JOHN S. DAVIDSON

DAVIDSON, CREES, SHAW, MUNYON, MCKEE, CONE

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 2/11/2002 at 23:35:00

Decatur County Journal
December l0, l9l4

JOHN S. DAVIDSON was born in Wheeling, Va.,
December 26, l834, and died
November 30, l9l4, at his home in Grand
River, Ia., aged 79 years, ll
months and 4 days. He came to Decatur
county, Iowa, as a young man and
here it was he met and married MISS REBECCA
CREES, May 7, l859. To
their union were born ten children of whom
three died in early life.
The living children are: IDA L. SHAW, May,
Okla.; JULIA E. MUNYON, Grand
River; JAMES E., Chesterville, Tex; JOSEPH
H., Grand River; JOHN M.,
Emerson, Ia.; FLOY E. MCKEE, Grand River;
CATHERINE A CONE, Murray, Ia.

Besides his children and his faithful wife
who has shared his joys and
sorrows for over fifty-five years, MR.
DAVIDSON leaves to mourn his
departure, one sister, MARY BIRMBAUM, Santa
Barbara, Calif.; thirty
grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
MR. DAVIDSON enlisted in
Co. I 34th Iowa Infantry at Decatur City,
Ia., August l5, l862. His
company was transferred to Co. D. of the same
regiment, November l2,
l864, and he was mustered out at Houston,
Tex., August l5, l865, having
served exactly three years, though his
regiment was not finally
disbanded at Davenport, Ia., till two months
later. MR. DAVIDSON
participated with his regiment in the
following engagements: Chickasaw
Bluffs, December 28-29, l862; Arkansas Post,
Jun ll, l863; Ft.
Esperanza, Tex., November 29, l863; Ft.
Gains, Ala., August 3-8, l864;
Vicksburg, Miss., June l8, l863-July 4, l863;
Blakely, Ala., April 20,
l865; Red River, May 2-8, l864. Of the l0l
men in this company only a
few survive and of these only six are living
in Decatur County: N.B.
EVANS, PETER BRENNEMAN and J.T. CREES, of
Grand River; JOHN WOODMANSEE
and S.L. COX, of Leon; JOHN GIBSON, of Van
Wert.

MR. and MRS. DAVIDSON went to Scotts Valley,
Calif., in l873 and
remained there three years. With the
exception of these years they
lived all their married life in Decatur
County. MR. and MRS. DAVIDSON
were both converted and united with the
United Brethren Church in l855.
After returning from California they took
their letters to Maple Grove
M.E. Church, South. After this church was
disbanded they never united
with any other church. MR. DAVIDSON has not
lived an active Christian
life the past years of his life but during
the nearly two years of his
sickness he sought the higher life in Christ
and gave his loved ones the
assurance during the last few days of his
life that all was well with
his soul and his departure was in peace.

MR. and MRS. DAVIDSON retired from the farm
to Grand River in l896 where
they have lived until the angel of death came
for the husband and
father. MR. DAVIDSON took suddenly ill in
April, l9l3, and was a
sufferer more or less till his death. All of
the children were able to
be present to console their father during the
last few years. The
funeral services were held from the Methodist
Church December l, in the
presence of a large company of sympathizing
comrades and neighbors and
interment was in Oak Hill Cemetery. The
services were conducted by Rev.
E.B. Scrogan, assisted by a chosen choir.

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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
February 9, 2002