Unknown (Unknown) Davis (abt. 1615 - abt. 1659)

Born about 1615 in England [uncertain]

Wife of Fulke (Davy) Davis — married 1639 (to 1659) in Suffolk, County, New York

Descendants

Died about 1659 at about age 44 in Jamaica, Long Island, New York

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Biography

This woman's given name is unknown, although she was the "Goody" [Goodwoman] Davis mentioned several times at East Hampton when she was accused of being a witch. Davis was at Southhampton, Long Island, by 1644.

Note

The following added by Norm Davis November 17, 2017:

"The Witchcraft Delusion" by John M. Taylor, Gramercy Books (1995) states: "In 1657 at East Hampton "Goody" BIRDSALL testified regarding the accusations of witchcraft toward "Goody" GARLICK, wife of Joshua GARLICK. She states that while dressing flax at Goody DAVIS's house that Goody DAVIS said that she had dressed her children in clean linen at the island... (From this we learn that Goody DAVIS was a resident of the island - GARDINERs Island - and had more than one child.) Goody BIRDSALL later states that according to Goody DAVIS, after she took her child from Goody GARLICK the child sickened, and after five days and five nights it died. Since death dates for all of Ffulke's identified children are recorded and none match the 1657 date, it is reasonable to assume there was another child, sex unidentified, that died on GARDINER's Island that year. A source which I did not record stated that Ffulke had a child named Jane, and without further evidence it is possible that Jane was the child that died in 1657."

The reference above states that many wives in the colony were referred to as "Goody" or "Goodwife".

See also an interesting editorial on the trial of Goody Garlick here: http://www.danspapers.com/2015/10/hamptons-witch-what-if-we-accused-a-local-woman-of-witchcraft-today/ [1]

And this excerpt from Warrem Skidmore's excellent history of the Skidmore Family proposes that the wife of Ffulke Davies may be "Belliharen":

"I have long suspected that Fulke Davis of East Hampton, who left a large family, was the father of Susannah, wife of John Skidmore of Jamaica. The circumstantial evidence is most convincing, but final proof positive will probably elude us. Thomas Skidmore, Senior, was at East Hampton as early as 1668-71, but by this time his son John Skidmore and Fulke Davis had both settled at Jamaica. I went to extravagant lengths to see the original records at East Hampton (listed below) hoping that some mention might be made of Fulke Davis’ wife, whose uncommon Christian name could not be read but apparently started with the letter “B.” She is mentioned repeatedly in the East Hampton records, but always called “Goody” Davis and not with any given name. It seems certain that John and Susannah Skidmore’s only daughter Abigail (orphaned young) was brought up by Davis kinfolk at Brookhaven. She in turn gave her only known daughter the marvelous name of "Belliharen." For some other bits and pieces of the puzzle see John Skidmore (family no. 4) in my book on the Westerleigh family. ...It would be very nice to find a Fulke and a Belliharen marrying before 1639 somewhere in England or Wales. (WS)" [2]

Sources

• Long Island Historical Records, Southhampton, Easthampton, Jamaica, Brookhaven,etc.

• THOMAS SKIDMORE (SCUDAMORE), 1605-1684, OF WESTERLEIGH, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, AND FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT; his ancestors, and descendants to the ninth generation; by WARREN SKIDMORE
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 21 May 2018, 01:41), entry for (goody) Davis(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LB6C-432); contributed by various users.
• Long Island Surnames[3]