John Davis was born in VA and served in the War of 1812 as a Sergeant Major. under Gen. Andrew Jackson. He fought at the Battle of New Orleans.
After the war he moved to the foothills of SC where he met and married his wife, Serepta Merritt. They later moved to the NC mountains to Buncombe County (this area is now Henderson Co.), just across the SC line. He bought 900 acres of land in the Green River area near the South Carolina state line and built an inn and stagecoach stop called Oakland. Here they raised 10 children.
He was an influential man in the community, acquiring the nickname 'Colonel'. In 1829 he was appointed as the first post master of Flat Rock. He served as Chairman of the committee to form Henderson County (then called Buncombe).
John and Serepta's home Oakland, was the site of the famous Vance-Carson duel. Robert Vance, former NC congressman, was fatally wounded by Samuel Carson, his successor in Congress. Davey Crockett was a witness to the duel. Vance was carried to Oakland where he died.
John Davis died in 1859, leaving Oakland to his widow Serepta. She sold 180 acres of land to a group of former slaves for $1 an acre, where they built a community they named THE KINGDOM OF THE HAPPY LAND. The community thrived for almost 75 years. Some of the slaves are buried near the Davis cemetery.
After the war he moved to the foothills of SC where he met and married his wife, Serepta Merritt. They later moved to the NC mountains to Buncombe County (this area is now Henderson Co.), just across the SC line. He bought 900 acres of land in the Green River area near the South Carolina state line and built an inn and stagecoach stop called Oakland. Here they raised 10 children.
He was an influential man in the community, acquiring the nickname 'Colonel'. In 1829 he was appointed as the first post master of Flat Rock. He served as Chairman of the committee to form Henderson County (then called Buncombe).
John and Serepta's home Oakland, was the site of the famous Vance-Carson duel. Robert Vance, former NC congressman, was fatally wounded by Samuel Carson, his successor in Congress. Davey Crockett was a witness to the duel. Vance was carried to Oakland where he died.
John Davis died in 1859, leaving Oakland to his widow Serepta. She sold 180 acres of land to a group of former slaves for $1 an acre, where they built a community they named THE KINGDOM OF THE HAPPY LAND. The community thrived for almost 75 years. Some of the slaves are buried near the Davis cemetery.
John Davis was born in VA and served in the War of 1812 as a Sergeant Major. under Gen. Andrew Jackson. He fought at the Battle of New Orleans.
After the war he moved to the foothills of SC where he met and married his wife, Serepta Merritt. They later moved to the NC mountains to Buncombe County (this area is now Henderson Co.), just across the SC line. He bought 900 acres of land in the Green River area near the South Carolina state line and built an inn and stagecoach stop called Oakland. Here they raised 10 children.
He was an influential man in the community, acquiring the nickname 'Colonel'. In 1829 he was appointed as the first post master of Flat Rock. He served as Chairman of the committee to form Henderson County (then called Buncombe).
John and Serepta's home Oakland, was the site of the famous Vance-Carson duel. Robert Vance, former NC congressman, was fatally wounded by Samuel Carson, his successor in Congress. Davey Crockett was a witness to the duel. Vance was carried to Oakland where he died.
John Davis died in 1859, leaving Oakland to his widow Serepta. She sold 180 acres of land to a group of former slaves for $1 an acre, where they built a community they named THE KINGDOM OF THE HAPPY LAND. The community thrived for almost 75 years. Some of the slaves are buried near the Davis cemetery.
After the war he moved to the foothills of SC where he met and married his wife, Serepta Merritt. They later moved to the NC mountains to Buncombe County (this area is now Henderson Co.), just across the SC line. He bought 900 acres of land in the Green River area near the South Carolina state line and built an inn and stagecoach stop called Oakland. Here they raised 10 children.
He was an influential man in the community, acquiring the nickname 'Colonel'. In 1829 he was appointed as the first post master of Flat Rock. He served as Chairman of the committee to form Henderson County (then called Buncombe).
John and Serepta's home Oakland, was the site of the famous Vance-Carson duel. Robert Vance, former NC congressman, was fatally wounded by Samuel Carson, his successor in Congress. Davey Crockett was a witness to the duel. Vance was carried to Oakland where he died.
John Davis died in 1859, leaving Oakland to his widow Serepta. She sold 180 acres of land to a group of former slaves for $1 an acre, where they built a community they named THE KINGDOM OF THE HAPPY LAND. The community thrived for almost 75 years. Some of the slaves are buried near the Davis cemetery.
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