The Oklahoma territory was beginning to be settled by white homesteaders. The land was acquired by "Runs" & Lottery, a Run being a race for a claim at a specific time.
Harvey's first wife died, the cause is some what a mystery.
To we, the decedents of H. B. Davis, one story was, she was bitten by a snake and died of poison. The other story will be continued later when we pick up Grandpa's story in the Indian Nations better known as Grove, Oklahoma.
Meanwhile, and going back to 1863 during the war between the states and Abe Lincoln was president (16th). A girl was born in the Indian Nations to white settlers. She was named Nettie, this happy event took place on the 29th of January 1863 (Note: This girl was 6 years older than Harvey B. Davis). She married a man by the name of Turner and moved to Petersburg, Illinois where on June 26, 1883 at the age of 20 years she had her first son and named him Hardy.
Nettie Turner's husband died, his death is unknown by this writer in may have been in the 1893 "Run" to the Cherokee outlet in the "Sooner" state of Oklahoma. Many people did die in the "Runs" or were killed for jumping the gun (this is where the term "Sooner" comes from, namely people who moved in on the claims before the specified time for the "Run").
We do know that Nettie Turner and her son Hardy were in the Grove, Oklahoma area when Grandpa, H. B. Davis arrived with his only child Maude May. This was some time after the beginning of 1895, during Grover Cleveland's 2nd term as the 24th president of USA. John L. Sullivan was the bare knuckles champion of the world.
These were turbulent times with the Cuban Revolution under way and the Spanish-American war only 3 years off (1898). Harvey B. Davis came to Oklahoma territory looking for a man. (Note: This being the other story of H.B.'s first wife's death.) It was told by Hardy Turner who was 13 or 14 years old at the time. Maude May was about 10 years old. the story is that Grandpa Davis left his daughter with Nettie Turner (widow) and carrying a gun on either hip went into the Indian Territory looking for a man who had something to do with his wife's death. He was gone about 3 months and when he came back he never spoke of it again but seemed to be satisfied, put away his guns and started a homestead in Grove, Oklahoma. It seems that although Nettie Turner was older then Harvey Broone Davis her Irish ancestry and kindness in keeping Maude May drew Harvey to her. They were married in Grove, Oklahoma in late 95 or early 1896, no one seems too sure on the exact date. Hardy Turner had his name changed to Harvey Hardy Davis.
Born to this union in Grove, Oklahoma were:
- Edna Ruth Davis, January 18, 1897
- Luther Broone Davis, March 10, 1899 (Writer's father)
- Earl Ramon Davis, April 9, 1901
- Magnolia Davis, November 20, 1903