Martin Davis

Martin Davis

MARTIN DAVIS, farmer, section 3, Barton Township, was born March 9, 1840, in Jackson Co., Mich., and is a son of Asa B. and caroline R. (Harrington) Davis. His father was a native of Canada and spent his life in the pursuit of lumbering; he died in 1851. The mother was born in Vermont, and after the death of her first husband married a man named Elliot Chency and returned to Kent County; she was widowed a second time in Paris, Mecosta Co., MIch., in 1871. She is now a resident of Barton Township, Newaygo County.

At 17 years of age Mr. Davis entered the family of Thomas Skinner, of Kent County, with whom he remained until he attained the estate of legal manhood. He enlisted under the first call for troops after the assault upon the United States flag at Fort Sumter, enrolling in April, 1861, in Co. A, Sixth Mich., Cav., and was in service until July 4, 1863, when he was severely wounded in the left thigh by a ball and released from active duty. He was transferred to the hospital at Little York, Pa., where he remained until April, 1865, when he was finaly discharged and returned home.

He came at once to Mecosta County and settled in the township of Greene, where he was a resident until 1871. In that year he purchased his homestead in Mecosta County, where he resided until 1873, giving his time and attention to its improvement and cultivation.

Mr. Davis married June 3, 1865, in Kent Conty, Phebe A., daughter of William and Hannah (Morgan) Haynes. The parents were born in England and came to the United States in 1840. Mrs. Davis was born in Cayuga Co., N.Y., Sept. 14, 1847. William E., only child of Mr. and Mrs. Davis, was born April 9, 1871, in Mecosta County. Mr. Davis is a Republican and has held the office of School INspector and Justice of the Peace in his township.

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