William G. Davis "Jarsey Billy"

From Hardesty's 1883 ed. p. 362, Doddridge Co., WV, "The land upon which the
town of West Union now stands was patented about the year 1787 by James
Caldwell; the survey containing 20,000 acres, the whole of which he sold to
Nathan Davis and his brothers, William, and Joseph, in the year 1807, for the
sum of 23 cents per acre."

William G. Davis appears to have been the last of the family to migrate from
NJ. Hence came to be known as "Jarsey Billy."

Catharine Johnston Davis was a sister to Elizabeth, wife of Greenbrier Billy
Davis. They were daughters of Elisha Johnston and Catherine Mitchell.

William married 2nd to Mrs. Elizabeth Stucky Jeffrey. She was the widow of
Joseph Jeffrey, Sr. and probably the daughter of Jacob Stucky, the immigrant of 1762. About 1806 William and Elizabeth took their combined families to settle among the hills of western Virginia. Their first farm was located below Smithburg and later came to be known as the Shannon farm. William sold the farm to his son-in-law, Gamble Shannon.

Randolph's Hist., p. 34, as taken from the Church Records, "Dec. 13, 1787,
Thomas Babcock, William Davis, Catharine Davis (wife of William) . . . were
baptized." "Jan. 7, 1787, William Davis, Catharine Davis (wife of William) . .
. were received into the church, having been previously baptized." (Note: I
know of no other William Davis in this group with a wife named Catharine.)

For his 2nd marriage 22, Jan. 1863 Nathan J. Davis named his mother as
Catherine.

Joshua J. Davis named his mother as Catharine, when he married 2nd 12 Jun 1856.

The name Catharine concurs with the Will of Elisha Johnston in which he
mentions Catharine and Sarah, deceased daughters, and unnamed surviving
daughters.

Mr. James Huntsman points out that Catharine was a new name in the Davis family
at this time.

William G. Davis wrote a document (copy attached) for the purpose of securing
the Revolutionary War Pension for Rev. John Davis, II, Uncle of William G.
Davis and Nathan Davis. Notice that William G. also mentioned the service of
John's brother William, who was Greenbrier Billy Davis.

Also notice that the deposition was notarized twice; once by William G.'s
brother Nathan Davis and then by an unrelated Justice, Matthew Neely.
We are fortunate to have the foregoing document which attests to the literacy
of the two brothers, William G. and Nathan, as it is the handwriting of the two
men.

THE WEST UNION ACADEMY

Inasmuch as the Seventy Day Baptist group were literate people, they concerned
themselves about the education of their children as follows:

Prior to 4 Dec. 1850, John S. Davis, Dr. Ethelbert Bond, and Samuel Preston
Fitz-Randolph, son and sons-in-law of Nathan Davis, all living in West Union,
had purchased jointly a house and lot from Henry M. Miller, designated as Lot

1. 4 to be used for school purposes. The deed for this was not formally executed
   until 18 Jan 1856.
   
   A group of subscribers met on 16 Mar 1851. The decided to keep the school
   under Seventh Day Baptist control so sold stock only to persons of that faith.
   The following men were appointed as directors of the school: John S. Davis,
   William Randolph, Nathan Davis, Joseph Jeffrey, Samuel Preston Fitz-Rancolph,
   Lodowick Davis, Stephen T. Davis, and William J. Davis. Stephen Thomas West
   Potter presented a plan for a new building, two stories high, 36 X 26 feet to
   be erected near the present building. The plan was accepted and a building
   committee appointed. On 30 Apr 1851 Eliona Davis signed a contract for
   erecting the building.
   
   At a meeting held 13 Sep 1854, Samuel Preston Fitz-Randolph was instructed to
   make necessary improvements and rent both the schoolhouse and the academy as
   opportunity might offer. On 22 Apr 1855 the Directors set $900 as the lowest
   price they could accept for the property and appointed Jeptha Fitz-Randolph to
   sell it if opportunity was offered. On 8 Aug 1856 a sale was closed whereby
   the entire property was sold to Isaiah Bee for $1,000. Appropriate action to
   permit the transfer was taken by the Virginia General Assembly, 16 Mar 1860.
   
   The trustees of the West Union Academy met 18 Dec 1863 at the home of Joseph
   Jeffrey near West Union to close up the business of the Corporation of the West
   Union Academy, with the following trustees present: Joseph Jeffrey, Jeptha
   Fitz-Randolph, Lodowick H. Davis, and Stephen T. Davis.
   
   Despite its spasmotic character, quite a few students received their education
   at the West Union Academy. Some teachers of the school were Stephen T. W.
   Potter, Miss Esther Fitz-Randolph, daughter of William F., Rev. Azor Estee,
   Ezra Fitz-Randolph, brother to Esther, Benoni I. Jeffrey and Robert A. Jeffrey,
   sons of Joseph. Isaiah Bee held two terms of school after he pruchased the
   property.
   
   On page 27 there is a picture of a tombstone called Old Church Site - 1792-1832 Seventh Day Baptist.
   
   This marker stands on the site of the first church ever located in West Union. It was a Seventh Day Baptist Church, a branch of the Salem Seventh Day Baptist Church, and no doubt was organized to accomodate those members of the Salem Church who lived in the area then known as Middle Island, and now known as West Union. The building was constructed of logs on land then owned by Joseph Davis, which was later donated to the church. The above marker is located in the old Seventh Day Baptist Cemetery at West Union, not far from the graves of Nathan Davis, William J. Davis, and Joseph Jeffrey.
   
   The Middle Island Church was moved to a location between Blandville and New Milton where a new building was constructed 1867. This building still stands and houses a small congregation of the Seventh Day Baptist faith. A Seventh Day Baptist Church, known as the West Union church was organized in 1888 and dissolved within a few years.