John Meeks Davis and his wife, Elizabeth J Abshire and plural wife, America Jane Overlin: A Heber Fort Family
John Meeks Davis and his wife Elizabeth J Abshire and plural wife America Jane Overlin, a Heber Fort Family
John Meeks Davis is believed to be identical to John Davis. John Crook in his journal listing the cabins in the Heber Fort, lists a John Davis as living on the west side of the Heber Fort on what is now approximately 4th west. To the north of the John Davis cabin was the cabin of John McDonald and to the south that of Cub Johnson.
John Meeks Davis KWJT-P7S was born on 9 September 1825, in Luce Township, Spencer, Indiana, his father, James Davis, was 32 and his mother, Margaret Elsie Meeks, was 21. He married Elizabeth J Abshire on 20 August 1846, in Spencer, Indiana, United States. They were the parents of 6 sons and 6 daughters. He lived in Pottawattamie, Iowa, in 1850 and Provo, Utah, in 1860. He died on 16 February 1896, in Vernal, Uintah, Utah, at the age of 70, and was buried in Vernal Memorial Park, Vernal, Uintah, Utah.
His wife Elizabeth J Abshire KWJ1-YFG was born on 29 December 1825, in Luce Township, Spencer, Indiana, her father, Abraham James Abshire, was 26 and her mother, Elsie ALCY Harrison, was 22. She married John Meeks Davis on 20 August 1846, in Spencer, Indiana, United States. They were the parents of 6 sons and 6 daughters. She lived in Provo, Utah, Utah in 1860 and Naples, Uintah, Utah, in 1900. She died on 31 July 1899, in Vernal, Uintah, Utah, United States, at the age of 73, and was buried in Vernal Memorial Park, Vernal, Uintah, Utah, United States.
Reta Stevens Wheeler prepared a well-researched article found in Family Search entitled John Meeks Davis Life Story 26 August 2021. In her article is the ollowing, “Since the first group that entered Heber City, was organized by their religious leader, Elder William Meeks, uncle of John Meeks Davis, this may have influenced John to move there.
William Meeks met frequently with those under his direction to ask the Lord to bless them in their preparations. Their constant prayer was that the elements would be tempered so they could mature crops and sustain themselves and their families in the new country.
In the winter of 1858-1859 eleven pioneer families living in Utah Valley decided to move to what is now the area of Heber City, Utah in Wasatch County. Families of the men had agreed to remain behind in Provo until log cabins could be built and other preparations made for their coming. The only written record of the trip that has been preserved was in the journal of John Crook. He wrote, “April 30, 1859, we camped at a snow slide in Provo Canyon that night. … We thought we were the first settlers to arrive in the valley that Spring, but when we reached the present site of Heber, we saw two teams plowing north of us which proved to be William Davidson plowing with two yokes of oxen and Robert Broadhead and James Davis with a similar outfit between them.” James Davis may have been John Meeks Davis because there is only one John M Davis in Utah County in the 1860 census and there is no James Davis in either Utah or Wasatch County in the 1860 census of Utah.”
John Meeks Davis is believed to have joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in October 1840 in Mission Green, Jersey County, Indiana. Elizabeth Abshire, soon to be his wife, William Luce Davis, his brother, his wife, their mother, stepfather, and Grandmother Margaret Meeks were also early converts.
Rather than repeat a story already in Family search about John Meeks Davis I am attaching the link to the full article written by Reta Stevens Wheeler.
https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/131711637?cid=mem_copy
Another reason it is believed John Davis is identical to John Meeks Davis is based on information contained in the Life History of Mary Ann Davis (Wall) KWZD-RTC, her father is John Meeks Davis. This article contributed by Zachary Robert Gardner contains the following: “John Davis was sent by Brigham Young to help make a road up Provo Canyon and to build up Wasatch County. They settled in Round Valley, later renamed Wallsburg.
The Indians were on the warpath, so they moved to Heber City, which was a fort at that time. When the trouble died down, they went back to Wallsburg. There John raised cattle and farmed and was also a blacksmith by trade.” For additional information I am including the link to the full article.
https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/96813625?cid=mem_copy
John Meeks Davis traveled from Council Bluffs, Iowa to Utah departing in 1852 along with other members of his immediate and extended family. They were in the David Wood Company. Shortly after leaving Ft. Laramie, Wyoming John Meeks Davis and his brother William Luce Davis became ill with Cholera. His brother William Luce Davis died July 5th, 1852, North Platt River, Converse, Wyoming and was buried on the route. William Luce Davis Sr. was married at the time of his death and had four children. His wife was America Jane Overlin KWJW-G1l and she was pregnant with her son William Luce Davis Jr who was born 23 December 1852 in Springville, Utah.
America Jane Overlin was born on 11 February 1824, in Warren, Kentucky, United States, her father, William Luce Overlin, was 29 and her mother, Maria Wilson, was 27. She married William Luce Davis Sr. on 31 December 1843, in Spencer, Indiana, United States. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 1 daughter. She lived in Provo, Utah, in 1860 and Midway, Wasatch, Utah, in 1870. She died on 19 September 1874, in Wallsburg, Wasatch, Utah, at the age of 50, and was buried in Wallsburg, Wasatch, Utah, United States.
John Meeks Davis married his brothers Widow, America Jane Overlin as a plural wife on 24 August 1857 in Beaver, Utah. At the time of this marriage, she had four sons and a daughter from the marriage of William Luce Davis. She subsequently had four children with John Meeks Davis, three daughters and a son.
Before arriving in Heber John Meeks Davis lived in Beaver, Utah in 1852, Parowan, Utah 1853-1856, Beaver, Utah 1857.
Children of John and Elizabeth,
Martha Jane Davis was born on 26 June 1847, in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States, her father, John Meeks Davis, was 21 and her mother, Elizabeth J Abshire, was 21. She married James Marshall Jackson in 1865. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 1 daughter. She immigrated to Utah, United States in 1852 and lived in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States in 1860 and Park Valley, Box Elder, Utah, United States in 1900. She died on 30 September 1925, in Grouse Creek, Box Elder, Utah, United States, at the age of 78, and was buried in Grouse Creek Cemetery, Grouse Creek, Box Elder, Utah, United States.
Margaret Elsie Davis was born in 1849, in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States, her father, John Meeks Davis, was 24 and her mother, Elizabeth J Abshire, was 24. She immigrated to Utah, United States in 1852. She died about 1849, in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States, at the age of 1.
Annell Davis was born on 2 October 1851, in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States, her father, John Meeks Davis, was 26 and her mother, Elizabeth J Abshire, was 25. She married Winfield Scott Hullinger Sr on 22 November 1869, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 6 daughters. She lived in Cottonwood, Salt Lake, Utah, United States in 1880 and Naples, Uintah, Utah, United States for about 10 years. She died on 19 July 1931, in Vernal, Uintah, Utah, United States, at the age of 79, and was buried in Vernal Memorial Park, Vernal, Uintah, Utah, United States.
Sarah Ann Davis was born on 22 October 1852, in Beaver, Beaver, Utah, United States, her father, John Meeks Davis, was 27 and her mother, Elizabeth J Abshire, was 26. She married John Monroe Wheeler on 25 February 1869, in Heber City, Wasatch, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 6 sons and 5 daughters. She lived in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States in 1870 and Wallsburg, Wasatch, Utah, United States for about 20 years. She died on 6 November 1943, in Duchesne, Duchesne, Utah, United States, at the age of 91, and was buried in Duchesne, Duchesne, Utah, United States.
Spencer Davis was born on 22 February 1853, in Parowan, Iron, Utah, United States, his father, John Meeks Davis, was 27 and his mother, Elizabeth J Abshire, was 27. He lived in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States in 1870 and Vernal, Uintah, Utah, United States in 1880. He died on 24 July 1919, at the age of 66.
Thomas C Davis was born in 1856, in Parowan, Iron, Utah, United States, his father, John Meeks Davis, was 31 and his mother, Elizabeth J Abshire, was 31. He married Mary Etta Carter in 1878, in United States. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 6 daughters. He lived in Grouse Creek, Box Elder, Utah, United States in 1880 and Hayden, Routt, Colorado, United States in 1900. He died on 4 October 1917, in Fort Washakie, Sweetwater, Wyoming, United States, at the age of 61.
Angeline Davis was born on 7 January 1860, in Summit, Utah, United States, her father, John Meeks Davis, was 34 and her mother, Elizabeth J Abshire, was 34. She married Lorenzo Dow in 1875, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 5 daughters. She lived in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States in 1870 and Naples, Uintah, Utah, United States in 1900. She died on 2 July 1910, in Vernal, Uintah, Utah, United States, at the age of 50, and was buried in Vernal Memorial Park, Vernal, Uintah, Utah, United States.
Frances Davis was born on 7 January 1861, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States, his father, John Meeks Davis, was 35 and his mother, Elizabeth J Abshire, was 35.
Abraham Davis was born in 1864, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States, his father, John Meeks Davis, was 39 and his mother, Elizabeth J Abshire, was 39. He lived in Mountain Dell, Uintah, Utah, United States in 1900 and Dragon, Uintah, Utah, United States for about 20 years. He died on 23 March 1938, in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States, at the age of 74.
Olive Davis was born on 8 September 1864, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States, her father, John Meeks Davis, was 38 and her mother, Elizabeth J Abshire, was 38. She married William James Graham on 5 September 1880. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 8 daughters. She lived in El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States in 1918 and Gallup, McKinley, New Mexico, United States in 1920. She died on 3 February 1936, in Long Beach, Los Angeles, California, United States, at the age of 71, and was buried in Bakersfield, Kern, California, United States.
Frank J Davis was born in 1868, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States, his father, John Meeks Davis, was 43 and his mother, Elizabeth J Abshire, was 43. He died in 1868, in his hometown, at the age of 0.
James Henry Davis was born on 17 August 1872, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States, his father, John Meeks Davis, was 46 and his mother, Elizabeth J Abshire, was 46. He married Catherine Wells Johnston on 24 November 1892, in Vernal, Uintah, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 2 daughters. He lived in Vernal, Uintah, Utah, United States in 1880 and Election District 6 Carter, Uinta, Wyoming, United States in 1900. He died on 23 March 1917, in Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States, at the age of 44, and was buried in Randolph City Cemetery, Randolph, Rich, Utah, United States.
Children of John and America Jane Overlin
Elisabeth Davis was born on 21 June 1858, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States, her father, John Meeks Davis, was 32 and her mother, America Jane Overlin, was 34. She married Richard Dixon Papworth Sr on 21 October 1874, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 9 sons and 3 daughters. She lived in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States in 1860 and Salt Lake, Utah, United States for about 20 years. She died on 4 February 1936, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States, at the age of 77, and was buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States.
Atha Carter Davis was born on 11 March 1860, in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States, his father, John Meeks Davis, was 34 and his mother, America Jane Overlin, was 36. He married Mary Etta Ford on 19 February 1883, in Wallsburg, Wasatch, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 5 sons. He lived in Wasatch, Utah, United States in 1880 and Utah, United States for about 5 years. He died on 19 July 1950, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States, at the age of 90, and was buried in Wallsburg, Wasatch, Utah, United States.
Susann Davis was born on 21 June 1862, in Heber City, Wasatch, Utah, United States, her father, John Meeks Davis, was 36 and her mother, America Jane Overlin, was 38. She married John Clayborn Wall on 19 May 1879, in Wallsburg, Wasatch, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 7 sons and 4 daughters. She lived in Charleston, Wasatch, Utah, United States in 1900. She died on 22 December 1910, in Wallsburg, Wasatch, Utah, United States, at the age of 48, and was buried in Wallsburg Cemetery, Wallsburg, Wasatch, Utah, United States.
Mary Ann Davis was born on 21 June 1862, in Heber City, Wasatch, Utah, United States, her father, John Meeks Davis, was 36 and her mother, America Jane Overlin, was 38. She married William Adelbert Wall on 12 April 1880, in Wallsburg, Wasatch, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 6 daughters. She lived in Wallsburg, Wasatch, Utah, United States in 1900 and Wasatch, Utah, United States in 1910. She died on 18 September 1918, in Roosevelt, Duchesne, Utah, United States, at the age of 56, and was buried in Myton Cemetery, Myton, Duchesne, Utah, United States.
This family has had a significant impact on Heber, Midway, Wallsburg, Charleston, Duchesne, and Vernal as well as many other communities where their descendants settled.
Heber Valley Heritage Foundation