Biographical Sketch of Col. Joseph Davis, Lafayette County, Missouri

>From "History of Lafayette County, Mo., carefully written and compiled
from the most authentic official and private sources" St. Louis, Mo.
Historical Company, 1881.
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Col. Joseph Davis, P. O. Lexington, Mo.  The subject of this sketch has
been prominent in this county for years, and is well known in the state.
Was born in Surry county, North Carolina, May 5, 1819.  The family is of
Welsh descent, his great-grandfather, Mathew Davis, having emigrated to
this country, direct from Wales.  The father of the Colonel was also
named Mathew, and was born in N. C.  On the maternal side the family 
name was Fields, the maiden name of his mother being Polly Fields.  Col.
Davis was born on his father's plantation in N. C., but in his 7th year
moved with his parents to Roane county, Tenn., in 1834 to McMinn county,
and in 1837 to Henry county, Missouri, where his father died in 1855, 
his mother died in 1843.  Col. Davis was thus raised in three different
states.  His school education was limited, but close observation, and a 
happy faculty of applying his observation and experience, have in a 
great measure obviated his lack of scholastic education.  The school of
experience is after all the best school.  In 1841 he was married to Miss
Rebecca Nave, daughter of John and Elizabeth Nave, of Henry county, Mo.,
and soon after began keeping the hotel in Clinton, Mo., which he contin-
ued until 1855, and in the meantime, 1852-53 he was deputy receiver of 
lands, under Thomas Allison, which gave him the opportunity of extending
his acquaintance to all parts of the state.  When the war broke out in
1861, he was still living in Clinton, and of course he espoused the 
cause of the south.  He joined the M. S. G. under Gen. Price in 1861, 
and after the fight at Boonville, was commissioned quartermaster, with
rank of major, on Price's staff.  In 1862 he resigned and went to
Fayetteville, Ark., where he had previously moved his family and slaves.
From that time to the close of the war, he was burdened with the care of
a large family, consisting of his own immediate family, the family of 
one married daughter, whose husband had been killed, one of his sister-
in-law whose husband was in the confederate army.  His widowed mother-
in-law was also with him, which, with a large number of slaves, prevented
his return to the army.  The close of the war found him at Austin, Texas,
his slaves  gone, and with life to begin anew.  In 1865 he returned to
Missouri, and settled in this county upon a farm he had previously 
purchased, five miles southeast of Lexington, which has been his home
ever since.  He has never been a candidate for office, but has lived the
life of a quiet and independent citizen upon his own farm.  Col. and Mrs.
Davis have had ten children, 3 sons and 7 daughters; only five of whom
are now living, all daughters and all married.  The widowed daughter,
Mrs. Wamsley, whose husband was killed in the war, was re-married in
1868 to Dr. T. E. Owens, formerly of this county, now of Colorado.  
Another son-in-law, Firman Desloge, is one of the proprietors and the
manager of the well known Desloge mines, at St. Joseph, Mo.  Another
son-in-law, Z. B. Clardy, is prosecuting attorney of St. Francois county,
Mo., and another, Mr. McWilliams, is now engaged in the cattle business
in Colorado, on the Texas Pacific railroad.  Col. Davis has twelve grand-
children.  He and all his family are members of the Christian church.  
he, himself, joined the masonic order, but never took but one degree,
and has not attended a lodge for years.  Politically, he is a strong
democrat, though formerly a whig, and still hopes to live to see the
government of the people restored to its former purity. 

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