Parents:
Andrew Pickins Davis13 January 1820 - 02 December 1908 |
Nancy Killingsworth4 February 1828 - 14 August 1913 |
Andrew Jackson Davis was born 03 April 1846 in Lauderdale Co., MS, and died 10 December 1921 in Rockport, Aransas Co., TX. Burial: December 1921, Rockport Cem., Rockport, Aransas Co., TX, beside 2nd wife Sarah Jane Newman. Cause of Death: stomach cancer. Informant of Death: Basil? Davis.
Military service: Pvt, Company F, 8th Texas Inf
Occupation 1: Stockman, Commercial Fisherman, Farmer, etc.
Occupation 2: 1870, Farm laborer.
US Census, 1850: Henderson Co., TX age 4 which makes his year of birth 1846.
US Census, 1860: Refugio, Refugio Co., TX age 14 which makes his year of birth 1846.
US Census, 1870 1: 31 July 1870, US Census, Refugio Co., TX
US Census, 1880: Aransas Co., TX, listed as A.J. Davis, age 34 yrs, born in LA (incorrect).
US Census, 1900: Aransas Co., TX, listed as Jack Davis, age 54 yrs.
US Census, 1910: ED. 2, Pct. 2, Aransas Co., TX, age 69 yrs.
US Census, 1920: Aransas Co., TX, listed as Jack A. Davis, age 73 yrs.
Andrew Jackson Davis was about three years old when his parents moved from Lauderdale County, Mississippi, where he was born, to Henderson County, Texas in the latter part of 1848 and prior to 1849. As previously stated, Andrew Jackson Davis appears in the U.S. Census of 1850 for Henderson Co., TX in the household of his parents as Andrew J. Davis, age 4 (born in 1846 according to the census), white male, born in Mississippi.
By the fall-winter of 1858 the Davis family had moved from Henderson Co., TX to the vicinity of Anahuac, Chambers Co., TX where his sister, Martha Eliza, was born 26 Nov 1858. The family did not remain here too long as we next find them listed in the U.S. Census of 1860 for Refugio Co., TX as residents of that county. This Census enumerated 12 July 1860, page 50, lists Andrew Jackson Davis in the household of his parents, A. Davis, and Nancy Davis, as Andrew Davis, age 14 (born 1846 according to the census), white male, born in Mississippi.
At age 14 in 1860, Andrew Jackson Davis should have been attending school but what education he was exposed to is unknown, however, it was probably not much of a formal nature.
Notes from Bruce Davis:
While the Davis family were residing in Refugio County, TX Lincoln was elected president and South Carolina's legislature by a unanimous vote had seceded from the Union, 20 Dec 1860. Other southern states soon followed their example with Texas voting for secession 23 Feb 1861. With the firing of shore batteries under the the command of Gen. G. T. Beauregard (1819-1893) on Fort Sumter under the command of Major Anderson (Union commander), at 4:30 a.m. 12 Apr 1861 the Civil War began.
The Davis family did not own slaves although the maternal grandfather of Andrew Jackson Davis, Jesse V. Killingsworth was a minor slave holder in Mississippi. As would be expected, the family in sentiment and deed supported the southern cause.
When Thomas A. Davis, the sixteen year old brother of Andrew, volunteered as a soldier in the Confederacy it was only to be expected that Andrew would follow his example. Records show that Thomas A. Davis is listed as a Corporal and his younger brother, Andrew Jackson Davis as Private A. J. Davis on the roster of Company F (formerly Company C) commanded by Capt. P. H. Breeden,8th Infantry Battalion, Hobby's Texas Regiment (Auth: Hobart Huson, Refugio - A Comprehensive History of Refugio County from Aboriginal Times to 1953, Houston, Texas, The Guardsman Publishing Company for the Rooke Foundation, Inc. (Woodsboro, Texas. 1953, Vol. II (1861 to 1953?), 1953, p. 450). (Note: Company F, 8 Regiment Texas Infantry was successively designated as Captain Breedem's Company and Company C, Hobby's Battalion Texas Infantry; Company C and Company F, 8th Regiment Texas Infantry. The 8th (also called Hobby's) Battalion Texas Infantry was first first organized May 14, 1862, as the 8th (Hobby's) Battalion Texas Infantry with three companies, A to C. Company D was organized June 20, 1862. Captains R. Benavides', S. Benavides', Ware's and Navarro's Company of Cavalry were assigned to this command by S.O. No. 81, Hd. Qrs. Dist. of Texas, N.Mex. and Ariz., dated February 21, 1863. This order was not obeyed by some of the companies and the regiment, as finally constituted, consisted of the 8th (Hobby's) Battalion Texas Infantry, four companies; the 4th (Shea's) Battalion Texas Artillery, two companies; Captain Navarro's Company of Cavalry; Captain Neal's Company of Artillery; Captain Ireland's Company of Infantry and Captain Penaloza's Company of Infantry. The regiment was ordered to be discharged by S.S. No. 142, Hd. Qrs. Dist. of Texas, N.Mex. and Ariz., dated May 22, 1865.
At the time of his enlistment, 15 June 1863, in Corpus Christi, Texas, Andrew Jackson Davis was 17 years old. In the Davis Family Bible the narrator discovered a loose slip of paper with the following written on it:
"This certifies that Thomas A. Davis has joined the Camp Church by a profession of his faith in Christ and baptism. Galveston March 14th 1864. /s/ J. H. Cox?, Chaplain 8th Regt Texas Vol. Infty."
After his enlistment, it does not appear that Andrew got much further from home than Victoria, TX where he
was hospitalized 6 Dec 1863. Records indicate that he was given leave to go home, (he appears on roster as sick in Refugio Co. since 1 Jul 1863) probably to recuperate, but never returned to the service. Regimental Returns, March 1864, still carry him in hospital in Victoria. His second wife, the narrator's grandmother, related to the narrator that Andrew, due to an injury (knee), suffered from what was called "white swelling". He suffered from this disability the remainder of his life. He would not have made a good infantryman with his injury.
The war carried on until Gen. Lee surrendered, 9 Apr 1865, to Gen. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, VA. Under the leadership of President Johnson every Confederate state beside Texas had been readmitted to the Union by Dec. 1865 and by 6 Apr 1866 Texas was readmitted, however, under the control of a radical congress impeachment of President Johnson was initiated by this radical group and eventually the Southern States were divided into 5 military districts subject to martial law and new demands made upon each state before they were restored to the union. By 1870 Texas had met the conditions. It goes without saying, that the Davis family, like all southern families must have been affected by this so called period of American history known as the "Reconstruction". Political reverberations are still a part of the southern political scene today as a result of the treatment of defeated southerners during this vengeful and stressful period in our nation's history.
In 1867 Andrew Jackson Davis and his older brother, Thomas A. Davis, both married. Thomas was the first to marry. On 21 March 1867 he married Mary Ann Williams (1841 MS - 1924 TX) in Refugio County (Refugio County, TX Marriage Book A, p. 61) daughter of Henderson Williams (1812 N.C. - 1899 TX) and of Emily (Wofford) Williams (1819 - ) (For a history of the Williams and Wofford families see: Clara Vaughan Hatcher O'Brien, Deep Roots and Strong Branches, 1972, i.e., pages 143-145, 290-293 and others).
There were other connections between the Davis and Williams families. Julia Hazelton Newman (1856 TX - 1899 TX), sister of Sarah Jane Newman (1852 LA - 1942 TX), second wife of Andrew Jackson Davis, married Rev. John Wesley Williams (1857 TX ), sister of Mary Ann Williams (Mrs. Thomas A. Davis). Clara Vaughan O'Brien, author of Deep Roots and Strong Branches, the genealogy of the Williams and Newman families, was the granddaughter of John and Julia (Newman) Williams.
About eight months later, 24 November 1867, Andrew Jackson Davis married his first wife, Julia A(nn?) Casterline.
His first marriage was to Julia Ann Casterline, November 1867 in Refugio Co., TX daughter of Jonas Casterline and Rebecca Bolton. Julia was born 1850 in TX, 1850 in Texas, probably Refugio County. Auth: U.S. Census of 1860 for Refugio Co., TX lists her in the household of her parents as Julia Casterline, white female, age 10, born in Texas (born 1850 according to census) (U.S. Census 1860 Refugio Co., TX, p. 18, 27 Jun 1860, St. Mary's Post Office, Dwelling House numbered Order of Visitation #217, Family numbered in order of visitation #173). and died 26 December 1874 in her home near Kendalia, Kendall Co., TX. She died of (consumption) TB. All three of her sons died of TB, two of them, the first two, during their youth. David Crockett Davis was the only son to reach maturity, marry and have children. Julia Ann Casterline was the daughter of Jonas A. Casterline (referred to in several documents as James A. Casterline) and of his wife, Rebecca (Bolton) Casterline. Her first husband was a Mr. Maxwell by whom she had two daughters.
She is buried in Jones Cem., Kendall Co., TX. (Cemetery located on private property. The grave is not marked. Also buried near her in unmarked graves are her sons, Charles Edward Davis and David Crockett Davis. Another son, John Andrew Davis, may also be buried there.) Her middle name may have been either Ann or Allen.
Auth: U.S. Census of 1870 for Refugio Co., TX (actually resident in section to become Aransas Co., TX) she is listed in the household of her husband as Julia Davis, age 20, white female, born Louisiana. This census places her birth in 1850 but narrator believes information she was born in LA is incorrect. Her parents were in TX before 1850 -- her father was discharged from U.S. Army at Corpus Christi, TX in 1845. The family were residents of St. Joseph Island in 184-?.
After Julia's death Andrew married Sarah Jane Newman 07 March 1878 in Bee Co., TX. They were married by the Rev. Jonathan Newman. She was the daughter of George Newman and Harriet Arnold. She was born 15 December 1852 in near Monroe, Ouachita Parish, LA, and died 16 January 1942 in Houston, Harris Co., TX at the home of her daughter, Dora Lee Davis Madden.
Children of Andrew Davis and Julia Ann Casterline are:
Charles Edward
He was called "Charlie" probably named for his uncle Charles Casterline. Born 28 October 1868, Aransas Co., Texas. Died of TB: 02 May 1888 age 11 yrs, Jones Cemetery, Kendall Co., Texas (Never Married) Burial: May 1888, Jones Cemetery, near Kendalia, Kendall Co., TX
John Andrew
Born 04 August 1871 in Aransas Co., TX; died of TB at 9 years old 16 February 1893 in Aransas Co., TX .Never married. Buried: Fulton Cem., Fulton, Aransas Co., TX (Grave unmarked). He was called "Johnny".
David Crockett
Born 24 June 1873 in Fulton, Aransas Co., TX; died of TB 22 August 1924 in near Kendalia, Kendall Co., TX.
Children of Andrew Davis and Sarah Newman are:
Fannie Catherine
Born 19 September 1883 in Fulton, Aransas Co., TX.; died 28 January 1970 in Baptist Hosp., Beaumont, Jefferson Co., TX.
Born 02 November 1885 in Fulton, Aransas Co., TX206; died 02 February 1906 in Rockport, Aransas Co., TX.Burial: February 1906, Rockport Cem., Rockport, Aransas Co., TX Buried at: Rockport Cemetery, Rockport, Aransas Co., TX.
US Census, 1900: Rockport, Aransas Co., TX, age 13 yrs.
He married Frances Patterson 29 November 1905 in Aransas Co., TX; died Bef. 1914. Had no children by either marriage
Emma Etta
Born 11 December 1888 in Fulton, Aransas Co., TX; died 25 August 1928 in Waco, McLennan Co., TX.
Dora Lee
Born 25 September 1889 in Fulton, Aransas Co., TX; died 19 January 1976 in Houston, Harris Co., TX.
Hattie Vernon
Born 06 December 1892 in Fulton, Aransas Co., TX; died 06 February 1933 in Santa Fe (Alta Loma), Galveston Co., TX.
Arthur Lee
Born 29 July 1894 in Fulton, Aransas Co., TX.; died 23 March 1973 in Fulton, Aransas Co., TX, at his home.
Information provided by Bruce Davis