I am researching a Mary Davis buried in Mt. Pisgah Cemetery in Cripple Creek. She may be my great-great-grandmother. From sources on the internet I have found that the black granite tombstone reads Mary Davis 1829-1903. The birth date matchs the info I have for my ancestor. The LDS site says that they are the same person but I'm a little reticent to accept their info without further research. Does anyone have access to any records that would fill in the blanks on her?

I'm also researching Horace Bennett on a wild guess. I know that he was one of the leading men in Cripple Creek coming into existence. He came from Michigan in 1883, partnered with Julius Myers, and by 1890 had made himself a tidy sum. I'm looking for any info on his ancestry.

Why Mary Davis and Horace Bennett?? I told you it was a wild guess (and I've been wrong before, according to my wife). Horace came from Michigan, and if the Mary Davis in the cemetery is my great-great-grandmother then she also came from Michigan. My great-great-great-grandmother (Mary Davis' Mom) was Phoebe Bennett. This could make Mary and Horace cousins. It's a long shot, to be sure but it would explain why a 55+ year old lady would pack up and leave Michigan for Colorado.

Any assistance will be appreciated.

Hello Jim,

I have done some research on the Mary Davis that you mention, and I believe that she is an ancestor of my husband. Do you show that Mary (nee Cease) was the wife of Simon Peter Davis? My husband descends through their son, Solomon "Sol" Davis. I also show Mary's mother as Phoebe Bennett but don't have positive proof of this.

If you are interested, I would like to exchange further information.

Robyn

Hello Robyn,

Since posting this I have determined that the Mary Davis buried in Mt Pisgah Cemetery is my great-great-grandmother. I was able to detemine (through censuses) that she and the three youngest kids had moved to Cripple Creek area approx 1890-95.

The connection to Horace Bennett never did work out. Couldn't find any evidence.

Now to Solomon. I have a note from my late Uncle saying he he had correspondence in 1980 with a Mrs. Joseph W. Shawl (age 63 then), nee Neugie Davis, whose grandfather, Salomon F. Davis was a younger brother of Nancy (oldest daughter of Mary Davis). Does this name ring a bell?

Jim

Neugie Davis Shawl was the daughter of Oscar Solomon Davis. Oscar Solomon was the son of Solomon Frank Davis Sr. and Sarah Ann Seder. Neugie probably contacted your uncle back when she was gathering information for a booklet she put together about the Davis-Seder family.

Are you a descendant of Nancy Davis, daughter of Simon Peter Davis and Mary? Do you have Mary's maiden name as Cease? Do you show that Simon Peter and Mary had 10 children?

Robyn,

Yes I am a descendant of Nancy Davis. She is my great-grandmother. As far as I can determine she was the eldest of Simon Peter Davis and Mary Davis, (daughter of Phoebe Bennett and Elias Cease). I show 11 children for Simon Peter and Mary. Send me an email address and I will send you some notes in word format. I guess this makes me your cousin-in-law.

Jim

Jim,

Thanks for the offer. I've sent you my email address through Ancestry's connection service. The email should be titled 'Mary Davis', or I might have accidentally typed 'Nancy Davis'.

Robyn