October 3, 2013

Patriot Ancestor: Cyrus Davis

On the Davis side of the house, my 4th great grandfather was a Patriot of the original sort. 

I can't exactly prove yet that Cyrus belongs to me, but the circumstantial evidence is mounting. However, it's his service to his country that makes me really hope he is indeed mine. Not that he was a hero or anything, but from the scanty documentation of his service, he seems like a real stand up kind of guy.

Grandpa Cyrus was born 23 Dec 1754, making him a ripe old 22 in 1776 when the American Revolution was in full tilt. 

According to the Roster of NC Soldiers in the American Revolution, Cyrus was a Corporal who mustered in in April 1776 and mustered out in June 1778. He served with the 6th Regiment commanded by Col. Gideon Lamb. He later transferred to Capt. Donohoe's Company. 

He was in battles of "Germantown, Monmouth, and Brandywine and other small skirmishes".

In the 1818 Granville County Court Minutes, he testified that since he is in "reduced circumstances of life and stands in need of assistance of his country for support, asks pension."  This was May of 1818, with Step. Sneed, Clerk, as a witness. However, the problem is that he can't prove he actually served in the war.

In the 1819  Granville County Court Minutes, Gideon DAVIS swears he is well acquainted with Cyrus DAVIS and due to his disabled condition, he deserves aid from country.  It was so ordered by court May 8, 1819.

I'm dying to know how he became disabled! Was it in the war? How cool would that be...to have a Patriot ancestor who not only served his country, but he spent the rest of his life disabled because of it. Hey...so did my dad! 

One thing is certain...not much has changed since 1776. Veterans are still begging their country for help. 







3 comments:

  1. I searched for some of my genealogical past after I graduated from college in 1997, and found an old note, which I will copy below. You have a very nice historical research base about the Davis family! Thank you for sharing.
    "Davis is one of the oldest Welsh family names. The line can be traced for many centuries and is said to include King Cole and Cadwaldar. The motto of the family is 'With God as a Leader and a Sword as a Comrad". Of the many Davis emigrants to America the family which later became the most notable is that of Evan Davis, Samuel Davis and Joseph Davis; three brothers who emigrated from Cardiff, Wales, about 1730,. Evan Davis and Samuel Davis landed at Philadelphia: Joseph Davis went what was then the Middle West. Some time after 1761, the exact date
    not being known,Evan Davis emigrated from Pennsylvania, to Georgia. He married while still in Pennsylvania, Mrs. Mary Emory Williams, a widow. Her father was Joseph Emory. By her first marriage this lady had two sons, Daniel Williams and Isaac William, both of whom were soldiers in the Revolution
    It was due to their participation in the war that their young half -brother, Samuel Davis also joined the forces of the revolution, being sent by their mother to join them Evan Davis and his wife (Mary Emory Davis), had at least one son, Samuel Davis, mentioned above, who was born in the Pennsylvania in 1756. this Samuel Davis, who was in the revolution, was the father of President Jefferson Davis of the Confederate States of American".

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  2. If you go to fold3 and look up Cyrus Davis pension S.41500,you will see that he was wounded in the foot by a bayonet at the Battle of Monmouth.

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  3. If you will go to fold3, you can read Cyrus DAvis pension app S.41500, and see that he was wounded in the foot by a bayonet at the Battle Of Monmouth, and was an invalid after that.

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