Joseph Davis (abt. 1645 - 1691)

Born about 1645 in Southhampton, Suffolk, New York

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 15 Feb 1691 at about age 46 in Suffolk County, New York

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Matthew Koeppen [send private message]

Sea View Cemetery Category, Mount Sinai, New York

Biography

Joseph was born about 1645. He passed away in 1691.^[1] Records indicate that he was buried at the Sea View Cemetery, Mount Sinai, as one of the first interments of many Davis descendants there. Tradition states Joseph is buried by the "Witch's Rock" , near Mount Sinai. His actual plot has not been located to date and may have been re-interred.

He married about 1670 to Elizabeth Mather. Their children, according to Joseph's Last Will and Testament (order of birth unknown, except Joseph was oldest son):

1. Joseph (3)b. Brookhaven, probably about 1671. d. ?
2. Benjamin(3) b. Brookhaven, date not known. d. probably abt. 1673 ?
3. Samuel(3)b. Brookhaven, date unknown. (See below.)
4. Daniel (3)b. Brookhaven, date unknown; d., ? but living 1749 (on town assessment roll, 1749); m., name of wife not known.
5. Mary (3) b. Brookhaven, date unknown. d.? m. Capt. Robert Robinson of Brookhaven.
6. may be others, unknown

Early Research

JOSEPH DAVIS(2): Foulk(I). Of the date of Joseph's birth we have no exact information but it was probably a few years after Foulk came to Southampton (1642). The Southampton records, 1668, refer to 'Samuel and Joseph Davis, brothers.' As it was the habitual custom of the town clerks to mention in the records only the names of men of legal age, it would appear that these brothers were already past 21 in 1668—thus placing their birth prior to 1647, possibly two or three years earlier. Joseph's birth may therefore be set at about 1645, it would seem, with reasonable accuracy. Joseph appears to have moved to Brookhaven in early manhood and to have lived there until his death. The early records of Brookhaven contain numerous entries of his transactions. He was a weaver by trade ; and under date of Sept. 23, 1668, at a town meeting the freeholders of Brookhaven "voeted and agreed vpon that the towne haue giuen and granted to Joseph Davis of Southampton the wever's acomadations that was cept (kept) for a wever, and in consid-eration of the same the said Ioseph haue ingaged to wefe the towns yarn into cloth vpon as resonable terms as they doe generally vpon the Hand, and he paying the purchas as others doe." (The weaver's lot is elsewhere described as a "tenn aker whome lott.") He married Elizabeth —surname not known —probably about 1670, when Foulk, as previously described, deeded his dwelling house in Brookhaven to his son Joseph. Under date of July 26, 1673, the records state, "There was a contrevarsy betwene Elizabeth, the wife of Joseph Daves, and sarah, the wife of william sallyer and Jhonthan daves and Sarah his wife." The record, though interesting, is too long to quote here. Sarah Salyer (Joseph's sister) had gossiped about Elizabeth. John Tooker and Andrew Mil ler were appointed arbitrators. They decided that Sarah was to apologize to Elizabeth. One reads 'between the lines' of the record, that Joseph was a frugal, industrious, reliable and devout citizen, with an even disposition, little given to quarreling or meddling with other people's affairs. He apparently prospered, becoming a large land owner in Brookhaven, as well as acquiring considerable personal property. In 1675 ("Doc. Hist. State of N. Y."), he owned 2 oxen, 3 cows, 1 yearling, 1 twoyear-old, 1 horse, 2 two-year-old (colts), 2 swine, and had 4 acres of meadow land. In 1683, with about the same stock, his land and meadows had grown to 30 acres. He died in 1691, when comparatively a young man and was probably buried at Brookhaven.* His will, an interesting document, proved May 25, 1691, mentions wife Elizabeth, eldest son Joseph, son Benjamin (who inherits loom and tackling, which he is never to sell), son Samuel, son Daniel, and dau. Mary. (See "Early Long Island Wills.")^[2]

Town Records

During 1664, Joseph was chosen to receive land under the 'DRAWS OF LOTS OF MEADOW - Old Purchase, South Fireplace, Bought 1664'. The Davis land is currently owned by the Town of Brookhaven as a historical site and includes the original house and family graveyard. Additionally, the Davis House would go on to become the primary meeting place for Town business as a midpoint between north and south shore residents many years later. ^[3]

During 1668, Joseph was mentioned again in the Town of Brookhaven records as a land owner. 'THE LOTS THAT IS IN THIS TOWNE; Label on it: The list of the first loot mente that was in the Town'.^[4]

During 1675, Joseph again drew a lot for additional land in the Town of Brookhaven under the 'DRAWERS OF LOTS OF MEADOW. New purchase-1675'.^[5]

Sometime between March 1678 and January 1681, Joseph was listed as one of the 'DRAWERS OF FIFTY ACRE LOTS' in the Town of Brookhaven records.^[6]

Last Will and Testament

In the name of God Amen Oct. 5 Anno. Dom. 1689. I Joseph Davice of Brookhaven in ye County of Suffolk upon Long Island Planter being sick & weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks to God for it therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed to all men once to die do make and ordain this my last will & testam't in manner and form following that is to say first & principally I give my soul into the hands of God who gave it me & for my body I commend it to ye Earth to be buried in a christian & decent manner in ye usual place of burial nothing doubting but at ye general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such wordly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give bequeath & dispose the same in manner & form following first I give and bequesath to Elizabeth my loving wife power to sell this house and accommodation belonging thereto & the disposing of the moneys received as the price thereof my will is likewise that she dispose of this money to build a house and that it shall be hers so long as she lives & when it pleaseth God to remove her by death it shall fall to my eldest son Joseph provided he prove dutiful to his mother otherwise she shall have the disposing of it to which of my children she pleaseth twenty acres of land adjoining to the house to be disposed in the same manner as the house all the rest of my meadows & land my will is that after her decease shall be, equally distributed amongst all my sons my will is that she have the disposing of my stock & moveables to my children according to their desert only what hereafter shall be excepted. Moreover I give & bequeath to my son Joseph a black horse & mare in ye woods. To my son Benjamin one mare which I bought from Richard Clerke my loom and tackling belonging to it which I charge him never to sell. To my son Samuel a mare a year old. To Daniel I give and bequeath the first colt of Samuel's mare. My will also is that Benjamin give to my daughter Mary the first Mare Colt of his Mare one cow the day of her marriage and other two that day twelve month following. And of this my last will and testament I make and ordain my well beloved friends Richard Wodhull and John Mosier my full and whole Executors and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and annul all & every other former testament wills or legacies willed and bequeathed ratifying and confirming this & none other to be my last will and testam't. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal ye day & year above written. Signed sealed published pronounced & declared by ye s'd Joseph Davice as his last will & testam't in ye presence of witnesses D. Simson, Jacob Longbothom, Thomas Biggs.^[7][8]

Research notes

TO DO:

Research Long Island Surname citations/create narrative accordingly.^[9]

S012310] Ancestors of James Wilson Yates and his wife Nancy Davis Terry, Frost, Josephine C., (New York, NY: F.H. Hitchcock, 1926). pg.25

[S012437] Long Island Forum. Two Century Farm Dynasty, March 1955, pg.51, 52

Wiki Profile Notes

Samuel Davis of Somers, Wales has been disconnected from this profile and family line. Samuel Davis Although same name and approximate birth, ascribed son Asa Asa Davis is clearly not the Long Island Davis family line. Manager Charlotte Jones Lewellen-40 messaged.

Sources

1. ↑ Long Island Surnames[1]
2. ↑ The ancestry and posterity of Joseph Davis (1773-1865) of Norway, New York, and his wife, Elizabeth Hallock Davis; P 20 - 21; Davis, William Church, 1866-; Walton, N.Y. : Reporter Co.; 1927. Book link:[2], Page 20 link:[3], Page 21 link: [4]
3. ↑ Records Town of Brookhaven, Up To 1800, As Compiled By The Town Clerk; Patchogue (,Suffolk, New York, United States); 1880; Printed at the office of the 'ADVANCE'; P 10; Reproduced by Cornell University from the original text[5]
4. ↑ Records Town of Brookhaven, Up To 1800, As Compiled By The Town Clerk; Patchogue (,Suffolk, New York, United States); 1880; Printed at the office of the 'ADVANCE'; P 26; Reproduced by Cornell University from the original text[6]
5. ↑ Records Town of Brookhaven, Up To 1800, As Compiled By The Town Clerk; Patchogue (,Suffolk, New York, United States); 1880; Printed at the office of the 'ADVANCE'; P 35; Reproduced by Cornell University from the original text[7]
6. ↑ Records Town of Brookhaven, Up To 1800, As Compiled By The Town Clerk; Patchogue (,Suffolk, New York, United States); 1880; Printed at the office of the 'ADVANCE'; P 50; Reproduced by Cornell University from the original text[8]
7. ↑ Long Island Surnames[9]
8. ↑ Early Long Island Wills of Suffolk County, 1691-1703, An Unabridged Copy of the Manuscript Volume Known as "The Lester Will Book:; Being The Record Of The Prerogative Court Of The County Of Suffolk, New York, With Genealogical and Historical Notes; Pelletrau, William S.; Editor of "Southampton Records," Author of Putnam County, N.Y.," etc., EXAUSTIVE LIST OF PERSONS AND LOCALITIES, P 12 - 14; Published 1897 by Francis P. Harper, New York.
9. ↑ Long Island Surnames[10]

• Long Island historical records
• Pelletreau, William. Early Long Island Wills of Suffolk County, 1691-1703 (Francis P. Harper, New York, 1897) Page 12-14

• The ancestry and posterity of Joseph Davis (1773-1865) of Norway, New York, and his wife, Elizabeth Hallock Davis. [11]