The Family › Woodall–Ramsay › Davis
William B. Davis
✦ direct ancestor — my children's 4×-great-grandfather
· Ramsay line, the Woodall–Ramsay side
— their mother's people
Marriage & children
Spouse(spouse unknown)
Sallie Fisher DAVIS (1843–1899)
Records behind this page
Pickens District, South Carolina, Deeds 1856-1861 (Register of Mesne Conveyance) -- FamilySearch full-text collection 'Pickens. Deeds 1856-1861', 736 images. Read on the page images 30 Sep 2026
Pickens Deeds 1856-1861, pp. 252-253 - deed of gift, William B. Davis to his daughter Sarah Frances Davis, 21 Mar 1857, recorded 26 Mar 1857; FamilySearch images 131-132 of 736, arks 3:1:3Q9M-C3QL-29QK-K and 3:1:3Q9M-C3QL-2931-S
read the transcript
[Read on the page images 30 Sep 2026 (register K923), in full, from the margin title to the recording clause. Spelling as written.] Margin: William B Davis To Sarah Frances Davis. Deed of Gift. || South Carolina, Pickens District. Know all men by these presents that I William B Davis of the State and District aforesaid for divers good causes and consideration to me moving have given granted released and signed over and by these presents do give grant release and sign over to my Daughter Sarah Francis Davis one Negro Girl named Mary about Eight years old to have and to hold the said Negro girl Mary and all her Increase to my said Daughter Sarah Francis Davis during her Natural life and after her Death to the heirs of her Body but if it should please God to call her from time without issue leaving no bodily heirs then the said Negro girl Mary and her increase to go to the use and benefit of my son David B Davis and his heirs and in case of his death without heirs then the said girl Mary and her increase to return to my Estate for an equal distribution among my other Children. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty first day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and fifty seven ... Signed sealed and acknowledged in presence of Harvey Davis, W R Davis. Wm B Davis (L.S.) || South Carolina, Pickens District: Personally appeared W R Davis before me and made oath in due form of law that he saw Wm B Davis sign seal and acknowledge the within and foregoing Deed of Conveyance for the use and purposes therein mentioned and that Harvey Davis was with himself a subscribing witness to the due execution of the same. Sworn to and subscribed this 25th day of March A.D. 1857. W R Davis. Before me [J. Hughs?] M.P.D. Recorded the 26th day of March 1857 and examined by [Hagood], C.C.P.
United States Census, 1850, 1860 and 1870 - population schedules, Pickens District and Oconee County, South Carolina (NARA M432, M653, M593), images via FamilySearch
1850 population schedule, Township 5 (Pickens county), Pickens District, S.C., dwellings 495-496, families 524-525; records ark:/61903/1:1:M8Q2-319 and 1:1:M8Q2-31C, image ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DHR3-TJ5, image 276 of 523
read the transcript
READ ON THE IMAGE 30 Sep 2026 (register K924): dwelling and family numbers, name, age, sex, occupation, real estate and birthplace columns of both households. Dwelling 495, family 524: Harvey Davis 66 M Farmer $4500 So Ca; Sarah 64 F; Thomas F. 28 M Farmer; Decatur 23 M; Warren R. 18 M. Dwelling 496, family 525: William B. Davis 32 M Farmer So Ca; Celina 20 F No Ca; David 11 M So Ca (attended school); Sarah 7 F; Henrietta 1 F; Letty Ann 26 F. The 1850 schedule has no relationship column.
Research notes
Working notes from the research, kept verbatim — what was read, what it proved, what stays open. Many open with a line grading the parentage; what the grades mean.
Research note · 30 Sep 2026
AUDITED 30 Sep 2026 - WILLIAM B. DAVIS OF PICKENS DISTRICT, SOUTH CAROLINA, farmer, born about 1818 in South Carolina. Entered as father of [429] Sallie (Sarah Frances) Davis Ramsay, graded DIRECT; the argument is in her note. His deed of gift of 21 March 1857 (Pickens Deeds 1856-1861, pp. 252-253, read on the page images, register K923) gives "my Daughter Sarah Francis Davis" an enslaved girl named Mary, about eight, with remainder to "my son David B Davis" and then to "my other Children"; witnesses Harvey Davis and W. R. Davis. In 1850 (Township 5, Pickens, dwelling 496, read on the image, K924) he is 32, a farmer, with Celina, 20, born North Carolina, David, 11, Sarah, 7, Henrietta, 1, and Letty Ann, 26; next door is Harvey Davis, 66. He appears in Pickens in the 1840 index too. His wife in 1850 is too young to be Sarah's mother, and the deed names no wife; the mother is unknown. His own parents are not proved - Harvey Davis, next door and a witness to his deed, is the obvious candidate, but no record read states it. Whereabouts after March 1857 unknown: not found in the 1860 Pickens index.
Elsewhere
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