Llano County, TX - Bios:  Davis, William K. (Billy)

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Submitted by: krussell@moment.net  (Karylon A. Russell)
December 8, 2000


William K. (BILLY) Davis

Surname: DAVIS, MAXWELL, FRY, JOHNSTON, HAMLIN, TOW

William K. (BILLY) Davis was one of the earliest Anglo settlers in Llano Co.,
arriving soon after the David Cowan family, around 1853. Both families were
instrumental in readying the Salt Works for operation in the northeastern
corner of Llano Co. (present day Tow/originally Saline)
The Davis Ford was named in honor of Billy who first discovered it. Its
location was where the old bridge at Old Bluffton crossed the Colorado River
prior to the building of Buchanan Dam.
Billy Davis, as he was called, was born circa 1803 in Roane Co. TN to
Edward Davis, Sr. Soon after Giles Co. TN became a county, the family moved
there where Billy grew to manhood, taking a wife, Elzira ?, circa 1824. In
the early 1830's, however, Billy and family joined his brother and other
family members in Arkansas, settling first in what was known as Crawford Co.,
but which became Johnson Co. AR. Edward, Sr. died there in 1839, and some of
Billy's siblings remained in Johnson Co. the rest of their lives, but Billy
had moved slightly south prior to 1840, in what was originally Scott Co. AR.
However, when Yell Co. AR was created prior to 1850, the family found
themselves living withing its boundaries.

The family left Arkansas in 1852 for Texas. They first settled in Williamson
Co. TX where they are found on tax lists for that county. However, it is
obvious that Billy was in contact with David Cowan in Williamson Co. and that
Billy and his older sons entered what became Llano Co. at least a full year
before the rest of the family was moved there officially in 1854. Ironically,
the importance of Billy Davis to early Llano Co. history is highly accepted
and documented, but he was never really able to have a huge impact because
he died in 1854. He registered a brand (circle D) in Williamson Co. in May
of 1854, possibly on his way to Arkansas to conduct family "business." His
son, Edward W. NED went with him. Some time and somewhere in Arkansas, Billy
died during the summer of 1854. Ned returned to Texas, bringing with him his
brother-in-law, Isaac Byler IKE Maxwell, younger brother to Ned's wife Mary
B. Maxwell. Later, Ike would become his DOUBLE brother-in-law since Ike
married Ned's youngest sister, Margaret Melcenie MAGGIE Davis late 1856.
The two men crossed the Colorado Sept. 8, 1854.

Even though Billy died in 1854, his widow, Elzira ?, brought their younger
children to Llano Co., settling on land that later would encompass the entire
community of Old Bluffton, TX. They built their family homeplace, the
foundation/chimney/cistern/plum grove which can still be seen when Lake
Buchanan lowers to around the 900 level during droughts. Elzira continued in
Llano Co., although she is incorrectly listed as ELVIRA, on the 1860 Census.
In that year, she was one of Llano County's major slave holders--3 mulattos.
Elzira died circa 1864, but her burial spot is not known.

The family of Billy and Elzira--all who were important factors in the
settlement of early Llano Co.--is as follows:
Thomas Henry Davis, born 1825, m. in Arkansas, Martha Ann Fry; Edward W. NED
Davis, born 1827, m. in Arkansas Mary B. Maxwell; Caleb A. Davis, born 1829,
m. Sarah Ann Tow in Llano Co.; Benjamin F. Davis m. Missouri Catherine
Johnston in Burnet Co.; Lucy Parthena Davis, m. early Tow store owner and
Civil War officer, A.D. (Alvis) Hamlin; MDL-Marcus DeLafayette (Fayette/Fett)
Davis, m. Sarah's sister, Mary Isabel Tow; and Margaret Melcenia MAGGIE Davis
m. Ike Maxwell--their marriage license supposedly the first one issued in
Llano Co. after the county was created.

Thomas Henry, called HENRY, and Ned were the first to hack a trail between
the Salt Works and Fredericksburg in a wagon to sell salt to the German
community. In 1860 Henry made his way to San Antonio and officially purchased
the majority of the land in the horseshoe bend of the Colorado River from its
original grantees. Later, Henry opened the way for the community of Bluffton
to begin by laying off lots, etc. Although the community of Bluffton was
named by Ike Maxwell, in honor of his Yell Co. home, Bluffton, Arkansas,
it was Henry who had the authority in the family to near-give the land for
the cemetery at Bluffton for $1.00.

All the Davis men, as well as A.D. Hamlin and Ike Maxwell, served in the
Civil War frontier units in Llano Co. except Ben, who had moved to the Field
Creek area of Llano Co. prior to 1860 and appears to have served in units out
of San Saba Co.

After Elzira died in 1864 and Ned succombed to pneumonia in 1870, the family
homestead was given by the other heirs to Caleb A. Davis whose family
continued to own the property until it was covered by the Colorado River.

There are still many descendants of this family in Llano Co. today. We
appreciate the sacrifices and hardships our early ancestor BILLY DAVIS and
his family endured many years ago to make Llano Co. what it is today.