Grady Champion Davis

Notes:

Grady is buried at Double Springs Baptist Church.

Family/Spouse: Barbara Musgroves. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Hannah Bryant. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Peggy Fenney. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Cemetery: Double Springs Baptist Church, Washburn, Cleveland, North Carolina, USA

Notes:

William Simon (son of Hamby Davis) and Eva Suzanne after marrying bought a small farm between New House and Lattimore. They later bought a farm in "Washburn Switch" and settled in there. Both are buried at Double Springs Baptist Church.


(Medical):Hypertension, Arteriosclerosis, Arthritis

William married Eva Suzanne Whitesides on 30 Aug 1894. Eva was born on 22 Nov 1874 in Gaston County, NC; died on 19 Nov 1958 in Cleveland County, North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Cemetery: Sandy Plains Baptist Church Cemetery, Cleveland County, NC
• Military Service: Civil War (CSA) Wounded - POW

Notes:

Hamby and Arabella had eight children. The family was raised on a farm near New House. Hamby served during the Civil War with the "Sandy Run Yellow Jackets". Enlisted with his brother Simon with Capt. Edwards 34th Regt. "Hamby was tough as whitleather and was shot and 'skelped' a number of times but never seriously hurt" . (Info taken from CIVIL WAR HISTORY by James C. Elliott) See notes on Simon D. Davis.

He is identified in "North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865 as being wounded in the arm at Gaines Mill, Virginia on June 27, 1862 and then captured at the North Anna River, Virginia on about May 24, 1864. He was confined at Point Lookout, Maryland on May 30, 1864 until paroled on or about March 14, 1865 and transferred to Boulware's Wharf, James River, Virginia where he was received on March 16th for exchange.

The 34th Regiment participated in some of the more famous engagements of the Civil War; Mechanicsville, Gaines Mill, Frazier's Farm, Malvern Hill, Cedar Run, Manassas Plains, Ox Hill, Bolivar Heights, Sharpsburg, Shepardstown, Fredricksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Hanover Junction, Second Cold Harbor, Riddle's Shop, Petersburg, and Appomattox Court House when Lee surrendered.

A. P. Hill's Corps. were the first Confederate columns to reach the vicinity of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863 (Day 1 of the Battle of Gettysburg) with Heth's Division in advance and Pender's (34th Regiment) following a few miles distant in support. Heth's Division rapidly engaged the Federal forces at Willoughby Run (a creek). Pender's Division was the first of the Confederates to come in support and took a support position for Pettigrew's Brigade who held the Southern front.

Scales Brigade with the 34th led by Colonel Gordon charged McPherson Ridge driving the Federal line back to Seminary Ridge. The Confederate forces then assailed Seminary Ridge with Scale's Brigade (34th Regt.) at the extreme west of the Confederate line.

"After heavy fighting and serious losses we passed up the ascent, crossed the ridge and commenced the descent just opposite the Theological Seminary"; General A. M. Scales.

Nightfall of the first day found Hill's Division in possession of Seminary Ridge.

"The first day was a real North Carolina day. It was fought by 32 North Carolina Regiments and 2 North Carolina battalions along with a total of 36 other regiments from other Southern states. In this first engagement, while other brigades suffered heavily, those of NC fared the worst. Scales Brigade (34th Regiment included) suffered heavily, as did all of them."
- Taken from the Confederate Veteran, "The First Day at Gettysburg", by Capt. S. A. Ashe of Raleigh, NC

Hamby is mentioned in a letter from Ancil Dycus to his wife, written on May 29, 1864, in which he says that Hamby is missing and feared in the hands of the Yankees.

In the 1900 census Hamby is living in the house next to John Jiles Greene and Charlotte. Hamby is listed as the Head of household with his youngest son "Dexter" and Dexter's wife Mary.

Hamby's family is listed in the 1880 census living at the homeplace with Arabella and eight children.

LDS AFN is 2JSL-19

Buried in Sandy Plains Church Cemetery with both wives.

Abraham married Arabella Bridges on 16 Jun 1858 in Cleveland County, North Carolina. Arabella (daughter of Ezekiel "Zeke" Bridges and Permelia Webb) was born on 10 Jun 1837; died on 19 Oct 1899 in Rutherford County, North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Cemetery: Sandy Plains Baptist Church Cemetery, Cleveland County, NC

Notes:

Buried in Sandy Plains Church Cemetery with "Hamby". Arabella and Hamby were married by J. P. Elliott, Justice of the Peace.

Notes:

William and Sarah raised 16 children on a large farm between Polkville and New House. The home was a large two story house that burned sometime around 1835-1836 while "Hamby" was a baby.

In trying to get all the possessions out of the house, the mattresses were rolled up and thrown out the upstairs window and then later carried away from the house. After the house was engulfed in flame, the family realized Hamby was missing and believed he was lost in the fire. Shortly they heard a baby crying and found Hamby rolled up in one of the mattresses that had been thrown out an upstairs window.

The Davis family farm was handed down to Melena Francis "Fannie" Davis who married Jackson Scoggins and raised three children. Charlotte Lee the oldest married John Jiles Greene and continued on the family farm. Daughter Loulean (Lula) and husband Will Swink moved back in with Charlotte and continued on the farm after Charlotte's death in 1941. The Swinks eventually sold the farm.

"Fannie" Davis was Jackson's second wife. His first wife was Sarah "Sally" Scoggins who had 11 children.

Tombstone in family graveyard has date of death as July 16, 1876
Family history sheets completed by Biddie Ruppe state July 16, 1846
The 1850 Cleveland Co. census does not show William so the family sheets are probably correct. The tombstones were not set until sometime in the 1960 - 1970 timeframe.

William married Sarah "Sally" Womack on 5 Mar 1812 in Rutherford County, North Carolina. Sarah (daughter of Anderson Womack and Frances "Fannie" Dobbins) was born on 6 Sep 1793 in Rutherford County, North Carolina; died after 1866 in New House, Cleveland County, NC. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birthdate on the tombstone is 1791. Buried in the Greene-Davis family cemetery located approximately 5 miles from Polkville on Stagecoach Trail Road between Polkville and New House. A family history sheet compiled by Biddie Barnett Ruppe indicates Sally's death as June 27, 1850.

The 1850 Cleveland Co. census shows Sarah as widowed living with the following family members still living with her: Susan (33), Sarah "Sally" (26), Melena Francis (22), Simon D. (16), Abraham H. (15), William A Philbeck (10), and Abram Womack (45) apparently her brother a blacksmith. William Philbeck is apparently the son of Susan and John Philbeck.

The 1860 Cleveland Co. census shows Sarah as an invalid living in the same house as her daughter Sarah P. (36) another daughter Phoebe C. McKinney (32), Mary J. Davis (7), William A. Philbeck (19), William P. Davis (11), William A. Davis (10), and Cela S. Davis (8).

Her will located in the NC State Archives is dated March 14, 1866.

Notes:

Married:
Bondsman - Anderson Womack & Robert Randall
Witness - Drury Dobbins

Other Events:

• Cemetery: New House, Cleveland County, NC; homeplace off a secondary road North Of Sandy Plains Church

Notes:

A Mary Jones age 4 is living with Ezekiel and Permelia in the 1860 census, possibly a daughter of Arabell?

Ezekiel and Mary appear in the 1870 Cleveland County census in #8 township (Camp Call) in household 83.

Ezekiel and Permelia appear in the 1850 Rutherford County census.

World Family Tree CD Vol 2.

Excerpts taken from the "Broad River Genealogical Society Quarterly" Vol XVI No. 3 August 1996. Attributed to James Carson Elliott a former private in Co. F, 56th NC. "Ezekiel Bridges furnished 8 sons to the Army. Uncle Zeke and his boys were as loyal and enthusiastic for the cause as any -- all were good and faithful to the last." Four of Ezekiel's boys in gray never made it home.
"Ezekiel was a small man living on a small farm with a big family." (James C. Elliott, "Civil War History," Eswau Huppeday 14, No. 4; Nov 1994)

"He (Ezekiel) abused his family, after not infrequent drinking bouts, and finally, one of his daughters sewed him up in a sheet after he passed out and then beat him with a stick." The next morning he was told that he had been set upon in the woods and beaten by someone. This process was repeated a few time, and Ol' Zeke decided he would give up drinking. " (Attributed to Milfred Smith)

Ezekiel married Permelia Webb. Permelia was born in 1812 in North Carolina; died on 21 Jul 1871 in New House, Cleveland County, NC. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Cemetery: New House, Cleveland County, NC; homeplace off a secondary road North Of Sandy Plains Church

Notes:

Lawson's death certificate identifies Permelia's maiden name as Webb.