BIO: Henry DAVIS, Sr., Huntingdon County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, 
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. 
Runk & Co., 1897, page 210.
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  HENRY DAVIS, SR., Barree, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born in 
Rohrerstown, a little village one mile and a half from Lancaster, in 
Lancaster county, Pa., March 17, 1814. He is a son of Lewis and 
Catherine Davis. Lewis Davis was a native of Wales. He came to this 
country alone, when a young man, his brothers and sisters all remaining 
in the old country. He at first made his living by general labor, but 
was afterwards employed for many years in a distillery in Hempfield 
township, Lancaster county. He married in Shavertown, Pa., and had four 
children, but his wife died while they were still very young. After his 
son Henry had married, he came to Huntingdon county, and made his home 
with Henry for the rest of his life. He died December 3, 1861, aged 
seventy-five. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Davis are: Catherine, 
married and died in Lancaster county; Samuel, died at Shavers Creek in 
1889, in his eighty-second year; Mary, married David Kinch, who died at 
Huntingdon Furnace, and she died at Franklinville, Pa.; and Henry.
  Henry Davis spent his boyhood days in the neighborhood of his native 
place. He received his education in subscription schools, but was a 
school boy only until he was fourteen years old. At that age he was 
employed in a store, where he remained for eighteen months, and then 
hired himself out as farm hand. In 1835, he made arrangements for 
learning the blacksmith's trade from his brother-in-law, David Kinch, 
to whom he served an apprenticeship of three years as a journeyman. He 
and his brother Samuel, who was also a blacksmith, then opened a shop 
in Sinking valley, Blair county. They continued the business there for 
one year, and then removed to the vicinity of Shavers Creek, Huntingdon 
county, where they had their shop for nearly forty years. Mr. Davis has 
been a farmer as well as a mechanic. From the spring of 1837, a few 
months after his marriage, until 1889, he resided near Shavers Creek, 
where he owned and cultivated a farm. He sold this farm just after 
removing to the place on which he now resides, and which belongs to his 
son, Dr. Miles L. Davis. Mr. Davis has now retired from active 
business. He is a Republican, warmly attached to his party. At Shavers 
Creek, he was for many years postmaster. He served one tem as county 
commissioner, and helped to build the court house at Huntingdon. He has 
served as overseer of the poor, was justice of the peace for many 
years, and for a long time collector of the county tax.
  Henry Davis was married in Porter township, December 29, 1836, to 
Catherine, daughter of Henry Walheater. Their children are: Samuel T., 
M. D., of Lancaster, Pa., born March 6, 1838, married October 2, 1866, 
to Elizabeth Fenstermacher; William, blacksmith, of Shavers Creek, born 
April 19, 1840, married October 2, 1860, to Mary E. Forster; Henry, 
farmer, of Shavers Creek, born April 5, 1842, married October 4, 1864, 
to Mary A. Wilson; Miles L., M. D., of Lancaster, Pa., born February 6, 
1845, married March 16, 1871, to Leona E. Wilson; Mary C. (Mrs. Stewart 
Livingston), of Altoona, Pa., born April 6, 1848, married September 24, 
1871; and John W., druggist, of Burlington, N.J., born October 2, 1858, 
married October 3, 1882, to Margaret Gundaker. Four sons of this family 
served in the Union army during the war of the Rebellion. Twice the 
father went to the front; once to bring home his eldest son, who was 
wounded at the battle of Resaca; and afterwards to Harper's Ferry, to 
look for his son William, whom he supposed to have been killed; to his 
great relief and joy, he found that the man whose life had been taken 
was another of the same name. Mr. Davis is a member of the Presbyterian 
church at Alexandria. His record is most enviable. During sixty years 
of married life, no unkind word has ever passed between this venerable 
man and his wife. Their long life, useful and full of true dignity, has 
won for them the affectionate respect of all who know them.