Richard Davis UE
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Richard Davis UE (bef. 1754 - abt. 1816)

Corporal Richard Davis UE [uncertain] aka Davies
Born before in Mohawks, Schenectady, New Yorkmap
Ancestors ancestors
Son of and
Brother of , , , and
Husband of — married before 1783 [location unknown]
Descendants descendants
Father of , , , , , , , , and
Died about after about age 61 in Wolfe Island, Frontenac, Upper Canadamap
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Profile last modified | Created 1 Nov 2016
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Contents

Biography

UEL Badge
Richard Davis was a United Empire Loyalist.
UEL Status:Undetermined
Date: Undated

The Davis family was based near Schenectady, New York, for several generations prior to the American Revolutionary War.[1]

Biography

Richard Davis -- Loyalist, drummer, Canadian pioneer, entrepreneur -- grew up in the Mohawk Valley near Schenectady; spent most of his 20s as a drummer in the Kings Royal Regiment of New York (which were present at major battles, including the Battle of Oriskany, where at least one of Richard's first cousins perished[2] on the opposing side); spent his 30s and early 40s creating a life with his wife Susannah Mabie in Dundas County, Upper Canada[3] (where Richard & then Susannah received UEL land grants) and had 6 children there; and was the first non-French settler on Wolfe Island in 1798 (recently purchased by his fellow KRRNY soldier Lieut. Patrick Langan). The family settled on Wolfe Island and produced 4 more children. Richard founded a lumber & coal yard which serviced Wolfe Island and also Cape Vincent, New York. He died ca.1816, aged 62, and was buried in St Paul's Churchyard (then a UEL cemetery) in Kingston, as was his brother John Davis UE, a former Butler's Ranger.

Baptised 1 Mar 1754[4][5] in Mohawks' Country (most likely in Queen Anne's Chapel at Fort Hunter, west of Schenectady, NY) by travelling lay minister Rev. John Ogilvie[6] of Trinity Church in Manhattan, who served during the 1750s at St Peter's Episcopal in Albany.

Richard & Susannah had 10 recorded children:

The Reid book ("Loyalists in Ontario", p.84) lists 9 children of Richard Davis, all of whom reached age 21 and filed UEL land claims. Missing from the list is Elizabeth, born 1798:[7]

  • John of Wolfe Island
  • Thomas of Wolfe Island
  • Peter C of Wolfe Island
  • Hannah
  • Susannah
  • William of Wolfe Island (baptised 6 July 1800)
  • Eleanor, married William Allan of Drummond
  • James Samuel of Wolfe Island (baptised 21 July 1805)
  • David Frederick of Wolfe Island (baptised 11 June 1808)

Wolfe Island, Ontario

Richard Davis & his wife & children were in the first group of non-French settlers on Wolfe Island in 1798.[8][9]

With the arrival of Governor Simcoe and the Loyalists, the name of the island was changed to “Wolfe” from the French “Grande Isle” in 1792. The French landowners sold the island to two retired British Officers in 1795. Both Captain David Alexander Grant (of the 84th Regiment) and Lieutenant Patrick Langan[10] (of the King’s Royal Regiment of New York) were stationed on Carleton Island during the American Revolution and likely became familiar with Wolfe Island during that time. Neither Grant nor Langan immediately settled on the island but instead built a house for Richard Davis, a former drummer in the KRRNY,[11] and his family and set them to improving the land.[12]

Timeline for Richard Davis & Susannah Mabie

19 June 1776: Richard (age 22) enlisted in the King's Royal Regiment of NY and served for 7 years:

Jan 1778: Drummer Richard Davis appears on muster roll for His Majesty’s Royal Regiment of New York (alternate name for KRRNY) commanded by Lieut. Col. Sir John Johnson, son of the famous colonial administrator Sir William Johnson. The regiment was based in Laprairie, just across the St Lawrence River from Montreal:

July 1779: Susannah Mabie (Richard's future wife) arrived in Sorel (NE of Montreal) with her widowed mother Eleanor Clemens on one of several boats for Loyalists coming up from Albany/Saratoga. Peter Mabee, a Loyalist soldier, had died during General Burgoyne's retreat in 1777. The working theory is that daughter Susannah later met Richard Davis in Laprairie or Sorel.[13]

1782: Drummer Richard Davis, age 28, appears again on muster roll of First Battalion, King's Royal Regiment of New York, Colonel's Company. See image or search for "Richard Davis" here: [14]

  • Note: Drummers in the KRRNY "ranked and were paid as corporals. They did duty as signallers, administered punishment and collected casualties":
    • Gavin Watt, "History & Master Roll of the King's Royal Regiment of New York", p.157 (Global Heritage Press, 2006, 2010)

1783: Latest possible year of Richard's marriage to Susannah Mabie, since 2 separate Loyalist lists refer to them as husband & wife. The marriage most likely took place in or near Montreal or Sorel. The Loyalist lists of 1783 are referenced here, p.149 (T66 & T68):

  • Gavin Watt, "Loyalist Refugees" 2nd Edition (Global Heritage Press 2016)
  • Matchmaking: The working theory is that Richard Davis met Susannah Mabie via mutual friends. Richard's first cousin Cristina Davy had married Peter Asselstine in about 1775. Peter had served with Susannah's stepfather Joseph Hoffman in Jessup's Corp since August 1777. It is likely they were all based in Sorel (Quebec) circa 1780.

1784: Birth of first son John in "Lower Canada" -- we know this from Ontario census records of 1851 & 1861. Note: The old Quebec covered a much larger territory prior to the 1791 division into Upper Canada (roughly Ontario) & Lower Canada (roughly Quebec).

2 Feb 1784: Richard & his older brother John Davis are 2 among dozens of UEL signatories petition requesting lands in a rectangle bordered by Missisquoi Bay (= northern tip of Lake Champlain) on the west and the Connecticut River on the east. This roughly corresponds today to where the US state of Vermont meets Quebec. The signatories offered 5 reasons for requesting land in this particular region. The date is clearly 2 Feb 1784 and the handwriting appears to have been misinterpreted (as 1789) by Canadian Archives. As far as is known, Richard & John & Davis received no land as a result of this document. The 4-page petition can be viewed here:

1784: Richard Davis + wife + son under 10 appear on list of "Disbanded Troops & Loyalists Settled in Township #5 (Matilda, Dundas County)", 13 Oct 1784[15]

  • UEL records also show that Richard Davies (sic), former soldier in the 29th Regiment of the Royal Rangers of New York (one of several names for the KRRNY), is settled in East District, specifically in Matilda, Dundas County: [16][17]

1786: Richard Davis is living on same plot of land in Matilda[18] with nearest neighbor William Baxter.[19]

1787-88-89: Sons Thomas + Peter + daughter Hannah born, most likely in or near Matilda, Dundas County (no baptism records)

1792: Susannah files land petition in Grenville County (adjacent to Dundas County) as daughter of United Empire Loyalist Peter Mabee.

1794: Birth of daughter Susannah Junior, probably in or near Williamstown, Ontario

1794: Richard Davie [sic] filed land petition in New Johnstown[20]

1796: Susannah's adult baptism in Williamstown, Ontario (St Andrew's Presbyterian)

1797: Richard Davis appears on list of "First Families" in the County of Dundas, township of Matilda. He owns all of Lot 4, Concession V. [21]

1798: Daughter Elizabeth born & baptised in Williamstown, Ontario

1798: Entire family (parents & 6 children) settle on Wolfe Island: "The first settlers on Wolfe Island subsequent to the French were United Empire Loyalists. The vanguard in 1798 consisted of members of the Davis, Hitchcock, Hinckley, and Cone families."[22]

1800: Birth of son William (7th child). The family establish roots on Wolfe Island where Richard & Susannah have at least 3 more children: Eleanor, James, David.

1800s: "The Davis family owned the coal dockyard on the north shoreline of [today] Marysville at the end of what is now called Lawrence Street. Richard and son James were known to sell coal and wood in the Cape Vincent [New York] area. This Richard Davis had been a drummer in Sir John Johnson's regiment..."

  • Source: "Wolfe Island: A Legacy in Stone", p.87. Another text refers to "Mr. Richard Davis' coal house" ("The Growth of a Century: History of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894").[23]

1815: On 10th October 1815, Richard Davis signed an Upper Canada Land Petition certifying that his son Thomas Davis had reached the age of 21. Similar petitions were filed by several of his other children, all qualifying as children of a United Empire Loyalist, and all sworn to have reached the age of 21. All 5 children were requesting land grants on Wolfe Island:[24]

  • Hannah Davis on 24 April 1811 --
  • Peter C Davis in 1815 --
  • John Davis in 1815 --
  • Thomas Davis in 1815 --
  • Susanna Davis (the daughter) in 1815

1816: Approximate death year for Richard, based on primary sources: He signed land claims for his children in October 1815, and his wife Susannah (see profile) declared herself a widow in May 1817. Richard is buried in St Paul's Churchyard in Kingston,[25][26] near his brother John's tomb. One source (Find A Grave) lists his year of death as 1813, which is probably a transcription error, as the original gravestone has long since disappeared.

1851: Susannah dies on Wolfe Island, buried along with her son William (died 1870) in Trinity Anglican Cemetery.[27][28]

Research Notes

Possibly a friend of John Farlinger UE, a drummer in the KRRNY who was born in Germany but grew up in the Mohawk Valley. Both received land in the E. District (Dundas County) in the 1780s.[29]

Sources

  1. ↑ Many cousins from Richard's generation fought on opposing sides. See the profiles for Patriots Sgt. John Davey (1739-80) and Capt. John Davis (1738-after 1790), as well as Loyalists Corp. John Davis (1750-1809) and Pvt. John Davy (1751-1808). These 4 Johns (all first cousins) are often confused in genealogical research. In addition, they had a more distant cousin Capt. John Davis (1741-77), a Patriot officer who died at Oriskany. The common ancestor of all the Davis/Davy soldiers appears to be gateway ancestor Christopher "Kit" Davis (1616-1680).
  2. ↑ The Patriot cousin of Richard's who died at Oriskany was Thomas Davis.
  3. ↑ Despite what Wikipedia says here, the Loyalists who settled in Dundas County were not uniquely of German background, Richard Davis being a prime example.
  4. ↑ "New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2HD-7W8 : 12 December 2014), Richard Davis, 01 Mar 1754; citing TRINITY CHURCH PARISH,NEW YORK,NEW YORK,NEW YORK, reference ; FHL microfilm 974.7 B2N V. 90-93.
  5. ↑ Many of Rev. Ogilvie's baptism records of the Mohawk Valley appear in the New York Genealogical & Biographical Record, Vol 67-3, published 1936, pp.204-16. Richard's baptism appears on p.211:
  6. ↑ Brief biography of Rev. John Ogilvie by noted Colonial New York historian Stefan Bielinski:
  7. ↑ William D. Reid, The Loyalists in Ontario: The Sons & Daughters of The American Loyalists of Upper Canada, Hunterdon House, Lambertville, New Jersey USA, 1973.
  8. ↑ A letter dated Montreal 29 Sep 1800 from Captain David Alexander Grant and Patrick Langan states: “We purchased the Grande Isle [Wolfe Island] on the 6th May, 1795. From Michel and Amable Curot [Curotte], to whom the Island devolved by right of Descent, and soon after we caused it to be surveyed, erected a Dwelling House and placed Settlers on the Island, who are now improving it.”
  9. ↑ Paraphrased from the Kingston Herald, Tuesday 7 October 1845: The cornerstone for Trinity Anglican Church was laid in 1845, with the Baroness of Longueuil (who financed its entire construction) in attendance. "The building will be of stone and erected in the Gothic style. It is extended [sic] to seat 300 persons."
  10. ↑ Lieut. Patrick Langan of Ireland, a "private gentleman", served 7 years in the 2nd Battallion of the KRRNY:
  11. ↑ Richard Davis and Patrick Langan were presumably old acquaintances from their time in the KRRNY between 1776-1783.
  12. ↑ Benjamin Louis Ford, Lake Ontario Maritime Cultural Landscape, PhD dissertation, Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University (August 2009), p.226:
  13. ↑ In her 1788 land claim, Eleanor says she came to Quebec the summer after her husband Peter died, which would be 1777. However the "official" arrival of widows and children via boat from Albany/Saratoga was July 1779, with "Maybee" appearing on the 1779 list of passengers.
  14. ↑ "Rolls of the Provincial (Loyalist) Corps, Canadian Command American Revolutionary Period," prepared by Mary Beacock Fryer, William A. Smy (1981):
  15. ↑ "Early Ontario Settlers: A Source Book" by Norman K. Crowder
  16. ↑ "The Old United Empire Loyalist List":
  17. ↑ "The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada by the United Empire Loyalists, 1784-1884":
  18. ↑ Lunenburgh, or the Old Eastern District, by J.F. Pringle, Judge County Court. Published in 1890.
  19. ↑ Davis & Baxter had served together in the King's Royal Regiment of New York, Sir John Johnson's Company:
  20. ↑ New Johnstown is known in 2020 as Cornwall, Ontario. Summarised from the Wikipedia page for Cornwall:
    • The first documented European settlement was established in 1784 by United Empire Loyalists, primarily from New York. New Johnstown was named for Johnstown, New York (in the Mohawk Valley, the origin of many of the Loyalists), which in turn had been named for Sir William Johnston, the father of Richard Davis' commanding officer Sir John Johnson. The main group of settlers were from the First Battalion of the King's Royal Regiment of New York and a contingent of the 84th Royal Highland Emigrants.
  21. ↑ J. Smyth Carter, "The Story of Dundas, Being a History of the County of Dundas from 1784 to 1904", St. Lawrence News Publishing House (1905), p.451:
  22. ↑ "Wolfe Island: A Legacy in Stone", p.76
  23. ↑ Apparently the family coal business continued throughout the 1800s, given the reference to the "Davis coal office" in Cape Vincent, New York, in 1898:
  24. ↑ The Land Petitions are listed here and formally archived here:
  25. ↑ Many Loyalists, especially former soldiers of the King's Royal Regiment of New York, were buried in St. Paul's Churchyard in Kingston -- which until the building of St. Paul's in 1845 was known as St. George's Graveyard, or the Lower Burial Ground.
  26. ↑ History of St. Paul's Churchyard cemetery:
  27. ↑ Website of Trinity Anglican Church today:
  28. ↑ Photo of Susannah Mabie Davis' gravestone:
  29. ↑ List of officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the 84th Regiment, the King's Royal Regiment of New York, the Loyal Rangers (Major Jessup's corps), Butler's Rangers, etc., who settled in the eastern part of Upper Canada. Copied by permission of Messrs. Hunter, Rose & Co., from "The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada," published in 1885.
  • "The Growth of a Century: History of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894"
  • "Early Ontario Settlers: A Source Book" by Norman K. Crowder
  • William D. Reid, "The Loyalists in Ontario: The Sons & Daughters of The American Loyalists of Upper Canada," Hunterdon House, Lambertville, New Jersey USA (1973)
  • Russ Waller: "Anglican Parish Register of Baptisms, Marriages and Funerals for Kingston 1784-1811 by Rev John Stuart" (Kingston, 1990)
  • Baptism records of St Andrew's Presbyterian, Williamstown, Ontario
According to the Treaty of Paris (1783), Wolfe Island was part of the United States; however, the British were concerned about placing the international border so close to their naval base at Kingston and disputed the U.S. claim. The claim was finally settled in 1822 by exchanging Wolfe Island and a few small islands near Cornwall for Grande Isle near Niagara, essentially trading one Grande Isle for another. This action brought Wolfe Island completely under the control of the British government, which did not consider land titles descending from French seigneurial title as valid. The Langan and Grant heirs were consequently required to secure their claims and to relinquish two-sevenths of the island as Crown and Clergy reserves. These actions seem to have convinced the owners that it was time to commence selling portions of the island, and the population began increasing steadily after 1826. Richard passed away in 1813 and was buried in Kingston, Ontario. A church was built over his grave.[30]

Sources

  1. ↑ Many cousins from Richard's generation fought on opposing sides. See the profiles for Patriots Sgt. John Davey (1739-80) and Capt. John Davis (1738-after 1790), as well as Loyalists Corp. John Davis (1750-1809) and Pvt. John Davy (1751-1808). These 4 Johns (all first cousins) are often confused in genealogical research. In addition, they had a more distant cousin Capt. John Davis (1741-77), a Patriot officer who died at Oriskany. The common ancestor of all the Davis/Davy soldiers appears to be gateway ancestor Christopher "Kit" Davis (1616-1680).
  2. ↑ The Patriot cousin of Richard's who died at Oriskany was Thomas Davis.
  3. ↑ Despite what Wikipedia says here, the Loyalists who settled in Dundas County were not uniquely of German background, Richard Davis being a prime example.
  4. ↑ "New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2HD-7W8 : 12 December 2014), Richard Davis, 01 Mar 1754; citing TRINITY CHURCH PARISH,NEW YORK,NEW YORK,NEW YORK, reference ; FHL microfilm 974.7 B2N V. 90-93.
  5. ↑ Many of Rev. Ogilvie's baptism records of the Mohawk Valley appear in the New York Genealogical & Biographical Record, Vol 67-3, published 1936, pp.204-16. Richard's baptism appears on p.211:
  6. ↑ Brief biography of Rev. John Ogilvie by noted Colonial New York historian Stefan Bielinski:
  7. ↑ William D. Reid, The Loyalists in Ontario: The Sons & Daughters of The American Loyalists of Upper Canada, Hunterdon House, Lambertville, New Jersey USA, 1973.
  8. ↑ A letter dated Montreal 29 Sep 1800 from Captain David Alexander Grant and Patrick Langan states: “We purchased the Grande Isle [Wolfe Island] on the 6th May, 1795. From Michel and Amable Curot [Curotte], to whom the Island devolved by right of Descent, and soon after we caused it to be surveyed, erected a Dwelling House and placed Settlers on the Island, who are now improving it.”
  9. ↑ Paraphrased from the Kingston Herald, Tuesday 7 October 1845: The cornerstone for Trinity Anglican Church was laid in 1845, with the Baroness of Longueuil (who financed its entire construction) in attendance. "The building will be of stone and erected in the Gothic style. It is extended [sic] to seat 300 persons."
  10. ↑ Lieut. Patrick Langan of Ireland, a "private gentleman", served 7 years in the 2nd Battallion of the KRRNY:
  11. ↑ Richard Davis and Patrick Langan were presumably old acquaintances from their time in the KRRNY between 1776-1783.
  12. ↑ Benjamin Louis Ford, Lake Ontario Maritime Cultural Landscape, PhD dissertation, Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University (August 2009), p.226:
  13. ↑ In her 1788 land claim, Eleanor says she came to Quebec the summer after her husband Peter died, which would be 1777. However the "official" arrival of widows and children via boat from Albany/Saratoga was July 1779, with "Maybee" appearing on the 1779 list of passengers.
  14. ↑ "Rolls of the Provincial (Loyalist) Corps, Canadian Command American Revolutionary Period," prepared by Mary Beacock Fryer, William A. Smy (1981):
  15. ↑ "Early Ontario Settlers: A Source Book" by Norman K. Crowder
  16. ↑ "The Old United Empire Loyalist List":
  17. ↑ "The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada by the United Empire Loyalists, 1784-1884":
  18. ↑ Lunenburgh, or the Old Eastern District, by J.F. Pringle, Judge County Court. Published in 1890.
  19. ↑ Davis & Baxter had served together in the King's Royal Regiment of New York, Sir John Johnson's Company:
  20. ↑ New Johnstown is known in 2020 as Cornwall, Ontario. Summarised from the Wikipedia page for Cornwall:
    • The first documented European settlement was established in 1784 by United Empire Loyalists, primarily from New York. New Johnstown was named for Johnstown, New York (in the Mohawk Valley, the origin of many of the Loyalists), which in turn had been named for Sir William Johnston, the father of Richard Davis' commanding officer Sir John Johnson. The main group of settlers were from the First Battalion of the King's Royal Regiment of New York and a contingent of the 84th Royal Highland Emigrants.
  21. ↑ J. Smyth Carter, "The Story of Dundas, Being a History of the County of Dundas from 1784 to 1904", St. Lawrence News Publishing House (1905), p.451:
  22. ↑ "Wolfe Island: A Legacy in Stone", p.76
  23. ↑ Apparently the family coal business continued throughout the 1800s, given the reference to the "Davis coal office" in Cape Vincent, New York, in 1898:
  24. ↑ The Land Petitions are listed here and formally archived here:
  25. ↑ Many Loyalists, especially former soldiers of the King's Royal Regiment of New York, were buried in St. Paul's Churchyard in Kingston -- which until the building of St. Paul's in 1845 was known as St. George's Graveyard, or the Lower Burial Ground.
  26. ↑ History of St. Paul's Churchyard cemetery:
  27. ↑ Website of Trinity Anglican Church today:
  28. ↑ Photo of Susannah Mabie Davis' gravestone:
  29. ↑ List of officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the 84th Regiment, the King's Royal Regiment of New York, the Loyal Rangers (Major Jessup's corps), Butler's Rangers, etc., who settled in the eastern part of Upper Canada. Copied by permission of Messrs. Hunter, Rose & Co., from "The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada," published in 1885.
  30. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/174860010/richard-davis




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It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Richard by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Richard:

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Breen-120 Erin Breen
Davis-101070 and Davis-40716 appear to represent the same person because: Both profiles reference the same burial.
posted by Erin Breen
Leeder-151 Patricia Leeder
thanx so much Nelson for updating "our" Richard.
posted by Patricia Leeder

Featured National Park champion connections: Richard is 11 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 18 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 12 degrees from George Catlin, 15 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 23 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 11 degrees from George Grinnell, 24 degrees from Anton Kröller, 11 degrees from Stephen Mather, 20 degrees from Kara McKean, 17 degrees from John Muir, 16 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 23 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.

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Categories: St. Paul's Anglican Churchyard, Kingston, Ontario | Kingston, Ontario | Davis Name Study | Dundas, Upper Canada | Wolfe Island Township, Ontario | Loyalists, New York, American Revolution | King's Royal Regiment of New York, American Revolution | Upper Canada United Empire Loyalists | United Empire Loyalists