Enoch Davis (1700 - aft. 1745)

Born 20 May 1700 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Katherine (Welch) Davis — married 6 Dec 1726 in Wells, York, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died after 24 Dec 1745 after age 45 in Louisbourg, Acadia, New France

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Biography

Enoch was born 20 May 1700 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts. He was the son of James Davis and Sarah Winnock.^[1] Enoch's father died in 1708 and his mother sometime around 1726. That year, Enoch purchased land from Samuel and Mercy Harmon in York, then Massachusetts Bay Colony in a deed dated 21 Sep. His residence at this time is still Haverhill.^[2] Shortly thereafter he removed to York County. In 1728, his occupation is given as "shipbuilder" and he is amongst the list of men who sailed in "coasters".^[3]

He married Katherine Welch shortly after his move to York and they were recorded as receiving full communion to the Church of Christ in Wells on 31 Dec 1727 ^[4] All the baptisms of their children are recorded there, beginning with Mary in 1727

Upon arriving in York County, Enoch for the next several years was involved in numerous land transactions, as follows:

Bought land of Archaellus Huet on 13 Feb 1728/29 (witnessed by his mother-in-law Mary Treadwell & her husband Samuel, as well as Abigail Littlefield ^[5]

Bought land of Malachi Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth on 16 Mar 1729 in partnership with Jonathan & Francis Littlefield, et. al.^[6]

Sold land with wife Katherine to John Storer on 9 Jan 1729 ^[6]

Sold land to Nathaniel Kimball on 17 Feb 1730 ^[6]

Bought land of Thomas Hobbs on 17 Oct 1730 ^[7]

Sold land to Malachi Edwards on 11 Nov 1731^[7]

Sold land to Caleb Emery with wife Katherine, (who is also giving up her dower right in this deed) 4 Jun 1734, ^[8]

Sold land to Francis Littlefield with wife Katherine on 5 Mar 1735 ^[9]

Witness to deed between Caleb Emery & Zach Goodale 4 Oct 1735 ^[9]

Sold land with wife Katherine to Zach Goodale 10 Nov 1735 ^[9]

Sale of land granted to Jonathan Hammond, with wife Katherine to Richard Kimball ^[10]

In 1745, during what in the colonies was known as King George's War (1744-1748), or the War of the Austrian Succession on the continent, ^[11] Enoch enlisted in the company of Major John Storer with the rank of Sergeant, in the spring and summer of 1745.^[3] The troops were awarded a bounty by the government for any items they seized and Enoch was responsible for the accounting for each man under his command. ^[12] He, with others elected his commander, Major John Storer to collect his own "plunder" ^[12]

The year 1745 would be Enoch's last with his family. Although the circumstances are unclear, he participated in the Siege of Louisbourg in King George's War. ^[13] It appears that at some point he was taken captive and held in prison in Canada. A number of the York County men who went on this campaign were killed or taken prisoner. Either way, Enoch didn't return home. He wrote his will from Louisbourg, New France 24 Dec 1745 and sent it home with Enoch Chase, John Burbank and Benjamin Rogers.^[14]

There is an index of obituaries for the time period which lists a Davis who died 20 Aug 1746 while being held prisoner by the French at Louisbourg. It only names the unfortunate man by his last name, so it can't be certain that this is Enoch.^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ Vital records of Haverhill, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, Vol 1, - Births, pg 87, Published by the Topsfield Historical Society, Topsfield, Mass 1910; Reproduced by FamilySearch; [1]
2. ↑ York deeds Book XII, Part 1, page 208; Published by the Maine Historical Society. cn; Maine Genealogical Society (1894- ) cn; York County (Me.). Register of Deeds. 1903, Provided by Internet Archive. [2]
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} The history of Wells and Kennebunk from the earliest settlement to the year 1820, at which time Kennebunk was set off, and incorporated with biographical sketches by Bourne, Edward E.; Page 343, 371; Published 1875, Provided by Internet Archive; [3]
4. ↑ NEHGR Volume LXXVI July 1922, pg 192, 193 [4]
5. ↑ York deeds Book XII, Part 2, page 366; Published by the Maine Historical Society. cn; Maine Genealogical Society (1894- ) cn; York County (Me.). Register of Deeds. 1904, Provided by Internet Archive. [5]
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} York Deeds, Volume XIII, Published by the Maine Historical Society, 1904; page 505, 541, and 628 [6]
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} York Deeds, Volume XIV, Page 156, 599, Published by the Maine Historical Society, 1906; Provided by Internet Archive [7]
8. ↑ York Deeds, Volume XVI, page 185; Provided by FamilySearch; [8]
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2} York Deeds, Volume XVII, page [9]
10. ↑ York Deeds, Volume XVIII, page 207 [10]
11. ↑ King George's War, provided by Wikipedia( [11]
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} New England Genealogical and Historical Register, Volume XXV, Boston; Published at the Society's House, 18 Somerset Street, Printed by David Clapp & Son, 1871; Provided by Internet Archive page 251, 254 [12]
13. ↑ Background on the siege of Louisbourg, New France from Wikipedia [13]
14. ↑ Maine, York County, Probate Estate Files, 1690-1917, images, FamilySearch; Case #3999, Will of Enoch Davis [14]
15. ↑ Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 1704-1930 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. This collection was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors. Newspapers and Periodicals. American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts. The Digitized Content is licensed from the American Antiquarian Society ("AAS") and may not be reproduced, transferred, commercially or otherwise exploited, in whole or in part, outside the terms and conditions of this service without the express written consent of AAS. All rights reserved. [15]

• Colonial Soldiers and Officers in New England, 1620-1775. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2013).

https://www.americanancestors.org/DB494/i/13258/72/236057474

Biography and sources provided by Debbie Barrett