Timothy Davis was born about 1759 at Goitre Isaf Farm, Llangybi, Cardiganshire. His parents were Timothy Jacob and Elinor Thomas. Davis was one of many descendants of this family to migrate to the United States. According to his brother’s biography, Davis and his family left Britain in May and landed at Baltimore on August 4, 1801, after a very difficult passage across the Atlantic.[1] While at sea, an outbreak of smallpox hit the passengers and many children succumbed to the illness, including one of Davis’ daughters.[2]
Very little is currently known about Davis’ life in the United States. He is said to have lived for a time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[3] His brother’s biographer, Rev. Thomas Griffiths, wrote that he believed Davis died “somewhere on the Ohio,” prior to his writing in 1828.[4]
Many hundreds of thousands of people have left Wales over the past 500 years. In the 16th and 17th Centuries, people tended to leave due to religious reasons; however, by the 19th Century, when Davis left to the United States, most migration was for economic reasons. Many of the Welsh migrants to the USA during this period were farmers who aimed to purchase cheap land. They tended to congregate into Welsh communities in their new country, such as Gallia in Ohio, Oneida in New York, numerous parts of Wisconsin, and Cambria in Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh.[5] Over time, these settlements continued to attract new migrants.
There were multiple ways by which Welsh-Americans could keep in contact with their relatives in Wales. The National Library of Wales holds a number of letters sent back home[6] and journals like Y Gyfaill served the needs of the Welsh community in the US.[7] Davis’ descendants seem to have kept in contact with their cousins in Wales. The Rev. Timothy Davis of Evesham, Davis’ nephew, wrote a letter dated Aug. 5, 1851, in which he says he had been informed that Davis’ children in the USA had been long married and were doing well.[8]
What I Learned While Writing this Biography
While writing, I considered the idea, “Timothy Davis of Evesham seems to be pretty reliable, so what if his uncle, Timothy Davis of the USA, did just live in Pittsburgh instead of the vague ‘somewhere along the Ohio’?” So I searched through some US records and found a probable match. This research is currently evolving and may turn out to be proven false.
A Timothy Davis lived in Ross Township, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, about 10km from the town of Pittsburgh. In 1806, he purchased 142 acres of land which were part of a tract called “Adamaria” for $463USD.[9] Ross Township was created out of Pine Township in 1809, so he purchased his property in Pine, but later mentions of the farm are in Ross.[10] But, while Davis became a land owner in 1806, he is said to have settled in the area in 1801,[11] making him and his family some of the earliest European settlers in the area. The land had been used previously by the Seneca for hunting until it was ceded to George Washington in 1784 by Chief Cornplanter.[12]
After seven years in the United States, Davis finally became a citizen in 1808.[13] Davis’ citizenship petition is actually the key record in this research because it has an original copy of his signature. I have looked at a lot of “Timothy Davies/Davis” signatures throughout this project and no two look exactly alike. They generally have their flairs and variations that allowed the writer to express their identity and each Timothy was very consistent in how they wrote their signature, especially if they were highly literate. The signature that Timothy Davis made on his citizenship record is virtually identical to the “Timothy Davies” who witnessed our Timothy’s niece’s marriage in Lampeter, Cardiganshire, in 1799.[14] I have long believed Timothy Davies, the marriage witness, to be Timothy Davis of the USA, but for lack of other, comparable signatures, I haven’t been able to prove it.
Little else is known about the life of Timothy Davis of Ross Township, Allegheny. He had at least six children: Nancy/Naomi, Benjamin, Timothy, Elizabeth, David, and Elinor.[15] It is notable that, if he is our Timothy Davis of the USA, then his children Benjamin, Timothy, David, and Elinor, would be named after his brother, father, brother, and mother. He passed away some time before 1834 and was survived by his unnamed wife and six children.
Citations & Footnotes
[1] 1828. Griffiths, Thomas. Cofiant am y Parch. David Davies, gynt of Gastell-Hywel, p. 2. Carmarthen: Seren Gomer.
[2] 1828. Griffiths, Thomas. Cofiant am y Parch. David Davies, gynt of Gastell-Hywel, p. 2. Carmarthen: Seren Gomer.
[3] Unknown. Unknown (possibly Davis, Timothy). “Pedigree of Davis, of Evesham, Co. Wigorn.” National Library of Wales. NLW MS 5497E – Davis family miscellanea. https://archives.library.wales/index.php/davis-family-miscellanea
[4] 1828. Griffiths, Thomas. Cofiant am y Parch. David Davies, gynt of Gastell-Hywel, p. 2. Carmarthen: Seren Gomer.
[5] 2024. National Library of Wales. “Emigration to America.” https://www.library.wales/discover-learn/digital-exhibitions/manuscripts/modern-period/emigrants-letters
[6] 2024. National Library of Wales. “Emigrant Letters.” https://www.library.wales/discover-learn/digital-exhibitions/manuscripts/modern-period/emigrants-letters
[7] 2024. National Library of Wales. “Cyfaill o’r Hen Wlad yn America.” https://journals.library.wales/browse/2628237
[8] 1894. Davis, Timothy. “Hen Llythyrau y Parch. Timothy Davis, Evesham, III.” Yr Ymofynydd (81): 204-113.
[9] 1806. Indenture between John and Jane Thorne and Timothy Davis. Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA. Created Mar. 22, 1806. Recorded Apr. 14, 1806. Digital Images. FamilySearch. “Deed Book, Allegheny County: Allegheny. Deeds, 1804-1807,” p. 239/293. #008091668, Item 2.
[10] 2024. Northland Public Library. “Ross Township.” https://www.northlandlocalhistory.org/ross-township/
[11] 1889. Warner, A. and Co. History of Allegheny County Pennsylvania, p. 174. Chicago: A. Warner & Co.
[12] 2011. Schalcosky, John D. Images of America: Ross Township. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. https://books.google.ca/books?id=njhBqP5I-pYC&source=gbs_navlinks_s
[13] 1808. Timothy Davis. Citizenship Petition. Pine, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA. Oct. 10, 1808. Digital Images. FamilySearch. “Allegheny. Citizenship Records, 1798-1816,” p. 609/1559.
[14] 1799. Cardiganshire Marriages and Banns. Lampeter. Digital Images. Ancestry. Entry for Thomas Jones and Elinor Davies, Sept. 28, 1799.
[15] 1851. Allegheny Deed Book. “Benjamin Davis, Thimothy Davis, Elizabeth Davis, & David Davis to William Thompson,” signed Oct. 31, 1851 and recorded Nov. 12, 1851. Digital Images. FamilySearch. “Deed Book, Allegheny County: Allgeheny. Deeds 1851-1852.” (p. 29/383).
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