Elisha Hildebrand Davis

Elisha Hildebrand Davis 1815-1898
(Verland Edith Evans Smith's Maternal Great Grandfather)

Elisha Hildebrand Davis was the son of Isaac Davis and Edith Richards Davis, born Oct. 22nd 1815, West Township, Colombiana County, Ohio. He received the Gospel and was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Edwin D. Wooley, August 19, 1838 in Sandy Creek on his father’s farm.

He was ordained an Elder January 8, 1839 by Lorenzo D. Barnes, H. Sagers, and Edwin D. Wooley in his father’s home, the house where he was born. He was the oldest of ten children through a line of American ancestry of Welsh and English decent, coming to America with the Pilgrim Fathers about 1630 to 1650 or earlier. Many of his ancestors served in the Colonial and American Revolutionary Wars and at least nine of his ancestors were Signers of the great Magna Carta of England. The great progenitor of the race, John Davis of Wales, was of the Singing Quaker faith, a very devout and sincere man. He (John Davis) and his four sons assisted in establishing the Friends Meeting at Piles Grove, Salem County, New Jersey about 1705, known as Fenwick Colony. The said John Davis married Dorthea Gotherson, daughter of Major Daniel Gotherson of Cromwell’s army, on Long Island in 1680. They had eight children, four sons and four daughters all born on Long Island, removing to New Jersey in 1705. He lived to the extreme age of 100 years. He was a consistent and devoted member of the Society of Friends, to whose religious faith most of his numerous decendants belonged.

Two of his sons, John and David, were delegates to a convention in Philadelphia where they worked and voted against slavery.
(Reference to Davis History: History Cumberland County, New Jersey, by Thomas Cushing M.C. and Charles E. Shepard – Page 702; J.N. Colonial Documents, County of Wills, page 135; Davis Family, Fenwick Colony, Page 75; History of Camden County, New Jersey by George P. Powell.)

Thomas Wilkins Davis, many years a director in the National State Bank of Camden is a lineal descendant in the fifth generation of John Davis who emigrated from Wales and first Settled on Long Island.

Falk Davis had a grant of land October 1642 in Southampton; he was one of eleven men who first left Mass., near Lynn and came to Long Island and is claimed as relative of John Davis of Wales, perhaps father or uncle.

Elisha Hildebrand Davis, the subject of this sketch before receiving the Gospel was of the Quaker Faith handed down to him for six generations. When he heard the Gospel as revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith it brought joy and peace to his soul. Ever after his life was spent working faithfully in his labor of love.

He started on his first mission east of the Alleghany Mountains, January 9, 1839 on foot, traveling more than 300 miles in mid-winter wearing a pair of thin calfskin boots, and a suit of homemade clothes. His mother and sisters clipping the wool from the sheep’s backs, washing, cleaning, carding, spinning into yarn, weaving a cloth and making the clothes he wore.

He assisted in raising up branches of the Church in Chester and Lancaster Counties, Pennsylvania, also in New Jersey and Delaware. When in need of clothes he would go into the farmers field and cradle their grain or with scythe mow their hay for little money to buy them with and while there would preach the Gospel. He brought into the Church such men as Bishop Edward Hunter – Bishop Jacob Weiler --Bishop Elijah Sheets -- Bishop John Neff, the Bushman and Rodeback families and many others. In the Old State House in Philadelphia in search of his Genealogy he traced back on a straight line to John Davis born on Long Island New York who married Elinor Brick.

1. John Davis born abt. 1689 Long Island, New York Md. Elinor Brick
2. Thomas Davis born 13 Nov 1719 Pilesgrove Salem, N.J. Md. Eliz. Bassett (first cousin)
3. Isaac Davis Sr. born abt. 1753 Pilesgrove Salem, N.J. Md. Hannah Hildebrand
4. Isaac Davis Jr. born 20 Feb 1783 Pilesgrove, Salem, N.J. Md. Edith Richards
5. Elisha Hildebrand Davis Sr. born Oct. 22 1815 Colombiana Co. Ohio, Md. Mary Ann Mitchell

In the fall of 1840 Elisha went to Nauvoo, Ill., with a family he had baptized. Was also present April 6, 1841 when the corner stone of the Temple was laid. Left Nauvoo, Ill. again for the mission field arriving April 27th 1841 at Lancaster Co. PA. He held a debate with Dr. Orr in the month of August on the subject of the Book of Mormon, preached in that region until 1843 when he left for New Haven, Conn. There built up several branches of the Church, was with Apostle Orson Hyde in New York at the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. He was called by President Brigham Young on a Mission from there to England, arriving at Liverpool Aug 19, 1844 and was sent to preside over the London Conference and did so until Christmas Day 1846, when he married his wife Mary Mitchell in London Dec. 25th and started in company with John Taylor, Parley P. Pratt, Joseph Cain and others for the United States, landing at New Orleans the 7 of March 1847 after a perilous voyage of nine days in the English Channel alone.

His father and his sister Sabina died at Winter Quarters a few days before he arrived about May 25, 1847.

Elisha was ordained a Seventy by Apostle Wilford Woodruff and joined the Second Quorum of Seventies, remained in it until 1854 when he was made President of the 36th Quorum of Seventy.

Elisha was a miller by trade, and opened the first Grist Mill in Nebraska built by John Neff, remained about one year, recrossed the river to Iowa, built a house on the ground where the Liberty Pole stood and where the Mormon Battalion was rallied, lived there two years, his daughter Mary Ann and Son Elisha were born there, removed 10 miles east to Keg Creek where Sarah Agness was born, remained a year then emigrated to Utah in the summer of 1852, operated Gardner’s Mill on Millcreek the first winter, in the spring of 1853 moved to Lehi farmed that summer and removed to Davis County at Bountiful in the spring of 1854, operated Heber C. Kimball’s mill at Bountiful more than a year, was ordained a President over the 36th Quorum of Seventy, by President Joseph Young in the summer of that year, and remained in that position until he was ordained a High Priest May 1, 1891.

He with his wife were endowed March 24, 1854 in the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, and sealed as husband and wife March 31, 1854. In the fall of 1855 moved to Weber County, and settled at Bingham Fort near Ogden City. He bought a place and farmed for two years there. In the spring of 1857 removed to Bountiful, Davis Co. reaming and farming there that summer. That same fall went to Echo Canyon and Fort Bridger with the volunteers to prevent the United States Army from coming into the valley, at the time of the general move in 1858, he removed to American Fork, Utah Co. after returning to Bountiful, then returned to Lehi. Utah Co. He operated Samuel Mulliners Mill until 1869, when he moved in to the city of Lehi, and bought a house and two lots and other property. May 1, 1891, he was ordained a High Priest by Bishop Thomas R. Cutler and was set apart by Albert Jones to Preside over the High Priest Quorum of Lehi, June 27, 1890 over which Quorum continued to preside until his death 31st of July, 1898 at his home in Lehi, Utah at the age of 82 years and 10 months and 22 days.

He also filled a mission in Iowa and Illinois during the fall and winter of 1869 and 1870. Was also a home Missionary in Utah county for two years.
Later search by Archibald F. Bennet, Sec. Genealogical Society, and Salt Lake City places John Davis who married, Dorthea Gotherson as being born on Long Island, New York instead of Wales and the son of John Davis Sr. of Oyster Bay, Long Island and grand son of Folk Davis.
Elisha H. Davis Jr.
Lehi, Utah
Age 84

Supplement to Biography of Elisha H Davis Sr

That part of the biography referring to the U.S. Army not being permitted to enter the Salt Lake Valley during the winter of 1857 and 1858.
To those not acquainted with conditions and facts existing at this time it might appear that the people were not loyal, when in fact this could not be true; for instance not withstanding the mobbing and pillaging of innocent people in Missouri and Illinois, with their much suffering and hardships, being driven out into the wilderness and their faces turned toward the setting sun, where could any more patriotism be shown than the volunteering of 500 of her best and bravest men in 1846 to aid the United States in her War with Mexico these men comprising the Mormon Battalion endured more suffering and hardships and made the longest and most difficult march in the history of the World.
Again in 1847 that loyalty was shown when Brigham Young with that noble band of Pioneers though sick and weary from hardships and fatigue endured that long and perilous March of more than 1,000 miles. Ascended Ensign Peak (north of Salt Lake city) and planted on then Mexican soil the flag of American Liberty.
Now as to what was known as Johnson’s Army coming to Utah in the fall of 1857, rumor was plentiful that it was to be a war of extermination for the Mormons. It was therefore thought wise to let them cool off in the Mountains during the winter, and they would be likely more reasonable when spring and warmer weather should come, so volunteers for this purpose were raised.
My Father Elisha Hildebrand Davis being one of the number. In the spring of 1848 satisfactory arrangements were made for them to enter the valley passing through Salt Lake City and locating at Camp Floyd Cedar Valley more than forty miles South West of Salt Lake City where they remained until the beginning of the Civil War when they were called back for service in the Union.
However General Johnson, Floyd and others whose sympathy was with the South, joined the Confederate forces, and died in the service of the South. The coming of the Army to Utah instead of proving a calamity turned out to be one of the greatest of blessings that could come to the people, before its arrival, many began to be destitute for clothing other necessities of life, as all articles of merchandise had to be freighted from the Missouri River to Salt Lake City by ox teams, more than 1,000 miles. The flower of the American Army coming to Utah not only brought with them the goods and necessities of life, but also the money to buy them with which they would part with freely for any thing the people might have to dispose of.
Elisha H. Davis Jr.
Lehi, Utah
Age 84 (written July 1934)