Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 446
FRANCIS L. DAVIS

Francis L. DAVIS, loan and insurance agent at Missouri Valley, came to the place in 1872, having been a resident of Harrison County two years prior to that, living at River Sioux, were he was engaged in the stock business

Mr. DAVIS was born June 21, 1841, in Millport, N. Y. His parents were Elisha J. and Fannie (SHANNON) DAVIS. The DAVIS family were from New Jersey, and were of old Puritanic stock. The SHANNON family were early settlers near Seneca Lake, N. Y. The father followed harness-making and lumbering, and the family moved to Harrison County, in 1869, settling at River Sioux. In 1870, our subject came and entered into partnership with his father in the stock business, and continued until 1872. The father died in 1876, and was buried in Rose Hill cemetery, at Missouri Valley. His widow makes her home at River Sioux, and at Onawa, Iowa.

Our subject's early education was received at Wellsville, N. Y., at Alfred Academy. In August, 1861, Mr. DAVIS enlisted in Company E, Fifth New York Cavalry, and went to Staten Island, from there to Baltimore and thence to Annapolis, where he was ruptured and consequently returned home. While he enlisted for "three years or during the war" he was not engaged in any struggles of that great conflict on account of the accident above referred to. At Little Valley, N. Y., he served as Deputy Sheriff and Constable until he moved to Harrison County, and soon after coming here was appointed Deputy Sheriff under J. J. PECK. He was appointed Constable at Missouri Valley, and subsequently filled that office by election. He also served as Marshal at Missouri Valley. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. In political matters he has always been an ardent Republican.

Christine L. AMES, a native of Little Valley, N. Y. became his wife in 1868.

October 30, 1878, he married Mrs. Clara A. PIKE, by whom one child was born, the same dying when seven months of age, and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, at Missouri Valley. Mrs. DAVIS came from Springfield, Mass., and is President of the Woman's Relief Corps at Missouri Valley.

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