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William S. Davis

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William S. Davis

Birth
Florida, USA
Death
19 Apr 1875
Burial
Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia, USA Add to Map
Plot
Old Cemetery section (Sexton's system); Section G, H, or I (Autry's system)
Memorial ID
View Source
Perhaps named William Schley DAVIS. Reported age at time of death was 37 years, so evidently born about 1838. Evidently son of Arthur Burnside & Anna Maud (SCHLEY) DAVIS, Sr., who married 13 JAN 1825 in Jefferson County, Georgia.

“We learn from the Columbus Times [newspaper] that Captain William S. DAVIS, formerly of the Second Georgia regiment C.S.A., and a gallant officer, died of consumption last Monday [19 APR 1875]. He was a grand-son of ex-Gov. SCHLEY.” [Macon (GA) Telegraph newspaper, Tuesday, 27 APR 1875, p. 4.]

Mary Jane Galer's list of persons buried in the Old Cemetery section of Linwood shows: W. S. DAVIS, male, died aged 37 years of T.B.; interred 20 APR 1875 in the Old Cemetery section – Sexton Abraham ODOM.

This grave is probably not identifiably marked. This could possibly be the same person as W. S. DAVIS (no dates) who has a military marker in Autry’s B-21 (which is in the New Cemetery area of Linwood); he entered and separated as a Private in Company G “Columbus Guards” of the 2nd Regiment, Georgia Infantry, CSA. In fact, in her “Historic Linwood Cemetery” book, Volume 1, Dolores Autry cites both the service record for the Private in Company G of the 2nd Regiment and the Sexton’s record for the man buried in 1875 in connection with that military headstone.

However, while the man who served in the Columbus Guards was a Private, on the other hand William S. DAVIS was reported to have been a Captain (so perhaps served in a company other than G in the 2nd Regiment?). Moreover, the service record for Private W. S. DAVIS shows he died 27 MAY 1864 at Cold Harbor, Virginia.

Also having a military marker in Autry’s B-21 is A. B. DAVIS, Jr. (no dates), who served as a Private in Company G “Columbus Guards” of the 2nd Georgia Infantry Regiment as well. His service record reports him absent, sick [at?] Manchester, Virginia, as of 31 OCT 1861 – no further record. However, Autry reports that his newspaper obituary states he died 08 AUG 1861 as a member of the “Columbus Guards,” and that his brother-in-law T. F. RIDENHOUR was a member of the same unit. DAVIS had shot and killed the Captain of a SC company while under arrest and was himself shot dead by a member of that Captain’s company. (Note that Charlotte Taylor DAVIS married 05 MAY 1861 in Muscogee County, Georgia, to Thomas Franklin RIDENHOUR; they are interred at Riverdale Cemetery – Mems. #17210079 & #17210104.) So A. B. DAVIS, Jr., is a son of Arthur Burnside & Anna Maud (SCHLEY) DAVIS, Sr., and it would make sense that W. S. DAVIS who also served as a Private in the Columbus Guards and reportedly died 1864 at Cold Harbor would have been their son as well. But we can infer that the William S. DAVIS who reportedly was a Captain in the 2nd Regiment and died in 1875 was the son of A. B. & Anna Maud (SCHLEY) DAVIS, she being a daughter of the late Gov. William SCHLEY.

It is worth noting that there is no entry in Mary Jane Galer’s lists of persons interred in Linwood Cemetery for either A. B. DAVIS, Jr. or W. S. DAVIS in Autry’s B-21 – unless he is the same as the William S. DAIVS who was buried in 1875, purportedly in the Old Cemetery section. The Sexton did not begin maintaining burial records specific to Linwood Cemetery, with burial location, until mid-1866, so if either or both of these men (A. B. Jr. & W. S. who died 1864) are indeed buried in Linwood, they likely were interred before that time. It is not known when or by whom the military headstones were placed in B-21 for A. B. Jr. & W. S., and it’s quite possible that these are memorials stones that do not actually mark their graves. Either or both of them could be buried elsewhere in Linwood Cemetery, or at another site altogether (for instance, a battlefield or a hospital graveyard where they died).

So the question remains: were there two men named W. S. DAVIS who both served in the 2nd Regiment of Georgia infantry, one who died in 1864, who has a headstone in Autry’s B-21 in the New Cemetery area, and the other who died in 1875 and is buried (evidently unmarked) in the Old Cemetery section? Or is there only one William S. DAVIS, and if so, which reported facts about him, his CSA service, and his burial are accurate?

The 1850 census of Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia, shows (all persons reported born in Georgia): Mrs. M. A. DAVIS (aged 42 years: value of real estate not reported); John H. DAVIS (24), a clerk; [John H.’s wife:] Martha H. [CALHOUN] DAVIS (23), George S. DAVIS (22), physician; [George’s wife:] Mrs. M. V. DAVIS (20), Arthur B. DAVIS [Jr.] (18), sailor; William [S.] DAVIS (15), Nathaniel [Gleason] DAVIS (12), Charlotte DAVIS (5), and Henry R[ichard] DAVIS (8). [Next door is the household of brother & sister-in-law William K. & Mary SCHLEY, he being a physician.]

The 1860 census of Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia, shows (all persons born in Georgia): Dr. George W. DAVIS (aged 31 years), physician holding real estate valued at $3,500 and personal estate valued at $5,500; Mrs. V. DAVIS (30), Mrs. A. B. DAVIS (52), holding real estate valued at $18,000 and personal estate valued at $6,000; Sarah M. DAVIS (20), [Charlotte Taylor] Lotty DAVIS (15), Richard H[enry] DAVIS (18), Milledge DAVIS (male, 6), Bell DAVIS (2), Georgia WARREN (22), holding personal estate valued at $10,000; Milledge McKEMIE (35), clerk holding real estate valued at $4,000 and personal estate valued at $5,000; Mrs. L. McKEMIE (31).

“Death of an Aged Lady. // The Columbus Times [newspaper], of Tuesday, announces the death of Mrs. A. B. DAVIS, one of the oldest residents of that city. She was in her 72nd year. She was the daughter of the late Governor William SCHLEY, and a sister of the late Dr. William K. SCHLEY, for many years a prominent physician of Columbus. Mrs. DAVIS was the mother of nine children, all of whom have preceded her to the grave, save one daughter, Mrs. Lottie RIDENHOUR. Her sons fought bravely through the entire war, and poured their blood as a libation upon the altar of their country.” [Augusta (GA) Chronicle newspaper, Saturday, 26 APR 1879, p. 4. Husband Arthur B. DAVIS (05 NOV 1802-23 JAN 1846) is buried in the same lot – Autry B-21 – with her. Autry reports that his obituary shows he was one of the earliest settlers of Columbus and left a wife & 9 children.]
Perhaps named William Schley DAVIS. Reported age at time of death was 37 years, so evidently born about 1838. Evidently son of Arthur Burnside & Anna Maud (SCHLEY) DAVIS, Sr., who married 13 JAN 1825 in Jefferson County, Georgia.

“We learn from the Columbus Times [newspaper] that Captain William S. DAVIS, formerly of the Second Georgia regiment C.S.A., and a gallant officer, died of consumption last Monday [19 APR 1875]. He was a grand-son of ex-Gov. SCHLEY.” [Macon (GA) Telegraph newspaper, Tuesday, 27 APR 1875, p. 4.]

Mary Jane Galer's list of persons buried in the Old Cemetery section of Linwood shows: W. S. DAVIS, male, died aged 37 years of T.B.; interred 20 APR 1875 in the Old Cemetery section – Sexton Abraham ODOM.

This grave is probably not identifiably marked. This could possibly be the same person as W. S. DAVIS (no dates) who has a military marker in Autry’s B-21 (which is in the New Cemetery area of Linwood); he entered and separated as a Private in Company G “Columbus Guards” of the 2nd Regiment, Georgia Infantry, CSA. In fact, in her “Historic Linwood Cemetery” book, Volume 1, Dolores Autry cites both the service record for the Private in Company G of the 2nd Regiment and the Sexton’s record for the man buried in 1875 in connection with that military headstone.

However, while the man who served in the Columbus Guards was a Private, on the other hand William S. DAVIS was reported to have been a Captain (so perhaps served in a company other than G in the 2nd Regiment?). Moreover, the service record for Private W. S. DAVIS shows he died 27 MAY 1864 at Cold Harbor, Virginia.

Also having a military marker in Autry’s B-21 is A. B. DAVIS, Jr. (no dates), who served as a Private in Company G “Columbus Guards” of the 2nd Georgia Infantry Regiment as well. His service record reports him absent, sick [at?] Manchester, Virginia, as of 31 OCT 1861 – no further record. However, Autry reports that his newspaper obituary states he died 08 AUG 1861 as a member of the “Columbus Guards,” and that his brother-in-law T. F. RIDENHOUR was a member of the same unit. DAVIS had shot and killed the Captain of a SC company while under arrest and was himself shot dead by a member of that Captain’s company. (Note that Charlotte Taylor DAVIS married 05 MAY 1861 in Muscogee County, Georgia, to Thomas Franklin RIDENHOUR; they are interred at Riverdale Cemetery – Mems. #17210079 & #17210104.) So A. B. DAVIS, Jr., is a son of Arthur Burnside & Anna Maud (SCHLEY) DAVIS, Sr., and it would make sense that W. S. DAVIS who also served as a Private in the Columbus Guards and reportedly died 1864 at Cold Harbor would have been their son as well. But we can infer that the William S. DAVIS who reportedly was a Captain in the 2nd Regiment and died in 1875 was the son of A. B. & Anna Maud (SCHLEY) DAVIS, she being a daughter of the late Gov. William SCHLEY.

It is worth noting that there is no entry in Mary Jane Galer’s lists of persons interred in Linwood Cemetery for either A. B. DAVIS, Jr. or W. S. DAVIS in Autry’s B-21 – unless he is the same as the William S. DAIVS who was buried in 1875, purportedly in the Old Cemetery section. The Sexton did not begin maintaining burial records specific to Linwood Cemetery, with burial location, until mid-1866, so if either or both of these men (A. B. Jr. & W. S. who died 1864) are indeed buried in Linwood, they likely were interred before that time. It is not known when or by whom the military headstones were placed in B-21 for A. B. Jr. & W. S., and it’s quite possible that these are memorials stones that do not actually mark their graves. Either or both of them could be buried elsewhere in Linwood Cemetery, or at another site altogether (for instance, a battlefield or a hospital graveyard where they died).

So the question remains: were there two men named W. S. DAVIS who both served in the 2nd Regiment of Georgia infantry, one who died in 1864, who has a headstone in Autry’s B-21 in the New Cemetery area, and the other who died in 1875 and is buried (evidently unmarked) in the Old Cemetery section? Or is there only one William S. DAVIS, and if so, which reported facts about him, his CSA service, and his burial are accurate?

The 1850 census of Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia, shows (all persons reported born in Georgia): Mrs. M. A. DAVIS (aged 42 years: value of real estate not reported); John H. DAVIS (24), a clerk; [John H.’s wife:] Martha H. [CALHOUN] DAVIS (23), George S. DAVIS (22), physician; [George’s wife:] Mrs. M. V. DAVIS (20), Arthur B. DAVIS [Jr.] (18), sailor; William [S.] DAVIS (15), Nathaniel [Gleason] DAVIS (12), Charlotte DAVIS (5), and Henry R[ichard] DAVIS (8). [Next door is the household of brother & sister-in-law William K. & Mary SCHLEY, he being a physician.]

The 1860 census of Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia, shows (all persons born in Georgia): Dr. George W. DAVIS (aged 31 years), physician holding real estate valued at $3,500 and personal estate valued at $5,500; Mrs. V. DAVIS (30), Mrs. A. B. DAVIS (52), holding real estate valued at $18,000 and personal estate valued at $6,000; Sarah M. DAVIS (20), [Charlotte Taylor] Lotty DAVIS (15), Richard H[enry] DAVIS (18), Milledge DAVIS (male, 6), Bell DAVIS (2), Georgia WARREN (22), holding personal estate valued at $10,000; Milledge McKEMIE (35), clerk holding real estate valued at $4,000 and personal estate valued at $5,000; Mrs. L. McKEMIE (31).

“Death of an Aged Lady. // The Columbus Times [newspaper], of Tuesday, announces the death of Mrs. A. B. DAVIS, one of the oldest residents of that city. She was in her 72nd year. She was the daughter of the late Governor William SCHLEY, and a sister of the late Dr. William K. SCHLEY, for many years a prominent physician of Columbus. Mrs. DAVIS was the mother of nine children, all of whom have preceded her to the grave, save one daughter, Mrs. Lottie RIDENHOUR. Her sons fought bravely through the entire war, and poured their blood as a libation upon the altar of their country.” [Augusta (GA) Chronicle newspaper, Saturday, 26 APR 1879, p. 4. Husband Arthur B. DAVIS (05 NOV 1802-23 JAN 1846) is buried in the same lot – Autry B-21 – with her. Autry reports that his obituary shows he was one of the earliest settlers of Columbus and left a wife & 9 children.]

Bio by: John Mallory Land



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