| 8. | DAVISSON Maj. Daniel was born in 1748 in Millstone River, Middlesex Co., NJ (son of Sr. Obadiah Davisson and Elizabeth); died in 1819 in Clarksburg, Harrison Co., WV. Notes:
In 1773, Daniel and Prudence built a log cabin on Elk Creek in Harrison County, VA on the present day site of Clarksburg, WV. Their claim on 400 acres of land was recognized when the land commissioner sat in Clarksburg in 1781. By 1778, Davisson had permitted a number of settlers to build cabins adjacent to his. One cabin joined another to form a wall that made the little village a fort. In that time of Indian raids, a fort was a necessary consideration.
At its first meeting near Buckhannon in 1784, the Harrison County Court decided to place the county buildings on Daniel Davisson’s. George Jackson asked permission at the same meeting to build a dam and grist mill on Elk Creek about a hundred yards from the edge of the village. Daniel is everywhere in the court records of the 1780’s. He viewed the road “to Levi Shinn’s”, filled and order to “to build stocks, whipping post, and pillory” in 1785 and collected a shilling for candles he furnished the justices in 1786. He accepted a place on the committee to superintend construction of a building for Randolph Academy in 1788 and proved to the court that he worked 20 days in 1788 and 30 days in 1790 as a commissioner helping to cut a road from the State Road near Kingwood to the mouth of the Little Kanawha River. In 1788, he presented the court his commission as a Captain in The Virginia militia.
The Harrison County court ordered a courthouse erected in 1787 and by 1790, Daniel had built a residence and “ordinary” across the street. This establishment functioned as a store, hotel, restaurant and meeting place. In 1790, the county court accepted Hezekiah Davisson in place of Daniel “to keep the road in repair from for of Elk in Clarksburg to Limestone Creek and from the courthouse to the mouth of the Elk”.
Apparently the Davisson establishment served an an unofficial adjunct to the Courthouse. By 1795, the court authorized Daniel to “keep the courthouse key and to sweep the courthouse clean for a year at 15 shillings.” By 1800, the court allowed Daniel $12.50 for his room to hold court for 1 year.
In 1799, Daniel was commissioned a Major in the 11th Regiment of the Virginia Militia. That year the governor received Daniel’s name as a man likely to be a justice of Harrison County. Daniel was voted a delegate to thwe Virginia Assembly in 1801 and in 1802. In 1817, Daniel was appointed High Sheriff of Harrison County for 1 year. Prudence (Izzard) Davisson died in 1806 and Daniel in 1818.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
"Clarksburg, A Bicentennial Album"
"History of Harrison County WV" p.153
From:
A History and Genealogy
The Davissons
Twelve Generations
1630-1992
Davidson-Davison-Davisson Families
By Russell Lee Davisson published 1993.
Major Daniel Davisson (Obadiah, Josiah, Daniel) was born in the Millstone Valley of New Jersey, circa 1748; he died at Clarksburg, Virginia, in 1819; Daniel Davisson is buried at the Hopewell Baptist Grounds, near West Main and Chestnut streets, at Clarksburg, Harrison County, Virginia (West Virginia), now the Daniel Davisson DAR Cemetery. He was probably married in 1772, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Prudence Izzard, daughter of George Izzard of South Carolina; said to be a niece of Aaron Burr; she died circa 1806(?) (deed 1808). Her name was variously spelled as Izzard and Izard, but the later spelling is used by her Davisson progeny.
His 400-acre settlement right made in 1773, and certified in 1781, included the principal part of Clarksburg between Elk Creek and the West Fork River. His cabin was allegedly located on Chestnut Street between Pike and Main streets. From being the first settler, he is known as the "Proprietor of Clarksburg." He later built a large stone building on the northwest corner of Second and Main streets where he live for many years. For a long time he kept an ordinary, a tavern or eating house serving regular meals, which was authorized by the county court held 18 September 1787. The author's grandfather told him that next to Daniel Davisson's ordinary was a large livery where he also provided stall hay and oats for the horses of his customers.
Major Davisson was one of the leading men of the county. He took part in the revolutionary struggle being commander of Nutter's Fort. His revolutionary service is referred to in the pension affidavit of his brother Isaac mentioned previously. At the court held on 18 March 1785 he was awarded a contract for the erection at Clarksburg of stocks, a whipping post and pillory. At the following April court he was named surveyor of a highway in "Monongalie," Harrison and Ohio counties, Virginia. Daniel and Hezekiah Davisson were appointed to a commission to locate the road. In 1788, these same Davissons were named trustees for Randolph Academy, then authorized by the General Assembly of Virginia. He was a delegate to the House of Burgesses in 1801-1803. At the age of sixty-nine years, in 1817, he was named high sheriff for Harrison County by the governor of Virginia.
The earliest record of the building of a church in Clarksburg is contained in a deed from Daniel Davisson dated June 21, 1790, which convenes to the "Congregation of Regular Baptist member of Hopewell Church and their successors, in consideration of ten shillings, a lot containing three rods and seven perches." This lot is located on the south side of what is now Main Street, just west of Chestnut Street, and was used a a burial ground from 1788 until shortly after the close of the Civil War. The Daniel Davisson Chapter of the DAR was named in his honor. The chapter currently maintains the burial grounds as a historic site; the church and most grave markers have long disappeared.
Died:
Interment: 1818 Hopewell Baptist Church (now Daniel Davisson DAR Cemetery)
Maj. married IZARD Prudence in 1772 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA. Prudence was born in 1750 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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1877 - 1946 (69 years)