Montgomery County PA Archives Biographies.....Davis, Captain Jesse Bean June 9, 1815 - November 19, 1896
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Source: Biographical Annals of Montgomery County Pennsylvania, T. S. Benham & Company and the Lewis Publishing Company, 1904
Author: Ellwood Roberts, Editor

CAPTAIN JESSE B. DAVIS. For many years one of the best-known 
and most popular men of Montgomery county was Captain Jesse 
B. Davis of Norristown. His ancestors were Welsh and they 
were early settlers in America. The family is a large one 
and widely scattered over the counties of Chester, 
Montgomery and Bucks.
  Hon. Roger Davis, the first of the family of whom anything 
definite is known, was a noted physician. He practiced in 
Charlestown township, Chester county. He was a Democrat in 
politics and represented his district in congress for two 
terms, from 1812 to 1816. That he was popular and filled the 
position acceptably to his constituents is shown by the fact 
that he was given two terms, as was also his immediate 
successor, Dr. William Darlington, another Democrat, who 
sustained, as his predecessor had clone, the administration 
of President Madison and the war for free commerce and 
sailors' rights, Dr. Davis having taken his seat just prior 
to the declaration of war against England, in the session of 
congress of 1812.
  Dr. Roger Davis married Sarah Jones. Their eldest son, 
after the Welsh custom, was named Jones Davis. He was born 
in Charlestown township, March 7, 1788. After receiving a 
good education he studied medicine, graduating at an early 
age. His younger brothers, Roger and Thomas, also studied 
medicine, the latter afterwards becoming eminent as a 
practitioner at Trappe, and still later at Evansburg, where 
he died. He married Sarah Reiff. Their only child was a 
daughter, Mary Davis, who is still living, and resides in 
the Dr. Davis mansion.
  Dr. Roger Davis, the youngest of the sons, also practiced 
medicine, but died of Asiatic cholera in 1832.
  As soon as he had graduated, and immediately after the 
declaration of war with Great Britain, Dr. Jones Davis 
offered his services and was appointed surgeon's mate by 
President Madison. His commission, still in existence, 
signed by the president, bears date July 6, 1812, showing 
that he entered the service within a month after the 
declaration of war. He was attached to the Sixteenth 
Regiment of regular infantry, and at once marched by land to 
the Canada border. He was with his regiment at Lundy's Lane 
and at the sortie at Fort Erie, under Colonel (afterwards 
General) Winfield Scott. He aided in dressing the wounds of 
Colonel Scott received in the action at the fort. With his 
brigade he marched to Lake Champlain and he was for a short 
time stationed at the famous Fort Ticonderoga. After two 
years' service he left the army and began the practice of 
his profession at Pughtown, Chester county. On March 14, 
1814, he married Charlotte, daughter of Jesse Bean, of 
Norriton township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Their 
children were seven in number.
  Jesse B., the subject of this sketch was born June 9, 
1815. Samuel, born April 25, 1817, married Mrs. Margaret 
Emery. They had one son, Jones, now deceased. Samuel J. 
Davis died of pneumonia. He was buried in Pikeland cemetery 
in Chester county. Hannah Matilda, born January 23, 1819, 
married William B. Shupe, and both are now deceased. William 
B., born March 9, 1821, died February 8, 1832. John R., born 
March 27, 1822, died August 9, 1900. He was a coal operator 
at Scranton, where he acquired a large fortune. He married 
Miss Jessie Corson. They had two children, one of whom died 
in infancy and the other is Mrs. Mathews, of Scranton. Mrs. 
Davis having died, John R. Davis married his first wife's 
sister Augusta, and they had two children, Annie and Walter 
E.  Charles Thomas, born December 14, 1830, married Hannah 
Slingluff. Their children are John R., Elizabeth A., 
Charlotte R., Hannah Matilda, and Sarah Ellen. Charles T. 
Davis is a farmer and resides on the Davis homestead, near 
Shannonville, now Audubon, in a house built by a French 
refugee more than a century ago.
  Sarah Ann, married Jackson Miller, and resides at 
Jeffersonville. Their children: Emeline, Mrs. Elizabeth 
Ambo, Eleanor, Eliza K., and two sons, who died in infancy.
  After practicing medicine and following other employment 
for several years in Chester county, Dr. Jones Davis removed 
with his family in 1824 to Norriton township, near 
Jeffersonville, where he resided until 1828, when he, being 
an active Democratic politician, was nominated in the party 
convention for the office of sheriff of Montgomery county, 
to which he was elected. His commission was issued by 
Governor Schultze, and he served the full term of three 
years. During a part of this time, in addition to his 
official duties, he ran the Pawling grist mill at the foot 
of Swede street, Norristown. In 1832 he removed to Lower 
Providence township, where, in connection with his brother, 
Dr. Thomas Davis, he was extensively engaged in the practice 
of medicine, having his residence on a farm north of 
Jeffersonville which he eventually bought. In 1842 Dr. Jones 
Davis was elected prothonotary of Montgomery county on the 
Democratic ticket, succeeding Josiah W. Evans. He served 
three years, having James B. Evans as his deputy.
  He died September 18, 1860, his remains being interred in 
the burying-ground at St. James church, Evansburg, of which 
his wife had been a member for some years. His wife died 
October 26, 1845, resting in the same cemetery.
  Captain Jesse Bean Davis was born at Pughtown, Chester 
county, where his father was then practicing his profession. 
He was educated in the public schools of the vicinity and in 
the Mantua Military School, Philadelphia, graduating from 
the latter in 1842, with the rank of second lieutenant. He 
secured the position of bookkeeper in the wholesale grocery 
of Marshall & Kellogg, Philadelphia, remaining two years. He 
then took charge of his father's farm and managed it for 
several years. Having a military education, he joined 
Captain Mathey's Democratic troop and trained with it for 
seven years. He then organized a company of artillery called 
the "Washington Grays," being elected its captain. During 
twelve years that he held this command he served in the 
Native American riots in Philadelphia in 1844. Soon after 
the company disbanded, in 1855, he was elected clerk of the 
courts, on the Democratic ticket, serving three years. In 
the legislative session of 1858-9 he was appointed 
transcribing clerk of the state senate. Previously Captain 
Davis had been elected colonel of the One Hundred and Ninth 
Regiment Pennsylvania State Militia. He also served for a 
time as major of its First Battalion.
  Captain Davis was several times a candidate for the 
legislature, but was unsuccessful. In 1878 he was nominated 
and elected to the responsible office of county 
commissioner, serving three years. In 1868 he was named for 
prison inspector by judge Chapman, being reappointed by 
Judge Ross in 1871. Part of the time of his six years' 
service he was president of the board. He was an earnest and 
efficient advocate of retrenchment and economy. Having begun 
dealing in live stock in 1860, in 1868 he bought a lot and 
erected buildings at Jeffersonville. He soon became the 
leading drover of the vicinity.
  Jesse B. Davis married Eleanor A., daughter of John and 
Hannah Shannon, of Norriton township. His wife was a member 
of an old and highly respected family in that section of the 
county. The couple had two children, John S. and Charlotte 
E., the latter now owning the old homestead of Captain 
Davis, No. 534 Swede street, and residing in it. Miss Davis 
has in her possession her grandfather's sword and his 
commission as surgeon's mate, as well as other cherished 
family relics, many of which have been handed down in the 
family by inheritance for more than a century.
  Captain Jesse B. Davis died November 18, 1896, and his 
wife passed away November 19, 1881. Both were interred in 
Montgomery cemetery.

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