Oregon Pioneer of 1847
His parents were Rev. John Davidson, b.1770, Gloucester Co., VA. and d.Dec 10, 1844 Greene Co., Illinois. John married Rachel Ellis in @1784 in Rutherford Co., North Carolina. She was b.1770 at Old Tryon Creek, now Warren Co., N.C. They moved to Illinois after 1789, where most of their children were born. John d.Dec 10, 1844, Greene County, Illinois. Rachel (Ellis) Davidson d.1846, Greene County, Illinois, although some family say she did not pass until 1867. Rachel Ellis was the older sister of Sarah Ellis, b.1767, who married an Alexander Davidson, b.1773. *Please remember there were many Alexanders, Johns, Rachels, etc. in both the Davidson, Ellis, and, later, the Burkhart families*. Hezekiah had been born in Barren County, Kentucky on February 1st, 1789. He had married Melissa Ann Page, b.December 14th, 1804, also in Kentucky, a daughter of Reverand Carter Tarrant Page, on Sep 21, 1821, in Barren County, Kentucky. They came across the Plains, having left from Missouri, taking the Oregon Trail in 1847. They took the Southern Route or Applegate Trail, which brought them from Ashland, Jackson County, Oregon, up the Willamette Valley to Independence, Polk County, Oregon, where they settled. They had been led by a nephew, Albert Franklin Davidson, who had initially come to the Oregon Territory in 1846, then returned to Illinois to encourage his Loved Ones to make the trip Westward. The Davidsons were a very devout family of Baptists who put their faith in God when they decided to come to Oregon. Please remember that Hezekiah Davidson was 58 yrs. old when he made this trip, which took about five months and was over 2,000 miles, by wagon, horseback and walking. They were the parents of ten children who made the trip with them. These children were:
Johnathan Ellis, b.1823, Kentucky, became a doctor after reaching Oregon. Died in Independence, Polk Co., Oregon in @1890.
James Orville, b. 1825, Kentucky
Elizabeth, b. 1827, Barren, Ky., (md. Benjamin F. Burch)
Lauretta, b. 1822***, Illinois (md. David Johnston)
Hezekiah Jr., b. 1830, Greene County, Illinois
Mary Elizabeth, b. 1833, Greene Co., Ill. (md. Rev Hugh M Waller)
John Ellis, b. 1834, Greene Co., Ill. Twin
John Peter, b. 1834, Greene Co., Ill. Twin* (stayed in Illinois?)*
Melissa Ann, b. 1835, Greene Co., Ill. (md. Leander Columbus Burkhart, and they became my gt., gt. grandparents).
***Lauretta is buried at Buena Vista w/year of birth listed as 1822, but in census records she listed her yr. of birth as c1823, b. in Illinois, not Kentucky, where Davidsons were living at that time.
They finally settled in Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon and Hezekiah farmed the donation land claim until he became too ill and elderly to continue to do so. In 1870, Hezekiah and Melissa, called "Ann" on the census but also known as "Lucy Ann", moved in with their son Jonathan who lived in Monmouth, Polk County, and had his own farm there. Hezekiah passed away on Feb 25th, 1876 and was buried at Buena Vista Cemetery with his other children and grandchildren who had died before him. His dear Lucy Ann died the following year, 1877, on May the 5th, and was buried near him. May they both Rest In Peace in Paradise.
They were my great, great, great maternal grandparents.
*Stephanie Flora, the author of "The Oregon Territory and It's Pioneers", shows that John Peter d. 1847, but does not indicate where.
His parents were Rev. John Davidson, b.1770, Gloucester Co., VA. and d.Dec 10, 1844 Greene Co., Illinois. John married Rachel Ellis in @1784 in Rutherford Co., North Carolina. She was b.1770 at Old Tryon Creek, now Warren Co., N.C. They moved to Illinois after 1789, where most of their children were born. John d.Dec 10, 1844, Greene County, Illinois. Rachel (Ellis) Davidson d.1846, Greene County, Illinois, although some family say she did not pass until 1867. Rachel Ellis was the older sister of Sarah Ellis, b.1767, who married an Alexander Davidson, b.1773. *Please remember there were many Alexanders, Johns, Rachels, etc. in both the Davidson, Ellis, and, later, the Burkhart families*. Hezekiah had been born in Barren County, Kentucky on February 1st, 1789. He had married Melissa Ann Page, b.December 14th, 1804, also in Kentucky, a daughter of Reverand Carter Tarrant Page, on Sep 21, 1821, in Barren County, Kentucky. They came across the Plains, having left from Missouri, taking the Oregon Trail in 1847. They took the Southern Route or Applegate Trail, which brought them from Ashland, Jackson County, Oregon, up the Willamette Valley to Independence, Polk County, Oregon, where they settled. They had been led by a nephew, Albert Franklin Davidson, who had initially come to the Oregon Territory in 1846, then returned to Illinois to encourage his Loved Ones to make the trip Westward. The Davidsons were a very devout family of Baptists who put their faith in God when they decided to come to Oregon. Please remember that Hezekiah Davidson was 58 yrs. old when he made this trip, which took about five months and was over 2,000 miles, by wagon, horseback and walking. They were the parents of ten children who made the trip with them. These children were:
Johnathan Ellis, b.1823, Kentucky, became a doctor after reaching Oregon. Died in Independence, Polk Co., Oregon in @1890.
James Orville, b. 1825, Kentucky
Elizabeth, b. 1827, Barren, Ky., (md. Benjamin F. Burch)
Lauretta, b. 1822***, Illinois (md. David Johnston)
Hezekiah Jr., b. 1830, Greene County, Illinois
Mary Elizabeth, b. 1833, Greene Co., Ill. (md. Rev Hugh M Waller)
John Ellis, b. 1834, Greene Co., Ill. Twin
John Peter, b. 1834, Greene Co., Ill. Twin* (stayed in Illinois?)*
Melissa Ann, b. 1835, Greene Co., Ill. (md. Leander Columbus Burkhart, and they became my gt., gt. grandparents).
***Lauretta is buried at Buena Vista w/year of birth listed as 1822, but in census records she listed her yr. of birth as c1823, b. in Illinois, not Kentucky, where Davidsons were living at that time.
They finally settled in Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon and Hezekiah farmed the donation land claim until he became too ill and elderly to continue to do so. In 1870, Hezekiah and Melissa, called "Ann" on the census but also known as "Lucy Ann", moved in with their son Jonathan who lived in Monmouth, Polk County, and had his own farm there. Hezekiah passed away on Feb 25th, 1876 and was buried at Buena Vista Cemetery with his other children and grandchildren who had died before him. His dear Lucy Ann died the following year, 1877, on May the 5th, and was buried near him. May they both Rest In Peace in Paradise.
They were my great, great, great maternal grandparents.
*Stephanie Flora, the author of "The Oregon Territory and It's Pioneers", shows that John Peter d. 1847, but does not indicate where.
Oregon Pioneer of 1847
His parents were Rev. John Davidson, b.1770, Gloucester Co., VA. and d.Dec 10, 1844 Greene Co., Illinois. John married Rachel Ellis in @1784 in Rutherford Co., North Carolina. She was b.1770 at Old Tryon Creek, now Warren Co., N.C. They moved to Illinois after 1789, where most of their children were born. John d.Dec 10, 1844, Greene County, Illinois. Rachel (Ellis) Davidson d.1846, Greene County, Illinois, although some family say she did not pass until 1867. Rachel Ellis was the older sister of Sarah Ellis, b.1767, who married an Alexander Davidson, b.1773. *Please remember there were many Alexanders, Johns, Rachels, etc. in both the Davidson, Ellis, and, later, the Burkhart families*. Hezekiah had been born in Barren County, Kentucky on February 1st, 1789. He had married Melissa Ann Page, b.December 14th, 1804, also in Kentucky, a daughter of Reverand Carter Tarrant Page, on Sep 21, 1821, in Barren County, Kentucky. They came across the Plains, having left from Missouri, taking the Oregon Trail in 1847. They took the Southern Route or Applegate Trail, which brought them from Ashland, Jackson County, Oregon, up the Willamette Valley to Independence, Polk County, Oregon, where they settled. They had been led by a nephew, Albert Franklin Davidson, who had initially come to the Oregon Territory in 1846, then returned to Illinois to encourage his Loved Ones to make the trip Westward. The Davidsons were a very devout family of Baptists who put their faith in God when they decided to come to Oregon. Please remember that Hezekiah Davidson was 58 yrs. old when he made this trip, which took about five months and was over 2,000 miles, by wagon, horseback and walking. They were the parents of ten children who made the trip with them. These children were:
Johnathan Ellis, b.1823, Kentucky, became a doctor after reaching Oregon. Died in Independence, Polk Co., Oregon in @1890.
James Orville, b. 1825, Kentucky
Elizabeth, b. 1827, Barren, Ky., (md. Benjamin F. Burch)
Lauretta, b. 1822***, Illinois (md. David Johnston)
Hezekiah Jr., b. 1830, Greene County, Illinois
Mary Elizabeth, b. 1833, Greene Co., Ill. (md. Rev Hugh M Waller)
John Ellis, b. 1834, Greene Co., Ill. Twin
John Peter, b. 1834, Greene Co., Ill. Twin* (stayed in Illinois?)*
Melissa Ann, b. 1835, Greene Co., Ill. (md. Leander Columbus Burkhart, and they became my gt., gt. grandparents).
***Lauretta is buried at Buena Vista w/year of birth listed as 1822, but in census records she listed her yr. of birth as c1823, b. in Illinois, not Kentucky, where Davidsons were living at that time.
They finally settled in Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon and Hezekiah farmed the donation land claim until he became too ill and elderly to continue to do so. In 1870, Hezekiah and Melissa, called "Ann" on the census but also known as "Lucy Ann", moved in with their son Jonathan who lived in Monmouth, Polk County, and had his own farm there. Hezekiah passed away on Feb 25th, 1876 and was buried at Buena Vista Cemetery with his other children and grandchildren who had died before him. His dear Lucy Ann died the following year, 1877, on May the 5th, and was buried near him. May they both Rest In Peace in Paradise.
They were my great, great, great maternal grandparents.
*Stephanie Flora, the author of "The Oregon Territory and It's Pioneers", shows that John Peter d. 1847, but does not indicate where.
His parents were Rev. John Davidson, b.1770, Gloucester Co., VA. and d.Dec 10, 1844 Greene Co., Illinois. John married Rachel Ellis in @1784 in Rutherford Co., North Carolina. She was b.1770 at Old Tryon Creek, now Warren Co., N.C. They moved to Illinois after 1789, where most of their children were born. John d.Dec 10, 1844, Greene County, Illinois. Rachel (Ellis) Davidson d.1846, Greene County, Illinois, although some family say she did not pass until 1867. Rachel Ellis was the older sister of Sarah Ellis, b.1767, who married an Alexander Davidson, b.1773. *Please remember there were many Alexanders, Johns, Rachels, etc. in both the Davidson, Ellis, and, later, the Burkhart families*. Hezekiah had been born in Barren County, Kentucky on February 1st, 1789. He had married Melissa Ann Page, b.December 14th, 1804, also in Kentucky, a daughter of Reverand Carter Tarrant Page, on Sep 21, 1821, in Barren County, Kentucky. They came across the Plains, having left from Missouri, taking the Oregon Trail in 1847. They took the Southern Route or Applegate Trail, which brought them from Ashland, Jackson County, Oregon, up the Willamette Valley to Independence, Polk County, Oregon, where they settled. They had been led by a nephew, Albert Franklin Davidson, who had initially come to the Oregon Territory in 1846, then returned to Illinois to encourage his Loved Ones to make the trip Westward. The Davidsons were a very devout family of Baptists who put their faith in God when they decided to come to Oregon. Please remember that Hezekiah Davidson was 58 yrs. old when he made this trip, which took about five months and was over 2,000 miles, by wagon, horseback and walking. They were the parents of ten children who made the trip with them. These children were:
Johnathan Ellis, b.1823, Kentucky, became a doctor after reaching Oregon. Died in Independence, Polk Co., Oregon in @1890.
James Orville, b. 1825, Kentucky
Elizabeth, b. 1827, Barren, Ky., (md. Benjamin F. Burch)
Lauretta, b. 1822***, Illinois (md. David Johnston)
Hezekiah Jr., b. 1830, Greene County, Illinois
Mary Elizabeth, b. 1833, Greene Co., Ill. (md. Rev Hugh M Waller)
John Ellis, b. 1834, Greene Co., Ill. Twin
John Peter, b. 1834, Greene Co., Ill. Twin* (stayed in Illinois?)*
Melissa Ann, b. 1835, Greene Co., Ill. (md. Leander Columbus Burkhart, and they became my gt., gt. grandparents).
***Lauretta is buried at Buena Vista w/year of birth listed as 1822, but in census records she listed her yr. of birth as c1823, b. in Illinois, not Kentucky, where Davidsons were living at that time.
They finally settled in Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon and Hezekiah farmed the donation land claim until he became too ill and elderly to continue to do so. In 1870, Hezekiah and Melissa, called "Ann" on the census but also known as "Lucy Ann", moved in with their son Jonathan who lived in Monmouth, Polk County, and had his own farm there. Hezekiah passed away on Feb 25th, 1876 and was buried at Buena Vista Cemetery with his other children and grandchildren who had died before him. His dear Lucy Ann died the following year, 1877, on May the 5th, and was buried near him. May they both Rest In Peace in Paradise.
They were my great, great, great maternal grandparents.
*Stephanie Flora, the author of "The Oregon Territory and It's Pioneers", shows that John Peter d. 1847, but does not indicate where.
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