Obituary: Joe Davis, 28 Mar 1860 - Smith County, TX Contributed by Vicki Betts July 25, 2002 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************************** TEXAS CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE, April 19, 1860, p. 4, c. 2 Joe Davis, son of Dr. John Davis, late of Mississippi, died at Tyler Springs, on the 28th March, in his 11th year. The deceased was not a member of the Church, nor had he made an open profession of religion prior to his sickness. The writer baptized him a few months since at his father’s request. Joe was a good boy. At the day and Sabbath schools he was beloved by teachers and scholars because he was amiable and lovely. He was retiring and modest; warm in his attachments; shunned bad company; was a model in morality, for one of his years. In his late illness he expressed a willingness to die—said to a friend, “When I die I shall go straight to heaven,” pointing upward, as though he then saw heaven opening her pearly gates for his reception. The father started with the corpse, accompanied by the balance of the family, for interment at the family burying ground in Mississippi. He requested to be buried by the side of his mother. Our citizens deeply sympathize with the father and kind stepmother of this promising youth. May they all meet again in a better world. J. W. Fields. Tyler, Texas, March 29, 1860.