William Richard Davidson

Notes:

When Napolean Mason of Sabine County, applied for a Confederate Pension, he stated that he served in the C. S. A. , Company I, 1rst Texas Regiment, Infantry as a private. He made his application on July 9, 1909 before County Judge J. H. McGown and witnesses W R Davidson and T B Davidson. They both testified that they served in the same company with Mr. Mason.


(Research):Census Listings:

1900 Census
Texas, Sabine, Precinct 1
Enumerated 9 June 1900
SD 8 ED 68 Sheets 4A and 4B
61-63
Davidson, Wm Hd W M Feb 1844 56 m30 Ala Tenn Va Farmer
Davidson, Sarah O Wf W F Oct 1846 53 M 30 10/8 Miss Ga Ga
Davidson, Eliza J Dtgr W F Feb 1876 25 S Tx Ala Miss
Davidson, Henry J Son W M Apr 1882 18 S Tx Ala Miss Farm La
borer
Davidson, Richard F Son W M Apr 1882 18 S Tx Ala Miss Farm Laborer
Davidson, Geo L Son W M Feb 1885 15 S Tx Ala Miss Farm Laborer
Davidson, John G Son W M Dec 1886 14 S Tx Ala Miss Farm Laborer
Davidson, Zollie O Dtgr W F July 1889 W S Tx Ala Miss At School

William married Sarah Josephine Drawhorn about 1869. Sarah was born on 28 Oct 1846 in Mississippi; died on 17 Jun 1934. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
A transcription of the 1910 census shows they had been married 41 years, and had a total of 10 children, six of whom were still living.

1. Mary Lillie Davidson was born about 1870; and died.
2. William Monroe Davidson was born about 1873; and died.
3. Eliza Jeanette "Nettie" Davidson was born on 5 Feb 1875 in Sabine County, Texas; died on 18 Jan 1941 in Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Hemphill City Cemetery, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas.
4. Ary Josephine Davidson was born about 1879 in Texas; died before 1910.
5. Martha May Davidson was born about 1880 in Texas; and died.
6. Richard Franklin Davidson was born in Apr 1882 in Texas; and died.
7. Henry Oliver Davidson was born in Apr 1882 in Texas; and died.
8. George Lafayette Davidson was born in Feb 1885 in Texas; and died.
9. John Goodrich Davidson was born on 24 Dec 1886 in Texas; died on 11 May 1948 in Texas; was buried in Hemphill City Cemetery, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas.
10. Zollie Ola Davidson was born in Jul 1889 in Texas; and died.

Notes:

Per "1850 Census Sabine County, Texas with added Family Information and Corrections," William Madison Davidson owned 16 slaves. Per OLDTIMERS OF SABINE COUNTY, TEXAS he fought along with his son-in-law Amazia Vardeman White in Company F, 11th Texas Infantry. He died on the way home, somewhere near Marshall, and the irony of it was that he volunteered after he was past the age of 55, in anothers place, in exchange for a slave.

He was said by White and Toole to be the son of William "Squire Billy" DAVIDSON and Jane BIRDWELL, and a brother of Blackburn Davidson, who married Harriet Goodrich. White and Toole show him as a grandson of Wm. Davidson, b ca 1755, in N.C., lived to be 96. When members of his family loaded their wagons in 1849, and departed for Texas, never to return, the old grandfather, nearly blind, stood by the side of the road and waved until they were out of sight. He had begged to be taken to Texas with them. SABINE COUNTY GENEALOGICAL RECORDS, pps 84-87, contains details of various early Davidson families settlers in Pennsylvania, Virginia and the Carolinas. Gen. Samuel Houston was the grandson of a Margaret Davidson. Thomas Whitfiled Davidson, a Texas state senator and Lietut. Governor, was claimed as a relative of Jefferson Oliver Davidson of Sabine County (personal interview with Beulah Davis Hughes). (White and Toole, p 87).

Other researchers show him instead as a son of William DAVIDSON (born 1779 Va, d. 1860 Texas) and Nancy ALBRIGHT (born 1779 Va), and an Uncle of Blackburn Davidson.

William married Martha Claiborne Goodrich about 1839. Martha (daughter of Thomas Benton Goodrich and Martha Smith) was born on 22 Jan 1814 in Virginia; died on 18 Nov 1895; was buried in Spring Hill Cemetery, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Lived with her son, Jefferson Oliver Davidson, at the time of the 1880 census.

Notes:

Probably the son of James Thomas Goodrich and wife Ruth Benton. The Goodrichs were from England to Va. (White and Toole, p 61).

Thomas married Martha Smith. Martha was born before 1792; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]