Goldsmith Davis (1756 - 1825)

Born 18 Jan 1756 in Coram, Suffolk, New York Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Brown) Davis — married 8 Jun 1780 in Smithtown Presbyterian Church, Smithtown, Suffolk County, New York

Husband of Mary (Conklin) Davis — married 26 Apr 1803 in Huntington, Suffolk County, New York

Descendants

Died 26 Apr 1825 at age 69 in Coram, Suffolk, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Norm Davis [send private message]

Biography

Private Goldsmith Davis served with Suffolk County, New York Militia during the American Revolution.

Goldsmith Davis is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A030308.

Note The name "Goldsmith" appears in the Davis lineage multiple times. Use caution when editing any of the profiles.

Goldsmith was born 1765. He was a Private in the Continental Line during the Revolution under Capts. (Col) David Mulford Mulford-666, Roe, Davis. He married 1st in 1780 to Elizabeth Brown (1757-1801). Their children are:

1. Clarissa Davis b. 9 Aug 1783 Coram. d. 18 Feb 1844 Borodino, Town of Spafford, Onondaga Co., New York
2. Polly Davis Corwin b.1784, d.11 Oct 1819
3. Nancy Davis b. 12 Oct 1786, d. 4 Apr 1792 (age 5 yrs)
4. Charlotte Lena Davis b.~1789, d.aft.1870
5. Sophia Davis Floyd b. 6 Oct 1794, d. 27 Feb 1873
6. Luther Davis b.~1797

He married 2nd in 1801 to Mary Conklin. (1769- 25 April 1848 age 78. ). Their children are:

1. Lewis Goldsmith Davis b. abt. 1804, d. 1 May 1879 age 75.
2. Harriet Davis b.17 Mar 1808; d. 19 Oct 1828
3. Henrietta C. Davis Willetts b.~1810, d.~1883
4. Richard R. Davis b.~1812

Goldsmith died in Coram and is buried at the Davis Family Cemetery in Coram.

Note: DAR records cited below indicate a daughter Rebecka, m. Jonathan Baker. Not confirmed., research required.

Sources

• Davis Town Meeting House records [1]

• Find A Grave [2]

• Long Island Surnames

• Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed Oct 29, 2018), "Record of Davis, Goldsmith", Ancestor # A030308.

• Revolutionary War Patriots Buried in the Town of Brookhaven [3]

• Davis Town Meeting House records [4]

Notes

• "Son of Elnathan "Elijah" Davis and Mary Moger, husband of Elizabeth Brown, whom he married on June 8, 1780 at the Smithtown Presbyterian Church, and father of Clarissa, Nancy, Charlotte Lena, Sophia and Luther Davis.

Husband of Mary Conklin, whom he married on April 26, 1803 in Huntington, NY, and father of Lewis Goldsmith, Harriet, Henrietta and Richard R. Davis." citing (Long Island Surnames; (New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol.42 April 1911, July 1911; U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006; Carolee Nichols Diamond)

A record at the Davis Meeting House, Coram, seems to throw the above genealogy into question. Davis Meeting House [5]:

"To briefly state the generations from Goldsmith Davis down to ourselves: one of his daughters married James Norton, son of Bryant Norton, whose Paul Revere lantern has descended to us. ...We also have the large silk neckerchief of Goldsmith Davis and the sheep skin bound hymn book of Charity Davis, with its handmade notes. One of the children of James and “Charry” Norton was Bryant Goldsmith Norton, who was the father of our mother, Mary Esther Norton all as recorded in the Bible of “B.G. Norton”. Our mother was the second wife of Stephen Bedell of Hempstead, Long Island. My sister and I are the only children she ever had, and are only grandchildren of Bryant Goldsmith Norton."

The writers are referring to Goldsmith Davis (1802-1855) who married Charity Hulse (1801-1878). The above account surely is referring to Charity (Hulse) Davis' hymn book. All of his daughters are accounted for, and none of them married a Norton. That "Goldsmith" is not the one whose deck appears with the writer's notes.

As to the descendants of James Norton and Charry Davis, the writers are correct. But Charry is NOT one of the daughters of Goldsmith Davis - either the earlier (1756-1825) or the later (1802-1855).

Charity Davis Norton Davis-71897 (1791-1845 - FaG #29280109), is in fact the daughter of Jonas Davis and Tabitha Norton. She married James Norton (see below), and their children are:

1. Joel D. Norton
2. Samuel Fayette Norton
3. Mary Esther Norton
4. Bryant Goldsmith Norton
5. Merit Learned Norton
6. Fannie Elizabeth Norton
7. Alma Sophia Norton
8. William Wallace Norton

James Norton Norton-7912 (1785-1832 - FaG #29280335), who married Charity Davis, was the son of Bryant Norton and Mary Davis.

Charry Davis Norton is related to both Goldsmith Davis's, but indirectly:

1. Goldsmith Davis b. 1756 Davis-52370: She is his third cousin. They are both GGGrandchildren of Samuel Davis b.abt 1675 Davis-45590
2. Goldsmith Davis b. 1802 Davis-53915: She is his third cousin, once removed, but by a different line: Goldsmith is the son of Elisha b.1776, son of Rebeckah nee Davis (she married Silas Davis) b.1729, dau. of Samuel Davis b.1703 (who was the son of the Samuel b. 1675, above.)

Slavery on Long Island

The gradual abolishment of slavery began soon after the Revolution, and under the act of February 27,1788, persons wishing to set free any slaves were required to obtain licenses from the trustees and justices, which were granted on evidence of the slaves being under 50 years of age and capable of providing for themselves. Brookhaven town records show the certificates of 66 slaves set free under that act during the years between 1795 and 1831.

The act of March 29, 1799, required the registration of all slaves children, in order that their owners might hold them until they reached a certain age. Among those who registered slave children born to their possession during the years between 1798 and 1834 appear the following names of men who were prominent in the early life of the town: Samuel Carman,1; Goldsmith Davis,1; Gen.William Floyd,2; Col. Nicholl Floyd, 17; Timothy Miller, 2; William smith, 8; Josiah Smith, 4; Gen. John smith,7; Stephen Swezey,1, and Abraham Woodhull,1