Biographical Sketch of Mordecai DAVIS (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county", by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 411-2. "MORDECAI DAVIS, a well known farmer residing in Chester Valley, a highly esteemed citizen of his community and a representative of one of the old families of Pennsylvania, is the third child and only surviving son of Joseph and Eleanor (Stephens) Davis, and was born in Tredyffrin township, Chester county, on the 13th of October, 1829. The Davis family is of Welsh descent, and this branch traces its ancestral line back to Joseph Davis (paternal great-grandfather), who came from Wales at an early day, and settled in Willistown township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, where he passed the remainder of his life and died. He was an extensive farmer and owned three hundred acres of land, beside owning a grist mill and black- smith shop. Among his sons was Mordecai Davis (grandfather), who lived in Easttown township, at Waterloo mills. In politics he was a whig, and married Gennis Davis, by whom he had a family of nine children: Joseph, Margaret, Sarah, Rebecca, Samuel, John, William, Lewis, and Susan, all now deceased. "The eldest son, Joseph Davis (father), was born in the city of Philadel- phia in 1790, but passed his life in Chester county, dying in Tredyffrin township in 1879, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. By occupation he was a farmer and devoted most of his life to agricultural pursuits. In religion he was a member of the Society of Friends, and for a number of years was a well known minister of that church, traveling and preaching in various parts of the country. He was a stainless character, and his life was so uniformly in accord with his professions as to win the highest esteem of all who knew him. He was twice married. In the autumn of 1824 he wedded Eleanor Stephens, a daughter of Stephen Stephens, of Tredyffrin township, this county, and to them was born a family of four children, two sons and two daughters: Sarah, who married Moses Walker; Susan, wedded Lewis Walker, and is now deceased; Mordecai, the subject of this sketch; and Stephen, deceased. After the death of his wife, in 1846, he married again, his second wife being Elizabeth Maule Peart. He had no children by his second marriage. "Mordecai Davis was reared on the old homestead and received his education in the public schools of his neighborhood, afterwards going to Gwynedd and London Grove Friends' schools. After leaving school he settled down to farming, and has passed his whole life on the farm where he was born, and which he now owns. It consists of one hundred and six acres of desirable land, ninety-six acres being well improved and the remaining ten covered by a fine growth of valuable timber. His life has been that of the average industrious, progressive and prosperous farmer, unmarked by any great changes or catastrophes, and unvexed by ambitious or unsatisfied longings for a different sphere. In political sentiment he has always been a re- publican, and gives his party a loyal support on all leading questions. In religion he has adhered to the faith wherein he was reared, and has been a life-long member of the Society of Friends. He takes an active and intelligent interest in all public questions, keeps well posted on passing events, and is an agreeable and affable gentleman. "On March 29, 1871, Mordecai Davis was married to Hannah M. Beidler, a daughter of Abraham and Sarah (Stephens) Beidler, of Montgomery county, this State. To Mr. and Mrs. Davis was born one child, a daughter, named Ellen S., who is living at home with her parents. She was educated at the Friends' Central school in the city of Philadelphia, from which in- stitution she was graduated with honors in the class of 1889, and has since engaged in teaching."