Tamerlane William Whiting Davies
The seventh grandchild of Nicholas ("Old Nick") Davies
Compiled by Dr. James David Boyle
Tamerlane William Whiting Davies, son of Henry Landon Davies and Anne Whiting Clayton, was born in Bedford Co, Virginia
11 November 1782.
He married Jane Smith Payne in Campbell Co, Virginia, 30 April 1804.
She was born at "Airy Mount", on Seneca Creek, in Marysville,
Campbell Co, Virginia 29 August 1784 (or 1790).
She was the daughter
of Col. Philip Payne (Revolutionary War Militia officer) and Elizabeth
Spotswood Dandridge. The Tamerlane Davies Family Bible says on one
page that she was born 29 August 1784, the year being somewhat
scratched over. Down below on that page, in very large writing, the
date is given as 29 August 1770, obviously written long after the
fact. Thus the year of her birth is not certain.
Jane was probably a free white female, age 16 and under 26, in Tamerlane’s
household on the 1810 Census in Bedford Co, Virginia. She was
probably the free white female, age 26 and under 45, in Tamerlane's
household, in the 1820 Census in No. Div, Bedford Co, Virginia. She
died 3 December 1848 at 64 years of age.
Although a farmer in Bedford Co, Tamerlane's civic activities are
well documented in the Bedford Co Order Books, 1807-1822. In June
1807, he was appointed Justice of the Peace, and in 1819 was appointed
Magistrate. He was active in supporting, opposing and surveying
Bedford Co roads leading to and from ferry sites on the James River.
Altogether, his name appears in the Order Books 35 times. He was
listed as the head of a family in the 1810 Census in Bedford Co,
Virginia.
In May 1806 he was appointed as Ensign in the 1st
Battalion in the Bedford Co Militia. He served in U.S. Army during the
War of 1812 as a Quartermaster Sgt. in Capt. John Hewett's Company, on
the Payroll 6 July to 8 September 1813. He was in Col. McDowell's
Flying Camp, Chesterfield Co, Virginia. Later in life, he is referred
to as "Colonel", but the highest rank he held was that Lieutenant (in
the Bedford Co Militia) in 1809.
He was listed as the head of a
family in the 1820 Census in Liberty PO, Bedford Co, Virginia. In
1820 his household contained 4 white males (1 age 0-9, 2 ages 10-15
and 1 age 26-44), 5 white females (2 ages 0-9, 2 ages 10-16 and 1 age
26-44), as well as 25 slaves.
He died 3 April 1823 "aged 40 years and 4 months old", according to
the family Bible. Letters of administration were granted to George D.
Meriwether in Bedford Co, Virginia, 28 April 1823, Tamerlane's wife
having relinquished this right. There apparently was no will. On 14
July 1823, Nathaniel W. Payne was appointed guardian to Tamerlane's 5
youngest children, as they were under the age of 12, while William,
Henry L. and Elizabeth Davies, his 3 oldest children, being of full
age for that purpose, appeared in Court and chose Payne as their
guardian.
Tamerlane William Whiting Davies and Jane Smith Payne had the
following children: William Spotswood Davies,
Henry Landon Davies, II.
Elizabeth Wortley Whiting Davies.
Catharine Ann Davies,
Dr. George Washington Davies,
Henry Anne Davies,
Martha Whiting Davies and
Edith Pocahontas Virginia Davies