Photo in early 1900's?Photo of Charles Edward Davis and Sarah Annie Davis(Roberts). Photo is also Charles Edward Davis and Sarah Annie Davis(Roberts) with their children, Alvah Newton Davis on the left, and Mason Oliver Davis on the right. Along with the printed name of the studio that took the background photo, "Rankin, Corsicana, Texas 1900 Tr 1905", was a handwritten note at the bottom that read "C. E. Davis Annie Davis Son Alvah & Mason". The photo in the middle is of Charles Edward Davis working on their house for their new farm. It was probably taken in 1926/1927. I do not know when the photo of them in the field was taken but suspect it was taken on their farm near Sterley.

Charles Edward Davis was my great grandfather, born 28 Jun 1870 in Cass County, Illinois and died 30 Oct 1937 at 67 years of age. He died in a Car Accident returning from a visit to his wife Sarah in the hospital. He was the son of John Barton Davis and Christina (Liming)Davis. Christina Davis his mom died in Sep 1879 along with his brother Burti and sister Lona Leon Davis within a few months preceeding and following Christina's death. Charles' brother Thomas Eugene Davis died on 23 Jun 1890 at about 17 years of age. His brother Cyrus Augustin Davis died in Sep 1898 in his 20s. Only Charles and Lottie his sister survived of the six children. He married Sarah Annie Roberts on 27 Dec 1892 in Navarro County, Texas. She was born 1870 and died in 1948. They had five children; Riley Barton born 1893 and died 1893, Alvah Newton born 1894, Mason Oliver born 1897, Dena born 1900 and died 1903, and Cyrus Allen Davis born 1905 and died 1992. Charles and Sarah had moved to the Elbert Community in Throckmorton County, Texas about 1900. I think Dena Davis is buried in Young County near Spring Creek. Cye their youngest son was probably born in Young County. Granddad and his brother Mason were born in Navarro County, Texas about 12 to 14 miles south west of Corsicana within a few miles of New Pursley and about 8 miles south of Purdon, Texas. Charles Edward Davis received an inheritance from his great uncle on his mother's side of the family sometime before 1925. That story follows the links below. My mother remembers her Grandpa Charlie as she calls him as a very kind caring and gentle man. I'd gather from the newspaper clipping from Elbert Community in Young County that quite a few of the Roberts family had also moved there from Navarro County around the same time. When Charles Edward made the downpayment on their farm near Lockney, Texas it must have taken a grueling effort to drill the water well and build a house for the family before they moved up there about 1927. A small patch of prarie land on their farm had been preserved with the wagon tracks of the early settlers still going through it up to the early 1960s. They had to make a living on their new farm and also make payments to keep it while building it from scratch. The dust bowl was a only a few years off in the future for them at the time. They survived with the grace of God. The hard times were never far from their memory but they loved life and enjoyed Gods mercy and blessings. He died about 9 years before I was born and Granddad never mentioned him nor did mom. Mom told me about him after I got interested in family history and asked her.
Charles Edward Davis inherited land from Charles W Augustin of Morgan County Illinois. Mr Augustin was the uncle of Christina Liming; Christina's mothers brother. Christina Liming was Charles Edward Davis' mother. Her parents were Samuel Liming and Mary Augustin. Charles Edward Davis sold the land he had inherited from Mr. Augustin and made a down payment on a Section of Land near Sterley, TX. He and his three sons farmed the land from about 1926 on and made payments on it together till it was paid off. Charles Edward Davis died in a car accident in Oct of 1937 in Floyd County. My cousin Mr. Clifford L. Davis related the quote, "Grandmother was not in the hospital, she was at Mother and Dad's over at the Foster place. Dad had sat up with her all night. Grandad had started out to his place to check things there. He got to the corner of the Foster place and was hit broadside by a northbound car. He had told mother he would be back in about an hour. It was early morning and the sun was in his eyes, he didn't even see the other car. He lived about four days, untill Halloween. You can read some of that in the copy of Mother's Dairy I gave to Doris."

John Davis page. John Davis, (b. abt 1599), is believed to be the great grandfather of Thomas Davis below.
Thomas Davis page. He is the grandfather of Charles Edwin Davis.
Charles Edwin Davis page. He is the father of James B Davis.
James B Davis page. He is the father of Elijah Davis.

Story of Sarah Annie Roberts nephew, C. B. Roberts, son of Rufus and Clara passed away. His daughter Nancy Fagan sent this story, "Yes there is a God."

Elijah Davis. He is the father of John Barton Davis and grandfather of Charles Edward Davis

John Barton Davis. He is the father of Charles Edward Davis on this page.
Alvah Newton Davis is the son of Charles Edward Davis.
Mason Oliver Davis is the son of Charles Edward Davis.
Cyrus Allen Davis is the son of Charles Edward Davis.
Photo of John Barton Davis family added. Include his wife Mirilda Jane (Kimbrell)Davis.
Ruby's Page. Detailed Family History of Sarah Annie Roberts parents and ancestors. Provided by Ms Ruby Collins of Baton Rouge LA.
Photo of Sarah Annie (Roberts)Davis parents added.
Photo of their sons added. Alvah, Mason, and Cyrus Davis.
Copy of Charles W Augustin's will.
Map showing Augustin farm land location.
Photo of unidentified relatives that Charles Edward may have brought with him from Illinois in the early 1900s.
Photo of Charles and Sarah Davis' grave stone.
My Home Page.
Geocities Home Page.
You are the visitor to this page.
By Thomas S. Smith.