Some DAVIS Family Documents
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Betty,
These wills and land records don't pertain to Jackson Co., but since they do pertain to some of the Davis descendants who lived there, I thought they may be of interest to other Davis researchers and you may want to post them on the Jackson county page.

I also have the estate papers of my 3rd great grandmother, Rebecca (Harvey) Davis - Devaughn which were filed in the courthouse at Marianna by her son John - she didn't leave a will so there are a lot of pages dealing with the division of her estate among her heirs which includes inventories of personal property, price and sale of slaves, etc. - are you interested in posting things like this on the page? If so, let me know and I will send that to you also.
Betty Norem

LAST WILL & TESTAMENT of JOHN DAVIS
Written 30 MAY, 1793, Effingham County, Georgia
Probated January 1794, Effingham County, Georgia

Record of the Last Will & Testament of piece of writing of John Davis, deceased, though not completed, but advertised for better than 30 days and no person complaining, therefore Established his Will & Testament by therefore Letters granted to William & Joseph Davis. Now the piece of writing is as follows:

(Viz) In the Name of God Amen.
I, John Davis, Being as I expect a leaving this life I recommend my soul to God that gave it and my Body to the Dust and to His world. Concerns I dispose of as follows:

(Viz) After my lawful Debts is paid, I give my True and Loving wife, Elizabeth Davis, one Negro woman named Phoeby, and one Negro boy named Adam; I give my sons Joseph, John, James, William & Samuel, ten pounds each, and George and Walter, twenty pounds each. My daughter, Nancy, twenty pounds, William Osteen, ten pounds, or at that rate equally divided according to the amount of the Estate. And respecting my lands at Buckhead, according to my Contract with William and Samuel, paying what monies I owe for said lands, it shall be their Right and Property. To my son, Walter, I give the Plantation we now live on, and the lands 'round about to George. The Boat shall be divided between William, Samuel, George and Walter.

May the 30th 1793
Witnesses present, signed:
Joseph Davis
George Davis
Agnes Davis
Elizabeth Osteen

We the subscribers, believing this Testament to be the Will & Desire of our Deceased Father, do freely and voluntary agree that the same should be executed agreeable to the Tennor of the same, witness our hands this 9th day of Sept 1793.

Signed: Joseph Davis
John Davis
Samuel Davis
Walter Davis
George Davis
Nancy Davis
William Davis

State of Georgia, Effingham County:
Personally appeared Mr. Joseph Davis and made Oath & Declared that at the request of his Father, John Davis, deceased, he wrote the within as his Last Will & Testament, and he believes that he was in his perfect senses at the time he wrote, and that it is as he desired him to write it, and after he wrote it he did read it to him and he was satisfied, but did not sign it, and the within named or signed as witnesses was present and that he was satisfied, names as thus, Joseph Davis, George Davis, Agnus Davis, and Elizabeth Osteen.

Sworn before me this 27th Jan 1794 Signed: Joseph Davis
A. C. Revost, R.P.E.C.

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LAST WILL & TESTAMENT of Elizabeth DAVIS
of Effingham County, Georgia, widow of John DAVIS
Written 2 June, 1793, Effingham County, Georgia
Probated January 1794, Effingham County, Georgia

Concerns I dispose of as follows:
(Viz) What my deceased husband gave me at his death I desire should be sold for as much as it will fetch and equally divided between my four children, Elizabeth, George, Ann and Walter, as witness my hand this second day of June 1793, and my desire is that my son, Joseph Davis, and Joshua Loper should see that this my last will should be fulfilled. The words 'four' and 'George' interlined (inserted) before signed in presence of Joseph Davis, Elizabeth Lanier (her mark), Joshua Loper.
Signed, Elizabeth Davis - X (her mark)
State of Georgia, Effingham County.

Personally appeared Mr. Joshua Loper and made oath and declared that he was present and did see Mrs. Elizabeth Davis make her mark & acknowledge it to be her last will and Testament and at the same time, did see Mr. Joseph Davis sign the same and Mrs. Elizabeth Lanier make her mark and that he himself did also sign his name as evidence and he verily believes that she was in her perfect senses at that time.
Signed, Joshua Loper
Sworn before me this 27 Jany 1794, Ravot R.P.E.C.:

We the subscribers, believing this Testament to be the will & Desire of our Deceased Mother do freely & voluntarily agree that the same should be Executed agreeable to the terms of the same.
Witness our hand this 9th September 1793.
John Davis
Sam'l. Davis
Wm. O'Steen
George Davis
Nancy Davis
Source:: Effingham County, Georgia Miscellaneous Records 1791-1819, Book 1.

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Georgia Land Warrants & Transactions
Land warrant for my 4th great grandfather, John DAVIS, Sr.

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State of Georgia
Effingham County

Warrant dated March 8th, 1790, Surveyed for John DAVIS who lives in this State, a Tract of 500 acres of land on the North side of the Great Ogechee (River), Bounded S. Westerly by land surveyed for Elias HODGES, land of  _______ (Osborn? Ogdon?), Great Ogechee River, Westerly by land unknown, and bounded South on all other sides by land vacant.
Certified by: John MOORE, CS (Certified Surveyer)
Scale of 20 Chains to an inch.
William OSTEEN, William DAVIS, CC (Chain Carriers)

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Book B - page 261 - 262 Bryan Co., GA

Georgia, County }This Indenture made the eleventh day of August in the year of Bryan }of our lord Eighteen hundred and one (1801) between Clement LANIER of the State aforesaid and County of Screven of the one part and George DAVIS of the aforesaid State and County of Bryan of the other part, Witnesseth that for and in consideration of the sum of twenty five dollars ($25) inhand paid by the said George DAVIS, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, hath granted bargained and sold and by these present doth grant, bargain, sell and confirm unto the aforesaid George DAVIS his heirs and assigns all that parcel of land supposed to contain one hundred acres (100 acres) being part of a five hundred acre Survey Originally granted unto the said Clement LANIER in the State aforesaid and County of Effingham at the time of the survey by now the County of Bryan, being the north side of said tract and adjoining the said DAVIS's land to the west and lands granted to John LANIER to the East and out by a marked line beginning at the Southwest corner of the tract of land granted to John LANIER and running in a direct course until it strikes the said DAVIS’s Land. Together with all and singular the rights, member ____appertenancy thereof whatsoever to the said parcel of land belonging as in any way assertaining and also all Estate right, title, claim and demandsof the said Clement LANIER his heirs and assigns aforesaid of in to of the same.

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said parcel of land and all and singular the premises (?) aforesaid with this and every of those rights, members, and appertinances to the said George DAVIS, his heirs and assigns to this _____ proper ______ ______ _______ for even in Fee simple ______witness whereof the said Clement LANIER have ______unto set his hand and seal the ____ year aforesaid

John LANIER
Henry Stewart
Clement LANIER (LS)

Georgia, (Bryan County ) Personally came before me Geofery SMITH, a Justice of the Peace for said county, John LANIER who being duly sworn and doth swear (?) and state he is a subscribing witness to the within written indenture of bargain and sale and that he saw the witness named Clement LANIER duly sign and seal ______ the same ______ such to be __________ also saw Henry STEWART subscribe his name as a witness there of.

John LANIER
Sworn to before me this
19th July 1801

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Sons of John DAVIS, Sr.

State of Georgia} This Indenture made the eighth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and four (1804) and in the Twenty eighth year of the Independence of the United States of America. Between Joseph DAVIS of the State and County of Chatham of the one part and George DAVIS of the same State and County of Bryan of the other part. Witnesseth that the said Joseph DAVIS for and in consideration of the sum of three hundred twenty five dollars ($325) to him in hand well and truly paid by the said George DAVIS at or before the sealing and delivery of these presents the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged him the said Joseph DAVIS hath granted , bargained, sold, aligned, released & confirmed, and by these presents doth grant bargain, sell align, release and confirm unto the said George DAVIS and to him his heirs and assigns forever, All That tract or parcel of land containing two hundred acres being the same more of less, being one half part of a four hundred acre survey originally granted John LANIER which other half part of said survey was conveyed by said John LANIER to George WOLF the same lying and being in the County of Effingham at the time of conveying but now the County of Bryan adjoining lands of Anne Mary LANIER and divided by a line beginning on the said Anne Mary LANIER's lands and running thence nearly a south west course to the west line of said county survey and being the South East half part of said Tract and do by these presents grant bargain and sell unto the aforesaid George DAVIS the above unoccupied Land Together with all said _____ houses, out houses, buildings, improve-ments, ___, fences, profits, priviledges, commodites and all the rights of title granted, inheritances benifits, claims, and demands whatsoever to the said Tract of land and all appertanances thereunto and in any wise appertanances to have and to hold the said tract of land and _____ singular the premisses above mentioned with their and of their rights , members and appertenances together with all and singular or things touching or anywise concerning the same or any part of the Profits being the only proper use and benefit and on behalf of the said George DAVIS his heirs and assigns forever and the said Joseph DAVIS his heirs and assigns the said lands and appertenances above mentioned and all and every part and parcel thereof unto the said George DAVIS his heir and assigns against hirn the said Joseph DAVIS will for ever warrant and defend by ____________.

In Witness whereof the said Joseph DAVIS has hereunto set his hand and seal the day and year above written.

Joseph DAVIS (LS)
Signed and Sealed in presence of }
Walter DAVIS
Eliza. (Lanier) DAVIS (wife of George)

acknowledged before me the seventeenth day of May 1805
John POOLE, JP
Recorded this 15th day of April 1806
Geo. M. MATERS, CIk

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Source: Copies received 3 June 1997 from: Thomas "Tom" Ray Davis, 5515 Pine Arbor Dr., Houston, TX 77066 - E-mail: [email protected] (descendant of Geo. Davis & Elizabeth Lanier)

From the Pascagoula, MS Library Genealogy Collection, submitted by Gloria G. Weir, P.O. Box 854, Saraland, AL. 36571

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Web Page by
Betty James Smith
26 May 1999