Ephraim Davis (1633 - 1679)

Born 1633 in Newbury, Massachusetts

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Johnson) Clarke — married 31 Dec 1659 in Andover, Essex, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 28 Sep 1679 at about age 46 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts

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Biography

Ephraim Davis, was born about 1623 in Newbury, Massachusetts, the son of James Davis and Cicely Thayer Davis. Ephraim moved with his family to Haverhill, Massachusetts around 1640.

Ephraim and his family were devout Puritans. In 1659 (more than 30 years before the famous Salem Witchcraft Trials), he and his father accused a John Godfrey of witchcraft. Godfrey was acquitted of the charges. (Godfrey apparently had a lot of difficulty with his neighbors. He was involved in numerous Massachusetts cases either as a plaintiff or defendant, including one additional trial in which he was accused and acquitted of witchcraft and another case when he charged a woman with witchcraft.) ^[1]

Effraim married Mary Johnson on 29 December 1660 in Andover, Essex, Massachusetts. ^[2]Mary Johnson was born about 1627 in Of Andover and died 04 Apr 1679 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of John Johnson and Susanna Johnson. Ephram married Mary Johnson on 29 December 1660 in Andover, Massachusetts, United States.^[3]

Children of Ephraim Davis and Mary Johnson are:^[4]

1. Sarah Davis, born Bet. 1642 - 1646; died 07 Jun 1714 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.
2. Ephraim Davis, born Bef. 29 Mar 1662 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died 29 Mar 1662 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts
3. Stephen Davis, born 15 Jul 1663 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died 25 May 1719 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; married Mary Tucker 23 Dec 1685 in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
4. Ephraim Davis, born 19 Jul 1665 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died Aft. 1717 in Canterbury. CT; married Mary Ayers 19 Mar 1687/88 in Andover, Essex, Massachusetts; born Abt. 1665 in Amesbury, Massachusetts; died Unknown.
5. Mary Davis, born 01 Mar 1666/67 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died Unknown; married Joseph Clark 15 Aug 1685 in Haverhill, Massachusetts; born 06 Mar 1653/54 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died Bef. 1705.
6. Thomas Davis, born 02 Mar 1668/69 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died Aft. 1717 in Norwich, Connecticut; married Mary Sheppard 22 May 1700 in Haverhill, Massachusetts; died Unknown.
7. Jonathan Davis, born 08 May 1671 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died 07 Dec 1690 in Haverhill, Massachusetts of Smallpox.
8. Joanna Davis, born 22 Sep 1673 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died 27 Sep 1673 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.
9. Susanna Davis, born 28 Dec 1674 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died Aft. 1679.
10. Hannah Davis, born 15 Feb 1675/76 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died Unknown.

Ephraim died in 1679 leaving Mary with seven children ages 3 to 16.

Research Notes

There are also (tan book?) reports of marriage 31 Dec 1659. The date a year later appears to be from earlier records, and the one adopted in NEHGS publications.

Sources

1. ↑ EARLY SETTLERS OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS
2. ↑ Anderson (GM: immigrants to NE, 1634-35, Vol IV, I-L
3. ↑ Marriage: "Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988"
   Original data: Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook)
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2495 #71297768 (accessed 4 July 2023)
   Ephram Davis marriage to Mary Johnson on 29 Dec 1660 in Andover, Massachusetts, USA.
4. ↑ Family Tree Maker