Spencer Davis ¹⁵⁰⁹

  Research Notes:

From: The papers of the late Leslie P. Dryden housed at the Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture
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From: Nanette Davis, Grimesland, NC Nov 2002

Spencer Davis of Worcester Co. is my husband's great-great grandfather. Spencer was born 1813 and died 1893; he is buried in the Old School Baptist Church Cemetery south of Powellville in Wicomico Co. with his birth and death dates on his tombstone. Spencer was married at least twice, once before 1850 and once afterwards, but no wife ever appears in a census with him and his children. I do know from son Elijah's marriage record in Northampton Co., VA that his 2nd wife's first name was Elizabeth. Today I received this information: Wicomico co. deeds liber GMH #7 1843-1844 pg. 170 Davis, Ann, wife of Spencer , indenture 4 March 1844 between John Tilghman and wife Polly Tilghman and George Truitt and Ann Davis wife of Spencer and Elizabeth Kelly wife of James Kelly $150. formerly belonged to Joshua Truitt. The only Spencer Davis that was alive in the 1840's in Worcester appears to be ''ours'' and this is his entry: 1840 Worcester Census Western District Spencer Davis 1 Male under 5 --George? 2 Males 5-10 1830-1835 --Levin and Jonathan? 1 Male 20-30 (1810-1820) Spencer 1 Female 0-5 (1835-1840) Gatty? 1 Female 5-10 (1830-1835) ?Unknown 1 Female 30-40 (1800-1810) Unknown 1st wife possibly Ann Truitt 1850 Worc.Census 8th Election Dist. all born MD Davis, Spencer age 32 , Labourer, no r/w Davis Gatty E. , age12 Davis Levin W.,age 10 Davis Jonathan J. , age 8 Davis George S. age 5 1860 Worc.Census Coulborne District HH#474 Spencer Davis, age 40 Farmer Gatty Davis, age 20 George Davis, age 14 Elijah Davis, age 7 In 1870 Spencer is listed as 54 in the 8th Election Dist., Newark, and his sons Levin (with wife and children), George and Elijah are living with him In 1880, Spencer lives with his son-in-law Littleton Bailey and daughter, Gertrude ''Gatty'' Elizabeth. ------
Re: Wo co. deeds liber GMH #7 1843-1844 pg. 170 Davis, Ann, wife of Spencer , indenture 4 March 1844 between John Tilghman and wife Polly Tilghman and George Truitt and Ann Davis wife of Spencer and Elizabeth Kelly wife of James Kelly $150. formerly belonged to Joshua Truitt.. I have been looking into this further and realize that the abstract does not make clear how the parties are involved with each other. Is it John + Polly Tilghman paying George Truitt, Ann Truitt Davis and Elizabeth Truitt Kelly $150 ? That might explain the problem with the 2 very similar George Truitts and their wives both named Elizabeth, one a Parker and one a Holloway. Just because Mary/Polly is a Truitt doesn't mean she is their sister. I'm going to try and get a full transcription of the indenture to see what additional details it might reveal.
I've been looking at the census and found these entries: John Tilghman 1830 Worc. census page 261, line 7 1 male under 5 1 male 5-10 1 male 30-40 1 female 30-40 This appears to be the John Tilghman who married Mary ''Polly'' Truitt in 1825 On the same page as John Tilghman Jr. in 1830 Worc. census and on the previous line: page 261 line 6 Elizabeth Truitt 1 male 20-30 (Joshua Truitt?) 2 females 15-20 ( Ann + Elizabeth?) 1 female 50-60 (Elizabeth Truitt widow of George Truitt, d. 1824??) If this is the family of George Truitt, d. 1824 the ages of the young females are more in line with the age of Spencer Davis who was 17 in 1830. But there are inconsistencies with other census years. It looks like George + Elizabeth's son George might be on the next page:
1830 census Elect. Dist 6, page 262 George Truitt 1 male under 5 (Elijah) 1 male 10-15 (unknown ?? ) 1 male 20-30 (George) 1 female 15-20 (Viny Holloway Truitt) 1840 Worc. Census p. 316 John Tilghman Jr. 2 males under 5 1 male 5-10 1 male 40-50 1 female 5-10 1 female 10-15 1 female 40-50 1840 Worc. Census Western Dist. page 311, line 14 George Trewitt of Geo. 1 male 10-15 (Elijah) 1 male 30-40 (George) 2 females under 5 (Henrietta age 1 +Priscilla age 3) 1 female 5-10 (Sarah age 6) 1 female 10-15 (Mary J. age 8) 1 female 30-40 (Viny) appears to be the George who married Viny Holloway line 15 George Trewitt of Zed.(his cousin) Zedekiah was son of John and brother to George, died 1824 1 male 10-15 1 male 15-20 1 male 40-50 1 female 10-15 1 female 15-20 1 female 40-50 1850 Worcester 6th Elect. Dist, page 167B George Truitt (of G.), age 48, Farmer, $500 Elijah J., age 21, Laborer Mary J., age 18 Sarah E., age 16 Priscilla A. age 13 Henrietta E., age 11 Elisha S. age 8 Holloway, Joshua J., age 18, Laborer Dorman, William, age 30, Laborer Tilghman, Elizabeth, age 75 1850 Worc. census 6th Elect. Dist. page 174 156-156 John Tilghman, age 53, Farmer $1776 Mary age 50 John H. age 19, attended school Hannah E. age 16, AS Mary A. age 13, AS William S., age 11, AS Nothing I found on James Kelly and his wife Elizabeth Truitt made sense unless James Kelly was married 3 times, with his middle wife being Elizabeth Truitt. Could she be the 20-30 yr old female in the 1840 census? No James Kelly is listed earlier than 1830 only 1 James Kelly listed in 1830 1830 Worc. census 6th Dist. page 263 James Kelly 1 male 30-40 1 female 30-40 same page as Andrew + Hezekiah Davis, Henry, Robert + William Kelly only 1 James Kelly listed in 1840 1840 Worc. census Western Dist., p. 321 James Kelley of Saml. 1 male under 5 1 male 40-50 1 female 5-10 1 female 20-30 1850 Worcester Census 63-63 p.168b (same page as Andrew Davis) James Kelly of S, age 52, Farmer Esther H., age 60 Tabitha C., age 14 Samuel, age 80, no occ. Zylpha, age 50 William K. Shockley, age 37, Laborer I looked at George Truitt in the 1810 census (8 total) and in the 1820 census (3 total) and I can be sure of none of them. The 1820, p. 206, lists a ''George Truitt of J'' next to Job Truitt. Then in 1810 on page 585 there is a ''George Truitt of Jno.'', again next to Job Truitt. So is this George Truitt, died 1824 or is he another? The ages of the females in the households do not encourage me. Nothing seems to match. The Andrew Davis mentioned above is my best theory for the father of Spencer Davis (1813-1893). Andrew Davis may have had an earlier marriage than his recorded one to Margaret Kelly in 1819 at the age of 49. ¹⁵⁰⁹

Spencer married Anne Truitt, daughter of George Truitt IV and Elizabeth Holloway. (Anne Truitt was born about 1803 ¹⁵¹⁰.)