Davis, Melvin 1842-1931

DAVIS, FIELD, OLMSTED, SMITH

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 4/30/2017 at 21:04:05

This article was in the newspaper about a month prior to his death:

Monona, Feb. 17 - Melvin Davis, Monona's last survivor of the Civil war, observed his eighty-ninth birthday at his home here yesterday.

Prior to an attack of illness two weeks ago, his health had been good, but at present he is confined to his room. He has three daughters, Mrs. Horace H. Smith of Monona and Angeline and Flora Davis, at home, and one son, Frank Davis of Randolph, Neb.

When he was 19 years old, Mr. Davis enlisted in Company D, Seventeenth Maine infantry. He was wounded at Spotsylvania, but rejoined his regiment Sept. 16, 1864, and served until the close of the war. During his enlistment he was in the battle of the Wilderness, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Orange Grove and was at Appomattox when Lee surrendered.

~Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette-Republican, Tuesday, February 17, 1931

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Obituary
Monona, Ia., March 21 - Funeral services for Melvin Davis, 89, the last local member of the G.A.R. were held Thursday afternoon from the Pilgrim Evangelical church, Rev. R.W. Berg officiating.

At the age of 20 he enlisted in Company D, 17th Maine infantry, was wounded at Spotsylvania, but rejoined his regiment Sept. 16, 1864, and served until the close of the war. During his enlistment he was in the battle of the Wilderness, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Orange Grove and was at Appomattox when Lee surrendered.

Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. H.H. Smith and Misses Angeline and Flora Davis of Monona; one son, Frank Davis of Randolph, Neb.; one brother, Fred Davis of Somerville, Mass., and two grandchildren.

~Dubuque Telegraph-Herald and Times-Journal, Sunday, March 22, 1931

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Obituary
Melvin Davis, Monona's last member of the G.A.R., passed away Monday, March 16, 1931, and funeral services were held Thursday afternoon from the Pilgrim Evangelical church, Rev. R.W. Berg officiating.

Surviving are one son, Frank Davis, of Randolph, Neb., and three daughters, Misses Flora and Angelina Davis and Mrs. Horace H. Smith of Monona; a brother, Fred Davis of Sommerville, Mass., and two grandchildren, Keith Melvin and Margie Davis, the children of Frank Davis.

The women's relief corps and the American Legion marched in a body.

At the age of 20 Mr. Davis enlisted in Company D, 17th Maine infantry, was wounded at Spotsylvania, but rejoined his regiment later, and served until the close of the war. During his enlistment he was in the battle of the Wilderness, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Orange Grove and was at Appomattox when Lee surrendered.

~Clayton County Register, Thursday, March 26, 1931

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The following obituary/biography was printed a few years after his death in the centennial edition of the Elkader newspaper:

Melvin Davis, Monona's last Civil War veteran, a charter member of the G.A.R. Post, long identified with Grand Army and W.R.C. Work, passed away Monday, March 16, 1931. Thus was severed Monona's last tie to the boys of '61 to '65.

Melvin Davis was born 89 years ago in Lewiston, Maine, Feb. 16, 1842. He was a son of Stephen and Katherine (Field) Davis, the eighth in a family of 12 children.

At the age of 20, he joined the Baptist church at Lewiston, Maine. He served 20 years as trustee of the Congregational church at Monona and later became affiliated with the Evangelical church.

On July 16, 1862, when 20 years of age, he enlisted in Company D, 17th Maine Infantry and began service in the Civil War. He was mustered out May 29, 1865, after having taken part in the battles of Fredricksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Locust Grove, Wilderness, Spottsylvania and Petersburg.

Mr. Davis came to Monona in 1869, and on April 25, 1871, he was married to Esther, daughter of Page and Hannah Olmsted, who preceded him in death in 1928. For 30 years they lived on a farm two miles west of Monona. In 1902 he with his family moved to Monona and built the house which has since been the family home. Mr. and Mrs. Davis celebrated their golden wedding April 25, 1921.

He took an active part in local affairs, helping to organize the Luana creamery of which he was secretary-treasurer for two years and a director for a number of years. He served three years on the town council of Monona and was vice president and director of the Monona State Bank for twenty years.

He was an active member of the Monona Post No. 495 G.A.R. and watched with interest the work of the Women's Relief corps.

~Clayton County Centennial Edition, July, 1936 (included the photo of Mr. Davis)

Clayton Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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