Aged 73 Yrs 9 Mo 4 Days

James Orville Davidson was one of nine children born to Hezekiah Davidson (1789-1876) and Melissa Ann (Page) Davidson (1804-1877). He was born in Barren County, Kentucky on Oct 12, 1825. When he was young, his family relocated to Illinois. In Spring, 1847, his parents and siblings, along with many cousins, crossed the Great Plains and arrived in the Oregon Territory Sep 26, 1847, settling in what is now Polk County. Initially, he and his family were in Monmouth, where Albert Davidson had settled when he first arrived the previous year. Albert had returned to Illinois that same year and led the extended family of John and Rachel (Ellis) Davidson's children from Illinois to Oregon the following year, in 1847. James married Mary Elizabeth Linville on July 30, 1851 in Polk County, Oregon Territory. The ceremony was conducted by Rev. Hugh McNary Waller, the husband of his sister, Mary Elizabeth Davidson. James and Mary made their home near Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon, near the township of Parker's Station, and were blessed with the following children:
Annette,b.1853, md. Philip Grigsby, d.1879,
Eliza Ann, b.1854
Lida, b.1857, md. unk. Cox,
Orville R.,b.1859
Ellis, b.1864
Mary Belle, b.1870, d.1883
James L., b.1877
"Baby Davidson", b.1878, d.1879
and Ralph Leonard Davidson, b.1883.
When the 1860 Census was taken (Aug 9), their land was valued at $4,800 and they had cash assets of $1,320. They also lived near the Vanderpools and Allinghams, families related to both the Linvilles and Davidsons.
When the 1870 Census was taken (Jul 27), James and Mary continued to farm their donation land claim now valued at $4,500 with cash assets of $1,415. Annette was now 17, Eliza was 16, young "Orval" was 12 and a new son, Ellis, was 6. James' sister, Lauretta Jane Davidson, and her husband, David Johnston, lived adjacent to their farm with property valued at $5,000. The Carter Tarrant Davidson family and Isaac M. Davidson family also lived nearby. Annette met and married Philip Grigsby, a disabled Civil War veteran (amputee) on Nov 12, 1876 at her parents' home in Buena Vista. They moved out of town and were blessed with a son in Aug 1877. They named him Ardell Davidson Grigsby. Tragically, Annette died Feb 20, 1879 from Peritonitis (infection from burst appendix). Little Ardell came to live with his grandparents following his mother's death. I don't know what happened to his father, a native of England who had emigrated following the death of his parents. Philip had settled in Ohio, joining Union forces to fight during the Civil War, then relocating to Oregon following his discharge. He was an amputee, missing his right leg following the Battle of Dumfries Landing, VA. He and Annette had met in Salem at Willamette University where he was a Law student. Ardell, known as "Dell", received a pension based upon his father's disability, and, later, based upon his father's death, listed at Apr 5, 1890. I have yet to find where Philip is buried. When the 1880 Census was taken (Jun 14), the enumerator was Harrison Linville, Mary's father, who was also the postmaster at the little Bloomington post office in Polk County. From what I've found, it became a part of Independence later. James was still listed as "Farmer" in the census. 'Orvil', now 23, worked on the farm, as did Ellis, now 16. Both Ellis and Bell, now 10, attended school within the past 12 months. They also had a young son, James L, age 3. Their daughter, Lida, now 23, was listed as a "boarder". She also was a widow with the last name of Cox. Young Dell, age 2, was also living with them and listed as having "spinal" problems. By 1880, both of James' parents had died and been interred at Buena Vista Cemetery, where Annette was also buried. The next decade was a difficult one, although they were blessed with one last child, a son they named Ralph Leonard, who was born Apr 17, 1883. Young Bell died at the age of 13, on Sep 17, 1883. Then young Orville died on Feb 21, 1884 at the age of 24. They joined their sister, Annette, at Buena Vista Cemetery.
James and Mary farmed their donation land claim until his health and age became a problem; Ellis and James helped out on their parents' farm near Parker's Station, Polk County, Oregon. James Orville Davidson finally succumbed to age and ill health on a Sunday morning, July 16th, 1899, on their donation land claim at the age of 79, and was buried at Buena Vista Cemetery, Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon, where his parents and many of his children were now interred. Mary was now a widow who, when the 1900 Census was taken, listed on the census that she was the mother of eight children, four of whom were still living (Ellis, Lida, James L. and Ralph L.). Ellis had married Mary Agnes Burch in @1886 and they had moved nearby. Lida had remarried and moved elsewhere (Multnomah County, Oregon?). When the 1910 Census was taken (May 2), Ralph was listed as "Farmer" of the property and Mary had "own income" (most likely farm rent from Ralph). Young Dell, who had been a photographer in 1900 was no longer working. They also had a hired hand helping out both in 1900 and in 1910. Finally, on Oct 29th, 1914, James' dear wife, Mary, passed from this life and was interred near to her dearly loved husband at Buena Vista Cemetery, Buena Vista, Oregon, where so many of their children and grandchildren also lie. May they all Rest, at Peace, in Paradise.

Thank you to Addie Rickey for his obituary which made me realize I had entered the wrong year of his birth, just one reason I never made a living as a typist. Amended May 10, 2016.
James Orville Davidson is my 2nd great grand nephew.