So Many Greats

     I'm sure most of you have met multiple people with the last name Davis. In fact, most Davis families that live around Lee County came from the Eli Davis, Sr. descent. I have traced from myself all the way to this great (6x) grandfather of mine, and now I'm sharing it with you. 

  Like I said, Eli Davis is my great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather. He was born in Stafford County, VA, August 11, 1779. and later married Martha Baker, who was only 15 years old, during 1806. Her father was a chaplain in the Revolutionary War and pastored Thompson Settlement Baptist Church, in Lee County. Her mother was from French Huguenot descent. Eli and Martha later moved to Claiborne County, TN, where he taught school and she was well known as an excellent baby deliverer and herbal doctor. Together they had 12 children, the 9th being Eli Davis, Jr. 

   Eli Davis, Jr. was born in Claiborne County July 6th, 1823. He married Nancy Jones, later having 5 children. They lived in Lee County where Eli taught school, earning $1 a day. In 1881, he and his wife organized Silver Leaf Baptist Church. The church started off in the local log school house and has since grown into the church that I attend today. Eli also was the chairman of the first Board of Supervisors of Lee County, a trustee of Cumberland College, a surveyor of the county, a Mason, and was loved by everyone. 

   Their 3rd child,  Claiborne Columbus Davis, better known as C.C. Davis, married his wife Mary Sophrina (Mollie) McDaniel January 9,1879. In 1876, he and his brother James furthered their father's interest in horticulture and began Silver Leaf Nurseries. Mollie and C.C. had 8 children. 

Below pictured are Eli Davis Jr, his son C.C. Davis, and his wife and their 8 children. 

Back row: Sylvan, Elmer, Vida, Maurice, Bernard, Eugene
Front row: Norman, Eli Jr., C.C., Mollie, Melvin

   C.C. and Mollie's third child was Elmer C. Davis, born August 31, 1883. If you've been keeping up, he was my great-great grandfather. He and his brother Bernard continued their father's business, just as C.C. did with his. He was also postmaster for 22 years in Rose Hill, where he lived throughout his entire life. Elmer married Flora Gobble, and they had 6 children, pictured here:

Left to right: Flora, Elmer, Ferne, James, Claude, Paul, Jean, Glenn

Mary Lemarr and Paul Davis at the time of their marriage. 

   Elmer's son, Paul Davis, born April 21, 1919, married his wife, Mary Lemarr on February 7, 1940. He, like generations before him, continued the nursery business. Paul and Claude, his brother, branched off of his father's business and created a similar one called Davis Brothers Nursery, which is still in business today. Mary served as secretary at the family business. Paul and Mary had 3 children: Jacinta, James, and Teresa.

 James Davis was born November 19, 1940. On February 23, 1965 he married Carolyn Davis. They had 4 children. My father, Jason, was the only son born out of four children.  James picked up his father's business and is still head over the company today. Carolyn served as secretary at the Nursery, for a short while, and taught as an art teacher for Lee County schools. 

   Like I said, Jason Davis, born January 20, 1973, is the third born child and the only son. He works alongside his father, James, at Davis Brother's Nursery. On October 14, 1995, he married my mom, Martha Davis and they had 2 children. My mother previously had a flower shop business and now teaches horticulture at Lee County Career and Technical Center. 

   And then there's me, Anna Davis.