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John Ellis Davis

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Birth	:	26 Feb 1831
Death	:	7 Jul 1896
Burial	:	Forest Glade Cemetery, Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate	:	43.2524986, -70.8827972
Plot	:	07-03
Description	:	Son of William Davis and Elizabeth Blair. He married Mariah J. Perry. He died age 65 years 4 months and 11 days. Their children were James Edmund Davis[m. Nancy A. Johnson, buried Murray Cemetery], Franklin Davis[m. Lydia A. ], Samuel A. Davis, Lydia A. Davis, Mariah Davis, Milford Eugene Davis and Francis M. Davis[married Anna F. Zika, buried Maple Hill, Osceola, IA]. A COLD BLOODED MURDER John E. Davis, of Knox Township, The Victim After a lapse of several years another tragedy darkens Clarke county history. It appears that about 2 o'clock last Tuesday John... Read More	Son of William Davis and Elizabeth Blair. He married Mariah J. Perry. He died age 65 years 4 months and 11 days. Their children were James Edmund Davis[m. Nancy A. Johnson, buried Murray Cemetery], Franklin Davis[m. Lydia A. ], Samuel A. Davis, Lydia A. Davis, Mariah Davis, Milford Eugene Davis and Francis M. Davis[married Anna F. Zika, buried Maple Hill, Osceola, IA]. A COLD BLOODED MURDER John E. Davis, of Knox Township, The Victim After a lapse of several years another tragedy darkens Clarke county history. It appears that about 2 o'clock last Tuesday John E. Davis, an old resident of this county, went to the cabin of John L. Lykens, a quarter of a mile from his home, about a half mile south of Leslie, to hire him to work and that a quarrel ensued over politics, which was incensed by former wrongs that Lykens imagined Davis had inflicted upon him. Lykens ordered Davis out of his cabin and while he was leaving Lykens grabb'd an old stub-barreled shotgun, discharging its contents into his breast with fatal effect. There were no witnesses to the murder, the scene being at Lykens's cabin which is off in a field from the mainly traveled road which runs from Granville Coffey's home south to Mr. Eddy's. Lykens immediately went to Davis' home and told Mrs. Davis that he had killed her husband but she would not believe it, then Lykens went on to Mr. Crew's and told them and they rode over and found Davis' body in the yard lifeless, lying in a pool or blood. Lykens has been considered weakminded and has evidently been insane for some years, but was never known to be violent heretofore, beyond fighting with his brothers. He was looked upon by his neighbors as silly, and has been the butt of many jokes played by the boys of the community. He tells a rambling story of the affair which is substantially as follows: He said he got into trouble with Davis last fall while working for him and told him he would never work for him again. He told of some jokes which Davis played upon him, which may be mere freaks of his imagination. Lykens got the idea that Davis was trying to poison him. It is said that a year or so Lykens quit trading at the Leslie store because he imagined that Mr. Davis and Seay, the store keeper, were plotting to poison him. He said Davis came to his house to get him to work and while he was there they got to talking politics. Davis said the Republicans had caused low prices. That made Lykens angry and he ordered him out of the house. Hot words ensued, but Davis started out, Lykens grabbed his shotgun and follow- ed him. While going through the yard Davis turned, then Lykens fired the full charge into his left breast. Lykens said he was so mad be hardly knew what he was doing. On being asked if he regretted the deed Lykens hesitated and finally said yes, but that God's justice was done. Then he went on telling that back in 1863 Davis had killed his father, which is one of his hallucinations of mind, and probably partly accounts for the crime His neighbors say that his father left his wife and three Lykens boys many years ago, deserting them, and going to California. He has not been heard from since. John L. Lykens, the murderer, is a medium statured man, thirty-six years old and a bachelor. He wears full whiskers, sandy in color, has sallow complex-ion, retreating forehead, blue eyes. and a dull, unintelligent cast of features. His, two brothers are bachelors, also, one of whom lives near him in a hut upon five acres of ground which he gardens. He is demented and has been pronounced incurable at the asylum where he was placed for treatment. A second brother, Sam, lives near Van Wert in the same way and on same amount of ground. They are all of about the same order of intelligence. They formerly lived together with their mother in a one-room log hut, but after fighting and quarreling some years, they separated. Their mother died five or six years ago. John L. was living in this one room log but by himself, and it was there that he committed the deed. Lykens displays no emotion for the act and does not seem to realize the awfulness of it. He owned twenty acres of land and worked for the neighbors about. His house was off the road, a half mile south of Leslie. Lykens and Davis have been acquainted with each other for many years, both families being old settlers of Clarke county. Mr. Davis was sixty-five years of age and leaves a wife and several children to mourn his untimely end. He was a prosperous, industrious farmer and well respected by his neighbors. Sheriff Jolley being out of town, W.W. Williams and W. E. Harper went out and brought Lykens to town. On preliminary hearing he was committed to jail until Friday, when he will be tried before Justice Morrow, at 9 o'clock. The murderer is held on the charge of murder in the first degree, and the offense not being bailable, he will be a prisoner in jail until the September term. The gun is in W.W. Williams' hands and will be on exhibition at Parrish & Stacy's hardware store until Friday. Mr. Wm. Emary identified it as one his father brought over from England. The bar-rel is partly sawed off. Mr. Tom Johnson recalls the story that this John Lykens tired this same gun at Jim Rothwell fourteen years ago, while a quarrel over a load of wood was in progress. This happened within a mile or two from the scene of the present tragedy. He also says that Old Man Lykens left the country to avoid paying debts. Dr. Carver did not hold an official inquest, not deeming it necessary. The funeral of Mr. Davis was held Wednesday afternoon in the presence of a large crowd of sympathizing friends, after which the remains were interred in the Lacelle cemetery. The Weekly Osceola Sentinel, Page4, 1896-07-09

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is John Ellis Davis's memorial?
John Ellis Davis's memorial is located at: Forest Glade Cemetery, Somersworth, Strafford County, USA.
When did John Ellis Davis death?
John Ellis Davis death on 7 Jul 1896 in
Where are the coordinates of the John Ellis Davis's memorial?
Latitude: 43.2524986
Longitude: -70.8827972

Family Members:

Parent

William Davis

(1781 - 1865)

Elizabeth Blair Davis

(1795 - 1868)

Spouse

Mariah Jane Perry Davis

(1834 - 1906)

Siblings

Owen T. Davis

(1809 - 1881)

Lieurana Davis James

(1820 - 1883)

Alexander Blair Davis

(1829 - 1907)

Mary Elizabeth Davis Linder

(1837 - 1929)

Children

Charity Elizabeth Davis Williams

(unknow - 1884)

(1852 - 1936)

(1853 - 1926)

(1856 - 1928)

(1859 - 1869)

Milford Eugene “Gene” Davis

(1871 - 1946)

Francis Marion Davis

(1872 - 1959)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Forest Glade Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2524986, -70.8827972

2. Greek Orthodox Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2554000, -70.8832700

3. Mount Calvaire Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2571790, -70.8821460

4. Holy Trinity Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2496986, -70.8758011

5. Tate-Teat Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2572220, -70.8919440

6. Tri-City Covenant Church Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2592750, -70.8906890

7. Ellswick Sreet Cemetery
Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2417930, -70.8755700

8. Ricker Wentworth Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2529990, -70.8644020

9. Hanson Family Cemetery #2
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2433400, -70.8970280

10. Wentworth Family Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2647220, -70.8919440

11. Witham Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2663890, -70.8808330

12. Stevens-Ham Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2385590, -70.8814210

13. Rocky Hill Road Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2675500, -70.8781370

14. Rocky Hill Road Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2680200, -70.8804380

15. Old Burying Ground at Lord's Court
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2626610, -70.8658590

16. Cook-Horne Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2525000, -70.9055560

17. Brown Family Burial Ground
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2352790, -70.8817080

18. Plaisted Cemetery
Berwick, York County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2658310, -70.8649979

19. Ham Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2317050, -70.8794360

20. Lords Cemetery
Berwick, York County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2657930, -70.8582610

21. Hooper Family Cemetery
Berwick, York County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2661290, -70.8563770

22. Hanson Family Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2672210, -70.9082830

23. Morrill-Downs-Smith-Whitehouse-Wakeham Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2539980, -70.8495150

24. Burnham-Otis Cemetery
Somersworth, Strafford County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2672220, -70.9105560