Notable Persons

William Brewster (1566-1644)

William Brewster was born in 1566, probably in Scrooby, Nottinghamshire. Though he entered Peterhouse, Cambridge, on the 3rd of December in 1580, he did not graduate. 

He was one of the original members of the separatist congregation at Scrooby, and emigrated with them to Holland in 1608, and became elder and teacher of their church at Leyden, as well as working as a publisher. 

He sailed over on the Mayflower with his wife Mary (her last name and identity is disputed), and two of his sons, Love and Wrestling, and the elder three joined the family in America later. Because there was no minister at the Plymouth church for most of the years before his death, he took on the responsibility of preaching to the congregation regularly. 

In the 1623 Plymouth land division Mr. William Brewster received six acres as a passenger on the Mayflower, and "Pacience & Fear Brewster" received two acres as passengers on the Anne. In the 1627 Plymouth cattle division "Mr. Will[ia]m Brewster," Love Brewster and Wrestling Brewster were the first three names in the fifth company.

After a remarkably long life of about eighty years, he died in Duxbury on the 10th of April, 1644.

Daniel Davis (1759-1838)

Most of the known information about Daniel Davis exists within his testimony during a petition for veteran's benefits. This document is copied below: 

Declaration In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832 Cabell County Virginia to wit, On this 23rd day of September 1833 personally appeared before the county Court of Said County Daniel Davis a resident of Said County aged Seventy four years the 11th day of February last, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June the 7th

That in the year 1777 he entered into the Army of the United States as a militia man under the command of Capt John Henderson as a volunteer and a private soldier and on the first of April they marched from the [Wile Sevals?] in the County of Greenbrier then the County of Augusta and from thence we marched through a wilderness tract of Country to the mouth of the Great Kanawha. This declarant understood that the object of Col Henderson's march to that place was to take possession of the Garrison at Point Pleasant in the place of Capt Westfall's Company, who immediately marched from said Garrison Eastwardly with a company of regular troops. This declarant further states that himself and ten or fifteen others were sent by Capt Arbuckle with crafts to meet Col Dickinson at the confluence of Elk and Kanawha rivers and there aided Col Skellion to cross Elk river and then they brought their baggage down the Kanawha to Point Pleasant, while the Cols aforesaid marched about five hundred miles more by land to Point Pleasant. This declarant further states that he marched in company with the officers and soldiers from the Mouth of Elk river to the Mud [C??] at which time eighty men went into a hollow sycamore at one time and this declarant constituted one of that number at that place.

Then declarant left the troops aforesaid and retuned to the Fort at Point Pleasant and some time afterwards the aforesaid troops arrived at said Fort and soon after their arrival Robert Gilmore one of their Lieutenants was killed by the Indians on the Lower and Westside of Kanawha River which circumstance led to the wanton and cruel Murder of King Cornstalk and his son Nepsico and two other Indians over whom this declarant was one of the Guard. And four or five men volunteered upon a scalping partie under the Command of Lieutenants Estell & Wilmot and descended the Ohio River to the Mouth of the Sciota River and returned to the Mouth of Big Guyandotte where they remained from six to ten days and from thence to the Fort where they remained until the 20th of December the same year at which time he was discharded by Capt Henderson having served seven months and twenty days.

This declarant states that the Fort at Point Pleasant was under the command of Capt Matthew Arbuckle and this declarant further states on the fourth day of June in the year 1778 he entered into the service of the United States as a substitute for William Davis as a private and marched from the County of Bedford in the State of Virginia under the command of Capt William Rentfrow up the Roanoake to Kings Fort and from thence to Potts Fort on Sinking Creek and on the fourth day of September this declarant was discharged by Capt. Renfrow which said term of service was for three months and this declarant further states that immediately after he was discharged by Capt Renfrow as aforesaid he volunteered as a private soldier under the command of Capt William Thompson to guard the frontiers and the next day marched from Fincastle through Stanton to Rumney by Lorill Hill and crossed the Monongalia River and from thence to the mouth of Big Beaver. There he entered in McIntoshes Fort and there joint McIntoush's Army and from thence we marched to Tuscarora River and there we built a fort at which time Capt Thomson received orders from Genl McIntoush to march back to MacIntoush's Fort at which place he received a discharge from Capt Thompson on the 20th of December which completed a term of service of three months and twenty days. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. Daniel Davis

1. Where and in what year was you born

Answer: I was born in the County of Chester in the State of Pensylvania on the 11th of February 1759.

2. Have you any record of your age, and if so where is it?

Answer: I have a record of my age taken from my Father's Bible

3. Where was you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live.

Answer: When called into service I lived in the County of Greenbrier, then the County of Augusta in the State of Virginia. And since the war I have lived in the counties of Kanawha,, Greenbrier, and Cabell and am at this time a resident of Cabell County.

4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom.

Answer: I volunteered the first term of service. The second term of service I was a substitute for William Davis, and the third term of service I volunteered.

5. State some of the names of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served such as Continental and Militia Regiments, as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.

Answer: at Point Pleasant the Fort was commanded by Capt Matthew Arbuckle. Col Skiltiner and Col Dickinson commanded men there but not the Fort. The 2nd tour I guarded Genl Andrew Lewis' house four weeks, and the balance of the term I was engaged in guarding the Kings Fort on Roanoake and Potts Fort on Sinking Creek under the command of Capt William Rentfrow.

6. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so by whome was it given.

Answer: I received three discharges, one from Capt Henderson, one from Capt Rentfrow, & one from Capt Thompson, but have lost them all.

7. State the names of persons to whome you are known in your Neighbourhood, and who can testify to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.

Answer: John Samuels, Edmund McGinnis, James McGinnis, and William McComas.

We Burwell Spurlock, clergyman residing in the county of Cabell, and John Samuels residing in the same County hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Daniel Davis who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy four years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Burwell Spurlock John Samuels

Sworn and subscribed this day and year aforesaid. John Samuels Clerk of Cabell County Court in referenced Court

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after pulling the interrogatories prescribed by the war department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Burwell Spurlock who has signed the preceding certificate as a Clergyman resident in the County of Cabell and that John Samuels who has also signed the same as a resident in the county aforesaid and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit. 

I John Samuels Clerk of the Court of Cabell County Virginia do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Daniel Davis for a pension. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 24th day of September in the year of our lord 1833. John Samuels

William Milton Davis (1880-1934)

I couldn’t leave W.M. off this page, but the Winn-Dixie page covers much more than I could put here in words!