Individual Details

John William Davis

(24 Dec 1873 - 1 Jul 1960)

Dawes #10075
Cherokee Census #4179
1/8 Blood Degree, registered as a native Cherokee.
He was living in the Delaware District, Indian Territory.

He was born about 1874 according to his age given on dated documents, including his Cherokee Nation, Cherokee Roll Card, and his application for enrollment before the commission to the Five Civilized Tribes. He was born to William Theodore and Frances (Fannie) C. Davis. William was a white man and Frances was a native Cherokee. John was born and raised in the Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory. His mother Frances was shown to have died sometime before the census that was taken in 1880. According to the 1880 Cherokee Nation census report, John's siblings were George W. Davis, a brother, Minesota Davis, a sister, and Thos. H. Davis, a brother. Minesota was reported to have died at the age of two and Thos was reported to have died at two months of age. The family was recorded as living in the Delaware District in the Ketchum area and listed as farmers. William Theodore Davis served as Senator on the Cherokee Council.

On July 6, 1895 he married Blanche McCafee, also spelled McHaffie, a white woman. They were married by the Clerk of the Delaware Nation. According to their application for enrollment to the Indian Nation they were residing in Vinita, Indian Territory in 1900. Their daughters name is Violet, and she was born January 2, 1899 and her Dawes Roll number was 10076 and her Census card number was 4179. Their son's name is William Theodore and he was born about 1903 and his roll number was 3109 and his census card was M2367.

It is a known fact that John Davis was a married man when Freddie Andrew and Walter Henry Stephenson were born to he and Fannie Francis Stephenson. One has to wonder about the coincidence of the name of Fannie Francis and his mother's name. The key to finding John Davis was knowing his wife's name, which was given during an interview with Mary Ann Stephenson Alexander in October of 1999. She also stated that she knew John Davis when she was a child and knew that he was a frequent visitor around the Stephenson household and considered a very good friend.

In an interview with Mary Ann Stephenson Alexander on February 24, 2001, for her 100th birthday celebration, I had the chance to ask her a few questions. She said the John Davis was a farmer.

In an interview on the same day with Sue Ann Nicely, Maxine Stephenson Nicely's daughter, she stated that her mother wanted me to know that she remembered John and Blance Davis, as she played with their youngest daughter Charlotte. She remembered she had an older sister named Violet and two brothers. She didn't recall the boys' names' as she was not interested in boys at the time as they were much older. She said the John Stephenson family lived south of the Ketchum Cemetery and the Davis' lived within walking distance to the east. Maxine said that she lost tract of the Davis family after they moved away from the area.

Events

Birth24 Dec 1873Cherokee Indian Nation, United States
MarriageBef 1881Cherokee Indian Nation, United States - Fannie Francis Stephenson
Residence1910River, Mayes, Oklahoma, United States
Residence1920River, Mayes, Oklahoma, United States
Residence1930Township 08, Craig, Oklahoma, United States
Residence1935Vinita, Oklahoma, United States
Residence1940Adair Township, Mayes, Oklahoma, United States
Death1 Jul 1960Fresno County, California, United States
MarriageFannie Francis Stephenson
FIND-A-GRAVEhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38773170/john-w-davis

Families

SpouseFannie Francis Stephenson (1877 - 1924)
ChildFreddie Andrew Stephenson (1894 - 1962)
ChildWalter Henry Stephenson (1897 - 1928)