CENTRE LINES

The DAVIS Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on DAVIS. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

One book in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte apparently deals in part with the Davis family. It is Robert Young Sigworth's Sketches of the Allied Families of Willard-Lyon-Davis of Massachusetts and the Porterfield of Pennsylvania (1990).

There are 38 different first-name entries for Davis in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are several mentions of the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898).

And, now, your ancestors' Davis neighbors in 1890:

In BELLEFONTE Borough:

James O., 39, Episcopal rector--12 W. Lamb Helen Helen Jr. Clarence L. 13 James O. Jr. 5

In CENTRE HALL Borough:

Samuel E., 56, minister Maria Archie B. 14

In COLLEGE Township:

Edgar T., 39, prof.--State College

In FERGUSON Township:

Frank B., 35, laborer--Penna. Furnace Maggie M. Carrie B. Clarence S. 1 William 80

In HARRIS Township:

John, 60, farmer--Boalsburg Elizabeth Samuel 48

In HUSTON Township:

Ira F., 55, undertaker--Julian Nancy J. James E. 19 George W. 16 Francis 13 Eva P. Ira P. 7 Nina E.

In PHILIPSBURG Borough:

Corneilus, 33, jeweler--3rd St. Emma F. Mary Metramora 5 Erastus A., 58, jeweler--3rd St. Amanda Wilbur W. 18 George D., 53, laborer--4th St. Anna E. Charles C. 25 John D. 21 Helen C. Lott E. 17 Mary M.--3rd St.

In RUSH Township:

David D., 31, laborer--Philipsburg Matilda Catharine A. John, 49, laborer--Philipsburg Mary J. William M. 23 John D. 18 Margaret J. Edward 8 Howard M. 6 William F., 45, laborer--Osceola Lydia John L. 19 Grant A. 18 Mary S. Curtis C. 9 Rose E. William B. 8 mos.

In SPRING Township:

Clarissa--Bellefonte Rebecca Ellen--Bellefonte Millie Frederick 3 Henry T., 47, laborer--Bellefonte Isabella John, 34, fireman--Bellefonte Eliza Clyde 12 John G. 9 Floyd C. 5 Mary P.