WILLIAM DAVIS, s/o William of Lanstephan, County Radnor, Wales, pleb. St. Mary's Hall, (Oxford University), who matriculated 30 June 1682, aged 18... William arrived in Philadelphia in 1684, according to his own writing, thus he had spent two years at the University. He was a recognized preacher of the Society of Friends when he arrived, but left with George Keith and 46 others in 1691. In 1697 he joined the Pennepek Baptist Church from which he was expelled February 17, 1698/9 for heresy. At this time he wrote a book, JESUS THE CRUCIFIED MAN, which was printed by Reynier Jansen in 1700. One copy of this book is still extant today. The introduction is most significant as it details the philosophies of Keith, and of the Quakers. It also tells us that WILLIAM DAVIS was brought up in the CHURCH OF ENGLAND, and why he left them for the QUAKERS. The following passage is carefully copied from his book: 'Through grace from my Youth, my studies have been bent that way, viz. to seek after truth, since that time that God in his infinite Love was pleased to refrain me from my youthful vanities, several sorts of which I was naturally prone unto, being by nature a Child of wrath as well as others. But these in great measure God gave me Victory over when I was about 18 or 20 years of age. Having formerly had my Conversation in the CHURCH OF ENGLAND, being trained up according to the rules of the same, And being a diligent hearer of their Ministers, having at that time but a weak capacity to judge in matters of Doctrine, whether or no in that case they were right or wrong; I observed the looseness and profanity both of Priests and People too general amonst them. This drove me from them. And the QUAKERS in that time, that exceeded in lite and Conversation, being much more civilized, and given to Sobriety; this their good Conversation, prevailed upon me, wherefore I joyned myself with them. And having walked with them in that way about 13 or 14 years, in which space of time I did consider of some Principles in Religion...Now then when it pleased God to cast my lot here in PENNSILVANIA, which was the year 1684. I having met with some help from George Keith, I farther (word missing) the QUAKERS were in the wrong concerning fundamental Principles, on which grounds I left them again, and became a hearere of G. Keith...' Please note that our Ancestor chose the Quaker Religion while at Oxford, thus depriving himself of the privilege of graduation. Perhaps he later regretted this decision, as he wrote in his introduction to his book, JESUS THE CRUCIFIED MAN, 'Having at that time a weak capacity to judge in matters of Doctrine.' Thus, we do not find his name among the list of graduates from Oxford University. In 1699 William Davis became a Seventh Day Baptist and organized a congregation at Frankfort, PA. In 1706 he applied for membership to the Newport, Rhode Island Seventh Day Baptist Church. On October 12, 1710, William Davis and wife Elizabeth applied to Westerly, Rhode Island for membership in that Church. They were received into the Wasterly Church 14 July 1711, and he was invited to preach there in 1713. On 1 March 1714 he requested a letter to a church in England, but was persuaded by his friends to remain in America. Soon after May 16, 1717 he left Westerly and settled in Pennsylvania, where in 1724, he suffered severe loss by fire. From his home in Stonington, Connecticut, 21 Oct. 1734, William again requested membership in Monmouth Co. New Jersey, near the Manasquan River. Joseph Maxson and his family of Stonington, CT had sailed for the mouth of the Manasquan River in the fall of 1742, but due to storms and ice, they did not reach their destination until the spring of 1743, having spent the winter on Long Island. The Seventh Day Baptist Church at Shrewsbury, New Jersey was formally organized in 1745 with William Davis as Minister. William Davis died there late in the year 1745. Ref: JESUS THE CRUCIFIED MAN, by William Davis, 1700. ISSUES OF THE AMERICAN PRESS IN PENNSYLVANIA, 1700. SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS IN WEST VIRGINIA, by Corliss Randolph, 1905. Data about Brinley & Pavior is credited to Margaret Ewing. Sincere thanks and appreciation goes to Deborah Davis Swingle and her father Carl H. Davis for providing us a copy of Rev. William Davis's book, JESUS THE CRUCIFIED MAN, and to Deborah and her sister for her research in Wales and at Oxford University, which provided us with the true identity of our ancestor, Rev. William Davis.
[Davis--The Settlers of Salem, West Virginia; Susie Davis Nicholson]