The privilege of being before you today, more than two centuries since I departed this world, is truly a humbling experience. It is indeed an act of Providence that the seed a man and woman plants can bear such fruit as I see before me today and have witnessed maturing for more than two hundred years. The trials and triumphs, the successes and failures, the happy times, the times of sorrow, all have been experienced a thousand times by my descendants. This drama is the substance from which history is made.
I beg your kind forbearance and trust that you all will not thinking less of me for reading what I wish to say here today. This is too important an occasion to leave to chance that a faulty memory will see the end of my speech arrive with things left unsaid.
I have been accorded the liberty of telling you the tale of my life, as such it was. To start, I wish to comment on your endearing reference to me as "Old Nick." This particular appellation was first bestowed on me by one Nathaniel Davis, or so I seem to recollect. He did not intend it as a title of respect, but rather one of damnation. I shall get to this part of my story in good time.
Speculation over the origins of our Davies clan can be set to rest. It is true that we hail from the Shires of Herefordshire and Shropshire, both of which are in England, but we have never saw ourselves as anything other than true men of Wales. Our ancestors had the misfortune to reside in a part of Wales first conquered by the Normans. Our brethren across the border did not live under the yoke of English rule for another two hundred years after the occupation by the English of our Shires . I believe that had our countrymen not spent so much energy fighting among themselves, the land of our forefathers may have remained free of English rule. The Welsh had a well deserved reputation as excellent men-at-arms. Unfortunately, they gained this reputation butchering each other rather than their true enemies.
By the time of my birth our Davies family had settled into acceptance of rule by the English Crown and benefitted handsomely from this acceptance. I hail from the Richard's Castle line of our Davies clan, having been born near the my father's birth place of Bury in Herefordshire. I was christened with my dear father's given name, therefore, he, too was "Nicholas." My loving mother passed on before I was old enough to recall much about her and for reasons I can not explain, my family spoke rarely of her. I dare say, I learned much more about my grandparents, John Davies and Frances Hill Davies, than I did about my mother's people. Perhaps the reason for this is that we, my father and brothers, Samuel and Francis, owed our prosperity and good fortunes to this couple, the Hills in particular. The Hill family, which through my grandmother was connected to the family of Nesse of Alcaston, brought wealth and social stature to our Davies family. Doors were opened wide for us through these associations. Our family was firmly entrenched in the ranks of the Yeoman class since at least the reign of King Henry VIII. My grandfather's marriage to Frances Hill, however, elevated our social standing.
One must understand that in the early 18th century official records were not consistently put to paper regarding trivial matters as the date of one's birth. If a family did not record births and deaths in their bibles, certainty of the dates of these events quickly fell victim to faulty memories. As for me, I believe that I came into this world in the Year of Our Lord, 1709, although I am not certain . I suppose that I might have discovered my actual birth date in the records of my Parish, but such knowledge was of little concern to me in my youth and far less concern to me in my advanced years, when I did not need to be reminded of the ravages of time. I was reminded of my age every morning when I arose from bed.
As a boy, my father saw to my education. I, as well as my brothers, were tutored in all that a Gentleman would need to travel in the proper social circles---the circles that would advance our station in life. We were schooled in Latin, Greek, and French, as well as arithmetic, music, and the natural philosophies. My brother, Samuel and I, also were also given instruction in the keeping of accounts, because our prospects of entering upon careers as merchants was most promising.
The early 18th century was a time of fundamental change in England. As a point of fact, it was a period of maturation of events that started much earlier. The English economy had been, since the times of the Anglo-Saxons, base on agriculture. Therefore, a man's wealth was measured by the amount of productive land he owned. By the dawn of the 18th century the business of England was turning from the land to the docks and shops. Oh yes, a man's wealth was still much dependent on the amount of land he owned and the estate he constructed on it, but it was becoming possible for a commoner, such as myself, to enter a lucrative trade or business and accumulate enough specie to purchase appreciable holdings, holdings to match those of the nobility. My father, whose people had mostly been limited to leasing land under long-term leases of 99 years or more from the nobility, understood that the time had become ripe for our family to become part of the landed gentry. And the path to doing so was through commerce. He taught all three of his sons how to take advantage of these new opportunities.
I believe I was in my sixteenth when my father secured for me a letter of introduction to Colonel Thomas Randolph of Tuckahoe in the Colony of Virginia. I assume this to be so because I had finished my basic studies by this time and was employed as an apprentice with a trading house in Bristol. This experience, together with my father being able to get a letter of introduction from the Colonel's cousin in England, guaranteed my acceptance by the good Colonel in Virginia. The Randolph family had considerable stature and influence on both sides of the Atlantic and it was, indeed, a great privilege to be employed by a Randolph in Virginia. I not only learned the art of trading from one of the most prominent men in Virginia, but I was also introduced to other men of influence in this young land.
My father discussed at great length with us his plans for the success of our Bury line of the Davies family. My father developed, what in your modern parlance, would be called a "Master Plan" for the future of his three boys. This Plan required at least one of us to venture forth to the New World and at least one to remain in the Mother Country where he would establish a business trading exclusively with his family in Virginia.
After appreciable discussion it was decided that I, being the eldest son as well as the most adventuresome, would be the one to journey to Virginia. It was my charge to establish a trading house in Virginia to ship tobacco, indigo, lumber and other raw commodities to Samuel, who would have a trading house in England. In turn, Samuel would ship to my establishment firearms and pharmaceuticals, commodities much in demand because of the relative absence of manufacturing in the Colony. Samuel went on to establish a trading house in the City of Bristol and I, after the death of Colonel Randolph, became a merchant in Henrico County, Virginia. But I am getting ahead of my story.
I was employed as an agent by Colonel Randolph from my arrival in Virginia in 1728 until this good man's passing in early 1733. I became a registered Merchant in 1730. At the risk of implying a mercenary spirit that I did not harbor, my association with the Randolphs and his wife's family, the Flemings, proved beneficial beyond my expectations. Not only did Colonel Randolph compensate me handsomely for my services, he also provided me with great insight regarding where to purchase the best land and what business ventures were most likely to succeed in Virginia.
My close association with the Colonel included many evenings joining his family for evening supper, engaging in enlightened conversation with him and his many guests and developing a deep affection for him and his family. Among the most frequent quests at the table at Tuckahoe during this time were Judith's brothers and their families. With their kindness, they made me feel that I belonged. When the good Colonel passed I grieved as deeply as any member of his natural family. It was through this shared grief that my love for Judith was born. You must take it on my word as a Gentleman that there was nothing more than friendship between Judith and I while the Colonel was alive. It was only in those dark days following his death that Judith and I found each other and decide to become husband and wife.
It is understandable that you moderns may find the age difference between Judith and I shocking and the situation gives you cause to speculate regarding my motives in marrying a woman more than twenty years my senior. As a man of honor I can stand before you and proclaim that the benefits inherent in marrying Judith were not what motivated me nor were they immediately apparent to me. I truly married her for the right reason. Nevertheless, I cannot deny that our marriage brought me into the two of the most influential and wealthy families in Virginia. Their influence stretched to the Throne itself. Again, this was not my principal motive for marrying Judith. The truth be told, I loved as deeply as any man can love a woman. She was a gentle woman, a loving woman, an intelligent woman. Likewise, at the risk of sounding immodest, Judith held me in high regard.
Despite our deep devotion and mutual trust, at the urging of the Flemings and Randolphs, I entered into a marriage bond that secured the Colonel's children's inheritance in event that Judith should pass before I did or in the unlikely event that Judith and I had children of our own. This was a reasonable precaution given the wealth that Colonel Randolph left. This being done, we were married at Tuckahoe on the Eve before Christmas in the year 1733.
The Flemings convinced me that my future, and that of my progeny, would only be secured if I supplemented my income from trading as a merchant by accumulating and developing land. With their good council, I purchased my first tract of land in Goochland County on June 14, 1734. This was a 2,400 acre track situated on the Muddy Creek. This land was not purchased with the intent of making it our home, since Judith and I were quite comfortable living at Tuckahoe in Henrico County. After some time I had a mill constructed on this parcel and began purchasing surrounding land. If I recollect correctly, by 1736 I had put together a plantation along both sides of Muddy Creek of about 13,000 acres. In addition to the mill, I constructed a fine frame home for Judith and me and grew tobacco, hemp and grains, which I shipped exclusively to my brothers Samuel and Francis in Bristol, England. In 1737 I built my second mill on Muddy Creek.
Although Judith and I were not blessed with any children, our time together as husband and wife was full of joy. We continued to prosper. We traveled in the most pleasant social circles. But alas, our happiness was short lived. My beloved Judith passed in the summer of 1743. She left behind no testament regarding her final wishes. I had to petition the Court in September of that year to be appointed Administrator of her estate since she died intestate. In due course I was granted a Certificate of Administration. As Administrator, I believe that I fulfilled both the letter and intent of my marriage bond with Judith. There was never any thought on my part to do otherwise. I considered both the Randolphs and Fleming kinfolk, and I had an especially close relationship with my stepson, William Randolph.
I started to become interested in the unsettled western territory of Virginia before Judith's death. The increasing number of new arrivals from the British Isles, as well as no small number of Dutchmen and other foreigners entering the Colony, made it clear to me that civilization in Virginia, as such it was, would soon be moving west to the Blue Ridge and beyond. I made a couple of journeys up the James River with the likes of John Saling and Kemp Whiting. I also discussed the possibilities to be found in this virgin land with anyone else who had familiarity with it. My inquires regarding this region led to my introduction to Dr. John Clayton by Will Randolph. Dr. Clayton was well known for his study of the native plants in this region, having made numerous expeditions to the Blue Ridge and beyond. Well, I shall say more about my relationship with the Claytons of Gloucester County in due course.
The Crown was encouraging English settlement of the western territories for a number of reasons, not the least being firmly establishing an English presence in the lands bordering the cursed French. To advance settlement, the Crown granted vast tracts of land to individuals and partnerships free of cost for various periods of time, provided this land was improved in a manner to encourage settlement. This land was to be sold in 200 acre parcels to settlers, with the Crown getting a share of the profits. Seeing a business opportunity was a particular talent of mine. Sometime about the year 1743 I went on my first expedition to the Blue Ridge with John Saling and Will Randolph. This is when I came upon a lovely area that was destined to be the site of my future home. It was also here that while following an old Indian trail I came across a gentle stream meandering through the virgin forest that begged to be named in honor of dear wife, Judith. In my heart this stream was a memorial to Judith that would carry her memory for as long as there were men and women who cared to learn the stream's name.
I developed a close friendship with John Clayton, the son of Dr. John Clayton. Following Judith's death I visited the Claytons in Gloucester as often as I could. While visiting young John Clayton, I fell in love with his sister, Catherine Whiting Clayton. We courted for about a year, getting married in the summer of 1744. Our courtship and subsequent decision to wed was not met with great enthusiasm by Dr. John Clayton. I confess that Dr. Clayton did not approve of me as a son-in-law. He was a dedicated scholar, caring little for the accumulation of wealth beyond that necessary to maintain his life-style as an English Gentleman and support his studies. He saw me as a mercenary who was determined to destroy the virgins lands to the west for the gaining of a few pounds. For that matter, Dr. Clayton was disappointed in his son, John, for the same reason. The old man never did acknowledge me as his son-in-law or our only child, Henry Landon, as his grandchild.
Dr. Clayton possessed a clarity of mind seldom encountered when he was exploring the mysteries of nature. In other matters, in his dealings with people, he often was arrogant and uncompromising with those who did not share his intellectual passion. I choose to believe that he did not think of me as an ignorant man, but rather as one whose native talents were misdirected. Perhaps I am flattering myself. We did have several discussions on matters of philosophy that ended in heated disagreement. In retrospect, we both fell victim to our strong opinions and fiery temperaments.
I have once again have gotten beyond myself. Catherine, Henry and I did not move to the upper reaches of the Fluvanna River until the 1750's. There are a few other things about my days in Henrico, Goochland and Cumberland counties that I believe deserve mentioning.
As a young man of means I was expected to assume a public office to serve the common good. In 1736 I was appointed Sheriff of Henrico County. I served in this capacity until 1741, when I was appointed Justice of the Court of Goochland County. When Cumberland County was formed from Goochland County in 1749, I continued to serve as a Justice in Cumberland until 1750. My most noted achievement while serving as a Justice had nothing to do directly with my position, but as a member of the Grand Jury convened in Williamsburg that presented Reverend John Roane, a Presbyterian Minister, and Mr. Thomas Watkins and Mr. Joshua Morris, both members of the Presbyterian sect, for practicing a faith not sanctioned by the Crown and for publicly criticizing the practices and belief of the established Church---that of course being the Church of England. The Crown prevailed in this case and each of the three men were fined and forbidden from practicing their faith. The importance of this case was found not in its outcome, which was never in doubt, but in it getting many in the Colony thinking about freedom of religion and freedom of speech. The injustice that these three men were subjected to, as well as others of similar persuasion throughout the colonies in North America, were squalls in a gathering storm that would erupt in Boston and Philadelphia in 1776. It, too, was not one of the proudest accomplishments of my life. My decision was governed by the letter of law rather than moral judgment. I realized too late that law and order that does guaranty justice.
In 1750 I left the bench to accept the position of Sheriff of Cumberland County. I served as Sheriff until 1754. By this time I accumulated large land holdings up the Fluvanna and decided it was time move my family west.
The western land holdings I had in what was in the 1750's Albemarle County, were grants held jointly with a members of my Fleming - Randolph family, friends and business associates. I also entered into patents with members of my new Clayton - Whiting family. In keeping with a promise made to my father, my brothers Francis and Samuel were also benefactors in my speculative land ventures. Some of my partners were William Randolph, John Peter Saling, the young John Clayton, Kemp Whiting, Peter Whiting, Matthew Whiting, William Mayo, Philip Mayo, Thomas Turpin, William Bernard, and John Pleasants, and Francis and Samuel Davies---my brothers. Many of these gentlemen were also partners of mine back in Henrico and Cumberland.
The amount of land acquired through these partnerships in Albemarle County totaled in excess of 200,000 acres. As I mentioned earlier, the land we acquired from the Crown was granted to us with the condition that within four years it would be improved and sold to settlers so that there would be on average one family per 1,000 acres on a minimum of 200 acre homesteads. My partners and I entered these transaction with the sincere intent of fulfilling our obligations, but at risk of you thinking less of us, we soon became enthralled with the prospect of amassing estates that would dwarf the largest found in England. By various means, we soon found ways to hold onto these vast holdings by selling parcels to one another and by other legal means. Oh yes, we sold some of the land to settlers, but the acreage thus disposed of was minimal.
My speculative activities were not without difficulties. One such difficulty involved the Davis family, who were one of the first English settlers in the region. I brought suit against Robert Davis and his son, Nathaniel Davis, on two separate occasions, to acquire ownership of 500 acres that I was able to prove was part of the 5,000 acre parcel I purchased singularly in 1751, which was located on both sides of Judith Creek. Shortly before my purchase of this tract Nathaniel Davis engaged the services of Dr. Cabell to survey his land. Before this time there was no need for the Davis family to survey their holdings and properly register a deed. Anticipating difficulties brought on by myself and the syndicates I belonged to, Nathaniel decided to register his land. Unfortunately for Robert and Nathaniel, Dr. Cabell erred in his survey. I was able on both occasions before the Court to prove that my survey was correct, resulting in the Court awarding me a total of 500 acres of Davis land that the Davis family had occupied for nearly two generations by the time I arrived in Albemarle County.
Old Robert Davis left Virginia and headed South, some say that he moved on to Saint Mary's Parish in Georgia where he and his wife were murdered by Indians along the border with the Spanish Territory. Others say that he moved to Spanish Territory in western Florida, where he died peacefully in old age. Obviously, my relationship with Nathaniel was such that I could not inquire as to his father and step-mother's fate. It was known by nearly all in Albemarle that Nathaniel often said in public that he "damns Old Nick Davies to the pits of Hell." So, my children, referring to me as "Old Nick," although I know is intended as a term of endearment, had quite different origins.
I truly regret that I went after those 500 acres. They mattered little to me, but meant much to the Davis family. Alas, in time all is forgiven if not forgotten. My heart was lifted and I felt absolved when Margaret Ann Davis married Samuel Nicholas Davies in 1886 and William Ludwell Davis married Sarah Whiting Davies in 1882.
Before I moved Catherine and Henry to Albemarle, which later became Amherst County, I had a fine manor house constructed of native stone. It was the first stone house built in the Albemarle. Being a new area to settlement, most homes were still of log construction. In 1756 our house was done, including all the necessary out buildings. My family left Muddy Creek. By this time I had about 33,000 acres surrounding our new home, which I named "Pebbleton," because of the great amount of rocks encountered on this land. My land speculation slowed down after relocating to Pebbleton, as I took up planting. Oh, I continued to buy and sell land, as well as consolidating my holdings in Amherst and the new county of Bedford through various filings of new deeds to avoid challenges from neighboring landowners. Farming, however, became my principal occupation. It was no small achievement to manage an estate the size of Pebbleton while still trying to manage my holdings in Henrico and Cumberland. In time, Henry and I would rid ourselves of our lands along Muddy Creek.
We grew tobacco, wheat and barley, as well as live stock. I always believed that the climate in the hills was particularly amenable to the production of apples. I had a relatively successful orchard and hoped one day to see Amherst and Bedford a major producer of this fruit, which was much needed in the Colonial diet. I will have more to say about this.
I was blessed to have chosen a region to settle that attracted many of the finest gentlemen in the Colony. Our new home hosted countless gatherings of some of the wealthiest and best bred families to have come out of England. Such gatherings often lasted several days because of the distances between plantations being to great to traverse both ways in a single day. To provide entertainment for my guests, in 1761 I built a hunting lodge on the hill across the Fluvanna from Pebbleton. From these quarters I and my guests would awake early to ride with the hounds about the mountains or hunt for deer and other game. Some of my fondest memories are associated with my lodge, "Eagle Eyrie." I am not surprised that hunting remains a tradition among certain branches of my descendants.
In the early 1770's I saw the gathering storm that would culminate in the Colonies breaking away from Mother England. It was not without much trepidation that I embraced the cause of American independence. I owed much to the Crown, having prospered under the politics of the Monarchy. Accounts of the rousing speeches of Patrick Henry and the philosophical circumlocution of young Tom Jefferson, to say nothing about the apprehension caused by the actions of the likes of Sam Adams up Boston-way, made me wonder where this "freedom" that these firebrands were advocating would leave me after decades of building a life of an English Gentleman in Virginia. I was not certain that I could approve of a system of government that would tend to level the social classes, although I did endorse of a system that would permit a man to achieve success according to his native abilities. Any less would deny others the opportunities I enjoyed.
There were inherent contradictions in the philosophies advocated by the Revolutionaries, especially among the leaders of the southern colonies. The right to self-govern, the rights of the individual, freedom of conscience and religion. The landed class of the southern colonies had a more practical concern that stood at odds with the high philosophies espoused by those who know as the "Founding Fathers." Our agricultural endeavors required intensive labor. Our peculiar institution was a solution to our labor problem, although most thinking and moral men of the southern colonies were never at ease with slavery; finding it reprehensible. Nonetheless, it was an institution imposed on us by those who established the colonies in this new land and we saw no way out of it.
On the eve of the Revolt against English rule, Henry and I spent hours discussing the wisdom of separating from the Mother Country. As with many in colonies, we had much to lose if we picked the wrong side. If we remained Tory, we feared losing our property should the colonials defeat England. On the other side, if we sided with the colonials we stood to have our land confiscated by the Crown. So it came down to where our loyalties should lie. Both Henry and I concluded that above all we were Virginians and so we threw in our lot with for the cause of independence. We did so even though we were skeptical whether the rabble that made up so much of our population would ever be capable of governing themselves.
I was far beyond my prime in 1776, in addition to having some problems of my own at this time. Henry, however, was only 30 years old and had already served 2 years as a second Lieutenant in the Bedford County Militia. My son continued to serve in the service of Virginia until the cessation of hostilities with King George III in 1782. For my part, being too old to fight I provided the Continental Army and several local militia groups with provisions. I received payment for only a small amount of the provisions I provided, but I was glad to have been able to contribute to the cause.
I mentioned that in 1776 I was having personal difficulties, My stone manor home was destroyed by fire. Catherine and I were forced to move in with Henry and his wife, Anne Clayton-Davies, until I could reconstruct Pebbleton. Because of the war, it took me quite time to complete the second Pebbleton, which this time I constructed of frame upon the foundation of the original house. This is the building that remains today, although somewhat enlarged from the house I built.
You may be wondering about the maiden name of my daughter-in-law, Anne Clayton, as it is the same as Catherine's, my wife. Anne was Henry's first wife and Catherine's niece. Many of you may find Henry marrying his first cousin objectionable. We, too, did not view such close marriages as ideal, but the circumstances of the time and place where we lived provided few prospective partners. Close marriages were far from uncommon. Henry did not wonder too far to find his second wife, Lucy. Lucy was Anne's sister and the widow of Nathaniel Manson. Henry and Anne gave Catherine and me seven grandchildren and Henry and Lucy gave us two more, in addition to three Manson cousins that became very much a part of our growing clan. When the war was over and conditions settled, the new Pebbleton was full of the sounds of children.
Henry's education was received at the hands of private tutors. Catherine and I gave him the best education the circumstances along Muddy Creek and in the Blue Ridge allowed. He had all that a proper Gentleman needed to converse intelligently with other men of means and stature. Both Henry and I wanted to do better by the younger generation growing up on the Davies plantation. In about 1780 we built a small out building on our property to serve as a school for our children and those of any neighbors who wished to send their children our school. We were most fortunate to engage the services of the Manson sisters, Anne and Sarah. Both of these ladies were extremely well schooled in the classics and had experience as tutors. They took up residence at Pebbleton and taught at our school for over twenty years, educating more than one generation of our Davies clan and many children from neighboring plantations. One subject that both Henry and I remained in agreement was the importance of education. A source of great distress to me was that Henry and I agreed about little else.
Following the cessation of hostilities with the Mother Country I concentrated on reaping the rewards of my forty years of amassing land holdings and developing viable plantations. I took time to enjoy the company of my numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. This period was also a time for reflection, which became a special preoccupation following the death of my dear Catherine. By the spring of 1794 I knew the end of my time was rapidly approaching. I harbored no doubts that I would be leaving my family a significant legacy; one that if managed with diligence would sustain several generations of the Davies clan. I needed more, however. It was my desire to help those less fortunate than me. I was privileged to have the opportunity to accumulate significant wealth with little effort in a virgin land. I had heard it said that I was among the ten wealthiest men in Virginia in the 1790's and perhaps among the 50 wealthiest men in the United States. Well, I suppose that if one only took the value of my land holdings into account these claims may have been accurate, but in terms of specie, I had only enough to meet those debts that could not be satisfied by payment-in-kind. Many of the New England merchants held more liquid wealth than me. This having been said, I was in a position where I could leave a legacy that would touch the lives of people outside of my family. Oh, many of you may wonder if I was trying to purchase my way into heaven or felt guilty over not fulfilling the obligations imposed upon I and my fellow speculators by the Crown when we were granted large tracts of land along the Blue Ridge. In part, I dare say, you are correct. But there was much more to it. I truly came to believe that if these United States were to survive, it would only do so if each family owned land from which it could make a good living and that it would be willing to defend, to the death, if need be. Our young democracy could not afford to re-create the class system, divided between the landed and non-landed classes, that existed in England and its possessions. I also fervently believed that our nation could not tolerate the bondage of an entire race of people, although I, like so many others in my time, was in a quandary over how best to end our peculiar institution.
In March of 1794 I added a codicil to my will in which I granted each of my forty-two slaves their freedom upon my death. In order to provide my loyal servants with a means of supporting themselves, I also left each male who obtained the age of 21 on or before the date of my death 200 acres of tillable land.
In April of 1794 I decided to place an advertisement in the Lynchburg and Farmer's Gazette that I would henceforth accept tobacco, wheat, and other payment-in-kind from all those who were indebted to me. Given that I had many outstanding debts owed to me, this seemed the best means at me disposal to help my many fine neighbors and friends throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Cash was hard to come by, but produce was readily available from the fine lands and industry of the people of Virginia. Not stopping here, I also decided to set aside several thousand acres for dispersing to settlers who would agree to plant apple orchards. Again, I would allocate these tracts in 200 acre parcels, which is sufficient land for a family to derive a satisfactory livelihood. Where young Tom Jefferson saw our region of Virginia as prime land for the cultivation of grapes, I saw it as being ideal for the cultivation of apples. I do derive some small pleasure from knowing that, at least in this instance, I was more correct than Tom Jefferson.
I did not keep my actions secret from Henry. When I informed him of my plans, he flew into a rage that, unfortunately, is somewhat of a trademark characteristic of our Davies clan. He promised to stop my lunacy. Henry approached the Bedford County Court tof for a "Writ de Lunatic Inquerento" against me, with the objective being that he would be granted full control of my business affairs. Henry did not count on my continued influence before the Bench. I argued my case before the Justices and Henry's request was denied. The case gathered much notice in the press and was discussed over many a back fence. Henry did not take losing very well, fearing that the Old Man was off and he and his children would inherit little, which was never my intention. His actions against me broke my heart. I never understood how a child, one that you brought into the world and around whom the earth revolved, could turn against you, but greed is truly a strong emotion. Please do not misunderstand what I say here. Henry was a good man, but he was very much a product of his generation, as I was a product of mine. We each viewed life through different eyes.
I drew my last breath on a mild September morning in 1794. Although I did not live a saintly life, I had committed few serious sins. The principal regret that followed me to my grave was that Henry and I did not reconcile our differences. Some of my friends said after my passing that my final illness was that of a broken heart.
Through the course of my life I had become schooled in the law. I relied upon this knowledge to draft the codicil to my will. After some further contemplation I asked Tom Jefferson to review it. He pointed to certain weaknesses in the document. It was my intention to correct these weakness, but time did not permit me to do so. Young Jefferson was correct in his opinion, for Henry was able to convince the Court that I was not in my right mind when I drafted the codicil and that it should not be probated. The Court agreed and most of my charitable plans never came to fruition. Sadly, when Henry's time came, he too, had his last wishes violated. His will was broken by his second wife, Lucy. There was a lesson to be learnt here, unfortunately it was too late for Henry to be so schooled.
I have reached the end of my story, but certainly not story of my progeny. I am not so presumptuous as to stand here and take full credit for each and everyone of my children. Every generation has combined with other families, creating the rich and diverse tapestry of talents and personalities and appearances I see before me today. Nonetheless, I remain humbled that each of you here who descend from Catherine and I carry within you a little bit of our essence. This is truly the miracle of God's grand design.
I have the advantage of having viewed the successes, the failures, the heroism, the fears, and the fulfilled and unfulfilled dreams of my progeny. It is an inspiring tale that encompasses the full drama that is the human condition. It is gratifying to me, and I have no doubt that old John Clayton would lay claim to the trait, that so many of my descendants followed intellectual pursuits. In the first century and a half of our family's residence in this new land, we produced numerous educators, doctors, lawyers, and chemists We also produced those who kept close to the land, but still valued knowledge. Regarding the latter breed, how many here know that my great grandson, Captain Mayo Davies, was not only an Army officer, an educator and farmer, but somewhat renowned for his knowledge of astronomy?
Since the early 20th century, the Davies family has produced more than its share of engineers and scientists, as well as continuing the tradition of those entering farming, education and law. When our nation put men into space, a concept that would have been considered absolute madness in my time, members of our family were a part of the adventure. In fields of endeavor unimaginable in my time, except perhaps to Americans like Jefferson, Franklin, and Rittenhouse, our family has been well represented. If I may forward an opinion, perhaps the adventurous spirit that so many of our people exhibited in the 18th and 19th centuries in pushing the frontier of our nation west, became pioneers of a different type in the 20th, pushing forward the frontiers of science and technology. So many of my children have exhibited a great restlessness of mind and spirit It has been truly inspirational to this old man..
When our nation gave a call to arms our family was among the first to answer. As I mentioned, both Henry and I contributed what we could to the cause of American independence from Great Britain. There were others, whose families would eventually become our kin, who served the cause of independence far more than Henry and I, among then the Davises, Clays, Meriwethers and Crawfords. We served our nation once again when hostilities erupted between Great Britain and the United States in 1812. And once more when we went to war with Mexico.
When the differences between the southern and northern states could not peacefully be resolved, many of my sons marched off to battle in the second American Revolution. Oh, the tears I have shed for the many who fell protecting their homes and way of life against insurmountable odds. Our family fought on the fields at Five Oaks, Staunton, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, and faced the final defeat of the Confederacy at Appomatox. Again, family with surnames other than Davies were among the ranks of our family fighting to save their homes, Meriwether, Tinsley, Clay, and Early to name a few. But these brave boys did not die in vain. The experiment in democracy that started more than eighty years earlier emerged from this trial by fire stronger. Although it took time to heal the wounds, the War Between the States brought, for the first time, the sense of being an American. It was the birth of American nationalism.
Again, when the United States went to war to "save the World for democracy," members of our family took part. When the dark cloud of tyranny again covered the face of Europe and extended to Asia, we were there. Both my sons and daughters contributed to this effort. While the boys were fighting in Africa, over the skies of the Mediterranean and Germany, hopping from one island to another in the Pacific Ocean, my daughters were working in the factories, working for the government and even wearing our nation's uniform as auxiliary units of the armed forces.
Since the end of that tremendous conflagration, our family answered its nation's call in places with names unknown to me, such as Korea and Vietnam. In peace, as well as times of conflict, our family stood ready to protect this nation and its interests.
When our young nation began to fulfill Tom Jefferson's Manifest Destiny, members of our family traveled west by horse back, in covered wagons and by ship. In the 19th century we took up residence in Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and California. By the first decades of the 20th century we spread to virtually every state in the Union. And our family is still growing and expanding.
The labors of those who have set out upon the task of discovering their Davies heritage have been rewarded by finding branches of our family who remained in the Mother Country. You have been reunited with your Davies and Ballard kin in England. There remain others to be discovered in England. Likewise, there are kinfolk in New Zealand, Australia and other foreign lands waiting to be reunited with their American family. I am confident that this will be accomplished directly. You all are fortunate to have at your disposal many marvels of man's inventive nature that make locating long lost relatives possible. The machines you take for granted would have thought to be witchcraft in my day.
For all your marvelous inventions and great prosperity, I am not certain that you moderns necessarily enjoy a greater quality of life than we of the 18th century. Yes, it is true that our daily existence was laborious, but we enjoyed the company of each other. Conversation was an art. This art cannot be master spending hours before one of your picture viewing devices. Even the tradition of Southern hospitality is suffering because the means of transport shortens the time between destinations. You may not know that our hospitality was founded upon the necessity to put up your guests for a night, because to travel from your plantation to your neighbor's could take the better part of a day by horseback. Our lives revolved around our families and friends. We relied on them for emotional support and intellectual stimulation. Our greatest distractions were to get lost in a good book or a solitary ride in the hills.
You are fortunate to live at a time of many wonders and in a nation of unimaginable wealth. In spite of this I fear that too many have lost sight of the importance of family. Oh yes, the relationships that have existed in your Davies family have not always been harmonious. Many of your ancestors were famous, or perhaps infamous, for their strong opinions, stubbornness and febrile temperament. Obviously, this did not always make for pleasant family relationships. But in the end, most of your kin understood the value of family. Much to my eternal grief, Henry and I failed to reach that point before my mortal demise.
As I said in my opening statement, I am humbled by the success that the Davies family has enjoyed in this land. Because of this success, it is understandable that each of you are proud of your predecessors. This is not a false pride. You have good cause. But I suggest that you look about this room. Assembled here today are also those deserving of your respect, admiration and pride. Each and everyone of you have contributed in your own fashion to the success of your chosen professions, your communities, this nation and our clan. What will the future hold for our family? This I cannot predict the future. There are many paths to the future and which one our family members will traverse depends on each of you here today. Your ancestors speak through you, as you shall speak through generations yet unborn. What have you been told? What will you tell? All of you have taken the first step to answering the first question by learning about those who preceded you. The answer to the second question will be depend on your individual experiences and state of self-enlightenment.
It has, indeed, been a privilege to appear before you today and see the results of the last two hundred years of the Davies family in America. It has grown, prospered and diversified. How fascinating it would be for me to again see firsthand how our clan has fared two hundred years hence. Perhaps, God willing, in another century I will again have the opportunity to address a gathering of my descendants who have come together to celebrate their kinship.