The Long Life of a Tobacco Farmer — John Robey

B. about 1714 in Charles County, Maryland¹
M. about 1735 in Charles County, Maryland¹
Wife: Mary ________
D. before 23 Jul 1808 in (probably) Lincoln County, North Carolina²

During much of the 18th century, John Robey made a living growing tobacco in the region around the Potomac River. John was born in about 1714 in Charles County, Maryland,¹ the peninsula south of present-day Washington, DC. His father was also named John, as was his grandfather who had come over from England in the mid-1600s.¹ The Robey family was numerous in Charles County, and it’s challenging to accurately piece them together due to a lack of vital records. John’s mother may have been named Sarah Berry, but this isn't proven.

Map of colonial Maryland showing Charles and Prince George's Counties.

What is known about John is that his early years, and into his middle-age, were spent on small tobacco plantations. The climate and geography of southern Maryland was ideally suited for growing the crop, and it was the reason most people settled there. The peninsula where John lived had natural irrigation from many small streams, which along with rich soil, made the land perfect for growing tobacco. It's likely that John got married during the early 1730s, and his wife was only known by the first name Mary.¹ They had at least eight children, the youngest being born in 1763.³

On November 12, 1750, John purchased an 84-acre plantation in Charles County for the price of 5,000 pounds of tobacco.¹ Most plantations in Maryland were given names to identify them, and this was a section of a larger one called “Three Brothers.” Later, another record dated April 1764 showed he bought more land adjoining the earlier purchase, and this was called “Roby’s Help.”¹ Two years later, John’s name appeared in another transaction, this time a lease for a tract called “Partnership,” located near a place called “Zachiah Manor.”¹ The document showed he would gain possession of 150 acres on Christmas Day of 1766, and that the rent for it was 850 pounds of tobacco per year. In the terms of the deal, he was forbidden from cutting trees for wood. He kept this land until September of 1774.¹

Typical tobacco farm in Maryland.

After that, John seems to have moved to an adjacent county. A census was taken in Maryland in the summer of 1776 which showed him living in Prince George’s County along with wife Mary and eight others ranging in age from 6 to 23.⁴ In February 1778, his name was on a list of men who took the oath of allegiance in support of the Americans declaring independence.⁵ It’s believed that John continued to live in Prince George’s County until the early 1790s, when in his old age, he joined younger family members in moving to Iredell County, North Carolina.³

By the end of his life, John’s wife had died and he was living in the care of his children. All three of his sons had farms there, and it’s likely he lived with one of them. A grandson, Robey Tucker, may have taken him into his household for a time, and John wrote a will dated February 1, 1804 bequeathing Robey’s wife Rachel five pounds for presumably caring for him.² John lived another four years, dying in early 1808 at the age of about 94.²

Among John’s descendants is Vice President Dan Quayle’s wife Marilyn Tucker.

Children:
1. Mary Robey — B. about 1736, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. before 1 Feb 1804;² M. (maybe) Thomas Tucker³

2. Leonard Robey — B. about 1738, Charles County, Maryland;¹ D. 1815, Iredell County, Maryland;³ M. Emma Wedding (~1735-?), 1770, Charles County, Maryland³

3. Esther Robey — B. about 1740, Charles County, Maryland;¹ D. before 1 Feb 1804;² M. ______ Tucker²

4. Berry Robey — B. 1742, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. 1820, Iredell County, North Carolina⁶

5. Tobias Robey — B. about 1745, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. before 12 Nov 1802, Iredell County, North Carolina³

6. Basil Robey — B. Charles County, Maryland³

7. Elizabeth Robey — B. Charles County, Maryland;⁶ M. _______ Barel⁶

8. Edith Robey — B. about 1762, Charles County, Maryland;⁶ D. before 1 Feb 1804;² M. John Smith, 18 Jan 1778, Rowan County, North Carolina⁶

9. Millie Robey — B. 6 Jan 1763, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. 25 Apr 1844, Giles County, Tennessee;³ M. Jeremiah Parker (1766-1841)⁶ 

Sources:
1    Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia’s Northern Neck Counties (website)  
2    North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, FamilySearch.org
3    Robey/Roby/Robie: the family history from early England to America, William Grafton Robey Jr., 1994
4    Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources, Vol. 1, Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, 1915
5    Maryland Indexes, Oaths of Fidelity, 1778, Maryland State Archives
6    "Families of Mary Elizabeth Polly Parker McConnell," Christian County, Missouri Genealogy (website) 

From the Potomac to the Piedmont — Robey Tucker

B. about 1753 in Prince George’s County, Maryland¹
M. (1) before Aug 1776 in (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland¹
Wife: Hester ______
M. (2) before 1800 in (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina²
Wife: Rachel ______
D. after 14 Nov 1837 in (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina²

Robey Tucker was part of a migration of poor tobacco planters from Maryland who moved to the backwoods of North Carolina during the late 18th century. His origins are not well-documented; some sources indicate that his parents were Thomas Tucker and Mary Robey, but there doesn't seem to be hard evidence of this. His father may have had a different first name, and his mother could have been Esther instead of Mary. Either way, Robey was born in about 1753.¹

The place where Robey was born and grew up was Prince George’s County, Maryland, a rural area where the only crop was tobacco. Most of the population were descendants of English settlers who arrived in the colony during the 17th century. Robey likely did much of the farm labor as he grew up. Through land records, it’s possible to identify the general location of where the family lived, an area which was irrigated by one of the many creeks flowing into the Port Tobacco River.

Robey first turned up in records as a married man at age 23. A census was taken in Maryland in August of 1776 to assess the collection of taxes for supporting the Continental Congress. Some of the records are remarkably detailed, listing names and ages for everyone in each household. Robey’s wife was named Hester, also age 23, but in the absence of any marriage record, her maiden name is unknown. Their farm was the only one with just two people.¹ Nearby were John and Drusilla Tucker, ages 74 and 64, and John and Mary Robey, ages 62 and 55.¹ The Robeys were his grandparents, and the Tuckers were likely his close relatives.

Robey was a young man during the American Revolution, but there's no evidence that he ever volunteered as a soldier. He did swear his allegiance to the cause on February 23, 1778;³ nearly all of the men in Maryland did the same. Perhaps one reason Robey didn’t join the service was that he had started a family in 1777 with the birth of a son.⁴ He had seven children with Hester, mostly boys, with the youngest child born in about 1789.

Robey's name on list of men who signed 1778 oath of allegiance.

About 1790, Robey left the tobacco country of Maryland for the piedmont of North Carolina. The motivation was probably to find cheaper land, and there was plenty available in the backwoods of the Carolinas. The 1790 census showed that Robey lived in Iredell County with his wife and eight children, all unnamed in the listing.⁵ Other members of his family migrated to Iredell around the same time or earlier, including Robey’s uncle, Leonard Robey, and his grandfather, John Robey.

Sometime during the 1790s, Robey’s wife Hester passed away, and he remarried a woman only known as Rachel.² She was likely much younger and provided him five children who were born between 1803 and about 1810, when Robey was nearly 60-years-old. Robey and Rachel spent over two years as caretakers for his elderly grandfather, and when the old man made out his will, he left Rachel a small bequest.⁶ After the will was probated in 1808, Robey was paid £30 for the work he had done, of which £10 was for “trouble and expense of his last sickness and death.” The receipt for the payment shows Robey’s only known signature.⁶

Robey's signature in 1808.

Robey was shown to be living in Iredell County at least until 1820. In each of the census years 1800, 1810 and 1820 he was listed as a head of household with descriptions of dependents corresponding to his wife and known children.⁷ At no time did he own any slaves, which he likely couldn’t afford. Robey made out his will on November 14, 1837;² at age 84, he was “weak in body” and signed his name with a shaky “X,” suggesting that he had some disability. The document is very brief and mentions only one of his children, Robey, to whom he left his entire estate. This was likely because Robey was the only one who still lived in North Carolina, since most of the others are known to have moved to Kentucky or Illinois.

Robey's mark on his 1837 will.

The will was probated in February 1842, so Robey died by that date. It isn’t known if Rachel survived him. His descendants scattered across the U.S. continuing the migration of the family to the west. One of his descendants was Marilyn Tucker, the wife of Vice President Dan Quayle.⁸

Children by Hester:
1. John B. Tucker — B. 25 Sep 1777, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;⁴ D. 28 Dec 1848, (probably) Washington County, Indiana;⁴ M. Mary Campbell (1781-1853), after 9 Nov 1797, Iredell County, North Carolina⁴

2. (possibly) Zachariah Tucker — B. about 1782, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland; D: 2 Oct 1857, (probably) Kentucky; M. Levina Jarboe, after 27 Jun 1812, Washington County, Kentucky⁹

3. (possibly) Freeman Tucker — B. about 1779, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland; D. 15 Feb 1850, Tazewell County, Illinois; M. Esther Fitzgerald

4. Absalom Tucker — B. about 1783, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹⁰ D. 1849, Washington County, Kentucky¹⁰

5. (possibly) Thomas Tucker — B. about 1785, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹¹ D. 28 Jun 1859;¹¹ M. Rachel Kendrick, 3 Aug 1815, Washington County, Kentucky¹²

6. Benjamin Tucker — B. about 1787, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹³ D. 1848, Nelson County, Kentucky;¹³ M. Elizabeth Livers, 26 Jan 1823, Nelson County Kentucky¹⁴

7. (possibly) Mary Tucker — B. about 1789, (probably) Prince George’s County, Maryland;¹⁵ D. about 1852;¹⁵ M. Samuel Turner¹⁵

Children by Rachel:
1. Esther J. Tucker — B. 20 Apr 1803, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;¹⁶ D. 27 Feb 1883, Waverly, Illinois;¹⁶ M. Joseph Luckey (?-~1840), before 1829¹⁷

2. Samuel S. Tucker — B. 20 Nov 1805, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;¹⁸ D. 22 Dec 1891, Hat Creek, California;¹⁸ M. Nancy Ann Allison (~1803-1875), 1825, Iredell County, North Carolina¹⁸

3. (possibly) Elizabeth Tucker — B. about 1807, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina

4. Robey Tucker — B. 8 Sep 1808, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;¹⁹ D. before 7 Dec 1885, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;²⁰ M. Rachel Mason (1832-1914), 11 Jan 1853, Iredell County, North Carolina¹⁹

5. Randolph J. Tucker — B. 1810, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;²¹ D. 1892, Illinois;²¹ M. (1) Henrietta Jones (1813-1868), before 1837, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina;²¹ (2) Sarah Mahala Stroud (~1832-?), after 1868, (probably) Illinois²¹

Sources:
1    Prince George’s County, St. John’s and Prince George Parishes Maryland State Census, 1776
2    Will of Robey Tucker, 14 Nov 1837, North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, FamilySearch.org
3    Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources, Vol. 1, Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, 1915
4    Find-a-Grave listing for John B. Tucker  
5    1790 U.S. Census
6    Will of John Robey, 1 Feb 1804, N.C.P.R.
7    1800, 1810 and 1820 U.S. Censuses
8    Political Family Tree (PDF) 
9    Marriage record of Zachariah Tucker and Lovina Jarboe, Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch.org
10  Find-a-Grave listing for Absalom Tucker
11  Estimated birth and death of Thomas Tucker from family tree listing on FamilySearch.org 
12  Marriage record of Thomas Tucker and Rachel Kendrick, Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch.org
13  Estimated birth and death of Benjamin Tucker from family tree listing on FamilySearch.org 
14  Marriage record of Benjamin Tucker and Elizabeth Livers, Kentucky County Marriages, 1797-1954, FamilySearch.org
15  Estimated birth, marriage and death of Mary Tucker from family tree listing on FamilySearch.org  
16  Death record of Esther J. Luckey, Morgan County, Illinois
17  Find-a-Grave listing for Esther J. Luckey
18  Find-a-Grave listing for Samuel S. Tucker
19  Find-a-Grave listing for Robey Tucker (younger)
20  Probate file card for Roby Tucker, North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, FamilySearch.org
21  Find-a-Grave listing for Randolph J. Tucker

Piecing the Life of a Midwestern Farmer — Joseph Luckey

B. about 1795 in (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina¹
M. before 1829²
Wife: Esther J. Tucker
D. after Mar 1841 in (probably) Jersey County, Illinois³

No document survives that identifies the vital events of Joseph Luckey’s life, but from various sources, it’s possible to get a sense of him. He was born during the 1790s¹ to unknown parents, probably in Rowan County, North Carolina. That area had a large, extended family all descended from a common ancestor named Robert Luckey. This progenitor was from Northern Ireland, having migrated to Pennsylvania in around 1720, and by mid-century, several of his sons wound up in North Carolina. By estimating ages, Robert was likely Joseph’s great-grandfather, and by using other facts, a speculative pedigree emerges (see below).

Since Joseph wasn’t named in any probate records of a potential father, his family was likely poor, and his later migration west helps confirm this. Sometime during the 1820s, he married a young woman named Esther Tucker,² who was from Iredell County, North Carolina. The record of their wedding is lost, but it probably wasn't in Rowan County, where marriage records are fairly complete for that time. A daughter was born in Tennessee in about 1829,⁴ although we don't know if the family actually lived there — they may have been just passing through.

One of the few documents that shows Joseph during his lifetime was the 1830 census, and it’s unfortunately sketchy. That year, he was listed in St. Charles County, Missouri, which was located on the Mississippi River.⁵ St. Charles was the western frontier where Daniel Boone had died ten years earlier, but by 1830, the population had grown to over 4,000 settlers. Besides Joseph, the household consisted of his wife Esther and daughter Ellen, although the census didn't list them by name. During the next two years, two more children were born, then by 1835, the family crossed back to the east side of the Mississippi and settled in Illinois.⁶

The record that establishes Joseph in Greene County, Illinois was for a purchase of federal land on December 2, 1837.⁷ The government sold undeveloped land at a low price, and in this way, Joseph was able to purchase 84.82 acres. After the land was paid for in full, a deed was issued dated January 1, 1840.⁸ While living on this property, Joseph became a father twice more with the youngest child born January 7, 1842.⁹ By this time, the area had been split off to form a new county named Jersey.

Joseph Luckey land deed (Source: Ancestry.com)

After the land deed, there is no further record of Joseph. His family was listed without him in the 1850 census, where the personal wealth of his widow Esther was shown to be only $100.¹⁰ She survived him by many years, and died in 1883.¹¹

The speculative family of Joseph Luckey
In my effort to identify the parents of Joseph Luckey, I noticed there were other people who had the exact same migration from Rowan County to St. Charles County, Missouri in 1829. One family was headed by John and Jane Davis, and Jane’s maiden name was Luckey.¹² Another was a single man named James McGuire, and his mother’s maiden name was also Luckey.¹² By 1835, all ended up in Greene County, Illinois (later called Jersey County) where they lived for the rest of their lives.¹²

Joseph Luckey, Jane Davis and James McGuire were each born in the 1790s, and it seemed unlikely that these three people weren’t closely related. I’m proposing that Joseph and Jane were brother and sister, and that James was their first cousin. The significant thing is that James has a traceable pedigree: his mother was the daughter of Samuel Luckey (1733-1804), who was the son of immigrant ancestor Robert Luckey. From Samuel’s probate records we can see that he had two sons, Samuel and John,¹³ either of whom could be the father of Joseph and/or Jane.

The lack of records still creates a roadblock in definitively proving this. But I do feel that Joseph must be a descendant of Robert Luckey, and so I am making that claim.

Possible family of Joseph Luckey. (Joseph and Jane may not have the same father, making them first cousins instead.)

Children:
1. Ellen Ann Luckey — B. 1829, Tennessee;⁴ D. 1882, Labette County, Kansas;¹⁴ M. John Ross (1829-?), 3 Apr 1850, Jerseyville, Illinois¹⁵

2. Samuel Luckey — B. 7 Jan 1830, (probably) St. Charles County, Missouri;¹⁶ D. 8 Mar 1884, Labette County, Kansas;¹⁶ M. Mary Jane Davis (1834-1927), 7 Apr 1853, Jerseyville, Illinois¹⁷

3. Rachel E. Luckey — B. 10 Nov 1832, (probably) St. Charles County, Missouri;¹⁸ D. 23 Apr 1883, Morgan County, Illinois;¹⁸ M. Aaron B. Devore (1822-1884), 26 Feb 1861, Sangamon County, Illinois¹⁹

4. Joseph Luckey — B. 15 May 1835, (probably) Greene County, Illinois;²⁰ D. 20 Jan 1916, Jersey County, Illinois;²⁰ M. Edith Catherine Davis (1838-1913), 12 Jan 1865, Jersey County, Illinois²¹

5. John Luckey — B. about 1839, (probably) Jersey County, Illinois²²

6. Mary Jane Luckey — B. 7 Jan 1842, Jersey County, Illinois;⁹ D. 15 Jan 1908, Belvidere, Nebraska;⁹ M. (1) John Stanfield (about 1838-?), 1 Mar 1863, Sangamon County, Illinois;²³ (2) Charles N. Lovercheck (1847-1927), 3 Feb 1870, Sangamon County, Illinois²⁴

Sources:
1    Estimated birth year of Joseph Luckey based on his 1830 U.S. Census listing
2    Estimated marriage year based on approximate age of Joseph Luckey’s oldest child in census records and on Find-A-Grave
3    Estimated death date of Joseph Luckey based on birth date of his youngest child, counting back 9 months
4    1870 U.S. Census listing for Ellen Ann Ross
5    1830 U.S. Census listing for Joseph Luckey
6    Based on birthplace and birth year of Rachel Luckey on her 1850 U.S. Census listing
7    Jersey County Early Land Records, Jersey County IL GenWeb  
8    1840 Jersey County, Illinois land grant for Joseph Luckey
9    Find-a-Grave listing for Mary Jane Lovercheck  
10  1850 Census listing for Esther Luckey
11  Find-a-Grave listing for Esther Luckey 

12  Atlas of Jersey County, Illinois, 1872

13  Probate records of Samuel Luckey, Rowan County, North Carolina, 1804

14  Find-a-Grave listing for Ellen A. Ross  
15  Marriage record of John Ross and Ellen Ann Luckey, Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935, FamilySearch.org
16  Find-a-Grave listing for Samuel Luckey  
17  Marriage record of Samuel Luckey and Mary Jane Davis, Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935, FamilySearch.org
18  Find-a-Grave listing for Rachel Elizabeth Devore  
19  Marriage record of Aaron B. Devore and Rachel E. Luckey, Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935, FamilySearch.org
20  Find-a-Grave listing for Joseph Luckey  
21  Marriage record of Joseph Luckey and Edith Davis, Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935, FamilySearch.org 22  1850 Census listing for John Luckey
23  Marriage record of John Stanfield and Mary Jane Luckey, Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935, FamilySearch.org
24  Marriage record of Charles N. Lovercheck and Mary Jane Stanfield, Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935, FamilySearch.org

From Backwoods Virginia to Boone Country — John Bryan

B. about 1730 in (probably) Frederick County, Virginia
M. about 1749 in Rowan County, North Carolina
Wife: Sarah ________
D. before Nov 1800 in Rowan County, North Carolina

John Bryan was a member of a family who had origins in high places in Europe, yet ended up populating the American frontier during the 18th-century. John and his brothers were part of the first group of settlers to venture into Kentucky under the guidance of Daniel Boone, although he didn’t stay permanently.

John’s parents, Morgan and Martha (Strode) Bryan,  had unusual stories of how they ended up in America. Morgan’s heritage was English, Irish, Welsh and Dutch, and may have descended from nobility who served in the court of Henry VIII, although there is no hard evidence of this lineage. Morgan’s mother was definitely of highborn English stock, and her male line followed a course of needing to leave England because they weren't firmly loyal to the crown. Eventually, Morgan and Martha met and married in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Among Morgan and Martha’s nine children, John was the fourth son and sixth child. Although they had started their family in Pennsylvania, it’s believed that John was the first child born after the move to the Opequon Creek region of Frederick County, Virginia. This was in about 1730, and he would spend the first 18 years of his life in Virginia. When Morgan prepared to move his family to North Carolina, he sent out some of his sons to scout the territory, and it’s likely that John was part of this group. It was a journey of over 300 miles over backwoods trails.

John’s father was very old by this time, and it was his plan to provide plots of land for all of his adult children. The number of Bryan family members involved in this migration gave the area the name Bryan Settlement. The land that was to be John’s was surveyed “on the bank of the Yadkin River below Mill Creek/Mulberry Field.” This was a tract of 313 acres where he probably built a cabin, and soon after, he got married. His new wife is assumed by researchers to be the same person mentioned in his will, and she was only known by the name Sarah. If this is correct, John and Sarah had a family of nine children born between about 1752 and 1768; each married and had families, giving John a wealth of descendants. 

John’s note of consent for his oldest daughter’s marriage.

During the late 1750s, the Cherokee War took place in the Carolinas and Tennessee. It doesn’t appear that John took refuge by leaving the area with his family like others did, but they may have gone to a fort when the action got too close to home. After things quieted down in 1760, John added to his farmland by purchasing 449 acres from his brother-in-law William Linville, although it isn’t thought that John ever lived on this property. In 1762, he sold his original 313 acres so he could move his family to another tract of land. John then purchased 646 acres of land, and later another 560 acres. This second tract he sold in two parts in 1763, and again, he never made use of it himself.

John’s niece was the wife of Daniel Boone, and many of the Bryans, including John, were part of his early ventures into Kentucky. The first of Boone’s treks was in the fall of 1773 when he led 40 extended family members through the Cumberland Gap. Unfortunately, the group was forced to turn back after Indians attacked them, killing six. Two years later, when Boone led a group on another trip to Kentucky, it’s less certain that John was among them, but he likely was. This effort also didn’t end well because after they built some cabins, there was more violence from local tribes, and most of the settlers returned to Rowan County for a couple more years. 

Daniel Boone leading group through the Cumberland Gap.

The planned migration of the Bryans into Kentucky finally took place in 1779, but instead of joining his siblings, it’s believed that John took on the task of filing their land claim at the office in Williamsburg, Virginia. He may have afterwards delivered the paperwork to the Kentucky settlement, but more likely that was handled by a nephew named William. Sadly, William was killed by Indians a few months later while out hunting. The experience of the Bryans trying to settle in Kentucky wasn’t a good one, and most of them came back to North Carolina the following year.

The Boone expeditions happened at the same time as the beginning of the American Revolution. The Bryan family were said to have had Tory sympathies, although to what degree, it isn’t known. Speculation is that Bryan Tories were against the local colonial leadership (as opposed to being in support of the English crown), and they saw escape to Kentucky as a way to avoid being conscripted to fight. It appears that John never served in the military on either side in the revolution, or at any other time. One thing that did affect him was that American leaders didn’t recognize land claims awarded under British rule, so John had to file for new land, which he did on February 16, 1778. This tract of 400 acres moved him well south of the Rowan County Bryan Settlement.

As the theater of war moved into the Carolinas, John seems to have remained neutral, but at least one of his nephews, James Bryan, joined Cornwallis’ army, and was killed in a rebel ambush. Also around this time, John’s own son John died, but it isn’t certain if he was also fighting for the British or not. John appeared in support of his son’s widow, Rebecca, and they both were administrators of John Jr.’s estate. He later became guardian for his son’s three children.

By 1787, tax lists show that John’s household consisted only he and his wife Sarah. In his old age, John made out a will dated November 18, 1797, and he died about two years later in early 1800. The will revealed that he owned at least four slaves. Two of them were left to his wife and a son, and two young women were ordered to be sold so that the money could pay off his debts — a cruel fate all too common in the South at that time. John made his mark on the will showing that was illiterate in spite of his relative wealth. Sarah survived him, but it isn’t known when she died.

Children:
1. Jane Bryan — B. about 1752, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. after Nov 1800; M. John Orton (~1748-~1825), 26 May 1770, Rowan County, North Carolina

2. John Bryan — B. about 1754, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. before 7 Aug 1781, (probably) Kentucky; M. Rebecca Orton (~1755-?), 26 Aug 1774, Rowan County, North Carolina

3. Samuel Bryan — B. about 1756, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 1832, Davidson County, Tennessee; M. Margaret Morrow (~1760-1841), after 11 Aug 1784, Orange County, North Carolina

4. Jannet Bryan — B. about 1759, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. before 2 May 1808, Rowan County, North Carolina; M. Joseph Orton (~1758-1807), after 28 Sep 1780, Rowan County, North Carolina

5. Sarah Bryan — B. about 1760, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. after 1797; M. Zechariah Allen (1760-1838), about 1780, Rowan County North Carolina

6. Elizabeth Bryan — B. about 1762, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. after 1821, (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina; M. John Davis (?-1821), 22 Feb 1787, Rowan County, North Carolina

7. Mary Bryan — B. about 1764, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. about 1817, Tennessee; M. Thomas Huey, after 7 Feb 1787, Rowan County, North Carolina

8. Margery Bryan — B. about 1768, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. Dec 1846, Greene County, Illinois; M. Thomas Allen (~1766-1832), after 26 May 1789, Rowan County, North Carolina

9. James Bryan — B. about 1768, Rowan County, North Carolina; 1797, Rowan County, North Carolina; M. Margaret Johnston (~1770-?), before 8 Dec 1790, Rowan County, North Carolina

Sources:
Morgan Bryan (1671-1763) A Danish Born “Irish Immigrant” and Some of His Antecedents and Descendants, V. 2, David Cornelius McMurtry, David Randall Bryan, Kathryn Horton Weiss, 2007

Probate records of John Bryan, 1800, Rowan County, North Carolina

A Planter in the North Carolina Woods — John Davis

B. (probably) 1760s in (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina
M.  22 Feb 1787 in Rowan County, North Carolina
Wife: Elizabeth Bryan
D. 1821 in (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina

The people who farmed the backwoods of North Carolina during the 18th century left behind few records. For someone like John Davis, his story is told in his will.

John was likely born in Rowan County, North Carolina, the place where he lived as an adult. The date of his birth is unknown, and is estimated to be during the 1760s. John’s parents were unidentified in records and it’s not known if he had siblings, but he could sign his name on documents, so he had at least a little education. John first appeared on a marriage bond dated February 22, 1787 filed in Rowan County. His bride was Elizabeth Bryan, daughter of another Rowan County settler, John Bryan.

John and Elizabeth had at least seven children, with the youngest born about 1806. His son Samuel was known to have received no formal schooling, and presumably that was the case for all of John’s children. The farm John owned wasn’t likely from an original grant, and he added an additional field to it at some point. In his will, he described its boundaries using specific trees as markers—a black oak, a white oak and a large hickory. Son Samuel later described his childhood home as being located “in the wilds” of North Carolina. In 1810, John owned three slaves; it’s likely they were used as laborers on his farm.

On May 31, 1821, John made out his will. He was “weak of body,” and probably in the final stages of an illness because his signature was very shaky. His wife Elizabeth and their children were bequeathed his land and possessions. One detail that he spelled out concerned a young slave named Joseph, who was to be hired out for six months, with the wages he earned being paid to support Elizabeth. The will was proved in August, just a couple of months after John wrote it, meaning he must have died in June or July. 

John Davis’ will.

Children:
1. James Davis — B. 12 Nov 1789, Rowan County, North Carolina; 10 Feb 1840, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Elizabeth Morrow (1786-1851), 23 Nov 1814, Rowan County, North Carolina

2. John M. Davis — B. 25 Jul 1791, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 31 Jan 1864, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Jane Luckey (1796-1889), 14 Jul 1817, Rowan County, North Carolina

3. William Davis — B. (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina

4. Elizabeth Davis — B. (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina

5. Sarah Davis — B. (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina; M. Mr. Madden

6. Samuel Davis — B. 8 Jul 1798, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 22 May 1888, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Mary Clifford (1798-1875), 31 Jul 1823, Rowan County, North Carolina

7. Joseph Davis — B. about 1806, Rowan County, North Carolina; M. Rebecca Little (~1804-?), 28 Dec 1824, Rowan County, North Carolina

Sources:
North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979, FamilySearch.org
Will of John Davis, 1821
1810 US Census
Find-A-Grave.com

Farming the North Carolina Piedmont — John Clifford

B. about 1746 in Ireland
M. (1) before 1778 in (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina
Wife: Rachel Gray
M. (2) before 1791 in (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina
Wife: Alsey Galloway
D. about Nov 1826 in (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina

During the 18th century, large numbers of Scots-Irish people came to America, and headed to where land was available. A common place where many ended up was in the backwoods of North Carolina, and John Clifford’s family was among them. 

John was the son of Michael Clifford, and he was born in an unknown part of Ireland sometime during the mid-1740s. John was only a small child when the family sailed to America, but his mother died on the voyage, leaving his father with three children. It’s likely they arrived in Philadelphia, and lived in New Jersey for a time before moving on to Maryland. This was a typical migration pattern for the Scots-Irish. At some point, John’s father remarried and gave him five half-siblings. 

In around 1775, John settled with his family in Rowan County, North Carolina, where he would spend the rest of his life. After he came of age, he got married to a woman named Rachel Gray; their oldest known child was born in 1778, but it’s likely they been together for a few years. John and Rachel had at least three more children, then she passed away in about 1790. John took a second wife named Alsey Galloway, and they had six children born between 1791 and 1806.

John was of the right age to have served in the American Revolution, and there is evidence that he fought in his local militia along with his brothers Michael and Jacob. A document shows that he was paid 11 pounds 2 shillings for his service. There is a gap of almost four years between the birth of his oldest child and his second one, 1778 and 1782, and this was likely when he enlisted. It was the period when the theater of war had shifted to the southern colonies, so it makes sense.

1783 document ordering payment to John for his militia service.

Besides a short stint as a soldier, John's life was likely devoted to his Piedmont farm, which was challenging because with its rocky landscape, it wasn’t the best place to grow crops. John never owned slaves, but this may have been that he couldn’t afford them. In 1785, his father left him 20 shillings in his will; the small bequest was due to the fact his father recently sold him 50 acres of land at a very reduced rate.

Little else is known about John, but he seems to have lived a long life. He made out his will in 1824, leaving his land to his wife and two of his sons, and smaller parts of his estate to his other children. The will was probated in November 1826, and it’s likely this was shortly after John had died. As for the North Carolina Piedmont where he had farmed, most of his children chose to leave the area, with one relocating to Tennessee and six others to Illinois. His widow Alsey also went to Illinois during her final years – she was living with daughter Jane in 1850 at age 95.

Children by Rachel Gray:
1. Elizabeth Clifford — B. 18 Sep 1778, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 30 Sep 1827, Jefferson County, Tennessee; M. Charles Galloway (1758-1846), about 1795, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina

2. Joseph Clifford — B. 20 Jun 1782, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 23 Feb 1844, Davie County, North Carolina; M. Susannah Wells (1787-1863), 15 Apr 1809, Rowan County, North Carolina

3. Sarah Clifford — B. May 1783, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 4 May 1851, Greene County, Illinois; M. Enoch Irwin (~1787-?), 30 May 1808, Rowan County, North Carolina

4. Rachel Clifford — B. about 1787, (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 16 Sep 1838, Davie County, North Carolina, M. Overton White, 10 Dec 1817, Rowan County, North Carolina

Children by Alsey Galoway:
1. John Clifford — B. about 1791, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 18 Feb 1844, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Hester L.W. Van Hart, 14 Apr 1840, New Jersey

2. Jane Clifford — B. 4 Sep 1794, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 23 Feb 1857, Greene County, Illinois; M. William Wells (1800-1871), 18 Oct 1819, Rowan County, North Carolina

3. Michael Clifford — B. 7 Jan 1795, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 24 Aug 1873, Dongola, Illinois; M. Ellender Leach (1796-1866), 1 Oct 1815, Rowan County, North Carolina

4. Mary Clifford — B. 11 Dec 1798, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 7 Nov 1875, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Samuel Davis (1798-1888), 31 Jul 1823, Rowan County, North Carolina

5. William Clifford — B. 1804, Rowan County, North Carolina; M. Barbara Thomson, 24 Jul 1824, Rowan County, North Carolina

6. Joanna Clifford — B. 1806, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 1882, Jersey County, Illinois; M. John Eaton (1812-1869), 28 Oct 1829, Rowan County, North Carolina

Sources:
“Michael Clifford, Sr. and Descendants,” A.E. Collier, The Heritage of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1991
Find-A-Grave.com

Operating a Farm Without a Husband — Esther J. Tucker

B. 20 Apr 1803 in Iredell County, North Carolina
M. before 1829
Husband: Joseph Luckey
D. 27 Feb 1883 in Waverly, Illinois

Esther Tucker was an example of strong pioneer stock in the early Mid-West. She lived in several remote places as a young wife before losing her husband, then she ran her family’s farm for many years after.

Esther was born on April 20, 1803 in Iredell County, North Carolina. Her heritage traces back to the Potomac River area of Maryland, where her parents Robey and Rachel Tucker were born. Esther was illiterate and probably never attended school. She grew up in the post-revolution era, when bounty land out west was drawing families to move there. This dynamic would shape Esther’s life, although we don’t have any specifics of exactly when she may have migrated.

Sometime during the 1820s, Esther married Joseph Luckey, probably in North Carolina. Their oldest known child was born in Tennessee in 1829, but it may have been that they were just passing through while moving west; by the following year, Esther and Joseph made their home in St. Charles County, Missouri. Two other families, perhaps close relatives of Joseph, made a similar migration. By the mid-1830s, they all went back across the Mississippi River into Greene County (later Jersey County), Illinois.

The life of a farmer’s wife in 1830s Illinois was pretty rugged. Esther would have likely lived in a log cabin rather than a frame house. She cooked and cleaned for her family while half the time being pregnant, as her husband Joseph attempted to clear and farm their land. This was a time of few modern conveniences — it would be several more years before the railroads improved everyday life. For Esther, her years as a young mother must have been filled with hard work. 

19th-century farm in Illinois.

During the early 1840s, Joseph died, leaving Esther with six underaged children. Whether or not she had the opportunity to remarry, she never did, and this put her into a role of running her own farm. There’s no doubt Esther and her family were poor; the 1850 census showed that her personal wealth was only $100. Somehow she got by with the help of her children, but as they married off, they had their own households to look after.

In 1860, Esther was living in Sangamon County with her four youngest children; that year the family's personal estate was valued at $200 (it was listed next to her son Joseph’s name). By the time Esther was 67, she was living on the farm of her son-in-law, Aaron Devore, who was married to her daughter Rachel. Esther passed away on February 27, 1883 in Waverly, Illinois, the small community where the Devores had moved. She was buried in a tiny cemetery back in Jersey County where her husband presumably had been laid to rest about 40 years earlier. 

Children:
1. Ellen Ann Luckey — B. 1829, Tennessee; D. 1882, Labette County, Kansas; M. John Ross (1829-?), 3 Apr 1850, Jerseyville, Illinois

2. Samuel Luckey — B. 7 Jan 1830, (probably) St. Charles County, Missouri; D. 8 Mar 1884, Labette County, Kansas; M. Mary Jane Davis (1834-1927), 7 Apr 1853, Jerseyville, Illinois

3. Rachel E. Luckey — B. 10 Nov 1832, (probably) St. Charles County, Missouri; D. 23 Apr 1883, Morgan County, Illinois; M. Aaron B. Devore (1822-1884), 26 Feb 1861, Sangamon County, Illinois

4. Joseph Luckey — B. 15 May 1835,  (probably) Greene County, Illinois; D. 20 Jan 1916, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Edith Catherine Davis (1838-1913), 12 Jan 1865, Jersey County, Illinois

5. John Luckey — B. about 1839, (probably) Jersey County, Illinois

6. Mary Jane Luckey — B. 7 Jan 1842, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 15 Jan 1908, Belvidere, Nebraska; M. (1) John Stanfield (about 1838-?), 1 Mar 1863, Sangamon County, Illinois; (2) Charles N. Levercheck (1847-1927), 3 Feb 1870, Sangamon County, Illinois

Sources:
1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 U.S. Census
Find-A-Grave.com

To America From 18th-Century Ireland — Michael Clifford

B. (probably) 1720s in Ireland
M. (1) (probably) 1740s in Ireland
Wife: (first name unknown) Painter
M. (2) (probably) 1750s in New Jersey
Wife: Sarah Gray Moffatt
M. (3) (probably) 1760s in Maryland
Wife: Elizabeth
D. 1785 in Rowan County, North Carolina

During the early 18th century, the lure of America attracted many to leave Europe and settle in the English colonies. It was people like Michael Clifford who began populating the frontiers, although in his case, it took a few moves to ultimately land where he made his life.

Michael was born somewhere in Ireland, likely during the 1720s. Some researchers have identified his parents without citing any sources, so those names won’t be considered here. It’s almost certain that Michael’s family was of Scots-Irish descent because Irish Catholics didn’t come to America in any great numbers until 100 years later. After Michael came of age, he married a woman who is believed to have had the surname “Painter,” and they had three children together.

Sometime during the 1750s, Michael bought passage for his family aboard a ship bound for the American colonies. An 18th-century voyage could be a hazardous trip, and sadly his wife seemed to have become sick and died onboard the ship. He must have been devastated to have her body buried at sea, facing an unknown future with three young children to look after.

Philadelphia was his likely port of entry; from there he went to New Jersey for a time. There he met and married a woman named Sarah Gray Moffatt, and it’s believed that they had three children together before moving on to Frederick County, Maryland. On February 20, 1766, Michael acquired 12 acres of land near present-day Woodsboro. Sarah seems to have died while he lived there, and he married a third wife, Elizabeth. He had another two children, although it isn’t certain which woman was the mother of them because exact marriage and birth years are unknown.

Around 1775, Michael took his family to North Carolina, settling in what was Rowan County. Perhaps he found that land was cheaper there because he bought 230 acres on February 18, 1778, then another 640 acres on June 7th of the same year. The location was on Dutchman’s Creek in an area that later became Montgomery County. In 1783, Michael sold 50 acres to his son-in-law Richard Haines for the small amount of 25 shillings. He did the same for his son John in August of 1784. 

Dutchman's Creek today is still a wilderness. (Source: Google Maps)  

It’s likely that Michael’s health was failing by 1784, because he wrote his will on December 16th, and it was probated the following year. Michael was survived by his wife Elizabeth and his eight children. From North Carolina, his descendants fanned out all across the United States — the deep South, the Midwest, the prairie lands, and the Far West. Today, tens of thousands of people can trace their roots to Michael Clifford. 

Children by Miss Painter:
1. John Clifford — B. about 1746, Ireland; D. 16 Dec 1826, Rowan County, North Carolina; M. (1) Rachel Gray; (2) Alsey Galloway (~1755-?)

2. Eleanor Clifford — B. (probably) 1740s, Ireland; D. 1789, Lincoln County, Tennessee; M. Charles Westerman (1750-~1820)

3. Sarah Clifford — B. (probably) 1740s, Ireland; M. (1) Isaac Wilcoxson; (2) Richard Haines

Children by Sarah Gray Moffatt:
1. Jacob Clifford — B. (probably) 1750s, New Jersey; D. 21 Sep 1805; M. Nancy Ann Boone (1762-1829), Rowan County, North Carolina

2. Catherine Clifford — B. (probably) 1750s, New Jersey; M. Mr. Pippins

3. Elizabeth Ann Clifford — B. (probably) 1750s, New Jersey; D. about 1811; M. (1) James Woods; (2) John Jennings

Children by Sarah Gray Moffatt or Elizabeth:

1. Eve Clifford — B. about 1757, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 10 Oct 1800, Davie County, North Carolina; M. Ebenezer Eaton (?-1810), 1777, Rowan County, North Carolina

2. Michael Clifford — B. about 1759, New Jersey; D. 30 Jul 1835, Sangamon County, Illinois; M. (1) Phoebe Eaton (?-~1810), 18 Mar 1781, Frederick County, Maryland; (2) Elizabeth Webb (~1782-?), 1811, Woodford County, Kentucky

Sources:
“Michael Clifford, Sr. and Descendants,” A.E. Collier, The Heritage of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1991
American Revolution pension application of Michael Clifford [his son], Sangamon County, Illinois, 8 Oct 1832

Quiet Farmer from North Carolina — Samuel Davis

B. 8 Jul 1798 in Rowan County, North Carolina¹
M. 31 Jul 1823 in Rowan County, North Carolina²
Wife: Mary Clifford
D. 22 May 1888 in Jersey County, Illinois¹

Samuel Davis was fairly typical of the people who migrated west in early 19th-century America. He tried to better himself by working hard at the only thing he knew: farming.

Samuel was born July 8, 1798 in Rowan County, North Carolina, the eighth child of John Davis and Elizabeth Bryan.³ His early years were described as having been spent in “the wilds of North Carolina,” and he received little or no formal education.³ When he was 23, his father died, and left him a portion of his land.⁴

On July 31, 1823, Samuel married Mary Clifford.² They had eight children, three of whom died young. In 1829, the family moved to Greene County, Illinois (later split off as Jersey County).³ They were among the first settlers of the area and it's likely that the Davis family lived in a log cabin during the early years. Samuel arrived poor, but did fairly well farming in Illinois — by 1850, his property was worth $6,000.⁵ He kept the same farm for many years, and was described as having “always lived the life of a quiet farmer.”³

Samuel's 1840 homestead document.

While Samuel mostly kept to himself at his home, the same couldn’t be said for his only son, Asbury. One night in the fall of 1869, Asbury was met with violence as he exited a Jerseyville saloon. Some witnesses said he had been bodily thrown out in a drunken state, and a few men inside came out and beat him up. Others loaded Asbury into a wheel barrow and brought him to the jail, where he was found dead in cell awhile later.⁶ It’s unknown how Samuel received this news, but it must have been a terrible time for him and his family.

In 1872, it was reported that Samuel was in such good health in his mid-seventies that he retained “almost the same activity that marked his boyhood.”³ His wife Mary died in 1875,⁷ and in the 1880 census, Samuel was recorded as living on the farm of Jospeh Luckey, who was his son-in-law's brother.⁸ Samuel's unmarried daughter Louisa was living with him.

Samuel died May 22, 1888 at the farm of C.H. Waters, six miles west of Jerseyville.⁹ His obituary described that he was “a kind and affectionate husband and father.”⁹ Samuel was buried in the Keller Cemetary in Jerseyville next to his wife. At the time of his death, his descendants totaled 4 children, 39 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.

Children:
1. Louisa Davis — B. about 1828, (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina⁵

2. William Asbury Davis — B. 23 Apr 1831, Greene County, Illinois;¹⁰ D. 16 Oct 1869, Jerseyville, Illinois;¹⁰ M. Mary Elizabeth Luckey (1835-1901), 10 Mar 1853, Jersey County, Illinois¹¹

3. Mary Jane Davis — B. March 1834, Greene County, Illinois;¹² D. 7 May 1927, Parsons, Kansas;¹³ M. Samuel Luckey (1830-1884), 7 Apr 1853, Jerseyville, Illinois¹⁴

4. Margaret E. Davis — B. 4 Jul 1835, Greene County, Illinois;^5,15 D. 18 Oct 1919, Jersey County, Illinois;¹⁵ M. Tissier LaFayette Cray (1835-1920), 29 Sep 1857, Jersey County, Illinois¹⁶

5. Minerva Davis — B. 17 Mar 1838, Jerseyville, Illinois;^5,17 D. 24 Dec 1923, Jersey County, Illinois;¹⁷ M. John Cray (1826-1892), 5 Apr 1856, Jersey County, Illinois¹⁸

Sources:
1    Find-a-Grave listing of Samuel Davis  
2    Marriage record of Samuel Davis and Mary Clifford, North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979, FamilySeearch.org  
3    Atlas of Jersey County, Illinois, 1872
4    Will of John Davis, North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, FamilySearch.org 
5    1850 U.S. Census, Jersey County, Illinois
6    “Found Dead! An Interesting Trial,” Jersey County Democrat, Jerseyville, Illinois, 23 Oct 1869
7    Find-a-Grave listing of Mary “Polly” (Clifford) Davis 
8    1880 U.S. Census, Jersey County, Illinois  
9    Obituary of Samuel Davis, Jersey County Democrat, Jerseyville, Illinois, 31 May 1888
10  Find-a-Grave listing of William Asbury Davis 
11  Marriage record of Asbury Davis and Mary E. Luckey, Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935, FamilySearch.org
12  1900 U.S. Census, Labette County, Kansas
13  Obituary of Mary J. Luckey, Parsons Daily Sun, 9 May 1927
14  Marriage record of Samuel Luckey and Mary J. Davis, I.M.
15  Find-a-Grave listing of Maggie E. (Davis) Cray 
16  Marriage record of Tissier Cray and Margaret Davis, I.M.
17  Find-a-Grave listing of Minerva (Davis) Cray 
18  Marriage record of John Cray and Minerva Davis, I.M.

Pioneer Woman of Jersey County, Illinois — Mary Clifford

B. 11 Dec 1798 in Rowan County, North Carolina¹
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. 

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.