Uriah Davis Sr (1707 - 1768)

Born 1707 in Michaelchurch Escley, Herefordshire, England

Husband of Margaret (Dixon) Davis — married about May 1739 in Annapolis, Anne Arundel, Maryland

Descendants

Died 23 Mar 1768 at about age 61 in Baltimore, Maryland

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Addie Watkins [send private message]

Biography

Uriah Davis left England in April 1732 and arrived in Annapolis, Maryland in October, 1732. He came over in a ship named Patapsco. Source, English Convicts in Colonial America. The will of Uriah Davis of Baltimore, Maryland lists his children and wife(no last name). Also, the book Baltimore County Families in America by Robert Barnes lists his wife Margaret and his children. The will is dated October 31, 1767 and is re witnessed on February 1, 1768. It lists his time of death as March 23, 1768. It also states that his widow renounces the Davises in the will and takes what the law gives her. A copy of this will is in the possession Neil Davis. The book, Baltimore County Families, page 160 states that Uriah Davis was tried for begetting a bastard child on the body of Mary Watkins in August 1740. The same book states on page 667 that Mary Watkins was indited having a bastard child in March 1739 and tried later. She named Uriah Davis as the father. Uriah's land tracts in Maryland were called Uriah's Abode and Uriah's Addition. I have information from Mrs. Jean Edge, a cousin, that Uriah Davis was probably the Captain of the ship Patapsco listed above. She sent to me ship records showing Uriah Davis and John Brown having been Captains of schooners making trips from Maryland to Rhode Island and from Rhode Island to Barbadoes and from Rhode Island back to Maryland. John Brown married Uriah Davis's widow.Tried in August of 1740 for begating a bastard on the body of Mary Watkins. Name of land tracts were Uriah' Abode and Uriah's Addition. Neil Davis has information from Mrs. Jean Edge that Uriah Davis was probably the Captain of the ship Patapsco listed above. She sent ship records showing Uriah Davis and John Brown having been Captains of schooners making trips from Maryland to Rhode Island and from Rhode Island to Barbadoes and from Rhode Island back to Maryland. John Brown married Uriah's widow in Maryland.

Before being sent to America.

Uriah Davis - he was found guilty for stealing 2 cows. England - Old Bailey - Englandcentral criminal court on 23rd Feb 1732, found guilty punishment was transportation to the Americas / Banishment.

Uriah Davis and John Edlin, of Hammersmith , were indicted for stealing 2 Heifers, value 4 l. 10 s. the Goods-of Marmaduke Bramly , Jan. 28 .

Joseph Sleath . Davis brought the Heifers to Smithfield, and desir'd me to sell 'em for him. Edlin came with him,but stood at a little distance, and did not speak to me.

Marmaduke Bramly . Those were my Heisers, and the same that I had lost. The Jury acquitted Edlin, and found Davis guilty .

Uriah Davis - said he was tricked into selling stolen goods, by another that asked for him to sell on their behalf since they where on the way to a larger town for a fee. He did so while he and his friend was on the way into town.

Perverting justice, 25th May 1732

Shortly after he was sent to the Americas another court case came up. Where it refers to the fact that Uriah was framed for his crimes and not guilty?

Common Practice – Convict Slaves to America

England moving convicts to Americas:

In regards to Patapsco merchantship - 1732

Guidelines by the British Crown regarding moving convicts as temporary slaves "Convict Servant" to the Americas.

With the transportation of any"convict servant" the Crown had previously acquired a "property in the service of the body of the convict" by the act of the sentencing or reprieving a prisoner to transportation. Under regulations, this property was then let to a merchant prepared to carry a convict across the Atlantic, and such a merchant in effect sold the convict servant for a market price. Skilled men fetched a better price than unskilled, women got a lower price. The merchant was sometimes obliged to carry older felons, and had virtually to give them away to whoever would take them. But the legal effectuality of the transportation was independent of the "servant's" sale price; the sale could not proceed till the effectuality of the transportation had been proved.

Once the prisoners had been disposed of in the colonial labor market,the effectuality of the transportation was noted by colonial authorities. The colonial counter-signature was regarded and required at Treasury in London as proof of the equality of the transportation, then the merchant was paid his due. During the 1720s, possibly at the instigation of Jonathan Forward, the British Government began, or continued, to pay a bounty - £3 each for women, £5 each for men - as a continued incentive for merchants transporting felons across the Atlantic. But the payment of the incentive was often delayed.

"Effectual" meant that all legalities were observed regarding the convict being delivered properly to North America and to legal authorities there. The felon was not allowed to return to England until their period of servitude-in-banishment completed. It meant that after delivery in England to a contractor, the prisoner was in the hands of private enterprise - mere fodder sold into the colonial labor market.This subsidy of transportation was all the interest the British Government took in felons after they were sentenced and put on a vessel. On the basis of the contracts they were given, John Stewart and Campbell later acquired a secure hold on the convict service their house did not relinquish until forced to do so by the American Revolution. Coldham regards Stewart as the most efficient contractor, providing greatest stability to the system.

Intricate research by mostly American historians reveals some of the commercial complexities involved. ([57]) For example... Capt. Darby Lux and Thomas Peters of Glasgow were linked in the matter of the transportation to Annapolis and Maryland. Daniel Crawford, and his subsequent freedom being transacted after payment by one Govan (1728-1731).This was a not-unusual case of a convict regaining freedom by arranging for friends or other agents to "purchase" his or her period of servitude.([58]) Defoe had early identified this flaw in system in Moll Flanders,literally pouncing on it, almost with glee, because it provided such good opportunities for a picaresque plot. The problem Defoe pointed to was confusion about justice in the nature of the punishment. Was the punishment in being exiled, or being kept to servitude while exiled, or both? That problem remained to affect discussion, long later, of transportation-into-servitude to Australia.

EMIG: DATE FEB 1731/32 Patapsco merchant ship

Uriah Davis was sentenced in February of 1732 to be transported from Middlesex, England to Annapolis or Baltimore,Maryland, He is said to have been sent on the PATAPSCOE or PATAPSCO merchant ship, which left England in April of 1732and arrived in Annapolis in October of 1732.

Departing England April 1732 ship Patapsco Merchant Capt. Darby Lux for Maryland. (Coldham). Probably for Forward.

It is believed Uriah Davis, being a ship captain already or close to that level at skill, purchased his freedom before even landing in America.

The will of Uriah Davis of Baltimore,Maryland lists his children and wife(no last name). The will is dated October 31, 1767 and is re witnessed on February 1, 1768.

It lists his time of death as March23, 1768. It also states that his widow renounces the Davises in the will and takes what the law gives her. A copy of this will is in the possession Neil Davis, and a copy of a court record where Uriah Davis was tried for begetting a bastard child on the body of Mary Watkins. It also lists his wife and children by name.

In August of 1740 he was tried for"begetting a child on the body of Mary Watkins". This was in Baltimore, Maryland. His child with Mary Watkins may have been his daughter Susannah Davis.

His will was written on October 31,1767 and names his land as Uriah's Abode and Uriah's Addition.

It was proven on February 1, 1768,in Baltimore, so he died apparently in January of 1768.

His wife is listed as Margaret, she later married a John Brown (by 1770). another ship captain in competition with him. Later went back to court and fought his will. That stated she got nothing if she remarried another man.

Uriah Davis and John Brown having been Captains of schooners making trips from Maryland to Rhode Island and from Rhode Island to Barbados and from Rhode Island back to Maryland.

Uriah as a ship captain:

Vessel: Industry Company: Edward Arnold Captain: Uriah Davis 20 Tons, Square Ship Rhode Island to Newport 10 Oct 1750 Information from: Shipping in Annapolis from 1748-1775 History Book

Later generations accounts his trade was sea captain with the regular route between Rhode Island and Maryland.

Uriah's Children:

All 11 of them where named biblicalnames, Soloman, Joshua, Rachel, Diana, Uriah, Shadrack, Meshach, Abednego and others.

Finding evidence of Uriah Davis in England before court trial:

Uriah Davies: 1743: Court Case: Mannors of Urishay and Michael Church Eskley Uriah Davis - he was a juror for the case. * this was in the time period of Uriah Davis still being in England, was it our Uriah Davis is unknown.

John Williams - 1738 Will and Statement 17 July 1738 He left money for goddaughter Edith, daughter of Uriah Davis. Location: Michael Church Eskley

Both of these documents suggest he may have been married before being banished to another women "Edith" and had children "Edith".

Someone had a connection that he was married to an "Edith" which is possible, since that was the habit to name children after parents.

Last Will and Testament of Uriah Davis

In The Name of God amen I Uriah Davis of the County of Baltimore in Province of Maryland planter Being of sound and perfect memory praized be the Lord for the same and knowing the uncertainty of this Life and the certainty of death do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say first and principly I commend my sole to almighty God my creator in hopes of receiving full pardon and remission of all my sins and be saved by the merit and precious blood and death of my Blessed saviour Jesus Christ and my body to the Earth from whence it was taken to be Buried in decent and Christian mannor in the descression of my wife as herein after named and as touching such worldly Estate as the Lord in mercy hath Blessed me with I do hereby Give and bequeath as folloeth Viz Impremis I will that those debts and duties that right or Contions I owe to any mannor of persons shall be well and truly paid in Convenant time after my deceas by my wife hearafter named Item Give devise and bequeath unto my well beloved wife Margret Davis the Land we now live on as long as her nateral life or until the Day of Marage and no longer and allso all my personnal Estate as long as hur Nateral life or until the Day of Marage Item I Give devise and bequeath unto my well beloved son Sollomon Davis one shilling starling and no more I Give devise and bequeath unto my well beloved son William Davis one shilling starling and no more Item I Give devis and Bequeath unto my well beloved son Uriah Davis one shilling starling and no more I Give devise and bequeath unto my well beloved daughter Dianer Davis one shilling starling and no more after my wifes Death or day of marage my will and desire is that the Land above mentioned by the name of Uriars abode and Uriars adition to be sold both tracts to be sold and the money Equalle divided between my children as follos Viz Shadrek Davis Rachal Davis Mshak Davis and Abednego Davis and Mara Davis and Toskaway Davis and Susanna Davis and it is my will my wife Margret Davis should have hur thirds of the personnal Estate and no part of the prise of the Lands sold and it is will that there should be no adminisstration attall on this my Estate of this my Last Will and Testament and do declare this to be my Last Will and Testament In Witness whareof I the said Uriah Davis have herewritn set my hand and seal this 31st of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty seven

Uriah Davis (seal)

Signed sealed and Delivered in presence of Richard R. Millor John R. Rston William W Cross

The Wid. renounced the Devise in the will Feby 1st 1768 Then came Richard Miller John Reston & Wm Cross the three subscribing wittnesses to the Within Will and Being Duly and solemnly on the Holy Evangalist of Almighty God Depose and say that they and each of them saw the Testator Uriah Davis sign the sd will by making his mark that at the Time he was to the Best of their apprehensions of sound and Disposing mind & memory that each of them subscribed their names as wittnesses thereto by making their marks in the presence of the sd Testator and at his request sworn before William Young Deputy Commissary Baltimore County N.B. the Wid. Renounces the Devise in the Will and Takes what the Law gives her William Young

Robert Austinadded this on 11 Mar 2012

Transcription of the Last Will and Testament of Uriah Davis, 31 Oct 1767. Maryland Register of Wills Books, 1629-1983, Baltimore Wills, 1763-1784, vol 003, Image 62 & 63 of 318 (Pages 97 & 98). Taken from the probate records of the web site Family Search.^[1]

Sources

Footnotes

1. ↑ Entered by Dennis Davis.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Dennis Davis for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Dennis and others.