BIO: Elisha M. DAVIS, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 341-342. _____________________________________________________________ ELISHA M. DAVIS, dairyman and farmer, residing one and one-half miles southwest of Grampian, Clearfield County, owns 173 acres of finely cultivated land, lying in Penn Township. He was born on an adjoining farm, in Penn Township, May 26, 1838, and is a son of Joseph Davis, a grandson of Elisha Davis and a great-grandson of Caleb Davis. Joseph Davis, father of Elisha M., was born at Tyrone, Pa., January 6, 1790, a son of Elisha and Alice Davis, natives of Wales, who emigrated to America and settled at Tyrone. Joseph Davis was married October 16, 1823, to Rebecca Moore, who was born December 5, 1798, a daughter of James and Lydia Moore. To Joseph and Rebecca Davis the following children were born: Lydia, June 13, 1824; Rachel, October 29, 1825; Esther, June 30, 1826 (died July 16, 1866); John, July 26, 1829; Eliza, November 28, 1830 (died May 22, 1877); James, October 6, 1832; Hannah, September 27, 1834; Joseph, June 9, 1836; Elisha, May 26, 1838; and Abraham, born September 10, 1840 (died of fever while serving in the Civil War, October 1, 1862, - the youngest of ten children). After marriage Joseph Davis, Sr., settled on a tract of 150 acres of wild land in Penn Township, Clearfield County, eighty acres of which he cleared. This farm is now the property of William Pentz. Mr. And Mrs. Davis were members of the Society of Friends. Joseph Davis was never embroiled in politics, living a quiet, industrious, useful life and passing away May 12, 1868, at the age of seventy-eight years with the respect and esteem of all who had known him. His estimable wife survived but a few years, her death occurring February 23, 1871. They were buried in the Friends' cemetery near Grampian. Elisha M. Davis attended school in Penn Township until he was about eighteen years of age and then went to work as a teamster in the lumber regions in Penn Township. He continued thus engaged more or less for 20 years before and after his marriage, in 1861, when he settled on the home farm for a time and then purchased his present one of Thos. Hoover. He has 100 acres of his land cleared and under a fine state of cultivation, being one of the most progressive and one of the successful farmers in this section of the county. Mr. Davis also operates a dairy and keeps first class stock. He has made many improvements on his farm and these include the erection of all the substantial buildings now standing, and the arrangement of his attractive surroundings. He is a stockholder and charter member of the Farmers and Traders Bank of Clearfield, Pa. On September 12, 1861, Mr. Davis was married to Katherine Hoover, who was born near Curwensville on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, January 13, 1840, a daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Price) Hoover, her parents coming from old pioneer families of this section. It is said that Grandfather Price was killed by the Indians. To Mr. And Mrs. Davis nine children were born, namely: William E., Elias C., Rebecca Ellen, Lydia Jane, Nathan Thomas, Alice, Myrtle May, Vincent Pearl and Elisha Claire. William E. Davis was born June 14, 1862, and resides in Brady Township. He was married April 24, 1884, to Susanna Rishell and they have had six children: Vida Hoyt, Oral, Salome, Katherine, Margaret and Leo, the last named dying at the age of eleven months. Elias C. Davis was born September 11, 1863. He was married October 22, 1890, to Edith Wagoner, a daughter of Edw. Wagoner, of Ramey, Pa., and they have two children, Alton C. and Elisha W. Rebecca Ellen Davis was born November 10, 1864, and was married June 14, 1888, to George M. Rishell and they had the following children: O. Clifford, Hilda C., Frances Esther, Elisha B., Frederick, Corlus Arden, Joseph D. and Lydia Jane. The oldest and youngest are deceased and the mother of these children died July 26, 1906, and was buried at Troutville, Pa. Lydia Jane Davis was born October 11, 1867, and was married October 3, 1887, to E. B. Albert. They reside near Woodland, Pa., and have one son, Edwin B. Nathan T. Davis was born August 12, 1869; was married June 25, 1896, to Mamie Currier and has two children, Twilla Elizabeth and Elma Katherine. Alice Davis was born February 1, 1871, and died March 26, 1873. Myrtle May Davis was born May 1, 1874, and was married September 16, 1894, to R. P. Lester, a lecturer for the department of State Institutes of Pennsylvania. They have two children, Elisha Howard and Latricia Mott. Vincent Pearl Davis was born May 4, 1878, and was married June 16, 1909, to Vadna Violet Warden, who was born October 8, 1888, a daughter of Clarence and Lottie Warden, of Johnstown, Pa., and they have one son, Edward Laverne. Elisha Claire Davis was born April 22, 1881, and was married July 26, 1905, to Gertrude May Slick, of Richmond, Ind. They have two children: Francis Everett and Alton Kenneth. Mr. Davis is a clerk in the County National Bank. For many years Elisha M. Davis has been prominent in the Grange movement, has assisted in the organization of a number of local granges and served two terms in the State Department of Agriculture of Pennsylvania. He has also served as president of the Clearfield County Agricultural Society. He and his wife are members of the Society of Friends and he is superintendent of the Sabbath school at Grampian.