KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, and to all whom these presents may concern, be it known that I, John C. Davidson, of the County of Leavenworth and State of Kansas, being of mature age and sound mind and realizing the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death and being desirous of making full and complete provision for the final settlement and disposition of all my worldly goods and possessions after my dissolution, do hereby make and declare this my last Will and Testament.

First. It is my wish that all my just debts and funeral expenses, be first paid out of my estate.

Second. I give, devise and bequeath to my brother Thomas Davidson all of my property, both personal and real, during his natural life, and at his death, it is my wish, that said estate be sold and equally divided among my nephews and nieces, as follows: share and share alike, Clyde C. Davidson, one sixth; Bertha Howard, one sixth; Thomas Alexander Davidson, one sixth; Paul G. Davidson, one sixth; and Belle Norwine, daughter of my sister Martha J. Stafford, deceased, one sixth; Leta M. Davidson, one twelfth; John C. Davidson, one twelfth; the last two mentioned are children of my nephew John C. Davidson Jr., deceased and Hattie Davidson. The interest of said last mentioned children shall be paid to the Tonganoxie State Bank, to be held in trust for said Leta M. Davidson and John C. Davidson until they reach the age of majority.

I make constitute and appoint Thomas Davidson, without bond, of Leavenworth County and State of Kansas, executor of this my last Will and Testament, and I hereby _____ each and every will and codicil heretofore made by me.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 17th day of May 1918.

{signed} John C. Davidson

The foregoing instrument was subscribed in our presence and acknowledged to us by said testator, and subscribed by us at the request of said testator, in his presence and in hte presence of each other, this 17th day of May, A.D. 1918.

{Signed} {3 signatures}

Campbell A. Davidson of Leavenworth County, Kansas, age 28
Mary M. Haas of Leavenworth County, Kansas, age 18

Married 2 March 1873

Eliza Ann Stafford
vs
Elias Stafford}
And now on this day comes the said Plaintiff Eliza Ann Stafford by Green + Foster her attorneys and it appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that on the 22nd day of April AD 1871 a summons was duly served herein on the said Defendant Elias Stafford by the Sheriff of Leavenworth County, to whom the same was directed and delivered by delivering a c____ thereof to ___ the said Defendant personally at and within said Court of Leavenworth before the return day mentioned in said Summons and the said Elias Stafford still failing to f____ answer or de____ to the Petition of the said Plaintiff herein ____therefore this action being called for trial was submitted by said Plaintiff to the Court and came on for trial and to be heard by and before the court upon the Petition of said Plaintiff herein and the Evidence adduced and the Evidence and proof having been offered herein and the court having heard the same and being now well advised in the premises doth find for the said Plaintiff Eliza Ann Stafford and that her said Petition is true – and that said Plaintiff had been an actual resident in good faith of the state of Kansas for one year and more next preceding the filing of her Petition herein and that she was a resident of the said county of Leavenworth at the time of the filing thereof and the Court doth further find that said Plaintiff and Defendant were married as in said Petition is alleged and that said Defendant Elias Stafford is guilty of Adultery and of gross neglect of duty as charged and alleged in said Plaintiff’s Petition. It is therefore and for and because of the fault of said Defendant Elias Stafford __ of the Court now here considered ordered adjudged and decreed that the said Plaintiff and Defendant herein be divorced from the bonds of matrimony and that the marriage contract and relation heretofore existing between said Plaintiff and Defendant be and the same is hereby dissolved set aside and wholly annulled and the said Plaintiff wholly released from the obligations of the same: and it is further considered ordered and adjudged that the guardianship custody, support and education of Charles E. Stafford the minor child of said marriage mentioned in said Petition be entrusted to said Plaintiff and the said Defendant forever joined from in any manner interfering with her control guardianship custody or education of said minor – and it is further ordered that said Defendant be enjoined from claiming or exercising any right to the use benefit or enjoyment of any services or ____ of the said John M. Stafford a minor child of said marriage mentioned in said Petition and that said Plaintiff be entitled thereto. It is now by the court here further considered ordered and adjudged that said Plaintiff Eliza Ann Stafford as alimony __ have and recover of and from the said Defendant Elias Stafford the sum of one thousand dollars together with all her costs by her in and about their suit in the behalf ___ and that execution issue therefore and that the said Plaintiff Eliza Ann Stafford further have and recover as alimony of and from the said Defendant Elias Stafford the further sum of forty dollars per month from the present time ___ three months ___ and that the same be paid in quarter yearly installments of one hundred and twenty dollars each reckoning from this date and unless the said Defendant Elias Stafford shall and do for or cause to be ____ to the said Plaintiff Eliza An Stafford the sum of One hundred and twenty-dollars on the day of each and every January April July and October in each and every year from and for the present time, that execution shall issue therefore and if any of said installment or any portion thereof shall hereafter become due and be not then paid execution shall issue therefor together with the cost thereof.

There has been a bit of a mystery surrounding Martha Jane Davidson, sister to my husband’s great-great grandfather, Thomas Talbot Davidson.  I knew that she was married to a Dr. Elias Stafford and that she moved away, she was much younger than him (about 25 years), and that she seems to disappear.  Elias had been married before and had 4 children with his first wife, Eliza Ann.  I wrongly assumed that she had died and then he married Martha.

Apparently, he was having an affair with Martha.  He made his wife sign away their homestead, took the money and left with Martha – leaving his wife with nothing.  He was a physician and made around $2000 a year, so he had enough money to give her something to live off of.  No wonder why Martha and Elias left town.

State of Kansas
Leavenworth County} SS
In the District Court of Leavenworth County State of Kansas

Eliza Ann Stafford Plaintiff
vs
Elias Stafford Defendant } Petition

The said Eliza Ann Stafford the Plaintiff in this action complains of the said Elias Stafford the Defendant herein and Plaintiff avers that she has been an actual resident in good faith of the State of Kansas and of the County of Leavenworth in said State for one year and more next preceding the filing of this her Petition and that she is now at the time of the filing hereof of this Petition a resident of said County of Leavenworth – Said Plaintiff further avers that heretofor to wit on or about the 24th day of February AD 1848 she was married to said Defendant Elias Stafford at Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa and that said Plaintiff and Defendant then and there entered into the marriage contract and relation to and with each other – said Plaintiff further avers that ever since that time she hath upon her part conducted herself as a faithful and obedient wife towards the said Elias Stafford her said husband. And said Plaintiff avers that the said Elias Stafford the said Defendant disregarding his duties of a husband toward this Plaintiff his said wife was on or about the 5th day of January AD 1871 Guilty of Adultery with one Martha Jane Davidson and that said Defendant has been and is guilty of Adultery with said Martha Jane Davidson on dies other days and times before and since that time in said County of Leavenworth and at or near Tonganoxie in said County the precise times and places of said offense being unknown to the Plaintiff – said Plaintiff further avers that said Defendant in further disregard of his duties toward this Plaintiff as his said wife was on the day and year aforesaid and on ____ days and times before and since that time guilty of extreme cruelty toward said Plaintiff and gross abuse of her in that he said Defendant caused this Plaintiff and with threats put this Plaintiff in fear of personal violence at the hands of said Defendant and said Defendant was on said ____ ____ day and ever since that time hath been and is guilty of a gross neglect of his duty towards this Plaintiff his said wife in this that about this time he sold and conveyed the homestead of this Plaintiff & Defendant and by undue means.
compelled this Plaintiff to join him in a deed therefor and when he said Defendant received the consideration of + for such sale + convey such, he said Defendant then abandoned this Plaintiff and has since that time refused to live with her and has failed ever since that time to furnish her with food or clothing but did then go away and to parts unknown with said Martha Jane Davidson and in wild and reckless living did waste and spend the money, the proceed of said sale of said homestead as aforesaid. Said Plaintiff further avers that there has been born to said Plaintiff and Defendant four children two of whom are still under the age of majority. Said Plaintiff avers that she has no means to support herself or said children or to provide for their maintenance and education – Said Plaintiff further avers that said Defendant is a practicing physician of sill and ability in his profession +  that he is thereby enabled to make and receive moneys sufficient for the support of himself and this Plaintiff and his said children and that the annual income to said Defendant from the practice of his said profession has been heretofore about two thousand dollars per year, ____ which said Defendant has other means and property the amount and value of which is unknown to this Plaintiff – Said Plaintiff now therefore prays that she be divorced from the bonds of matrimony with said Defendant and that the marriage contract and relation heretofore existing between this Plaintiff Eliza Ann Stafford and said Defendant Elias Stafford be dissolved and held for naught and this Plaintiff released from all obligations of the same. Said Plaintiff further prays that such divorce be granted for + because of the fault of said Defendant and that he be forever barred from any claim in or to any property which may be acquired by this Plaintiff.  Said Plaintiff further prays that she be decreed the custody control and management of said two minor children John M. Stafford aged 18 years and Charles E. Stafford aged 8 years and Plaintiff further prays the court that she be allowed such alimony out of the property of said Defendant as the court shall think reasonable not less than two thousand five hundred dollars in gross or three hundred dollars per annum in installments as the court may seem just and equitable and this Plaintiff prays for all such other and  further relief in the ____ as to the court should seem meet and proper and she ___  ____ entitled to.

Green + Foster  Atty for Plaintiff

State of Kansas
Leavenworth County} SS
Eliza Ann Stafford of lawful age and being duly sworn makes oath and says that she is the Plaintiff in the above entitled action. Affiant further makes oath and says that the foregoing petition in said action is true.
Eliza Ann Stafford [signed]
Signed in my presence and sworn before me this 18th day of April AD 1871
MJ VanDoren Notary Public

___ sais brough to obtain divorce alimony + custody of children + other relief for all of which __ petition. Clerk of District Court will please issue Summons to said Defendant returnable according to Law.
Green + Foster Attys for Plff

The four men sitting are the Campbell Alexander Davidson, Thomas Talbot Davidson, Matthew David Davidson, and John Caffrey Davidson.  I believe the man standing on the left is Earl Davidson (he is one of those that owned the place), and a son to Campbell Alexander.  I think that the man on the right might be Earl’s brother John, but I could be wrong (if you read this Mom Woods, please correct me if I’m wrong!!)

I’m not sure what year she graduated in, but she was born in 1915, so probably in the early 30′s.  She went to Tonganoxie High School in Tonganoxie, Leavenworth, KS.

I, William Stevens an ordained minister of the Gospel do hereby certify that I did on the 18th of January A.D. 1842 solemnize the rites of matrimony between John C. Davidson and Sophia Talbott both being of lawful age. Given under my hand this 14th day of February A.D. 1842.
William Stevens
Filed for record February 25th 1842
By William P. Matthews Do                        Eli Carter Clerk

Life in Kansas Territory at this time was definitely not dull!  Charles Dow was murdered on November 21, 1855, near Lawrence, KS.

John C Davidson called and sworn.

I live about 8 miles from here, and about 4 miles from Hickory Point. I know Mr. Buckley and Mr. Coleman and Mr. Hargous, and had seen Dow once or twice before he was killed. Since Dow was killed, I heard Mr. Buckley say, that on the day of the difficulty, he went to Mr. Hargous to help him kill a beef. At dinner time, Mr. Coleman came to Mr. Hargous’ with a gun and looked rather mad; and when asked to eat some dinner, said that he did not want any. They asked him what was the matter? And Coleman said he had been driven off his claim. There was nothing more said about it then; and Mr. Buckley said that after he got through dinner, he got on his horse and went to the grocery near Mr. McKinney’s to get some tobacco and a horn. From the grocery, he said he went to the blacksmith’s shop. At the shop he found Mr. Dow. Someone had told Buckley, so he said, that Dow had said something about him but he did not tell me what it was. He and Mr. Dow said, talked the matter over, and Mr. Dow denied ever saying anything of the kind; and he told me that everything was right between them. He did not tell me how he got to where Dow was killed, and he did not tell me he was there. He said that after Dow was killed, a Dr. Chapman came on, and Coleman said he wanted to give himself up. Buckley said that Mr. Coleman wanted him to go with him and he went to the mission with him. But he said if he had known that he would be implicated in the matter by going with Coleman, he would not have gone. Buckley told me that Coleman had shot Dow – that Mr. Dow had driven him off his claim. He said that before this, Mr. Dow had had his claim marked out, and when the reserve line was run, it threw Mr. Dow’s claim over on Coleman’s claim. Mr. Coleman was engaged in burning of lime, and Mr. Dow came and told him to stop; and he wouldn’t do it. And Dow went down and got Mr. Branson; and when Coleman saw them coming, he left. He told me that the controversy about the lime kiln took place the day of the murder. There were not witnesses subpoenaed in our neighborhood, and no examination made of the charge against Coleman that I know of.

John C Davidson
Lawrence, K.T. May 3, 1856

Ola Louise {Davidson} Weeks   (June 21, 1915- September 13, 2011)

This is my husband’s great-grandfather, Clyde Cleveland Davidson.

The picture was taken around Fall 1900 when he wore his first long pants.

I suppose I’ll have to take their word for it, because we actually can’t see his pants in this picture!

We’ll be heading up for the funeral this weekend, so I might be a little scarce on here for the next few days.

Louise was the matriarch of her family at 96 years old and was immensely helpful when I started on my genealogical journey 12 years ago.  She was full of so many wonderful family stories.

The last time we saw her was this past May and I was lucky enough to have interviewed her about her amazing birth story, which I posted earlier this month.  I will add it again here today for those of you who didn’t get a chance to watch it.  It’s remarkable to think that she lived such a  beautiful, long life after such a precarious beginning.

It’s hard to believe that she’s gone.

John Davidson was originally from Virginia.  He moved to Missouri, where he married Sophia Talbot. They then moved to present-day Douglas County, Kansas in 1854 and on to Leavenworth County in about 1863.

John was present at the 1855 Kansas election, a botched affair. It is so nice to be able to put him into the context of the turbulent times.  Missourians crossing the river just to vote.  But the testimony is also very helpful, because he gives specific dates that he moved (which I didn’t have) and there’s just something about knowing that this testimony is straight from his mouth.

The following was found in the book titled: Kansas Affairs (Report of the Special Committee appointed to investigate the troubles in Kansas with the views of the minority of said committee), by United States. Congress. House of Representatives, 34th Congress, 1st Session, printed in 1856.

He gave testimony in regards to the election of 30 March 1855.
John C Davidson recalled.
Examined by Mr. Reeder:
I was here at the election of March 30, 1855.  I moved into the Territory in July 1854, from Carroll County, Missouri.  I had moved to Missouri from Virginia in 1839.  I saw a large body of strangers encamped here on the day of the election in March 1855.  I was at one camp composed of men I knew in Carroll County when I lived there.  I had conversations with two of them upon the subject of their being here.  I do not recollect that they told me how many were here from Carroll County or from Missouri.  They told me they came here to vote; that they considered they had a right to vote here; that according to the way the Kansas-Nebraska bill was drawn up, they had a right to vote here while they were residing here, and they were residing here while they were here.  They said they came here to vote and intended to vote, and would not be driven from the polls; that each man of them was prepared to go eight rounds without loading and the ninth round with a butcher knife.  They said they had come into the territory some two or three days before the election and intended to go back as soon as the election was over.  They said they did not intend to settle here.  The men I talked with said they came from Carroll County.  I saw men here from Lexington that I was acquainted with, but had little conversation with them.  I do not recollect of seeing any men from other places I was acquainted with.

By Mr. Woodson:
The men I was talking with said that eastern men were coming up the river with pasted on the front of their hats, in large letters, that they intended to make Kansas a free state, and that they considered they had as good a right to come here and vote as the eastern men.  I did not hear any other reason given.

Thankfully, it is fenced in and well-maintained. And the owners of the farm even met us out there to help us find it.  They were very nice and helpful!  They have many ancestors buried there also.  I love that so many of the families in this area have stuck around for over a hundred and fifty years.

John and Sophia {Talbot} Davidson arrived in Kansas in 1854 and were amongst the first settlers in Douglas County.  They moved on to neighboring Leavenworth County after a number of years, but were still buried here since some of their children died before them and were laid to rest here. Their great-granddaughter {my husband’s grandmother} is still living in the same county.

John C. Davidson born Mar 24, 1809  died Feb 11, 1869.

Sophia F. Davidson born Feb 18, 1819 died Sept 7 1888.

I believe that this is John’s mother Mary {Caffrey} Davidson.
Mary Davidson born 1767 died Jan 9, 1860.

And here are two of their children who died young.

James F. Davidson born Dec 23, 1843 died Mar 4, 1859.  Hail I. Davidson born Mar 19, 1848 died Apr 8, 1866.

After you hear her birth story, you will be amazed that she has had such a wonderful, long life after she started out in such circumstances.

She had this beautiful picture of her (center) and her two sisters.   Don’t you just love it?  The old frame is gorgeous, too.

She said that the photographer actually took 3 separate shots and put them together into one.

As we sat there and visited, Ellie pulled out her pad of paper and pencil and started sketching.

Later, she filled her sketch in with watercolors and this is the final product.  She definitely doesn’t get her artistic skills from me, or they would have been stick people.   I’m so proud of her!

Three Accidents Prove Fatal

A succession of three accidents proved fatal to John Clifford Davidson last Thursday morning about half past eight o’clock, at the home of his father-in-law John Osborne five miles southwest of town.  Mr. Davidson was in his 23rd year and lived north of Pleasant Prairie school house.  The Sunday morning preceding his death he noticed the fire on the farm occupied by Shelby Walker and jumped on a horse, and rapidly rode several miles to the place of the flames.  He evidently injured himself in some way on the trip for he returned complaining of his back.  Tuesday morning he started with a hay rack to help Mr. DeHoff thresh over in the Pony Creek neighborhood.  In going down the Millar hill a neckyoke broke and the horses could not hold back the wagon on the steep incline.  There is a stone fence at the foot of the hill and one of the horses went over the fence and the hayrack was upset.  The rack caught Mr. Davidson and he was injured in his back again but he was able to put the rack back on unaided and keep on his journey.  After he had unloaded a load of wheat at the DeHoff place the wagon struck a small ditch and he was thrown on his back and injured a third time.  He, however held out till noon and after dinner started back home in a buggy.  When he got as far as his father-in-law’s he was in such pain that he could go no farther and he stopped.  Medical attention brought no relief from his injuries and he was in such pain that large quantities of morphine had to be administered to relieve him.  His sufferings ended Thursday morning.

Funeral services were held in Hubbel Hill Cemetery Saturday by Rev. Ballard, and the young man was there laid to rest.

John Clifford Davidson was born in this township December 18, 1890, and has spent all his life here.  On October 6th, 1910, he was united in marriage with Miss Hattie Bertha Osborn, who with one daughter survives him.  Beside the wife and baby he leaves a father, sister, and four brothers as well as many other relatives and friends to mourn his loss.

Card of Thanks

We wish in this manner to thank the many friends and neighbors for their kind assistance and sympathy during the sickness and death of our beloved husband, father, son, and brother.  We also desire to thank the Fraternal Aid, the singers and the pall bearers for their extra efforts, and for the beautiful floral offerings.

Mrs. Hattie Davidson and family. Thos. Davidson and family.

I find his death so heartbreaking.  He was so young (23), had only been married for 3 years, had  a young wife and a baby, and what this article doesn’t mention is that his wife was also pregnant.  He died on July 31st and his wife gave birth to a son on September 19th.

I wonder what his the injury to his back may have been.  It must have been pretty bad to have killed him.

John C. Davidson was my husband’s 3rd great-grandfather. He was born 24 Mar 1809 in Lynchburg, VA. He died 11 Feb 1869 in Kansas.

He is buried in the Ulrich Cemetery in Douglas County, KS (south of Lawrence). This cemetery is on a private farm. There are not many stones there and I’m hoping to do a tombstone census of it when I return to Kansas this May. I will definitely be taking a better picture of this stone!

Doesn’t she look lovely?

The picture is in the possession of my husband’s grandmother.  It is quite large and in a beautiful old frame.

I took these pictures while we were visiting Kansas this past October.  It looks like it belongs in a “hall of ancestors” doesn’t it?

My husband is a great woodworker.  He sanded the old varnish off and simply oiled it down.  Isn’t it beautiful?  The last part of his project is putting a new cushion on the seat.  I love old furniture, especially pieces that have family history like this one.

This is my husband’s great-grandfather, Clyde Cleveland Davidson as a boy.  I wish I could figure out what sort of pin he is wearing on his lapel and if it had any significance.

Clyde was born on 18 September 1888 in Leavenworth county, Kansas.  He died on 12 February 1971 in Tonganoxie, Leavenworth, Kansas.  I’m guessing that this photo was taken somewhere around 1900.

Brothers: Thomas Talbot Davidson, Matthew David Davidson, and John Caffrey Davidson.

Does anyone know what the medals are on their suits?

I know that Thomas was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Is this possibly related to that society?