Thomas DAVIES

                   BIRTH:
MARRIAGE:
DEATH:


BAPTISM:
ENDOWMENT:
SEALED TO PARENTS:
SEALED TO SPOUSE:




                  THOMAS DAVIES/DAVIS - ELIZABETH BENNION
   Elizabeth Bennion (John, farmer, William, John, John) born 10 January, 1822 at Moor Lane, Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales. Married Thomas Davies/Davis wheelwright, joiner, carpenter, miller, (Samuel - wheelwright, Ithell - farmer,  John) 16 February l, 1822 at The Mother Church, Hawarden Parish in the registration  District of Great Boughton, Flintshire. Thomas was born 2 February, 1822 at  Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales.

    The Bennion home in Hawarden was a typical thatched cottage, situated on a  small, twelve acre farm not too far from the River Dee. Lush, green, rolling  fields of pasture, grain, hay and vegetables were products of that farm, an  orchard and garden were located near the cottage. The farm was rented from  Sir William E. Gladstone, four times Prime Minister of Great Britain, as were  all farms and property in the area.
    The farming venture was successful for the Bennions while the mother's health  was good. When Elizabeth, the youngest daughter, was born in 1822 the mother's  health began to decline. In 1823 the mother contracted dropsy, which grew  progressively worse. As Mrs. Bennion's health declined, the responsibility of  household chores increased for Mary, an older sister, and Elizabeth, even  though they were still very young They cared for the mother, helped in the  home and garden and also attended school when possible.
    In the early part of 1830 a stroke left the mother paralyzed on one side  and bedridden. Until her death 1 May, 1830, she had to be carried wherever she  went. She was buried in Hawarden Churchyard, in the same grave as her parents in-law, William and Elizabeth Eubale Bennion, the law allowing four persons per grave.
    Shortly after his mother's death Samuel, an older brother, moved to Liverpool to live with an Uncle William Bennion and apprenticed as a baker to Robert  Farrall. Samuel was twelve years of age at the time. John, another brother, attended school when he could be spared from the farming duties, and at fifteen he apprenticed as a boilermaker in Hawarden for a year, then left for Liverpool  during the latter part of 1836. The two girls continued to care for the father, the home, helped as they could with the farm, attended school when possible.
    While in Liverpool John began attending meetings held by Americans  for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the "Mormons," This brought concern to the Shone family where John resided. John decided to visit his family in Hawarden. He had dreamed that his family was silent about the matter when he returned home, and it was just as he had dreamed. It was as if some strange thing had happened to him that they dare not discuss, although they welcomed him and were very happy to have him home. When John proposed to go to Ewloe,  two miles off, to a meeting of his new religion his coat could not be found.  When their Methodist chapel time arrived, John's coat come to light - the sisters had concealed it. John went with his father and on the way discussed with him  many of the scriptural doctrines of the new faith that he was interested in.  His father began to understand as John did, and continued to grow in understanding.
    John, the son, was baptized into the "Mormon" Church 2 May, 1841. Several  months later John desired to emigrate with the "Saints" to Nauvoo, Illinois  and told his father so. John Senior replied that as he understood the faith  he expected that John would at some time go, but had not expected that it would  be so soon. But the father thought that the son knew what he was about and  would not try to stop him. Mr. Bennion told Mary to take money out of his box  and give it to John to pay for his passage, but she refused, saying she would  not hand out money to carry John away from his home to a foreign land, never  to see him any more. But Elizabeth mustered up the courage and fetched out the  money. John married Esther Wainwright and sailed for America on 23 February,  1842, on the John Cummins.
    On 10 November, 1842, Mary married Joseph Williams of Hawarden. Shortly thereafter they also moved to Liverpool. Samuel and his wife, Mary Bushell Bennion, were still residing in Liverpool. This left Elizabeth, now twenty, with the sole responsibility of helping her father with the home and farm. But not for long. On 16 February, 1844, Elizabeth married Thomas Davies at The  Mother Church in Hawarden.
    With both daughters married and his sons both gone from Hawarden, John Senior responded to the entreaties of his son, John, to join him in Nauvoo.  Mr. Bennion had joined the "Mormon" Church, as had Samuel; therefore he yielded to the son's pleadings and sailed for America in the Spring of 1844, on the John Cummins, to make his home in America. Thomas and Elizabeth moved to Liverpool and the entire family was now gone from Hawarden, but there were many close relatives  there, aunts, uncles and cousins.
    It is not known where the first child of Thomas and Elizabeth was born and died, but their second child, Elizabeth, was born the 8th of April, 1846, while  the family resided at 14 Currie Street, Liverpool, in the sub-district of St.  Martin, Lancashire.


This family lived in Liverpool about four years, but returned to Hawarden for a short time when Thomas's father, Samuel Davies, became ill with dropsy, and died six months later, in September of 1849.  Catherine, mother of Thomas, had passed away in August of 1844, from cancer. Both Samuel and Catherine are buried in the Hawarden Churchyard.
    Almost immediately after Samuel's death Thomas and Elizabeth sailed for America also. The exact departure date, place of departure nor port of entry into the United States could be found, but this family went to Burlington, lowa, then to Fairfield, Iowa where they were located on the 1850 United States Census, taken 26 September, 1850, as follows:

Thos Davis         28 M Carpenter Eng
Elizabeth "          28 F                     Eng
Elizabeth "     	4 F                     Eng



This Census information is incorrect in as much as Thomas and Elizaeth were both born in  Wales.By now the surname Davies was changed and became Davis.
      Another child was born to this couple but it is not known if it was in England, Wales or America. It, too, died shortly after birth.  Another daughter, Henrietta, was born and died, but place, date and death have not been located.  On 10 June, 1853, Frederick Henry Davis was born in Fairfield, lowa.
    Sometime after Frederick's birth, still in 1853, Thomas moved his family to Council Bluffs, lowa. In 1854 he crossed the Missouri River and thus became an Omaha Pioneer, being listed with many others of the Pioneers of Omaha.l
    Thomas built a cabin at the the South part of Omaha, one source stating it was near the intersection of Ninth and Jackson Streets,2 another source states  his cabin was built at the southeast corner of Eleventh and Farnham Streets.3  Yet another source states his first home was on the block bounded by Eighth, Ninth, Howard and Jackson.4   In any case, Thomas purchased the Sawmill of Bayliss & Davis.5  However, a second source states that Thomas established the sawmill at the corner of Ninth and Jackson Streets.6  There is a record that  Thomas traded 400 acres of land to Samuel S. Bayliss for the sawmill,7 so he did become the sole owner. Cottonwood lumber was cut here for the use of early  settlers of Omaha and this mill was believed to be the fisrt sawmill in or about the area of Omaha. As much building was under construction at this time  the sawmill was kept busy long hours trying to meet the demands of new settlers as they swarmed into the city almost daily, needing housing.  And the building  boom continued for some years to come.
    The sawmill was a successful business venture for Thomas. The 1854 Nebraska Census lists the following:

       Thomas Davis       Eng      Carpenter 3 1 2
       (3 Males under 16, 1 male over 21)
       (2 females under 16, 1 female over 16)

The 1855 Census of Omaha lists the following:

       Thos. Davis       Eng    Joiner
       (1 male under 16, 8 males over 21
       (1 female under 16, 2 females over 16)

   These figures reflect growth in the sawmill business, with Thomas employing  seven other men besides himelf. Two females over 16 would indicate that Elizabeth had help in the domestic responsibilities.
     Thomas took an early interest in local, civic affairs. When the first session of the Legislative Assembly for the new Territory of Nebraska convened in Omaha on Tuesday, 16 January, 1855, Thomas attended as a member of the House of Representatives from Douglas County. He was one of the builders of the first Territorial Capitol in Omaha.
    As the business progressed Thomas added a grist mill to his business.  The site of both mills was near the area where the Union Pacific Freight Depot was later built.  The addition of the grist mill was reflected in the 1856 Census for Omaha thus:

Thomas Davis       Eng       Miller     2 8
           (2 Males under 16, 8 males over 21)
           (1 female under 16, 1 female over 16)
This census also reflects the birth of second son to Thomas and Elizabeth, Latham      Davis, born 21 January, 1856.  It was in 1856 or 1857 that Thomas built a brick home at the southeast corner of Howard and Ninth, to accomodate his growing family.9
    When the county was organized some county officials were appointed.  An election was held 8 October, 1856 and Thomas was one of three men elected Commissioners.l0  But the municipal government of Omaha dates from Spring of 1857.  The original charter was passed and approved 2 February, 1857, allowing elections to be held the first Monday, 2 March. Thomas was again elected one of ten Aldermen for that council.l°  Prior to the City government being organized, business was transacted by the County.
    The newly elected officials had much business to care for, among the first beinq concern for Public buildings. Consequently, on the 13 March, 1857, articles  of agreement were made between the City Council and County Commissioners of  Douglas County regarding "that parcel of ground known as Washington Square to be sold in lots, except "132 feet square of the southwest corner of said square, to be used for the purpose of building said court house and jail there on but for no other purpose . . .,"11 This legal document was signed by T. C. Goodwill and William N. Byers acting for the City and Jesse Lowe and Thomas Davis on behalf of the County.
    A special session of the Council was held 18 March, 1857, to satisfy contracts between the City and County for the erection of the county court  house and jail. The Council had moved swiftly. A contract signed by Jesse  Lowe and Thomas Davis was presented and approved.12 Later that Spring, in June, "Jesse Lowe and Thomas Davis, county commissioners, are in charge of  erection of a court house, at an expense of $35,000. G. L. Miller and Company  are building the first hotel west of St. Louis, to cost $60,000.  houses have already been erected here this spring. As many more are in the  course of erection; three hundred will be erected this year.''l3
    By this time another son had arrived at the Davis home, Charles Edward Davis, born 10 February.
l858.
    Later that year, at a meeting of the Council held 10 August, 1858, Mr. Thomas Davis, chairman, presented a paper and stated that the indebtedness of the city, known as script debt, had been ratified by 2/3 votes or more of the citizens.  A Mr. M. W. Keith, of the same committee, took an opposite view,  stating the city could make no improvements, take care of any poor or anything else until they reestablished the credit of the city by paying its legitimate indebtedness.  He asked that Mr. Davis's report be put on the table and  and that the bill that Mr. Davis was recommending not to pass should be passed  and become a permanent ordinance of the city.  [The bill referred was but briefly mentioned.  Details were not recorded.]l4  The Keith report was adopted.
    In the 1860 United States Census The Davis family was listed in Omaha,  Nebraska as follows:

                                                                          Value of            Value of                       Place of
                                         	                      Real Estate      Personal Prop.             Birth
Thomas Davis    38  M   Lumber Merchant $16,000       $3,000	                     No. Wales
Elizabeth Davis  38  F                                  $15,000" "
Elizabeth Davis  15  F  Attended School during the year                                   Liverpool, Eng
Frederick H. Davis 7  M  Attended School during the year                                Fairfield, lowa
Latham Davis       5    M  Attended School during the year                                Nebraska
Charles E. Davis   3   MNebraska
Two male laborers are listed at the residence, as well as one female domestic  servant.
    Under the date of 21 June, 1~61, Elizabeth Bennion Davis wrote a letter to  her brother, John Bennion, in Great Salt Lake Territory. Receipt of this letter  was recorded in John's Journal for Sunday, 25 August, 1861.  There was a steady  correspondence between the two brothers in the Great Salt Lake Territory and their sister in Nebraska Territory, even though the transit of letters was slow.
      The birth and loss of yet another son was recorded in the Trinity Cathederal Records as follows:
"Clement Davis died 6 September, 1862 at age three weeks, death caused from a torpid liver.  Buried on the premise of Thomas Davis."
      This death must have brought to mind the need of registering births, deaths and baptisms to this family, as none were found previous to this time in this country where no law was made regarding these things.  Consequently, the four living children of Thomas and Elizabeth were all baptized and recorded on the records of Trinity Cathederal Church, also. Elizabeth was sixteen, Frederick  was eight, Latham was six and Charles was four.  Elizabeth and Frederick were  attending Omaha High School, also known as Professor Beal's School, located on the corner of Fifteenth and Capitol Avenues.  On the 14th December, 1865, Herbert Davis was born and died the same day in Omaha of consumption.  He is also listed as being buried on the premise of Thomas Davis.  Two other children were also born and died, making a total of eleven children for this couple. It is not known if more than two were buried in the family plot on the Davis property in Omaha, but it must have been a difficult time for Elizabeth, losing seven of her eleven children so young.
      The sawmill and flour mill of Thomas Davis had been operating for several years.  The Omaha City Directory for 1866 states: Thomas Davis, proprietor, situated in South Omaha, near Rail road.  The flour manufactured at these mills is of a superior quality, and commands as high a price as any of the numerous imported brands  to be found in this market.
       The saw mills are connected with the flour mills. The proprietor has now under contract, and in course of erection new and enlarged machinery, which, when completed, will double their present capacity.  This enlargement is deemed necessary from the increased demand, and rapid settling of the city and country, and the increased amount of soil under cultivation.
      At the last session of the Legislature an "Act to incorporate cities of the first class" was introduced by E. B. Taylor. This was approved February 9, 1869, making it necessary to change the entire local government as Omaha came under its provisions; consequently an election was held on the first of June. As a  result of this election, Thomas Davis (Rep) was elected to the first School  Board of Trustees in Omaha, from the First Ward.l5  Thomas also worked with the committee for Nebraska Statehood, and when this was accomplished accompanied the committee to Washington, D.C. to present the Statehood papers.  During 1869 Thomas made the decision to move