M. 31 Jul 1823 in Rowan County, North Carolina2
Husband: Samuel Davis
D. 7 Nov 1875 in Jersey County, Illinois1
While Mary Clifford wasn’t particularly noteworthy, she did have the distinction of being one of the first American women to live in an area of Illinois that became Jersey County, Illinois.
Mary was born December 11, 1798 in Rowan County, North Carolina to John Clifford and Alsey Galloway.1 Mary also went by the name "Polly," a common nickname for girls named Mary. Her father was an immigrant from Ireland of Scottish descent, and he had 10 children by two wives, so Mary was part of a large family. When her father died in 1826, he left her $20 in his will.3
On July 31, 1823, Mary married Samuel Davis2 and they soon started a family. According to the 1830 census, they had a boy born before 1825, and two girls born between 1825 and 1830,4 one of whom was Louisa;5 the other two children seem to have died young.
In the fall of 1829, Mary and her family left North Carolina for Greene County (later to become Jersey County), Illinois.6 Several of Mary’s siblings also moved to the same area of Illinois,7 as did many residents of Rowan County. Samuel and Mary Davis would be credited with being among the first families in the county.6 It's likely they lived in a log cabin for at least the first few years there. Mary gave birth to four more children between 1831 and 1838.
One of the challenges that Mary faced happened during the second year she and her family lived in Illinois. In December of 1830, snow began falling at such a rate that nobody had seen the likes of it. Up to twelve feet of snow accumulated in places, and it most of it didn’t melt until springtime. This was called the winter of the Deep Snow. Living through time must have been quite difficult; one source said, “No man could make his way on foot against it. Food and firewood supplies were cut off because people couldn’t reach their stockpiles.”8
Later in Mary's life, tragedy struck her family when in 1869 her only surviving son, William Asbury, was murdered in what was believed to be a bar fight. The incident happened in Jerseyville, and the trial was sensationalized by the Jerseyville Democrat newspaper: “On last Sunday morning, when the jailor visited the jail to feed the prisoners, he found a man named Asbury Davis, who had been placed there the night before, dead in the cell in which he was confined. He was lying near the door on his left side with his head under his arm and his knees slightly drawn up.”9 As his mother, it must have been terrible for Mary to hear about this; no one ended up being convicted of the crime.
On July 31, 1823, Mary married Samuel Davis2 and they soon started a family. According to the 1830 census, they had a boy born before 1825, and two girls born between 1825 and 1830,4 one of whom was Louisa;5 the other two children seem to have died young.
In the fall of 1829, Mary and her family left North Carolina for Greene County (later to become Jersey County), Illinois.6 Several of Mary’s siblings also moved to the same area of Illinois,7 as did many residents of Rowan County. Samuel and Mary Davis would be credited with being among the first families in the county.6 It's likely they lived in a log cabin for at least the first few years there. Mary gave birth to four more children between 1831 and 1838.
One of the challenges that Mary faced happened during the second year she and her family lived in Illinois. In December of 1830, snow began falling at such a rate that nobody had seen the likes of it. Up to twelve feet of snow accumulated in places, and it most of it didn’t melt until springtime. This was called the winter of the Deep Snow. Living through time must have been quite difficult; one source said, “No man could make his way on foot against it. Food and firewood supplies were cut off because people couldn’t reach their stockpiles.”8
Later in Mary's life, tragedy struck her family when in 1869 her only surviving son, William Asbury, was murdered in what was believed to be a bar fight. The incident happened in Jerseyville, and the trial was sensationalized by the Jerseyville Democrat newspaper: “On last Sunday morning, when the jailor visited the jail to feed the prisoners, he found a man named Asbury Davis, who had been placed there the night before, dead in the cell in which he was confined. He was lying near the door on his left side with his head under his arm and his knees slightly drawn up.”9 As his mother, it must have been terrible for Mary to hear about this; no one ended up being convicted of the crime.
Jersey County courthouse and jail where Mary's son died.
In 1872, Mary was described as being in good health, but she died on November 7, 1875 at the age of 77.1 She was buried in Keller Cemetery in Jerseyville, Illinois. Her husband Samuel passed away in 1888.10 Mary’s three youngest daughters lived well into the 20th-century, with the last of them, Mary Jane, dying in 1927.11
Children:
1. Louisa Davis — B. about 1828, Rowan County, North Carolina5
2. William Asbury Davis — B. 23 Apr 1831, Greene County, Illinois;12 D. 16 Oct 1869, Jerseyville, Illinois;12 M. Mary Elizabeth Luckey (1835-1901), 10 Mar 1853, Jersey County, Illinois13
3. Mary Jane Davis — B. March 1834, Greene County, Illinois;14 D. 7 May 1927, Parsons, Kansas;11 M. Samuel Luckey (1830-1884), 7 Apr 1853, Jerseyville, Illinois15
4. Margaret E. Davis — B. 4 Jul 1835, Illinois;16 D. 18 Oct 1919, Jersey County, Illinois;16 M. Tissier LaFayette Cray (1835-1920), 29 Sep 1857, Jersey County, Illinois17
5. Minerva Davis — B. 17 Mar 1838, Jerseyville, Illinois;18 D. 24 Dec 1923, Jersey County, Illinois;18 M. John Cray (1826-1892), 5 Apr 1856, Jersey County, Illinois19
Resources:
1 Find-a-grave listing for Mary (Clifford) Davis
2 Marriage bond of Samuel Davis and Mary Clifford, Rowan County, North Carolina, July 1823
3 Will of John Clifford, Rowan County, North Carolina, 1826
4 1830 U.S. Census, Greene County, Illinois
5 1870 U.S. Census, Jersey County, Illinois
6 Atlas of Jersey County, Illinois, 1872
7 “Michael Clifford, Sr. and Descendants,” A.E. Collier, The Heritage of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1991
8 The Deep Snow: winter of 1830-31 has legends that Chicago’s records fail to shake, Logan County IL GenWeb site
9 "Found Dead! An Interesting Trial," Jerseyville Democrat, Jerseyville, Illinois, October 23, 1869
10 Find-a-grave listing for Samuel Davis
11 Obituary of Mary Jane Luckey, Parsons Daily Sun, 9 May 1927, Parsons, Kansas
12 Find-a-Grave listing for William Asbury Davis
13 Marriage record of Asbury Davis and Mary E. Luckey, Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935, FamilySearch.org
14 1900 U.S. Census, Parsons, Kansas
15 Marriage record of Samuel Luckey and Mary Jane Davis, i.M.
16 Death record of Maggie E. Cray, Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947, FamilySearch.org
17 Marriage record of Tissier LaFayette Cray and Margaret Davis, I.M.
18 Find-a-Grave listing for Minerva Cray
19 Marriage record of John Cray and Minerva Davis, I.M.
1. Louisa Davis — B. about 1828, Rowan County, North Carolina5
2. William Asbury Davis — B. 23 Apr 1831, Greene County, Illinois;12 D. 16 Oct 1869, Jerseyville, Illinois;12 M. Mary Elizabeth Luckey (1835-1901), 10 Mar 1853, Jersey County, Illinois13
3. Mary Jane Davis — B. March 1834, Greene County, Illinois;14 D. 7 May 1927, Parsons, Kansas;11 M. Samuel Luckey (1830-1884), 7 Apr 1853, Jerseyville, Illinois15
4. Margaret E. Davis — B. 4 Jul 1835, Illinois;16 D. 18 Oct 1919, Jersey County, Illinois;16 M. Tissier LaFayette Cray (1835-1920), 29 Sep 1857, Jersey County, Illinois17
5. Minerva Davis — B. 17 Mar 1838, Jerseyville, Illinois;18 D. 24 Dec 1923, Jersey County, Illinois;18 M. John Cray (1826-1892), 5 Apr 1856, Jersey County, Illinois19
Resources:
1 Find-a-grave listing for Mary (Clifford) Davis
2 Marriage bond of Samuel Davis and Mary Clifford, Rowan County, North Carolina, July 1823
3 Will of John Clifford, Rowan County, North Carolina, 1826
4 1830 U.S. Census, Greene County, Illinois
5 1870 U.S. Census, Jersey County, Illinois
6 Atlas of Jersey County, Illinois, 1872
7 “Michael Clifford, Sr. and Descendants,” A.E. Collier, The Heritage of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1991
8 The Deep Snow: winter of 1830-31 has legends that Chicago’s records fail to shake, Logan County IL GenWeb site
9 "Found Dead! An Interesting Trial," Jerseyville Democrat, Jerseyville, Illinois, October 23, 1869
10 Find-a-grave listing for Samuel Davis
11 Obituary of Mary Jane Luckey, Parsons Daily Sun, 9 May 1927, Parsons, Kansas
12 Find-a-Grave listing for William Asbury Davis
13 Marriage record of Asbury Davis and Mary E. Luckey, Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935, FamilySearch.org
14 1900 U.S. Census, Parsons, Kansas
15 Marriage record of Samuel Luckey and Mary Jane Davis, i.M.
16 Death record of Maggie E. Cray, Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947, FamilySearch.org
17 Marriage record of Tissier LaFayette Cray and Margaret Davis, I.M.
18 Find-a-Grave listing for Minerva Cray
19 Marriage record of John Cray and Minerva Davis, I.M.
