Person:John Davis (432)

John Davis was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia

Contents 1 Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA 2 Records in Augusta County, VA		Welcome to Old Augusta Early Settlers Beverley Manor Borden's Grant Register Data Maps Places Library History Index
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Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA

Land Patents:

• 1748 - John Davies was granted two patents for land in 1748. The first was for 350 acres on Mossy Creek and on both sides of North River. One corner of this grant was near a "round hill" (Round Hill) and was adjacent to land granted to Hugh Diver (Dever). The second tract consisted of 105 acres on both sides of Mossy Creek. [Source: "A History of Mossy Creek Presbyterian Church", by Charles William Blair, pg. 40].

Early Land Surveys:

• Page 3 - John Davis, 562 acres, Mossey Creek. Adjoining David McComes, Francis Ewins, McCaumis, Hugh Douglas, Joseph Douglass, McVeyes. May 17, 1780. [Source: Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791 [Augusta & Rockingham Counties], by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 97].

• Page 47 - John Davis, 144 acres, between his own land and Francis Erwin. June 6, 1785. [Source: Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791 [Augusta & Rockingham Counties], by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 114].

Acquisition of Land from Chalkley's:

• Page 40.--16th September, 1787. Abel Griffith to James McKemy, of Augusta, and John Davis, of Rockingham, on behalf of Mossey Creek Congregation, 3-1/2 acres on Mossey Creek and also 1 acre including the old burying ground. (Note: James McKemy and John Davis were elders of the Mossy Creek Congretation accepting Abel Griffith's generous contribution of land on behalf of the Congregation).

Records in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley’s Augusta County Records:(unless listed otherwise)

• Page 339.--28th November, 1749. Hugh Dever to Charles Dever, 119 acres. Corner to above. Corner Daniel Smith. Corner John Davis, Beaver Creek. (Note: Beaver Creek was just to the northwest of where John Davis lived on Mossy Creek and the North River).

• Vol. 1 - 1751. - Petition for road from John Davis's Mill to Woods's Gap, or to the road now clearing over the mountain near said Gap: Andrew Erwin, Robert Fowler, Edward Erwin, Francis Ervin, Charles Campbell, Michael Dickey, Hugh Diver, John Davies, John Francis, Andrew McCombe, John Magill, Hugh Campbell, Robert Carskadan, William Frame, Robert Campbell, Robert Brown, Charles Diver, Daniel Smith, William Alexander, James Patterson, William Magill, John Erwine, Edward Erwine, Benjamin Erwin, William Brown, Henry Smith, David McCammis, James Anderson, Robert Gamble, Francis Brown, Gabriel Pickens. (Note: the Erwins lived adjacent to John Davis of Mossy Creek, and were among the leadership of Mossy Creek Presbyterian Church for many years).

• In 1754 the following persons were appointed to care for a road from John Davis's mill to Wood's new cleared up gap (among others), Andrew Erwin, John Erwin, two Edward Erwins, Francis Erwin and Benjamin Erwin. Land was patented to Edward Erwin March, 1747, and April 6, 1748. [1]

• Vol. 2 - FEE BOOKS OF AUGUSTA COURT - 1757--Page 5, John Campbell, son of Patrick, (March), Fine and bound to peace, Entering attorney ads. Christian; page 5, John McGinnis, Lower end County; page 7, Christophel White, Dickinson's Fort; page 14, Mathias Tise, South Branch, (March), Stevenson's deeds to you; page 15, John Davis, near Dever's, (March), filing account, vs. your servant.

• Page 299.--24th September, 1757. William Stephenson's will--Wife, Sarah; ratifies former gifts to children; sons, David and Mathew; daughter, Sarah. (John Davis to advise about division of land.) (Tract of land on the Gum Run Meadow.) To sons, Adam and John, what Arthur Trader owes testator. All children, viz: Adam, John, James, William, David, Elizabeth, Mathew, barah, probably all infants (girls under 18). John Davis to have the care, guardianship and tuition of children. Executors, wife Sarah and son Adam. Teste: Silas Hart, Henry Smith, Jno. McCoy. Proved, Kith May, 1759, by Hart and McCoy. Executors qualify, with Abraham Smith, Mathew Patton.

• Page 227.--20th November, 1759. Charles ( ) Diver to John Divir, £47, 119 acres on North River, Sharando; corner James Ramsey; corner John Davis, opposite mouth of Bear Creek. (Note: same tract referred to as in 1749 record above).

• Page 140.--18th November, 1766. James Phillips and Mary to John Phillips, £250, 171 acres on a branch of Shannando, patented to James, 29th May, 1760. Teste: J. Ray. John Davis. James Hogsead. Delivered: April Court, 1778. (Note: the Hogshead family was also among the leadership of Mossy Creek Presbyterian Church, likely referring to this John Davis).

• Page 120 - Abraham Smith, 230 acres, Branch of Dry River of the Shenandoah. Adjoining Robert Henderson, John Davis. November 6, 1767. [Source: Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791 [Augusta & Rockingham Counties], by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 44].

• Vol. 2 - FEE BOOKS OF AUGUSTA COURT - page 123, John Davis, M. Creek. (Note: listed among many others).

• Vol. 1 - AUGUST 18, 1768. - (333) Hemp certificates: Sampson Christian, John Davis (Mossy Creek).

• Vol. 2 - FEE BOOKS OF AUGUSTA COURT - 1770-- page 57, John Davis, Mossey Creek. (Note: listed among many others).

• Page 342.--19th March, 1771. Hugh Campbell's will--To wife, Esther; to 3 sons and 2 daughters, William, Hugh, Charles, Esther, Marthew; to son, Robert. Executors, John Magill, Wm. Campbell. Teste: Andrew Scott, Robert Fowler, John Davis. 18th January. 1775--Dedimus to Danl. and Abraham Smith to examine Robert Fowler. Executed 6th February, 1775. Proved, 17th January, 1775, by John Davis. Dedimus for Robert Fowler who is very sick. Administration granted to William Campbell, no bond. 22d March, 1775--Proved by Fowler's deposition and recorded. John Magill qualifies with Abraham Smith, Saml. Gibson. (Note: the Campbell's, Smith's and Magill's lived nearby, likely referring to this John Davis).

• Page 30.--29th October, 1772. Daniel Henderson's estate appraised by Abrum Smith, John Coraford, John Davis. (Note: Abraham Smith lived nearby making this record likely for this John Davis).

• Page 316.--18th January, 1775. William Campbell's bond (with Daniel Smith, John Davis) as executor of Hugh Campbell.

• Page 7 - Francis Erwin, 230 acres, North River. Adjoining the land he lives on, Samuel Erwin, John Davis. [abt. March-May 1780] [Source: Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791 [Augusta & Rockingham Counties], by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 99].

• Page 5 - James McGill, 220 acres, North River. Adjoining the land he lives on, Francis Ervin, John Davis. [May 1780][Source: Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791 [Augusta & Rockingham Counties], by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 98].

• Page 8 - Hugh Diver, 170 acres, Mossey Creek. Adjoining Henry Miller, Ervins, John Davis, McCaumis, Thomas Reads. May 18, 1780. [Source: Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791 [Augusta & Rockingham Counties], by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 99].

• Vol. 1 - John Davis vs. William McKee--Writ to Rockbridge. Case, 5th May, 1784. Samuel Ewing, of Bedford, about to go to Georgia, 15th June, 1784. Mrs. Davis was moved to Kentucky, and Ewing proposed to take the slave to Mr. John Talbot or Mr. David Wright, in Bedford, who would take charge of him, 17th July, 1784.

• Vol. 1 - SEPTEMBER, 1795 (A to K). - John Davis vs. Henry Miller. Caveat for land in Rockingham on west side Mossey Creek--60 acres.

1.   Blair, Charles William. A History of Mossy Creek Presbyterian Church
   pg. 40-41.

   John Davies has been mentioned traditional as a commissioner to Hanover Presbytery with a Mr. McKamey when efforts were made in 1768 to organize a congregation at Mossy Creek. Another traditional belief is that Mr. Jackson resided with him at some point during his pastorate. Also, Davies was a commissioner to Hanover Presbytery when Mr. Erwin was called in 1780. he served as a trustee of the congregation when land was first acquired by the congregation. Earlier records indicate that he was active in the Cooks Creek congregation prior to the establishment of Mossy Creek. Davies was granted two patents for land in 1748. The first was for 350 acres on Mossy Creek and on both sides of North River. One corner of this grant was near a "round hill" (Round Hill) and was adjacent to land granted to Hugh Diver (Dever). The second tract consisted of 105 acres on both sides of Mossy Creek. There may have been two John Davies because in 1752 a John Davies Sr. requested that the Augusta County Court exempt him from the levy because he was 75 years old. This John Davies would have been too old to be involved in the organization of Mossy Creek Church some 24 years later. Land descriptions contained in the records indicate that the Davies plantation was at the point where Mossy Creek flows into the North River.

2.   GenealogyTrails.com.

   Mossy Creek congregation was originally a part of Augusta church, but about the year 1767, became a separate organization upon the request of John Davis and Mr. Makamie. They were stoutly opposed by Rev. John Craig, who said he could "do all the preaching that was needed between the mountains."
   
   http://genealogytrails.com/vir/augusta/churchhistory.html