Decatur County Journal

November l2, l908

ENOS DAVIS was born in Atwater, Portage County, Ohio, July 3l, l8l6,

died at his home in Osceola, Iowa, November 6, l908, aged 92 years, 3

months and 29 days.

He was a son of WILLIAM and PHOEBA WHITAKER DAVIS, the former a native

of Pennsylvania and the latter of South Carolina. In early days his

parents moved to White Pigeon, Mich. He was married to MARY ANTHONY at

Ontario, Indiana, by the Rev. Wm. Jones, a Presbyterian Minister, making

65 years of wedded life together. Four children were born to them;

PARNIEL MARION, deceased; HOMER A., deceased; CHAS. A.; and GEO. E.

In the fall of l848, MR. DAVIS and family located in what is now Garden

Grove Township, being one of the first three settlers, the others being

his father, WILLIAM DAVIS and OZRA KELLOGG. Of these MR. DAVIS is the

first to pass away. Garden Grove was one of the temporary settlements

of the Mormons when enroute to Salt Lake City from Nauvoo, in the early

spring of l846. These three settlers bought the improvements made by

the Mormons, and at that time this was supposed to be the only

settlement in Decatur County. MR. DAVIS did a good business showing

land which was held by claim a number of years. Settlers formed a

protective society to prevent speculators from enjoying peaceful

possession of land entered that was already occupied or claimed. In the

fall of l853, MR. DAVIS entered land in Franklin Township, which he

helped to organize and name and was the first Justice of the Peace. In

l862, he returned to Garden Grove Township, bought a farm on Gospel

Ridge, after which they removed to the farm on Tick Ridge where they

resided until failing health of both compelled them to build a neat

cottage at Osceola, where they could be close and cared for by their

son, GEORGE, and where they resided until he passed away last Friday

morning.

MR. DAVIS leaves to mourn his death an aged wife, 84 years old, two

sons, GEORGE and C.A., also two granddaughters, MRS. J.W. WIRK, and MRS.

WM. MARTIN, of Parsons, Kan. and several other grandchildren, one

brother, AMASA J., who resides near Weldon, Iowa, the last surviving

brother of a large family of children. MR. DAVIS had been sick for

several years but bore his sufferings without a murmur, awaiting the day

when he would be at rest with his God. Often times when asked, and

could not speak, his feeble hand would point towards Heaven and speak

the word rest. He was a kind and affectionate father, and appreciated

his relations to others as a member of the same human family sharing

common duties, cares, sorrows and joys, all alike, children of the same

Heavenly Father and meeting the love of one another, as well as the

grace and mercy of Heaven. His thoughts for his home embraced the

higher wants and the richer culture of its people. He knew the charms

of nature and the inspiration of healing influences of great landscapes

and wide visions of earth and sky, of forest, trees, birds and bees.

His remains were brought from Osceola, Monday noon, and were taken in

charge of by the Masonic Lodge of Garden Grove, of which he has been a

faithful member since l878, after which the funeral cortege conveyed him

to the beautiful Garden Grove Cemetery, to await the resurrection morn

when we will all be gathered home. After the services of the Masonic

Lodge, Rev. Goodsell made a short address of his life's work in this

country and of the many trials which were encountered in early pioneer

days, after which his body was lowered into the grave. The funeral was

one of the largest in the county, friends and neighbors for miles around

came to attend. Masons and Knights from Osceola, Humeston and Leon were

in attendance, which showed the respect in which he was held. His aged

wife, who is under the care of MRS. MARY J. CRAIGO, of Leon, was able to

attend the funeral, although very feeble and in poor health.

The floral pieces were many and beautiful. A lovely pillow from the

granddaughters at Parsons, Kansas, also an autumn wreath from one of the

grandchildren, MILDRED DAVIS, of Osceola, and a bouquet of Mammoth White

chrysanthemums from MAX and KATHERINE, of Parsons, Kansas. The grave

was lined with chrysanthemums and evergreen by loving friends in Garden

Grove and vicinity. In respect for this aged citizen, the business

houses in Garden Grove were closed during the services.

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September l0, 200l