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, age 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 then walked to Connecticut to check on  his employers, John and William Woodcock’s, business. When he arrived in Connecticut, he found that their employee, Francis Stiles, had built a house, but had had not laid out 400 acres for a farm as he should have. The Reverend Thomas Hooker advised him to return to England with letters describing their estate. So Barnabas sailed back to England, landed at Portsmouth and then rode to London to deliver the letters.

He was again sent to the colonies to check up on Francis Stiles. He landed in Boston in the “yeare of the Pequid warres." The Pequot War was in 1634–1638 and was between the Pequot tribe and the colonists along with some Native American allies. Barnabas went to Connecticut by sea. He found that Stiles had not acquired the land he should have and he was forced to become a soldier for about a year. Eventually he went back to England with more letters where he had to walk to London.

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.

He became a large landowner himself. He owned Lovells Island in Boston Harbor and considerable other real estate in Charlestown. 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 ¾ of a acre of land from John Cutler on the side of Bunker hill.

He died at Charlestown, November  28, 1685. 

Children of Barnabas Davis and Patience James Samuel Davis Patience Davis Ridland Barnabus Davis Nathaniel Davis Hopewell Davis James Davis