BIOGRAPHIES - DAVIS, George W., Bourbon County, Kentucky From: Bob Francis http://www.shawhan.com Date: 07 Feb 2000 The biographies are taken primarily from William Perrin's "The History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky" and E. Polk Johnson's "The History of Kentucky and Kentuckians," Vol. III. Many Bourbon County, Kentucky, researchers have pointed out mistakes and they are notated. Name: George W. DAVIS _________________________________________ Father: George M. DAVIS (1794-) Mother: Mary McCLINTOCK (1796-) Spouses _________________________________________ 1: Helena MILLER Father: Jacob MILLER Mother: Julia YOUNG Children: Thomas; George Ruddell; Rudolph GEORGE W. DAVIS,1 furniture and undertaking; P. O. Paris; is the oldest furniture dealer in the place; he was born in this city, Feb. 6, 1827; second son of George M. Davis, who was born in Berkeley County, Va., son of Thomas Davis, who settled at Ruddel’s Mills Precinct in this county at an early time. The mother of our subject was Mary, daughter of James McClintock, a native of the Emerald Isle. In 1843, our subject began learning the cabinet-maker’s trade with J. P. Kern, and continued until he had completed his trade. In 1848, he began business in this town, in the furniture and undertaking line, and has since continued. June 22, 1851, he formed a matrimonial alliance with Helena, daughter of Jacob and Julia (Young) Miller, and by her had eight children, five living : James K., Nellie, George M., Owen L. and Rudolph. Mr Davis is a member of the Presbyterian Church and Elder of same. Thomas Davis, the grandrather of our subject, lived for sometime at Ruddel’s Fort, upon his first coming to Kentucky, he married Sarah Ruddell, who died at the age of ninety-seven, in Pike County, Mo., where he removed in 1825; eight children were born to him, of whom was George M., the father of our subject. George M. served in the war of 1812, after which he came to Paris, and engaged as a gunsmith and remained until his death, which occured in 1833, of cholerra; of the children born to him were: Sallie, who died, aged nineteen; Margaret, wife. of W. W. Mitchell; James T. and George M , of Paris; Mary, wife of James Ingels, and Andrew, who died, aged twenty-five. GEORGE WILLIAM DAVIS 1827-1920: The following sketch written by Mrs. Eleanor Davis Swearingen Rice and Mrs. Francis Jacobs Check, Jr. was published in The Kentuckian-Citizen June 1, 1943. George William Davis was born February 26, 1827 in Paris. A representative sent to interview Mr. Davis, as a pioneer in the undertaking profession in Kentucky and one of the oldest active undertakers in America, published an interesting article in “Crane and Breed Quality Talks,” in June 1914. From this article much information has been obtained. In 1843, at the age of sixteen, George Davis went to work in a cabinet shop owned by “Boss” Jesse T. Kern, where coffins were made. In a period of five years, he assisted in making several hundred coffins. One of which was made for a woman weighing three hundred and fifty pounds, and one for a man who was six feet eleven and one-half inches tall in his stocking feet and whose brother was six feet, eight inches. The largest funeral in which Mr. Davis ever assisted was the burial of three Bourbon County soldiers of the Mexican War of 1847. At the close of the War a company from the county went to Mexico and brought home their dead. During the cholera epidemic the disease was at its worst stage in Paris and vicinity in the months of July and August 1849, and as many as twenty-one deaths occurred in twenty-four hours. It was necessary to call in carpenters to assist in making caskets. In January 1848 Mr. Davis and his cousin, William T. Davis, purchased the undertaking and furniture establishment from Mr. Kern, including in the transaction tools, supplies, stock, “good will,” and a hearse valued at two hundred and fifty dollars. This may be the one he speaks of “a little hearse, with shafts, for one horse which I as driver used in delivering coffins in town and country.” The firm later possessed the first two-horse hearse in Bourbon County. In July 1848 George W. Davis bought his partner’s interest and reorganized it with six workmen in his employ. He served in many instances as minister, singer and undertaker, as well as grave-filler. On many occasions due to the panic of the populace, he was the only person present at the burial. His father died of the cholera, as did Mr. Kern. He himself was stricken at one time but soon recovered enough to carry on his business. This he did with an ever present spirit of public zeal, which quality in his make-up was uppermost during his life. On the death of his eldest son, Thomas, another son, George Ruddell Davis, carried on his father’s work. Shortly thereafter a third son, Rudolph, was added to the force, and still later the grandson, Ireland Davis. In 1913 Mr. Davis, advancing in years, disposed of the furniture business and moved to the old Presbyterian Church building. Thus the firm returned to its original business as begun in 1843. He was a faithful member of the Presbyterian Church for seventy-two years. “Mr. George W. Davis is the oldest living member, being in the eighty-fourth year of his age. He united with the church in 1848 and in 1855 was made a deacon. Ten years later, Mr. Davis was called as an Elder and has ever since been a devout and constant (p. 34) member.” -Lexington Herald Nov. 13, 1910. He sang in the choir with a mellow tenor voice until quite advanced in years. He was also superintendent of the Sunday school. A religious poem that he wrote was published in “The Christian Observer” April 30, 1913. Sources 1. Perrin, p. 460. ------------------------------ USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.