Mary Elizabeth Davis was born 5 December 1875 probably at Elizabeth, Fulton County Arkansas, but not positive. Mary Elizabeth Davis was the daughter of Hezekiah W. Davis and his second wife Francis Mariah Stroud. Francis M. Stroud was born about 1843 - 1844, place unsure, parent unknown, siblings unknown. At present, I am searching for this Stroud family in the 1860 Census. They are not found in the 1860 Census for Independence County, Arkansas although there were about four Stroud families residing in Independence County, Arkansas in 1860. Fulton County, Arkansas not searched yet. However, Hezekiah W. Davis pension file and Pension Application of a Minor filed by Margaret F. Davis (Mary Elizabeth Davis's sister) says Hezekiah W. Davis and Francis M. Stroud were married in Kansas about 1865-1866.

Hezekiah's wife, Margaret, died sometime between 1860 - 1865. According to Pension papers Hezekiah W. Davis then married Francis Mariah Stroud about 1865-1866 in Kansas. She was born about 1843-1844, place unsure. Census records give Georgia (1870) and Missouri (1880), but there is a possibility that she was born in Arkansas.

Hezekiah W. Davis was a farmer and a Baptist Minister. He began acquiring land in Fulton County, Arkansas in 1857, although he was in Fulton County by the time of the 1850 Census.

ociety of 1861.

In the mountain counties of North Arkansas secret organizations were formed for self-protection and to apparently to resist Confederate authority. The local units of the Arkansas Peace Society were quickly suppressed by extra-legal citizens committees acting with the county militia units and with Justice of the Peace Courts. Many of the arrested members were forced into Confederate service either by local citizens' committees or by the state militia board at Little Rock. Some were tried for treason in Confederate circuit court and were acquitted. Many of those forced into Confederate service deserted and joined the Federal army.

Hezekiah W. Davis was forced to serve in the Confederacy and was in Newton's 8th Arkansas Calvary. He probably served only a short time, but deserted and joined the Union, 3 July 1862 in Benton County, Arkansas and served in the First Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry, Union Army. He was about 45 years old at the time.


I think that after he deserted the Confederacy, Hezekiah up and moved away from Fulton County to Benton County, Arkansas to avoid any further confrontations from the Southern sympathiz3ers or being arrested. While in Benton County he joined the Union Army. While in Benton County the family lived near the wagon road leading from Maysville to Van Buren, Arkansas and 19 miles from Bentonville, the county seat of Benton County, Arkansas. Their post office address was at Bloomfield, Arkansas.

Hezekiah was discharged from the Army at Fayetteville, Arkansas 22 December 1863, Honorable Discharge. The family was still in Benton county, Arkansas 17 November 1869 when Hezekiah made application for an" Invalid Pension for his Service in the Civil War".

But by the time of the 1870 Census, Hezekiah was back in Fulton County, Arkansas and listed with his new wife, Francis M. Stroud. Hezekiah's first wife Margaret died sometime between 1860 - 1865, 1866, place unknown, but probably Fulton County, Arkansas. There is a strong possibility that Margaret died as a complication of childbirth after the birth of the last son, Starling Davis, born about 1859-1860.

What happened during the 1870's with the family is unknown, but Hezekiah W. Davis died November 1879, and is buried at Elizabeth, Arkansas along with his first wife, Margaret.

Sometime between November 1879 and 18 June 1880, Francis M. Stroud Davis moved to Independence County, Arkansas with her children and listed in Greenbriar Township. There is a possibility that she moved to Independence County, Arkansas to be near Hezekiah's son, Hesakiah Davis who married Mary Ann Meacham, 10 August 1876, Independence County, Arkansas.




Brenda Tengelin