Finding Leonard Davis's family in his will

Leonard Davis’s birth is found in the Killingworth town records the date is given as September 23, 1791. Leonard married Arta Hill who was born in nearby Madison. Leonard was the son of Azuba Griffin and Henry Davis. We have documented Azuba and Henry’s history on the Blog in January and March 2013. In 1791 it must have been a sight as Azuba present her new baby at the homestead on Roast Meat Hill. The rough farm boys Joel, Asahel, John, Worden, Samuel and Dan. Her sister Lois Griffin Stevens, Her sister Polly Doud up from Guilford. Any number of little cousins. I am sure her father Samuel probably took delight in holding his new grandson. Finding all of Leonard’s family has been a difficult task. We have know for some time that he was buried next to his parents in the Stone House Cemetery along with his wife Arta and two sons Joel Hobart and Henry D. Davis. His headstone lists the date of his death as July 20, 1840 at the age of 49. Sons are often easy to identify using Census records daughters are almost impossible to trace if you do not know their married name. A review of the census records indicates that the family also included two girls. Their identities remained hidden until we were able to recover Leonard’s Will and probate file. As required by the probate courts all of the parties to the transfer of the real estate were required to sign the court document authorizing the transfer. A probate file can cover a period of 15 to 20 years usually ending when the widow signs over her rights to her children which is what we have in this case. It is from this page in the probate file that we can identify Leonard’s family. The signatories to the document were; Orpha Skinner, Emma A. Scranton, Sabrina D. Stone, Eleanor A. Burr, Henry D. Davis, Emily S. Davis and Joel H. Davis. ------ In his will Leonard sets aside a section to address the inheritance given to each of his children. They start with the phrase “We set out”. In his will is a section, Set out, to Orpha Skinner. A review of the Stone House cemetery records identifies; Orpha Davis Skinner, wife of William, died January 21. 1897, age 77 yrs. Next to Orpha is a headstone that reads, William S. Skinner died February 26, 1876, age 59 yrs.------ There is a section, set out, to the heirs of Eleanor Francis. Eleanor was the first child born into the family. Next to the rest of the Davis family in the Stone House Cemetery we find a headstone for, Eleanor Francis, wife of Henry Francis. Eleanor died September 9, 1841 at the age of 26. Henry Francis’s headstone reads, died September 22, 1874, age 60 yrs. The Emma A. Scranton, Sabrina D. Stone and Eleanor A. Burr listed in the probate record are their married daughters left to sign the probate after their mother Eleanor’s passing. ------Next on the signature list and listed third in the will is Henry D. Davis he and his wife Diantha are buried next to his parents. ------ The last two signatures on the probate document are husband and wife Joel H. Davis and his wife Emily. Emily is identified as Joel’s wife elsewhere in the will.------ This leaves one last mystery who is the Joel Hobart Davis buried next to Leonard and Arta? His headstone reads “Joel Hobart Davis, son of Leonard & Arta, died March 11, 1825, age 2 yrs”. The answer is found in the Killingworth Episcopal Church Records. The Killingworth clan had been so faithful to the Killingworth Second Society that it never occurred to us that there would be any family records in the Episcopal records. But in the Episcopal records we find the baptismal records for all of Leonard’s children including one for Joel Hobart Davis on April 27, 1823. Because of his early demise the family then named a second son Joel Hobart a practice we have seen several times in our family history. The second Joel was baptized on July 2, 1834. The second Joel married Emily S. Doty and he is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Watertown, Connecticut. His headstone reads September 2, 1832 to October 11, 1894.---- There are a number of things that would seem to indicate that Leonard and his family remained close. With the exception of the 2nd Joel the family is all buried in the Stone House Cemetery. In the 1850 census we find living as neighbors. Henry D. Davis and his wife Diantha, Atra and Joel H., William S. Skinner and his wife Orpha and two of their children, the family all gathered around the large farm created by Henry and Azuba. ------ Eleanor 1815, Orpha 1820, Joel, 1823, Henry 1826, Joel 1832 / Leonard / Azuba Griffin / Samuel-Marah / Samuel Griffin.