by Alfred W. Davis

This will become so much more than just a book.
Helpful information so you don't miss out...

The Davis story actually started in the British Isles many years ago. The name Davis is from Welch ancestry, but this writers grandfather claimed more Scotts-Irish ancestry about how the Davis clan came to America. We do know they settled in what is now the state of 

Tennessee where my Grand-father Harvey Broone Davis was born in the town of known as Knoxville.

This was on September 2, 1869. the war between the state had only ended four years before (1865). Ulysses S. Grant the famous Union General had just been elected the eighteenth president of the USA and 22 days after Grandpa, H. B. Davis was born. President Grant ordered the U.S. treasury to sell four million dollars worth of gold, this created the panic on Wall Street known in history as "Black Friday" September 24, 1869.

Grandpa never talked very much about his family, but he did tell us he had one brother, who they called "Doc". "Doc" was younger then Grandpa, H. B. and left home in his early teens. The last the family heard from "Doc" he was a conductor, on a train, working in the deep southern states.

Young Harvey B. Davis worked in a stone quarry near Knoxville. One evening on his way home from work he stopped at a farm and brought a quarter of beef. Continuing his walk home, it was just getting dark, when he heard what sounded like a woman's scream. He stopped to listen and heard some rocks tumbling on the slope behind him. He realized what he had heard, was a panther, so he quickly dropped the quarter of beef and did a three minute mile home.

Harvey was married in Tennessee, he was only 17 years old and his first daughter, Maude May Davis, was born December 7, 1886. Grover Cleveland is president now (22nd) and in October, 1886 the Statue of Liberty was unveiled in New York Harbor.

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

In 1905 Grandpa & Grandma Davis with Harvey, Maude May, Edna, Luther, Earl and Magnolia all moved to Calhan, Colorado about 40 miles east of Colorado Springs to home stead. 

Already there, were some folks who are to play an important part in the family in the coming years. People like Dick Easom a young energetic little fellow, and a family of Culbertson's. When the folks moved into this lush land the buffalo grass was belly high on the horses and the soil rich for growing corn and beans, the main food crops still grown in the dry land (non-irrigated) of eastern Colorado.

1. Oleta
2. Henry
3. Ivy
4. Hazel
5. Ellen

John Williams Culbertson, this writers maternal Grandfather was a descendent of English and Welch ancestors. It is claimed that we go clear back to the Feudal Lords one in particular in the "House of Duncan". An English sea captain named named John Culbertson was actively engaged in bringing immigrants to the New England territory. He later settled in Iowa area having married a Cherokee Indian maiden.

1. Perry

2. Lillian 

3/4. Two sister who died in the early 1890's during the Pueblo flu epidemic 

5. Clarence

6. Louis

7. Roy

8. Mable

9. Earl

10. Ted

11. Winnie Pearl (Writers Mother)

1. Edith

2. Hazel

3. Richard (Deaf)

4. Ethel

Perry & Clara separated in the later years. Perry died in Long Beach, California in 1972.

1. Floyd

2. Nadine

3. Dorothy

1. Wendell

2. Marvin

3. Alta

1. Ella May
2. Alfred William
3. Lorraine
4. Buelah
5. Martha Dee
6. Janie

Aunt Mable married the young energetic little homesteader, afford mentioned, Dick Easom. They had eight children and raised them all on the same place the Dick Easom homesteaded in 1905. The children were:

1. Leslie
2. Marjorie
3. Lyle
4. LeRoy
5. George
6. Margaret
7. June
8. Florence

1. Pearl
2. Ruby
3. Betty

As you recall in Chapter III "Colorado", we told you that Grandma Nettle Turner Davis died in childbirth. It was January 29, 1909 about 2 months before Teddy Roosevelt left the Presidency.

Grandpa Davis had six kids under age twelve including baby Noble. Maude May, and Edna were counted on to help with the younger Davis children.

In 1911 when Grandma Culbertson was widowed her youngest was 10 and her older sons were taking care of the place but with World War I not too far away and the Davis' needing a mother in the home a wedding was eminent.

It is now 1913, the first year of Woodrow Wilson's Presidency and the granting of power to Congress to levy and collect a Federal Income Tax. It was also the year when Grandpa Davis' eldest son, Luther Broone, was 14 years old and his youngest child, Noble James was 4 years old.

Grandma Eliza Culbertson's youngest girl, Winnie, was 12 years old. The exact date is unknown, but about this time Harvey B. Davis married Eliza Ellen Embry Culbertson merging the two families.

May, 1916 Grandpa Davis rode his pony into Calhan and told the County Clerk, "I want a license so my son Luther can marry my wife's girl, Winnie". This wedding took place May 8, 1916 and to this union was born six children:

1. Francis Harvey Davis, April 25, 1917, "Frank" was the first baby boy born in the St. Francis Hospital at Colorado Springs, Colorado hence his name Francis. The proceeding February 28, 1917 was the date U. S. declared war on Germany in World War I. Dad, Luther B. Davis, was under 21, farming and had a family when conscription of American Expedition Forces (AEF) started in May 1917, so he did not have to go to war. Uncles Roy and Clarence Culbertson served in the AEF.

2. Viola Pearl Davis was born in 1919. She died as an infant. A midwife was used with her birth as well as the last four boys.

3. The 2nd son was born February 2, 1921. He was named after Aunt Mabel's husband Dick Elmer Easom and a neighbor by the name of Oney Johnson. Elmer Oney Davis was raised as the middle child of the 3 boys that lived. Warren G. Harding was just starting his term as 29th President of the U.S. when Elmer was born.

4. Alfred William Davis, October 10, 1922. I am the writer of this account of the Davis family. Third son of Luther Broone Davis and Winnie Pearl Culbertson Davis. I got the name Alfred from my Mother's brother Alfred Leroy Culbertson, here to fore, just referred to as "Roy". The name, William, of course comes from Mom's dad, John Williams Culbertson. Harding was still President. About the only other thing of importance that happened in 1922 was the opening of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C..

5. Leonard Luther Davis was born in 1924 and died as an infant.

6. Alvin Leroy Davis was born in 1926 and also died as an infant. I have vague recollections of this event. Elmer and I asked to stay out in the yard while all the excitement was taking place in the house.

The deceased sister, Viola and the two brothers, Leonard and Alvin are buried in Country Cemetery near the old Columbine School house just north of Rush, Colorado.

You may recall in Chapter II "Oklahoma" Harvey "Grandpa" Davis and Nettie Turner Davis had Earl Ramon and Magnolia, then in Chapter III "Colorado" Ethel Ralene and Noble James were born.

Uncle Earl Davis never married. He will be mentioned in future chapters because he stayed pretty close to home, living with Grandpa Davis and helping with the chores as long as Grandpa had a place of his own.

Magnolia was raised by the Calhan Banker, D. D. Moberly. Aunt "Nola" told this writer that Mr. Moberly came over to the Davis homestead to take one of the boys to live with him and help around the house. Grandpa Davis said "you can't have the boys, I need them, but you can have THAT girl" referring to Aunt Nola. To this day Aunt Nola says "My Dad gave ME away".

She later met a "Greenhouse" farmer in Colorado Springs, Floyd Knox, raised her family, 2 girls and a boy, at 1118 E Uintah St. She still lives at the same place at the time of this writing.

The kids names are:

1. Jaunita
2. Ralph
3. Betty

Ethel Ralene married Alfred Thompson and had four children:

1. Gertrude
2. Mildred
3. Alfred "Taffy"
4. Billy - Deceased

Aunt Ethel is still living in Colorado. Gertrude and her family as well as "Taffy" also live in Colorado. Mildred married Bill Walters and they live in Tacoma, Washington.

Noble James Davis, we will continue his story in the coming chapter titled "Idaho"

coming soon...