DAVISON Almon Melvin

Almon married BELL Mary Loretta on 01 Nov 1891 in Petersburg, Menard Co., IL. Mary was born on 30 Dec 1874 in Menard Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. DAVISON Edith Belle was born on 16 Sep 1892 in Cantrall, Sangamon Co., IL; died on 09 Aug 1893 in Cantrall, Sangamon Co., IL.
2. DAVISON Ethel was born on 19 Apr 1894.

Notes:

BIOGRAPHY: Almon A. Davison was occupied with raising vineyards, nursery and gardens.

BIOGRAPHY: He was born on the old homestead in a house down by the brook, just midway between two Christmases. He don’t remember of ever weighing less than ten pounds. He was not pretty like his older brother, nor like his sister, who came one and one-half years later. His mother was heard to say, she would be ashamed to take such a homely baby anywhere. He didn't seem to care much, as it is an old saying, “the homeliest babies, make the prettiest grown people.” He grew up to be the tallest Davison in town. Might tell many funny things he said and did that would please the children, but the old folks would think it foolish. When he was nine days old, ground was broken by Charles Carroll, the last survivor of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, to build the first railroad in the United States, July 4, 1828. When ten or twelve years old, he carried stones, old rails, and poles and fenced off a strip of gorund by the roadside. In it he planted all sorts of trees and scrubs and flowers that would grow in odd spells, while his older brother, Daniel Harrison was in the house studying. Indicating when that young, what the two boys would be when they were grown. His father died before he was sixteen, and his mother told the boys they must go and hire out. That meant to go to Hoosick, NY and work for some rich farmer. He worked for a farmer in North Hoosick, NY and in a cotton factory in Bennington, VT, and at Hoosick Falls, NY. He then peddled milk in Hartford, CT. Also attended High School there. In 1851 he took Horace Greeley's advice, and went west. Landed at Groveland, IL, May 18, 1851. Bought land of Franklin Pierce, President of the United States, in the southwest corner of Sand Praire Township, Tazewell County, IL. Resided on the farm twenty-nine years. In 1880 he left the farm and moved to Manito, IL, where he still resides.

BIOGRAPHY: Is enjoying good health, has not a single bad habit, no tobacco, whiskey, nor patent medicine. Enjoying peace and plenty. Has been a life-long Christian and held many responsible positions in religious matters. Nearly thirty years as Superintendent of Sunday Schools. At present writing, he is all alone in his comfortable home, trying to complete “THE DAVISON RECORD” and get it ready for the publishers. He was a school boy at Cobb’s School, when the first telegraph was in operation. Can well remember the first LOCO MATCHES, and Dagureotypes, Sewing machines, Reaping machines and nearly everything else that is now in common use. All in one lifetime! Wonder what our great-grandchildren will live to see. Hope they remember us kindly, especially to the children of the “DAVISON FAMILY”. He and his wife had twelve children. (Written in 1905).

Almon married CHANDLER Abigail Millet on 29 Jan 1854 in Mason Co., MI. Abigail was born on 21 May 1838 in Minot, Androscoggin Co., ME; died on 21 Apr 1902 in Manito, Mason Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

After his father died, he bought out the heirs to the homestead where his father and grandfather had lived and died. He was a carpenter by trade, also a farmer. In 1837, he tore down the old house and built a new house on the same foundation where his father’s house had stood. That house was burned in 1848, while occupied by his widow, Malinda Maxon-Davison, and again rebuilt on the same spot. It stands there yet. Also the same old barn that grandfather Ezra Davison built.

Have a kodak picture of the house and barn, also a section of stone wall taken by Mrs. Minnie Arvilla (F.W.) Wilcox, of Minonk, IL in 1901. The fences and the old place are mostly stone walls. There are stones enough to fence the land in one acre fields and then have enough left to nearly cover the ground. The land produces good grass and the best potatoes and other vegetables, and SUCH GOOD APPLES.

We will remember the Greecy Greening, and the Barn apples, so mellow we could crush them in our hands. The Honey Sweeting, the Pobiquamp, that was large and just right for cooking without sugar; the White House Sweeting, a large striped sweet apple; the Cheesebrook, and the Rhode Island Greening; the juicy apple and the Streaked Sweeting; and many others that we well remember, and it makes our mouths water to think of them. The trees in the old orchard were nearly all gone when I was there in 1889.

Daniel P. M. Davison was a very ambitious man, but never enjoyed good health. He was exempt from military duty because of this. He died at age 39 years, 4 months, and 13 days. He took great interest in religious matters. He was Superintendent of the first Sunday School at Cobb’s School House. Was a Methodist, and held prominent offices in that Church. The preachers were frequent visitors, and prayer meetings were held at his house. He also held responsible offices in town. He was a good neighbor, a good father, and a good Christian. (A. A. Davison)

Daniel married MAXON Matilda on 14 Dec 1823. Matilda was born on 25 Mar 1806 in Woodford Co., IL; died on 30 Aug 1871 in Woodford Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
Interment: Sep 1871 Davison (Yankeetown) Cemetery, Clayton , Woodford Co., IL

Notes:

Although family tradition holds that Ezra enlisted when he was but 16, the first record of his service is his enlistment in Capt. Benjamin Durkee’s company of Matrosses, at Port Trumbull, Connecticut, August 12, 1782, his 17th birthday.

They took up land two miles northeast of Grafton Centre. the country was then a wilderness. They built a house, cleared the land of forest, planted on archard, and built stone walls, or fences. Panthers used to steal their sheep. Bears were in the woods. There were few settlers. No Church nor School House. The first school district was organized, Sept. 13, 1813, and they voted to build a school house on a man's land, whose name was Cobb. (It was always called the Cobb's school house.) It was sixteen feet square with an entry large enough to hold a load of wood. They levied a tax of $75.00, the rest was to be paid in work. Three or four generations of Davisons studied Webster's spelling book, Daboll’s arithmetic, and the English Reader, and perhaps got punished in the Cobb’s school house.

The first trustees were Daniel Mills, Foster Reynolds, and Bradick Peekham, Jr., moderator, Elisha Wells, Clerk Daniel Mills. A great many prominent men were educated in the Cobb's school house. About 1842, Van Ransellaer, the Patron, offered a set of outline maps, to the best school in Grafton, to be examined by a committee at the Church in Grafton Centre. We carried home the maps and were justly proud of it. I visited the spot in 1889. Found nothing but the foundation stones and thickly grownup weeds and brush. (A. A. Davison)

Ezra lived and raised his family on what we call the “Old Davison Homestead.”

Ezra married SMITH Diedamia on 24 May 1790 in Argyle, Penobscot Co., ME. Diedamia was born in 1774; died in 1853. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]