Elizabeth (Hughes) Davis
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Unknown (Hughes) Davis (abt. 1654 - abt. 1740)

Unknown [uncertain] (Elizabeth) [uncertain] Davis formerly Hughes
Born about in Virginiamap
Daughter of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Wife of — married [date unknown] [location unknown]
Wife of — married 1700 in Virginiamap
Descendants descendants
Mother of , , and
Died about at about age 86 in Christ Church, Colony of Virginiamap
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Profile last modified | Created 12 Oct 2010
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Elizabeth (Hughes) Davis is currently protected by the Native Americans Project for reasons described below.
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Because some claim she was daughter of a Native American, WikiTree's Native Americans project is protecting, tracking and co-managing this profile. Please use G2G to discuss evidence for her origins and NA relationships. Thank you.

Biography

This profile represents the wife of Nathaniel Davis and mother of his children. She was probably born in the 1650's, and passed away in 1740.

She married Nathaniel Davis about 1680.[1]. There is no contemporaneous evidence of either her given name or her maiden name.

A previous version of this profile included a first name "Elizabeth" and middle name "Mary" for which there is no evidence.

Oral Traditions of Heritage

Oral tradition (recorded in an 1895 genealogy) claims that the wife of Nathaniel Davis was the daughter of "Princess" Nicketti (who some, but not all, believe was herself a daughter of Chief Opechancanough (abt.1550-abt.1646) of the Powhatans) and a trader with the Indians named Hughes).[2]
Some descendants further claim that because he named a daughter Nicketti (1819 - 1908), John Floyd, Governor of Virginia (1783 - 1837) a) must have known of the early family tradition, and b) the Nicketti was a namesake of " Princess Nicketti". But we do not know why John Floyd named his daughter Nicketti.
NOTE: A 1993 update of the 1895 "Cabells and their Kin" (cited above), called "20th Century Cabells and their Kin" by Randolph Cabell says, "Mary Davis was the daughter of Nathaniel Davis and an unknown wife... Nathaniel Davis is said to have come from England or Wales to America. It is estimated he was born about 1658. It is not known who his wife was...[3]
— Since there is no evidence that either of these purported parents (Nicketti, Trader Hughes) existed, she has been detached from them.

Sources

  1. ↑ U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970; SAR # 90720. (Better Source Sought.)
  2. ↑ Brown, Alexander. The Cabells and their Kin. C. J. Carrier Company, Harrisonburg, VA., 1978, p. 46 or p. 43
  3. ↑ Randolph Cabell, 20th Century Cabells and their Kin, Genealogy Publishing Services, Franklin, N.C. 1993




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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Elizabeth by comparing test results with other carriers of her mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known mtDNA test-takers in her direct maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Elizabeth:

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.

Images: 2
Elizabeth Davis
Elizabeth Davis
Elizabeth Davis Image 2
Elizabeth Davis Image 2


Comments: 60

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Parks-2399 Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Hughes-29808 and Hughes-381 appear to represent the same person because: Clearly meant to be the same woman, different names for husband
posted by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Parks-2399 Kathie (Parks) Forbes
This whole line appears to be duplicated, spouses, at least one child and her spouse
posted by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
Different spouses -- one Nathaniel Davis; the other Robert Davis.
posted by Jillaine Smith
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
I went ahed and completed the merge; also proposed a merge between the two husbands with a warning that it should be Nathaniel not Robert.
posted by Jillaine Smith
Hicks-10010 Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Davis-14552 needs disconnected from PP mother.
posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
Hi Cynthia. You posted your request for sources of Davis-14552 just two days ago. Let's wait a bit (perhaps even up to a month) to see if there is any response.

In the meantime, if you have any sources you can add to the profile of Davis-14552, that would be great. It's currently unsourced.

posted by Jillaine Smith
Hicks-10010 Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
I have no sources for her.

The profile here says unsourced but there are a few links on the bio of which one is a FamilySearch link which goes to a Susannah Crews Davis https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L5ZN-XN2 who is attached there as daughter of Davis Male 1655–Deceased • GPZY-LHM Catherine Holmes Female 1655–1703 • G4MT-RGN

posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Hicks-10010 Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
I think she is very conflated-- two or MORE women
posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Vincent-18 Bill Vincent Ph.D.
Her grandson Robert Davis (1705-1780) is currently connected as her son.

Robert should be disconnected from this profile and connected to his mother Abadiah (Lewis) Davis (1680-1750), but PPP prevents this action by ordinary mortals. :-)

posted by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
edited by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
I've disconnected Robert the grandson and moved him to the correct parents; he's still got a duplicate; a merge has been proposed.

-- jillaine, mortal but also a project coordinator

posted by Jillaine Smith
Parks-2399 Kathie (Parks) Forbes
I agree with proceeding with this merger. This woman can't have been born in 1650, though, since daughter Martha was apparently born in 1702. What few records there are point to Nathaniel being the man who arrived in Virginia in 1677, age unknown. He likely had to serve out seven to ten years as an indentured servant, so marrying in the mid-1680's. Elizabeth was probably born c. 1670.
posted on Hughes-30062 (merged) by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Hicks-10010 Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
While I was not initially aware of the "Shawnee Heritage" books or any of the stories or the people who told them, I became aware of the Floyds and their claim after taking a DNA test and joining Gedmatch and several Genealogy groups on Facebook.

I discovered Abadiah Davis, who married William Floyd, is a sister to my Martha.

While my DNA does not match the long range SNP comparisons on the 2 71 they claim is Nicketti, my maternal uncle does. And the DNA matches the tree perfectly.

I have broken with that group and have no association with them other than occasionally at Geni due to working on genealogy on that collaborative public site.

I am asking for the additional son named Robert to be disconnected from the PP profile and merge Hughes-381 with Hughes-30062. This would add Davis-4320 (Martha Davis who married Abraham Venable) as a child of this couple.

I know "you" don't give a lot of credence to a book but when there is a list of names, it can be helpful. I have no idea WHY there are two sons named Robert locked here and I have no idea where Davis-14552 (Susannah Davis Williams) comes in but I do know there is a list of FOUR children which consists of Robert, Mary, Martha and Abadiah. And I know descendants of Martha and Abadiah share a common segment of DNA on the 2nd chromosome because that is what I have been able to reproduce for myself.

Thank you. I really DO appreciate the PP status of so many profiles here as it does protect but it can, of course, simply lock in errors.

posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
edited by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
We seem to have a case where we have two different Robert Davises. Different vitals, different spouses, different children. Both are claiming to be son of Nathaniel.

How do we confirm which Robert was son of Nathaniel. Once we've figured that out, we can update each of the two Robert Davis profiles and detach the incorrect one.

Robert Davis-4329 appears to be far too young to be Nathaniel and Elizabeth's child; he was born decades after Elizabeth died.

posted by Jillaine Smith
edited by Jillaine Smith
Parks-2399 Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Before we do anything we need some actual sources. I don't think there are any for Nathaniel and Elizabeth, maybe a few for Nathaniel. Most of what's written about them comes from heavily fictional family genealogy books like the Cabells and Their Kin, none of which cite any sources and are based on family stories. There are a few more reliable sources. Peter Coldham lists a Nathaniel Davis arriving in Virginia in 1677, age unknown. Abadiah Davis who married William Floyd was the daughter of Robert Davis, not Nathaniel. According to Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Martha or Hannah Davis, daughter of Nathaniel of Hanover County married Abraham Venable of New Kent in 1723. Abraham's will names many children, but no wife.
posted by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
The more I look into this family, the more my head hurts. There are so many problems with it.

Cabells and their Kin doesn't seem to be *that* bad of a genealogy *for its era*. But the whole section (pp 43-44) about the Davises is pure speculation; the author admits he cannot vouch for it, but is sharing the tradition, anyway.

I would like to see that the two different Robert Davises are sorted out. But *I* do not have the mental bandwidth to take it on.

posted by Jillaine Smith
Hicks-10010 Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Robert Davis (1676-1771) Davis-4322 married Abadiah (Lewis) Davis (1680-1750) Lewis-5044.

Robert Davis-4329 is still in need of disconnection from these parents

posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
Please explain what a "curated profile" means. Thank you.
posted on Hughes-30062 (merged) by Jillaine Smith
Hicks-10010 Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Kinda like Wikitree's Project Protected.
posted on Hughes-30062 (merged) by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Hicks-10010 Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Hughes-30062 and Hughes-381 appear to represent the same person because: Adds my line, as seen on the curated profile at Geni.

I descend from Martha Davis who married Abraham Venable. Side note: One of the sons named Robert needs to be disconnected but the profile is PP

posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Parks-2399 Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Where are actual contemporaneous sources for this family? The profile on Geni lists the fictional "Shawnee Heritage" books as a source. Other sources repeat family stories from the 19th century, but don't provide any actual documentation for this couple.
posted by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
edited by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Hicks-10010 Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Kathie, thank you for the reply.

Hughes-30062 is the same as Hughes-381 https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Davis-1446 is not in dispute because there is no claim he is of NA ancestry. There are 4 children named as children of this couple:

CHILDREN OF NATHANIEL DAVIS AND HIS WIFE ELLIZABETH HUGHES

1. Robert Davis (called Robert the Black)

2. Mary Davis, who married Samuel Burkes

3. Martha Davis, who married Abraham Venable

4. Abadiah Davis, who married William Floyd.

I only became aware of a generation above "my" Martha Davis Venable as a result of the internet. I have several cousins who are pro genealogists on my mother's side and they stop at Martha. I just wish to connect "my" Martha to her husband and have a correct relationship path.

Edited for clarification.

posted by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
edited by Cynthia (Hicks) Curtis
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
Cynthia, I find myself reviewing the history of comments here on this profile. Do you have source(s) for the identity of their children?
posted by Jillaine Smith
McClary-130 Jayme (McClary) Hart
Hughes-30062 and Hughes-381 are not ready to be merged because: More research needs to be done on 30062 to resolve conflicting information before merging it into a project protected profile.
posted by Jayme (McClary) Hart
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
Jayme, can you please be more specific? We've been trying to merge these two for several months.
posted by Jillaine Smith
McClary-130 Jayme (McClary) Hart
I clearly made a mistake and apologize Jillaine. I got this confused with a different profile I was also working on, saw conflicting info + profile protected (and the comments weren't loading in the browser I have since stopped using) so I set it as an unmerged match. I haven't been able to access this site on an actual computer in years and admittedly got a bit overwhelmed at first with this new layout. My sincerest apologies!! How do I fix this??
posted by Jayme (McClary) Hart
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
I've re proposed the merge. Please approve it.
posted by Jillaine Smith
McClary-130 Jayme (McClary) Hart
Alright it is approved. Again I apologize.
posted by Jayme (McClary) Hart
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
Hughes-30062 and Hughes-381 appear to represent the same person because: Trying this again. Same person. Keep -381 data and text please.
posted by Jillaine Smith
Browne-3940 Wendy Browne
Biographical Genealogies of the Virginia-Kentucky Floyd Families

With Notes of Some Collateral Branches By Nicholas Jackson Floyd · 1912 pages 11 to 13 https://www.google.com/books/edition/Biographical_Genealogies_of_the_Virginia/bUNMAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0

posted by Wendy Browne
edited by Wendy Browne
Browne-3940 Wendy Browne
John Hughes

in the U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Name: John Hughes Age: 20 Birth Year: abt 1615 Arrival year: 1635 Arrival Place: Barbados Primary Immigrant: Hughes, John Source Publication Code: 1219.4 Source Bibliography: COLDHAM, PETER WILSON. The Complete Book of Emigrants: A Comprehensive Listing Compiled from English Public Records of Those Who Took Ship to the Americas for Political, Religious, and Economic Reasons; of Those Who Were Deported for Vagrancy, Roguery, or Non-Conformity; and of Those Who Were Sold to Labour in the New Colonies. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co. 1607-1660. 1988. 600p. Household Members: Name Relation John Hughes Save Cancel

posted by Wendy Browne
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
I'm looking at Coldham right now and see nothing in it for John Hughes. https://books.google.com/books?id=vWDV4Fk7TmAC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=coldham+Complete+Book+of+Emigrants&hl=en#v=onepage&q=Hughes&f=false

Also searched for Nicketti. No results.

posted by Jillaine Smith
Vincent-18 Bill Vincent Ph.D.
Oral traditions simply reported Elizabeth's father was called Trader Hughes. The addition of "John" as his first name is a very recent modification without any support of oral history. "Mary" is also a recent addition to her name which was always stated to be Elizabeth.
posted by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
edited by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
Parks-2399 Kathie (Parks) Forbes
This undocumented book just repeats the family story.
posted by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
edited by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Browne-3940 Wendy Browne
she is the daughter of Hughes-383 and Powhatan-21. wife of Nathaniel Davis Sr

1644–1710 BIRTH 1644 • Charlestown, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States DEATH FEB 1710 • New Kent, New Kent, Virginia, United States and mother of

Robert (Black Davis Powhatan) Davis m. cousin 1676–1771

Mary A. Elizabeth Davis 1682–1756

posted by Wendy Browne
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
Wendy, what's your source for her origins, please?

Also her name must have been Mary OR Elizabeth. Middle/double names did not exist at that time. Do we have any sources for the given name of Nathaniel Davis' wife?

posted by Jillaine Smith
Vincent-18 Bill Vincent Ph.D.
"Mary" is a recent addition to her name. Oral traditions only give her name as "Elizabeth".
posted by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
edited by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
Also, I think you may be conflating two Nathaniel Davises-- one from Massachusetts, the other from Virginia.
posted by Jillaine Smith
B. Adams
Simple solution is to find a female lineage and do a mDNA test to see if they have DNA from Native American Origin. I'm sure there would be enough people to donate a couple dollars to fund the test.
posted by B. Adams
Chris Wine
I found a MARY ELIZABETH HUGHES on (https://www.geni.com/people/Mary-Hughes/6000000111190911048) I am thinking they are one in the same. On another Genealogy website (https://records.myheritagelibraryedition.com/research/record-1-196133571-32-3910/mary-elizabeth-davis-born-hughes-in-myheritage-family-tree ) it list her parents as Captain John Rice Hugh as her father and Princess Nicketti (born Mangopeemoon) site manager listed as a Delories Robinson Vaughn.
posted by Chris Wine
Parks-2399 Kathie (Parks) Forbes
All of these are simply undocumented claims. There is no documentary evidence that supports the existence of anyone named "John Rice Hughes" or "Nicketti" in the 17th century. People just keep copying what they find on the Internet from tree to tree.
posted by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Vincent-18 Bill Vincent Ph.D.
Oral traditions simply reported Elizabeth's father was called Trader Hughes. The addition of "John" as his first name is a very recent modification without any support of oral history. "Mary" is also a recent addition to her name which was stated to be "Elizabeth" in earliest oral traditions.
posted by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
edited by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
Vincent-18 Bill Vincent Ph.D.
I'm not suggesting that all the claims are realistic, but only that a simple connection to a woman named Nicketti is possible (not proven.) The oral history dates from at least before John Floyd (1783-1837) who named his daughter, Nicketti.
posted by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
edited by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
Parks-2399 Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Regardless of who in later generations repeated the story, there is no documentation for any of the people involved and there is documentation to refute many of the claims.
posted by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Vincent-18 Bill Vincent Ph.D.
Nicketti Buchanan (Floyd) Johnston (1819 - 1908) was the daughter of John Floyd (1783 - 1837), the 25th Governor of Virginia, and his wife Letitia (Preston) Floyd. Thus, the oral history of Nicketti must have been well-known to John Floyd, who was the 3rd-great grandson of Elizabeth (Hughes) Davis, and {reportedly) the 4th-great grandson of Nicketti (Powhatan) Hughes.
posted by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
edited by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
Parks-2399 Kathie (Parks) Forbes
A recent update of the 1895 "Cabells and their Kin", called "20th Century Cabells and their Kin" by Randolph Cabell says, "Mary Davis was the daughter of Nathaniel Davis and an unknown wife... Nathaniel Davis is said to have come from England or Wales to America. It is estimated he was born about 1658. It is not known who his wife was...
posted by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Parks-2399 Kathie (Parks) Forbes
These two profiles should be merged. It would be great if someone could provide actual documentation. The Cabell book is just repeats a family story.
posted by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
Hughes-15901 and Hughes-381 appear to represent the same person because: I'm re-starting this merge proposal (which was previously rejected). She was previously attached to the wrong Nathaniel Davis (a Massachusetts man) and his Massachusetts-born children. Those relations have been detached and she's now ready to be merged into her Virginia duplicate. Thank you.
posted by Jillaine Smith
Smith-32867 Jillaine Smith
The Woburn VR marriage for 31 March 1675

was between a Nathaniel Davis and Mary Converse, Mar. 31, 1675. Totally different couple. I'm going to detach Richard Thomas Davis, make him the Nathaniel Davis of Woburn and probably merge him away into an existing man of that name.

posted by Jillaine Smith
Parks-2399 Kathie (Parks) Forbes
I believe they only came into existence in “The Cabells and their Kin” from 1895, which clearly states that it is a family story, not documented.
posted by Kathie (Parks) Forbes
Vincent-18 Bill Vincent Ph.D.
The oral history dates from at least before John Floyd (1783-1837) who named his daughter, Nicketti.
posted by Bill Vincent Ph.D.
Thornton-1836 Jeanie (Thornton) Roberts
Mary and Nathaniel are the linch-pins in the Floyd/Davis connection to NIcketti. This profile should only be married to Nathaniel Davis and have four children. Martha, Abadiah, Robert and I think a Nathaniel Jr.
posted by Jeanie (Thornton) Roberts
Parks-2399 Kathie (Parks) Forbes
No evidence either Mary or Nathaniel existed, but she wasn’t married to Pollard or to someone in Massachsetts.
posted by Kathie (Parks) Forbes

Rejected matches › › Mary (Mullins) Hughes (1853-1920) › Mary Jane (Baker) Hughes › Mary E. Hughes › Mary Susannah (Baker) Hughes (abt.1720-1764) › Margaret M. (Hughes) Moody › Mary Hughes (abt.1886-) › Mary (Hughes) Wade › Mary (Hughes) Marshall (abt.1813-1853) › Mary Eugenia (Hughes) Hall › Mary Hughes › Mary (Hughes) Howard (abt.1724-) › Mary (Hughes) Lewis (abt.1835-) › Mary (Hughes) Jones › Mary Etta (Hughes) Robinson (1864-1910) › Mary (Hughes) Herrick › Mary (Hughes) Trumbo (abt.1774-) › Mary Ann (Hughes) Hesketh (1819-1864) › Mary (Hughes) Morrison (abt.1810-) › Margaret E. (Messimer) Mirrell (1860-)

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