An American Family History

Barnabas Davis was born about 1599 in England. He mentioned his father James D. (this may be his wife’s father) and a brother Reade (1602) in England. 

He married Patience James in 1625. Their children and life together are described in detail in the section on Barnabas and Patience Davis. He was a tallow chandler by trade which is a maker of and dealer of tallow candles.

He first came from England in July, 1635 on the ship “Blessing.”  He came with a Susan Davis aged 16 who may have been his sister. The fee for passage was five pounds. He gave his age then as thirty-six years. He landed in Boston and walked to Connecticut to check on  his employer, Mr. Woodcock’s, business. When he arrived in Connecticut he found that Mr. Woodcock’s employee Francis Stiles had built a house, but had had not laid out 400 acres for a farm as he should have. Reverend Hooker advised him to return to England with Hooker’s letters concerning Mr. Woodcock’s estate in the colony. He landed at Portsmouth and rode to London to deliver the letters.

He was again sent to the colonies to check up on Francis Stiles and landed in Boston in the “yeare of the Pequid (Perquot) warres.”  He traveled to Connecticut in a pinnace. He found that Stiles had not acquired the land he should have and was sent back to England with more letters. Before he could leave he was forced to become a soldier for about a year. This time he went to London on foot.

He was sent to Connecticut a third time to recover the Woodcock’s estate from Stiles. He landed in Boston in June, 1639. This time he brought his family.

The Woodcocks never paid him and he brought suit against them for wages in 1640-41. He won the suit.

Later, he owned Lovell's Island and considerable other real estate.

On March 1, 1657/58 when land was divided in Charlestown, Barnabas received lot 50 of 27 acres of woodland and 4.5 acres on the side of common land. On March 20, 1665 he bought 3/4 of a acre of land from John Cutler on the side of Bunker hill.

He died at Charlestown, November  28, 1685. 

Barnabas Davis, immigrant ancestor, was born in England, and came to this country from Tewkesbury, England, in July, 1635, in the ship "Blessing." He gave his age at that time as thirty-six years. He settled in Charlestown. Massachusetts, and was in the employ of John and William Woodcock, making several journeys to Connecticut. The records show that he brought suit against his employers for wages in 1640-41. He mentioned his father James and a brother Reade in England. He deposed, April 4, 1659, that he was aged about sixty years. He was a tallow chandler by trade.

Elizabeth Davis, perhaps his first wife, was admitted to the church in Charlestown, January 8, 1635. His wife Patience died November 15, 1690, aged eighty-two years. He owned Lovell's Island and considerable other real estate. He died at Charlestown, November 28, 1685. Children: Samuel, died at Groton, December 28, 1699; Barnabas, aged twenty-eight in 1662; Patience; Nathaniel, aged forty in 1682; James. . . from New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial by William Richard Cutter

from Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine, Volume 4 by Henry Sweetser Burrage and Albert Roscoe Stubbs

I) Barnabas Davis, immigrant ancestor of a prominent family bearing this name, was born 1599 in Tewksbury, England; with his wife Patience and son Samuel he sailed for America in the ship "Blessing" and arrived at Boston in 1636. He settled in Charlestown, where he owned several parcels of real estate, including a part of Bunker Hill. By trade he was a tallow chandler and probably followed that trade. He died November 27, 1685, and was survived almost five years by his wife, who died November 15, 1690.

Their children were:
1. Samuel, further mentioned below.
2. Barnabas.
3. Patience, born 1641, married William Ridland, of Charlestown.
4. Nathaniel, married (first) Mary Converse; (second) Mary Thomas; was a glazier in Charlestown.
5. Hopewell, a soldier of King Philip's war, married Sarah (Boynton) Davis.
6. James, married Elizabeth Randall and lived in Scituate.