Captain J. C. Davis

Taken from The Christian Evangelist, February 20, 1890.

Elder J.C. Davis was born in Clark County, Kentucky, May 19, 1809, and departed this life at his home in Miner City, Missouri, February 8, 1890, being 80 years, 10 months, and 16 days old. Brother Davis deserves more than a passing notice from us at this time on account of his extreme age, and his nobility of character, as well as the useful life he has led and the noble example he has left us. He was educated at Transylvania College, matriculating at the institution about 1824. He engaged in teaching and became very proficient as such, and was by the Masonic Grand Lodge of Kentucky, placed at the head of one of their institutions of learning, known as Funk’s Seminary. About this time or shortly afterwards, he was baptized and united with the Christian Church under the preaching of Brother John Smith. Sometime in the [18]50s, he moved to the state of Mississippi, and by the Masonic Fraternity of that State placed at the head of an institution of learning supported by that fraternity, and situated at Raymond [MS.] He remained at the head of this school for seven successive years, and made it the best preparatory school in the State, at that time. About that time he commenced teaching, having prepared himself by a course of study, and having been ordained, he continued this work to the day of his death. He moved to Missouri and settled at Shelbine, Shelby County, in 1871, since which time he has been intimately associated with the growth and development of the Christian Church in this part of the State. I cannot do the character of Brother Davis justice in this short space allotted me in this notice, for his sunny disposition, his indomitable energy, his untiring zeal, his self-sacrificing spirit, his child-like faith, and trust in God, and his hope in the future, are all traits of character possessed by him, and has endeared him to everybody who is acquainted with him throughout Northeast Missouri. He was married September 30, 1832, to Miss Sabrina Linvill. The fruit of this marriage was four children, all dying when quite young. On the 10th of March, 1871, Sister Davis passed away, leaving our brother both childless and companionless. It was at this time he came to Missouri, and during the latter part of that year became acquainted with, and on the 28th of February, 1879, married Mrs. Martha Thacker, nee Orr, relict of John Thacker, deceased. The fruit of this marriage was six children, three of whom with the widow still survive him. He has been a Mason since 1832, and was buried with Masonic honors. His remains were carried to the Christian Church, where we addressed the vast assembly from II Samuel 3; “Know you not that there is a prince and a great man fallen in this day in Israel.”

He will be missed by the four congregations to which he ministered each month, and to our Monroe City Congregation in our prayer meetings and in our community, but most of all will he be missed by his sorrowing family. May our heavenly Father who has promised to be a husband to the widow, and a father to the fatherless, minister to them consolation they need in this their hour of sore affliction and bereavement. We laid him away to rest, with an abiding faith and trust in God, that the faithful will meet him again, and we turned our steps from his lowly grave repeating that blessed promise, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labors and their works do follow them.”           Written by C.B. Lorapeich
 
 
 

The following was taken from The Masons and the Methodists in Utica, Mississippi, by James E. Price (pg 100.)
 

Captain J[ames] C. Davis arrived in the Raymond area about 1850, possibly before. He taught seven years at Raymond Female Academy. He became interested in the Ministry and was preaching at the Utica Christian Church (The Disciples of Christ) in 1857.

He had military experience . . . in the War with Mexico. It appears he organized what we would call a National Guard Company from the Southwestern Hinds and Northwestern Copiah County area (the Crystal Springs, Utica, Raymond area) which was named The Crystal Springs Southern Rights. This group appears to have been in place before the Civil War.

The Crystal Springs Southern Rights were sent to Virginia in 1861. They became Company C, 16th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry Volunteers. This company, originally part of Stonewall Jackson’s Command, remained in Virginia for the duration of the Civil War. Captain Davis is recorded several times to have preached to the troops.

(See more on the 16th Mississippi Regiment on this site.)
 

 

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