David DAVIS ^{1 2}

   Cause of his death was Automobile Accident.

  General Notes:

From HISTORY OF DAKOTA TERRITORY by George W. Kingsbury, Vol IV, 1915, Page 1149. Lester M. Davis Biography.

Lester M. Davis, who was elected to the office of treasurer of
Marshall county in 1914, was born in Waseca county, Minnesota, December
23, 1881, being one of the two children of David and Clara (Hinkley)
Davis. The father was born in Wisconsin in 1853 and the mother in
Minnesota in 1857. They were married in the latter state and he has
devoted his attention to farming, whereby he has provided a comfortable
living for his family. In 1883 he removed to Marshall county, where he
took up a homestead on which he lived for a number of years. He now
resides upon an eighty-acre tract of land near Britton, and although he
had only two dollars and sixty cents when he reached South Dakota, he
is now in possession of a comfortable competence. His political
support is given to the republican party.



From Marshall County South Dakota, 1979, by the Marshall County Historical Society - Page 28.

"DAVID DAVIS

Among the very first settlers of Marshall County, Dave Davis heeded Horace Greeley's advice to "Go west, young man! Go west!".
In 1883, to anyone living in Minnesota, Dakota Territory embodied all the lure of a new Land of Promise, particularly an area adjoining the Ft. Sisseton Military Reservation, which had been opened to homesteaders a few years previous. So it was that Dave Davis, his wife, Clara (Hinkley), and their young family, loaded all they possessed into a covered wagon of sorts, and left the relative civilization of Waseca, Minnesota for a new life on the boundless prairie. Their first home was a crude dugout, in what is now Victor Township. Everything they had not brought with them had to be transported from Browns Valley, Minnesota -- a tedious two or three day trip across the Coteau Hills. Even the meager first wheat crop was sacked, then hauled to Browns Valley, where it could be traded for flour and the few staples necessary to sustain life. And a tough live it was! Burning summer heat; winter winds which blew constantly and threatened the fuel supply (hay twists, cow chips, and somewhat illegal firewood "borrowed" from the lakes on the military reservation, when the army patrols from Ft. Sisseton weren't looking). During The Great Blizzard of 1888, what questionable shelter the Davis home offered from the raging elements, proved to be a lifesaver for two Norwegian immigrants, totally lost among the foothills.
But they were hardy stock, those who the early years of our county's history! By today's standards, what they accepted as commonplace would be considered totally impossible living standards. But schools and churches were built. Towns emerged, one of which was Britton, to which the Davis family moved in 1892.
Possessed of a lively wit, and a host of friends, Dave was variously engaged in numerous business enterprises, including a saloon and a retail meat market. In 1918, his wife Clara passed away. Several years later, he married Mrs. Jennie Martin, of Minneapolis. It was to their home in Minneapolis that Dave Davis was returning, from a visit in Britton with his son Lester (Zip) Davis, when his car overturned west of Morris, Minnesota and he was instantly killed. Funeral services were held July 30, 1925, and Mr. Davis rests with scores of his fellow pioneers in Britton cemetery.
Born in 1853, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, David Davis was 72 years old at the time of his death. "

WISCONSIN BIRTH RECORD - DELAYED

Fond du Lac Co.
V. 19, #282
David Davis

Full Name of Child: David Davis
Color and Sex: White, male
Name of Other Living Issues: - - - - -
Full Name of Father: James Davis
Full Name of Mother
Previous to Marriage: Lucretia Corey
Hour, Day of Week, of
Month, and Year of Birth: Nov. - - 1853
Place, Town or Township,
and County in which born: Fond du Lac, Wis
Birthplace of Father: - - - - -
Birthplace of Mother: - - - - -
Name of Physician/Other - - - - -
Residence of Person
Last Named: - - - - -
Date of Certificate: March 13, 1943
Date of Registration: March 19, 1943
Supporting Evidence:
1. Census record 1880, Vivian, Minn, dated 7/2/(19)42
2. Census record June 1, 1900, Census of Britton, S. Dakota, dated 8/1/(19)42
3. Death Certificate for David Davis in Scott Tp., Minnesota, died 7/26/1925
Information provided by above:
Birthdate or age Birthplace
1. 25 yrs Wisconsin
2. Nov 1853 Wisconsin
3. Nov. 1, 1857 Wisconsin James Davis Lucretia
4. Additional information provided by J. E. Martin, 2301 Arthur St. NE,
Minneapolis, MN, dated 3/12/1942. States he signed birth record for
deceased step-father.

This note was among the letters found at Andrew Corey's home by my
mother, May Louise (Corey) Berglund in the 1930's. Transcribed by Joan Penewell October 6th, 1999

March 28th 86

Dear cousens I saw a advertisement in our paper and thought I would let
you know about it. There is one hundred $100 dollars for you if you
want it. There is a man by the name of Bingham in Washington that will
be glad to get it for you if you imploy him. I will give you his
address if I can get it. He is a pention agent I will send you the
paper so you can see for your self. What you think of it We are well
and hope this will find you all the same O we have got 16 little pigs no
calvs yet. We are out of milk and buy butter. I plowed a little and it
is frose up. Good by yours David, Davis

This says before aug the 6th 1861 if you don’t know when he went in maby
Father or Mother will know. Try it any ways there is nothing like
trying D.Davis

  Noted events in his life were:

• Residence, 1883, Victor Twp., Roberts Co., South Dakota. ⁸

• Residence, 4 May 1910, Miller Twp., Marshall Co., South Dakota. ⁹

David married Clara Roxanna HINKLEY, daughter of Henry William Smith HINKLEY and Laura E. WEBSTER, on 12 September 1876 in Waseca, New Richland, Minnesota. (Clara Roxanna HINKLEY was born in November 1857 in Princeton, Green Lake Co., Wisconsin,^{5 10 11} died in 1918 in Britton, Marshall Co., South Dakota ³ and was buried in Britton Cemetery, Britton, Marshall Co., South Dakota.)

David next married Jennie MARTIN after 1919. (Jennie MARTIN was born on an unknown date and died on an unknown date.)