The Davis boys raised tobacco in Ohio, saved their money, rode horseback to Illinois, carried their money in saddle bags, bought 2000 acres (almost all of Vance Township) at $1.25 an acre. Their parents, Rachel and Henry Davis came later drove through in a covered wagon. Roy Davis was in possession of the family Bible which was published in 1815.
Henry purchased land across the road from the Davis Cemetery--Indians camped in the vicinity. The house built there had 14 rooms--an outside stairway and a windmill pumped water into a tank upstairs. It was called the Buckhorn Inn along the Stage Road. "Forty-niners" stopped here for the night. Abraham Lincoln stayed all night here once.
Sills in the house are 8" x 8" x 38" hand hewn of native timber. Stairway is of walnut. Basement walls are made of native rock. Back of house has been cut off to make it the present size.
Henry and Rachel's son Azariah, lived here. He gave land for the Davis cemetery, across the road. His wife, Jane Connor, was the first to be burried here in 1842. A daughter, Emily Rachel (our grandmother) married Will Allman who had come horseback from Ohio--his clothes shipped by train were three months on the way. He made walnut chest put together with wooden pegs (now with R. Hageman, a descendent).
The Allmans lived in a log cabin first house east of Davis homestead. In 1875, the present house was built, but Will Allman passed away before it was finished.
The Davis boys raised tobacco in Ohio, saved their money, rode horseback to Illinois, carried their money in saddle bags, bought 2000 acres (almost all of Vance Township) at $1.25 an acre. Their parents, Rachel and Henry Davis came later drove through in a covered wagon. Roy Davis was in possession of the family Bible which was published in 1815.
Henry purchased land across the road from the Davis Cemetery--Indians camped in the vicinity. The house built there had 14 rooms--an outside stairway and a windmill pumped water into a tank upstairs. It was called the Buckhorn Inn along the Stage Road. "Forty-niners" stopped here for the night. Abraham Lincoln stayed all night here once.
Sills in the house are 8" x 8" x 38" hand hewn of native timber. Stairway is of walnut. Basement walls are made of native rock. Back of house has been cut off to make it the present size.
Henry and Rachel's son Azariah, lived here. He gave land for the Davis cemetery, across the road. His wife, Jane Connor, was the first to be burried here in 1842. A daughter, Emily Rachel (our grandmother) married Will Allman who had come horseback from Ohio--his clothes shipped by train were three months on the way. He made walnut chest put together with wooden pegs (now with R. Hageman, a descendent).
The Allmans lived in a log cabin first house east of Davis homestead. In 1875, the present house was built, but Will Allman passed away before it was finished.
Family Members
-
![]()
Elizabeth Jane Davis Ent
1782–1863
-
![]()
William Van Meter Davis
1783–1859
-
![]()
Martha Davis Smith
1784–1828
-
Sarah Davis Miller
1788–1868
-
![]()
Azariah Leonard Davis Jr
1790–1868
-
![]()
Rebecca Davis Hanger
1792–1877
-
![]()
Rachel Davis Stevens
1795–1882
-
![]()
William Davis
1796–1859
-
![]()
John W. Davis
1814–1855
-
![]()
Mariah Davis Farmer
1816–1885
Advertisement
Advertisement
