Willam Davis did not leave a will, probate records, or Bible records to provide us with a clear identification of him or his children. Tax records suggest that William Davis and his sons John, James, and William are probably the family of James Davis of Snow Creek, who is the ancestor of many of the Davis families in Stokes today. The below list of children is constructed from various sources and is by no means a definitive family group. I would welcome any new information that might confirm or eliminate any of the below as children of William.
James Davis? born 08 Aug 1753; died 17 Aug 1844 born Augusta Co., VA; died Stokes Co., NC married: Margaret **** (25 Jun 1761 - 11 Mar 1838) married Aug 1777; Stokes (per Charels Banner Rev War Pension) children: Mary (m: John Salmon); W.A.; M****; Rebecca (m: James Dearing); Bethenia (m: Mills Eason); Jane (m: William Covington); Anna (m: Joseph Eason); James (m: Elizabeth McAnally); M[artin?] (1794-1802); William (bachelor); Elender (m: Richard Dearing); Margaret "Peggy" (issue by William Davis?; m: Winston Carter)
Elender Davis born unknown; died unknown born unknown; died unknown married: **** McDaniels marriage bond dated children:
William Davis born unknown; died unknown born unknown; died Adair Co., KY married: Elizabeth **** marriage bond dated children: Anthony; Anna
Anna Davis born 1770; died 16 Dec 1832 (Tombstone) born unknown; died Stokes Co., NC married: Hugh Mitchell (c1770-13 Nov 1818) married circa 1797; Stokes children: William Allen (m: Elizabeth Wison); Adam (m: Mercy McAnally)
Ruchamer Davis born unknown; died alive in 1791 (deed of gift) born unknown; died unknown married: marriage bond dated children:
John Davis born unknown; died by 1820 (Stokes DB pg. 319, 215, & 345) born unknown; died unknown married: unknown marriage bond dated children: Samuel; Solomon; Elisha
The Children of James Davis, the elder and his wife Margaret
James Davis left a large and detailed probate record which helps identify all his children. Date and other details are obtained from various sources such as the Bible of James Davis' son; James Davis Jr. Also surviving is a large graveyard near the old James Davis homeplace on Snow Creek. The tombstones in the yard help to corrobate Bible records and identify children believed to have died young.
Mary "Polly" Davis born 12 Feb 1779; died 11/17 Oct 1857 born prob. Surry Co., NC; died Henry Co., VA married: Capt. John Salmon (25 Sep 1772 - died by 1844), son of John S. (1st Sheriff of Henry Co.) married c1788 children: Margaret Salmon (m: Jefferson Dyer); James Salmon; Thaddeus Salmon (m: America Pyrtle); Mary Salmon (m1: Joel Dyer, m2: Joab Dyer); Elizabeth Salmon (m: John Williams); Bethenia Salmon; Rebecca Ann Salmon; William J. Salmon; Virginia Salmon (m: Iredell J. Rea)
Jane Davis born 14 Aug 1781 [Bible 1790]; died 20/30 Nov 1871 born prob. Surry Co., NC; died Stokes Co., NC married: William Covington (03 Jan 1781 - 12 Nov 1837), possibly son of John & Mary C. of Rockingham Co., NC married on the 14 Dec 1804; Stokes children: Bethenia Covington (m: Joseph M. Flynt); James Madison "Matt" Covington (m: Sarah G. Hill); William Pinckney Covington (1811-1841); John D. Covington (1816-1837); Nancy Covington (m: John G. Stone); Mary Jane Covington (m: Richard Z. Wall); Margaret Covington (m: John T. Blackburn)
W. A. Davis born unknown; died 1782 (tombstone, Davis Graveyard, Snow Ck) born unknown; died Surry Co., NC (now Stokes) married: marriage bond dated children:
M. Davis born Apr 1785; died unknown (tombstone, Davis Graveyard, Snow Ck) born unknown; died Surry Co., NC (now Stokes) married: marriage bond dated children:
Rebecca Davis born 10 Feb/Apr 1786; died 09 May 1858 born Surry Co., NC; died Maniteau, MO married: Capt. James Dearing (06 Aug 1782 - 10 Nov 1854), son of Anthony & Elizabeth (Vernon) D. married c 1806; Stokes Co., NC children: Margaret Dearing (m: John Welsh); William Dearing (m: Margaret Riesson); Elizabeth Dearing (m: John Lawson); Susan Dearing (m: Hardin Reddick); James Dearing (m: Susan Varnum); Rebecca Dearing (m: James Carter); Anna Dearing (m: A. Salmon); Mary Jane Dearing (m: Joseph Wilson); John Dearing (m: Martha Redford)
Bethenia "Bethany" Davis born 1788; died Mar 1851 born Surry Co., NC; died Stokes Co., NC married: Mills Eason Jr. (died 23 Nov 1814; New Orlenes, LA), son of Joseph J. & Susan E. married c1807 children: William Eason; James Eason (m: Sarah Boles); Joseph Eason (m: Sarah Tuttle); Susannah Eason (m: Peter Tuttle); Jane Eason (m: Elijah Tuttle)
Anna Davis born Apr 1791; died 08 Sep 1837 born Surry Co., NC; died Dickson Co., TN married: Joseph Eason (died by 1844), son of Joseph J. & Susannah E. marriage bond dated 13 Aug 1812; Stokes children: Susannah Eason; Bethenia Eason (m: **** Pennington); Carter T. Eason; Elender Eason; Rebecca Eason; James Eason; Margaret Eason; Jane Eason; Disdain Eason
James Davis born 23 Dec 1793; died 06 May 1873 (Bible/Tombstone) born Stokes Co., NC; died Stokes Co., NC married: Wlizabeth McAnally (23 Nov 1796 - 19 Mar 1858), dau. of Jesse & Elizabeth (Morgan) McA. married on 02 Jan 1817; Stokes children: Margaret Davis (m: Madison Blackburn); Mary Ann Davis (m: Wilson Fulton); Eliza Jane Davis (m: Samuel Taylor); Jesse Jay Davis (m: Arrena Null); Elizabeth McAnally Davis (m: John P. Smith); Martha Ruhamer Davis (m: Thornton Hampton); Nancy Davis (m: Lemuel Pitzer); James William Davis (m1: Ednie Jane Smith; m2: Nancy Hollingsworth; m3: Henrietta Indianna Lindsay); Bethenia Rebecca Davis (m: Andrew J. Smith); Emily Caroline Davis (m: Hiram Adkins); Sarah Louisa Davis (m: William Estes); Loretta Campbell Davis (never married); Susan Ellen Davis (m: Dr. William R. Hollingsworth)
Mar[tin?] Davis born 1794; died 1802 (Tombstone) born unknown; died unknown married: marriage bond dated children:
William "Buck" Davis born 22 Sep 1796; died 16 Mar 1879 born Stokes Co., NC; died Stokes Co., NC married: never married (may have had child out of wedlock) marriage bond dated children: adopted Minerva Davis (m: William H. Flynt), daughter of Margaret Davis
Elender Davis born unknown; died by 1833 (per father's will) born unknown; died prob. Ohio married: Richard Dearing prob. son of Anthony & Elizabeth (Vernon) D. marriage bond dated children: William Dearing; James Dearing; Margaret Dearing
Margaret "Peggy" Davis born 1798; died 07 Apr 1886 born Stokes Co., NC; died Stokes Co., NC child out of wedlock: Minerva (m: William H. Flynt; adopted by William Davis) married: Winston Carter (15 Feb 1798 - c 1881), son of Henry & Sarah (White) C. married circa 1828 children: Mary Jane Carter (m: Joseph D. Ives); Sarah M. Carter (m: William D. Wilson); Irene Carter; James H. Carter; William A. Carterv (m: Amanda Hill); Louisa A. Carter (m: James Hawkins); Laura Ellen Carter (m: William Griffin)
The Children of James & Elizabeth (McAnally) Davis
The children of James Davis the younger are well documented in the family Bible; the family graveyard at Red Shoals in Stokes County; in family letters; and in the estate records of James Davis.
Margaret Davis born 30 Nov 1817; died 31 May 1890 born Stokes Co., NC; died Mt. Airy, Surry Co., NC married: Madison Blackburn (1809 - 28 Jul 1849), son of William & Susannah (Bostick) B. married on the 05 Sep 1836; Stokes children: James Oliver Blackburn (1837-1864); Willam N. Blackburn (1840-1896); John A. Blackburn (1841-1862); Margaret Eliza Blackburn; Susan E. Blackburn (m: Wilson Vaughn)
Mary Ann "Polly" Davis born 29 Jan 1819; died 06 Jan 1913 born Stokes Co., NC; died Lometa, Lampasas Co., TX married: Wilson Fulton (12 jan 1819 - 23 Dec 1873), son of Samuel & Nancy (Redman) F. married on the 12 Jan 1821; Stokes children: Nancy Elizabeth Fulton (m: Richard Hill); James Samuel Fulton (m: Emma Woody); Charles Edwin Fulton (m1: Josie ****; m2: Mary Rogers); Mary Ann Benthenia Fulton (m: Samuel Hood); Margaret Jane Fulton (m: John Townsen); Wilson Davis Fulton (died young); Martha Emily Fulton (m: John Nevans); Jesse Francis Fulton (m: Kate Smith); Sarah Susan Louretta Fulton (m1: William D. Gooch; m2: James G. Stockton)
Eliza Jane Davis born 15 May 1821; died 23 May 1900 born Stokes Co., NC; died Mt. Airy, Surry Co., NC married: Samuel Hill Taylor (05 Jun 1820 - 09 Dec 1892), son of William A. & Katherine A. (Hill) T. married on the 13 Oct 1842; Stokes children: Roxy Ann Taylor (1843-1846); James J. Taylor(m: **** Thompson); Lucy E. Taylor; Dr. William Samuel Taylor; Martha E. Taylor (m: **** Peele); John S. Taylor; Eliza Jane Taylor; Mary Blanche Taylor; Charels Walter Taylor
Jesse Jay Davis born 09 Feb 1823; died 01 Dec 1887 born Stokes Co., NC; died Stokes Co., NC married: Arrena Catherine Null (11 Nov 1842 - 28 May 1929), dau. of William & Mary (Tilly) N. marriage bond dated 19 Jan 1861, married 22 Jan 1861; Stokes children: Alice E. Davis (m: **** Mitchell); James W. Davis; Lula L. Davis (m: **** Taylor); Addie Dix Davis; Nancy Della Davis; Nathaniel Moody Davis; Francis Edgar Davis; Liller Estes Davis
Elizabeth McAnally "Betsy" Davis born 05 Feb 1825; died 20 Nov 1907 born Stokes Co., NC; died Stokes Co., NC married: John Preston Smith (28 Nov 1816 - 07 Feb 1893), son of Drury & Frances (Pitcher) S. married on the 20 March 1844; Stokes children: DeKalb Smith (m: Elizabeth Brown); William W. Smith (m: Ruth Hall); Louisa Smith (m: Hubbard Brown); James Sheild Smith (m: Nancy V. Bohannon); John W. Smith (m1? **** Johnson, common-law wife Columbia Manuel); Drury F. Smith (m: Candis Shelton); Jesse Jay Smith (1858-1886); Preston A. Smith (1861-1861)
Martha Ruhamer Davis born 18 Mar 1827; died 08 Jul 1852 born Stokes Co., NC; died Stokes Co., NC married: Thornton P. Hampton son of John B. & Mary (Guinn) H. married on the 28 Aug 1850; Stokes children: no issue
Nancy J. "Nantie" Davis born 06 Jul 1829; died 06 Dec 1915 born Stokes Co., NC; died Mt. Airy, Surry Co., NC married: Lemuel Pitzer (07 Aug 1823 -19 Feb 1859), born out of wedlock, son of Drury Smith & Sarah Pitcher married 22 Dec 1853; Stokes children: John William "Billy" Pitzer (m: Marhlar Kerner); Sarah Elizabeth "Bittie" Pitzer (m: Joseph Fulton); James J. Pitzer (1856-1859)
James William Davis born 02 Jan 1832; died 01 Mar 1906 born Stokes Co., NC; died Sanford, NC married 1st: Ednie Jane Smith (22 Dec 1834 - 31 Jul 1866) marriage bond dated 28 Nov 1854, married 07 Dec 1854; Surry Co., NC children: Alice Elizabeth Davis (1856-1866); James Edward "Buddy" Davis (1858-1866); Walter Fulton Davis (m: Elizabeth Smith); William Jay Davis (1866-1866)br
married 2nd: Nancy D. Hollingsworth (28 Feb 1838 - 18 May 1877), dau. of James & Elizabeth (Golding) H. married on the 15 Aug 1867; Mt. Airy, Surry Co. children: Joseph Edgar Davis (m: Margaret Vaughn); Nancy H. Davis (1876-1900); Mary Eliza Davis (m: Jesse Carter) married 3rd: Indianna Henrietta Lindsey (10 Apr 1838 - 16 Oct 1903), dau. of John M. & Nancy (Law) L. married on the 06 Apr 1879, Madison, Rockingham Co. children: Lindsey Davis (m: Wade Martin); Margaret Davis (m: Clarence E. McGehee)
Bethenia Rebecca Davis born 15 Sep 1833; died 09 Feb 1891 born Stokes Co., NC; died Stokes Co., NC married: Andrew Jackson Smith (15 Nov 1825 - 09 May 1909), son of Drury & Frances (Pitcher) S. married on the 02 Nov 1854; Stokes children: James Francis Smith (1m: Emma G. Wall, m2: Doris Dunlop, m2: Mary Scales); Andrew Jackson "Tat" Smith (m: Mary B. Smith); John P. Smith (died 1871); Jefferson Davis Smith (m: Mary Ellen Easley); Drury Smith Jr. (m: Elizabeth Outlaw); Mary Elizabeth "Babe" Smith (m: Walter F. Davis); Nancy Ednie Davis (m: Charles Huctinson); Sarah E. "Sadie" Smith (m: Rufus M. Tuttle)
Emily Caroline Davis born 19 Jun 1835; died 28 Feb 1916 born Stokes Co., NC; died Stokes Co., NC married: Hiram Washington Adkins (26 Jun 1822 - 31 Aug 1891), son of James M. & Laramy V. (Collier) A. married on the 31 Oct 1858; Stokes children: James Philip "Jimmy" Adkins (m: Addie Kerner); William Jay Adkins (never married, 1861-1939); Sarah Louretta "Lizzie" Adkins (never married, 1863-1939); Susan Emily Vines "Susie" Adkins (never married, 1865-1945); Charels Hiram Adkins (never married, 1868-1913); John Summerfield Davis Smith (m: Della G. Martin); Nancy Margaret Eliza "Nannie" Adkins (m: Marion T. Chilton); Henry Oliver Tillett Adkins (m: Eloise J. Yarborough)
Sarah Louisa Davis born 13 Feb 1838; died 19 Jul 1870 born Stokes Co., NC; died Stokes Co., NC married: Willam A. Estes (01 Dec 1834 - 10 Sep 1894), son of Jesse & Betsy (Napier) E. married on the 25 Dec 1855; Stokes children: John Francis Estes (1856-1919); Lilla Elizabeth Estes (m: Thomas Prather); James William Gegard Estes (1870-1870)
Luretta Campbell Davis born 06 Jun 1840; died 04 Aug 1907 born Stokes Co., NC; died Stokes Co., NC married: never married
Susan Ellen Davis born 18 Aug 1842; died 01 Jun 1928 born Stokes Co., NC; died Mt. Airy, Surry Co., NC married: Dr. William R. Hollingsworth "Billy" (14 Jan 1836 - 14 May 1901), son of James & Elizabeth (Golding) H. married on the 15 Aug 1865; Stokes children: Elizabeth D. Hollingsworth (1866-1867); Katie S. Hollingsworth (m: S.P. Graves); James M. Hollingsworth; Sadie E. Hollingworth (m: **** Ashby); Dr. Robert E. Hollingsworth; J. Frank Hollingsworth; M. Maggie Hollingsworth (m: N.G. Williams)