Davis Family Arrives in Vance Township

The snow days in DC have provided an opportunity to look closely at previous research on my Davis ancestors' arrival in Vance Township, Vermilion County, Illinois from Ohio. I had overlooked a 1911 book titled History of Vermilion County (found via Archive.org). Page 166 of that book describes how Henry Davis and his sons came to Vance Township in 1835 and entered the largest tract of land that had previously been recorded at the land patent office. They returned to Ohio and came back in 1836, entering a 3000 acre tract that year.

The 1879 History of Vermilion County by H. W. Beckwith (see Archive.org) includes further information on the Davis family, referencing Henry & Rachel Davis, and their sons William and James. This book shows the clear connection between the Davis family and their previous residence in Guernsey County, Ohio. From page 987:

The next page, 988, mentions "E.P. Davis". This is Eli P. Davis, son of my 4th-great-grandparents Azariah Davis and Jane Conner. The book correctly lists their birth years as 1808, and states that his father (Azariah) died in 1857. This is correct. It also states his mother (Jane) died in 1837. I have this date as 15 April 1842 based on information from Vermilion County.

Henry Davis received a series of land patents on 16 September 1835, matching up with the History of Vermilion County on the family's arrival from Guernsey County:

From the land patents, it appears Azariah's brother William led the way to Vermilion County, entering his first land patent on 10 October 1833.

My next post will look back at Guernsey County, using the Ohio Tax records to show where the Davis family land was located.