Macoupin County
ILGenWeb

Biography - ALFRED DAVIS

The family of which Alfred Davis is a representative is an old and well known one in Macoupin county, where the family was established only a few years after the admission of Illinois into the Union. Mr. Davis was born in Brighton township, on the 8th of December, 1840, and within the borders of the county he has since continued to make his home He is a son of William J. and Margaret (McPeak) Davis, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee respectively. The father came to Macoupin county in 1829, locating in Brighton township, and here engaged in farming until 1844, when he took up his abode near Woodburn, where he continued to reside until his death, on the 24th of February, 1865. His wife had passed away in 1860. In their family were seven children, as follows: Elizabeth, Cynthia and Barbara, all deceased; Alfred, of this review; Martha, also deceased; David, a resident of Beaver Dam Lake; and Mary, who has likewise passed away.

Alfred Davis acquired a good education in the common schools of Bunker Hill township and after putting aside his text-books learned the blacksmith’s trade, which he continued to follow, while residing at home, until the outbreak of the Civil war. He then offered his services ho the Union and for nine months served as a private in the One Hundred and Fifty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry. After returning home he purchased his father’s farm near Woodburn in 1866, and later removed to Brighton township, where he carried on agricultural pursuits until four years ago, when he sold his farm to his son and, with a substantial competence which he had been able to acquire, he took up his abode in Woodburn, where he now owns a comfortable home and six town lots. He has now put aside all business cares and is living retired, enjoying in well earned rest the fruits of his former years of toil.

In 1862 Mr. Davis was married to Miss Sarah Elizabeth Goodman, and by this union were born ten children, namely: Margaret and Alfred, both of whom are deceased; James J., who owns the old homestead farm; John, a resident of Beaver Dam Lake; Amos, of Edwardsville; Addie, the wife of Herman Elies, of Woodburn; George, who lives in Nebraska; Hattie W., residing at Bethalto, Illinois; Ida, who married Hiram Eddington, of Brighton, Illinois; and Minar A., deceased. Mrs. Davis died February 3, 1895.

The religious faith of Mr. Davis is indicated by his membership in the Congregational church, while politically he supports the republican party. Having spent his entire life within the boundaries of Macoupin county he is widely and favorably known here and is recognized by his fellowmen as a worthy representative of an honored pioneer family.


Extracted 15 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 390-393.


Design by Templates in Time
This page was last updated 07/01/2022