Samuel Davis

Samuel Davis

Samuel Davis, although not French Canadian, settled here after 1835 but before 1838 making him on of the earliest settlers in the area of Petite Canada. His cabin was located in the very extreme North Eastern corner of the Levia Reservation. It is thought he came from West Virginia. He was married at least twice, his first wife's name was Margaret.

She died November 10, 1838.

Samuel Davis was born 1791 in West Virginia, and died July 21, 1851 in Bourbonnais, Will Co. Illinois. He married (1) Margaret _____. He married (2) Mary Snyder January 05, 1840 in Will Co, Illinois.

Known Children of Samuel Davis and Margaret Davis are:

1. Virginia Davis, born October 07, 1830 in Pennsylvania; died July 28, 1851 in Bourbonnais, Will Co. Illinois.

2. Francis M Davis, born 1834.

3. George W Davis, born May 29, 1836; died September 17, 1838 in Bourbonnais, Will Co. Illinois.

4. Henry D.C. Davis, born March 03, 1838; died July 29, 1851 in Bourbonnais, Will Co. Illinois.

Known Children of Samuel Davis and Mary Snyder are:

5. Marguerite Davis, born 1840 in Illinois; died May 24, 1880 in Bourbonnais, Kankakee Co. Illinois. . She married (1) Paul Giroux November 22, 1855 in Bourbonnais, Kankakee Co. Illinois, son of Theotine Giroux and Marie Moreau. She married (2) Julien Tremblay August 20, 1869 in Bourbonnais, Kankakee Co. Illinois, son of Jean Tremblay and Genevieve Audet.

6. Oliver P Davis, born 1844; died December 17, 1873 in Bourbonnais, Kankakee Co., Illinois. . He married Mary Louise Tart August 23, 1864 in Kankakee County, Illinois. After Oliver died, Mary married Jean Baptiste Balthazor 1877 in Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, son of Jean Balthazor and Pauline Audet.

7. America Davis, born January 04, 1845; died January 09, 1929 in Kankakee County, Illinois. She married Louis Brosseau July 15, 1858 in Bourbonnais, Kankakee Co., Illinois

8. Nathaniel Davis, born 1846; died July 28, 1851 in Bourbonnais, Will Co. Illinois.

9. Mary Jane Davis, born 1848 in Bourbonnais, Kankakee Co. Illinois; died February 09, 1904 in Bourbonnais, Kankakee Co. Illinois. She married Pierre-Oliva Dandurand January 18, 1864 in Bourbonnais, Kankakee Co. Illinois, son of Marcel Dandurand and Solange Moreau.

10. Issabella Davis, born 1850; died April 05, 1907 in Bourbonnais, Kankakee Co., Illinois. She married Joseph Giroux January 19, 1869 in Bourbonnais, Kankakee Co., Illinois, son of Theotine Giroux and Marie Moreau.

You will notice many of the death dates for this family were in Jul of 1851. Samuel also died Jul 21, 1851. There was a Cholera epidemic going thru the area at the time and for many years it was thought that the Davis family fell victim to the epidemic. However, reliable sources suggest something a little different. It seems Samuel had a rat problem around his farm and using Strictnine to kill them, may have led to his own demise. It is believed that the rats, after consuming the poison, fell into the main water supply and poisoned it. The only proof comes from the death of Samuel's daughter Virginia, who came from Danville when she heard of her father's death, who's funeral was in progress when she arrived. She had not been near her family for months so it was impossible for her to fall from Cholera so suddenly. It is said she came home after the funeral, ate a meal, went to bed and died the following day. Whether the story handed down is accurate or not, it is a sad day when so many of one family is lost.

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