George Washington Davis (1797 - 1853)

Born 1797 in Kentucky

Husband of Rebecca (Warfield) Davis — married 8 Oct 1820 in Jefferson Co., Kentucky

Died 1853 at about age 56 in Gonzales, Gonzales County, Texas

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George Davis migrated from Kentucky to Mexican Texas in 1831.

Biography

George Washington Davis was born 1797 in Kentucky. He married Rebecca Warfield Gaston, widow on October 8, 1820

Children of this couple:

• Eugene Davis (1828- 1850) b Kentucky
• G.W. Davis, Jr (1831-1888) b in Gonzales, Texas

George Washington Davis heard of the land grants in Texas, thus decided to move his extended family to Texas 1831 from Louisville, Kentucky.

Once in Texas George applied for the land grant in DeWitt's Colony, and received his league of land, located on the East bank of the Guadalupe River, just north of the town of present day Cuero. Cuero. ^[1]

This was a family committed to the neighbors, and to a settlement. Davis held many offices in public service in Gonzales. Thus George was one of the Original 18 when the confrontation occurred over the Gonzales cannon. He was sent to the Texas Consultation in 1835 as a delegate representing Gonzales. ^[2]

George tried to watch over his stepson, John E Gaston. ^[3] It is said that John was a lookout for the Mexican army when they came demanding the return of the Gonzales cannon. A stand-off resulted, but Gonzales refused to give up that cannon.

All was well for a while, then Capt. Albert Martin arrived with a letter from Col. Travis asking colonies to send aid to the Defenders of the Alamo on Feb 24, 1836. Stepson, John E Gaston and John Benjamin Kellogg Jr., husband of Sidney Gaston Miller Kellogg were among the Gonzales Rangers respondents, known as the Immortal 32. They all joined with the other Immortal 32 men of Gonzales Colony and rode to San Antonio, (74 miles) to give the Defenders any help they could. They entered the Alamo March 1, 1836. All Defenders including stepson Private Gaston and son-in-law John Benjamin Kellogg Jr were killed in the Alamo March 6, 1836. Remains were buried at San Fernando Cathedral.

Following this Gen. Sam Houston advised Gonzales Colonists to flee. So Davis loaded his family and possessions including step-daughter Sidney in his wagon and had to leave behind his home, land while they fled to Washington County, Texas. This is known as Runaway Scrape.

George's wife Rebecca passed away 1846. George was appointed administrator of Private Gaston's and Kellogg Jr's estates in 1839.

There is a highway marker near Cuero, where Rebecca and George Davis are buried. George passed away in 1853 and is buried near his wife.

Sources

1. ↑ http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/gonzalesrangersf-k.htm
2. ↑ http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/gonzalesrangersf-k.htm
3. ↑ http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fga81

• http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/gonzalesrangersf-k.htm
• http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fga81
• http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GASTON/2006-10/1161077211