboro, Ga., and Mrs. L. R. Brown, of Macon, Ga. Funeral services will be held this afternoon at five o'clock at the Sharon Methodist Church. ----------------------------------------- III. MARY D. DAVIDSON, was born in July 1851, died 1904, and is buried at Sharon Methodist Church Cemetery. She was married twice: (1) to T. N. Pool, May 5, 1894, Taliaferro Co. He was deceased by 1900 when Mary is found living with her brother Arthur and listed as a widow. She married (2) Capt. W. S. Gilbert, November 5, 1902, Taliaferro County. ----------------------------------------- IV. HENRIETTA DAVIDSON, b. ca. 1852. To date no marriage has been found. She apparently had some type of disability as in the 1880 census there is a check mark for her under the column "Maimed, crippled, bedridden, or otherwise disabled." In 1860 she was living with her guardian, James W. Flynt, in 1870 and 1880 with her step-mother Sarah. ========================= CHILDREN OF DR. PAUL DAVIDSON BY 2ND WIFE SARAH V. SARAH BURTHA DAVIDSON was born about 1857 and died before 1900. She married Thomas E. Kendrick, March 16, 1881, Taliaferro Co. Thomas E. Kendrick is listed in the 1900 census as a widower and Sarah J. Davidson was living with him at that time, listed as his mother-in-law. 1900 Census, Taliaferro Co., GA Dist. 172 - Raytown Roll 223, Page 3B June 2, 1900 Dwelling 51, Family 52 KENDRICK, T. W., Head, w, m, b. May 1854, age 46, Wid., b. GA, parents b. GA, farmer DAVIDSON, S. J., m-in-law, w, f, b. Jan, 1834, age 66, Wid., had 1 child, 1 living, b. GA, Father b. TN, Mother b. GA. Kendrick, Hilda, Dau., w, f, Sept. 1888, age 11, b. GA, parents b. GA Helen O., Dau., w, f., b. Sept. 1891, age 8, b. GA, parents b. GA Estelle, Dau, w, f, b. Oct. 1893, age 6, b. GA, parents b. GA (Note from Rhoda: in 1900 and 1910, Sarah J. Davidson shows her father born TN but the 1880 census has her father born GA. Also, it is incorrect that she only had 1 child as she is listed with two daughters in 1880. The 1910 census shows that Sarah had 3 children with none living.) ----------------------------------------- VI. PAULINE DAVIDSON was born about 1859 and apparently was the unnamed daughter mentioned in Paul Davidson's will. She was living with her mother in 1870, age 10, and in 1880, she was age 21, still living with her mother. No further information at this time. ----------------------------------------- VII. JOHN DAVIDSON (??). Maybe born ca. 1860? Listed in the 1870 census as age 9. He is not mentioned with Sarah in the 1880 census. ----------------------------------------- SOURCES: 1. Rest In Peace, A Cemetery Census of Taliaferro County, Georgia, by Wiley B. Jones 2. Cemeteries & Genealogy, Warren County Georgia and Immediate Vicinity 1792-1987, by Daniel Nathan Crumpton 3. Burke County. GA Deed Book 9.5, 1843-1847 (Georgia Research Consortium, Atlanta, GA) 4. Obituaries and articles from The Augusta Chronicle 5. Taliaferro Co., GA Census Records 6. Warren Co., GA Census Records 7. Taliaferro Co., GA Marriage Books A, B & C 8. Taliaferro Co., GA Will Record A 9. Taliaferro County Georgia Records and Notes, by Alvin Mell Lunceford, Jr.