BENJAMIN BARZILLA DAVIS
The information in this biography is based on the Pettis/Davis History by the Ponwith Sisters.
Benjamin Barzilla Davis, son of Isaac Van Norman Davis and Mercy Rogers, born August 29, 1813 in Canada, died May 19, 1879 while visiting relatives in Minnesota. Benjamin married (1) Catherine Sally Philinda Pettis, daughter of Colonel Stephen Pettis and Sally Philinda Nichols. Catherine was born October 10, 1819 at Alburg, Vermont, died June 5, 1852 in Pike County, Illinois and is buried at the Pettis Cemetery, Newburgh Township, Pike County, Illinois. Benjamin entered into two other marriages after Catherine Pettis Davis died but the names of his wives remain unknown at this time.
Benjamin Barzilla Davis remained on the home farm in Pike County, Illinois. He attained national acclaim as a pomologist with the production of the Ben Davis apple.
Benjamin Davis and Catherine Pettis had four children;
1. Benjamin Franklin (Frank), son of Benjamin Davis and Catherine Sally Philinda Pettis, born May 17, 1836 at Newburgh Township, Pike County, Illinois, died at Missouri. Benjamin (Frank) married (1) Rebecca Anne Sweeney on June 7, 1857 at Pittsfield, Pike County, Illinois. He married (2) Margaret Sly or Slegh. Rebecca Sweeney was born May 25, 1837 at Ohio. Benjamin Franklin (Frank( Davis) and Rebecca Sweeney had twelve children; 1. Elmer, born January 1, 1858 at Pike County, Illinois, married Mary Menton. 2. Catherine, born April 20, 1859 at Pike County, Illinois, died when she was four years old. 3. Ella, a twin, born September 30, 1860 at Pike County, Illinois, married Peter Menton. 4. Elva, a twin, born September 30, 1860 at Pike County, Illinois, married Charles Parker. 5. Colonel Ellswerth, born October 2, 1861 at Pike County, Illinois, married Emma Olsen. 6. Ida May, born January 3, 1863 at Pike County, Illinois, married John Charles Fremont Whiting on October 25, 1882. 7. Lydia Cole, born August 9, 1866, at Kasota, Minnesota, married William Griffith. 8. Sidney Steadman, born January 13, 1868 at Kasota, Minnesota, married Mary Lewis. 9. Stella Delerne, born December 18, 1869 at Kasota, Minnesota, married Albert Van Bogart. 10. Illfraverne (Verna), born June 24, 1871 at Lake Washington, Le Sueur County, Minnesota, married Frank G. Evans. Verna and Frank had a daughter, Kathryn, born January 26, 1908 at Rochester, New York. Kathryn married the Rev. Wallace G. Mikkelson on October 6, 1931 at Minneapolis. They had three children; 1. Verna Laura, 2. Evelyn, 3. Evan Wallace. 11. Benjamin F., born October 2, 1872 at Lake Washington, le Sueur County, Minnesota, married a girl of German descent. 12. Louisa Lula, born February 18, 1874 at Lake Washington, Le Sueur County, Minnesota, married Emmanuel Willas. Benjamin Franklin (Frank) Davis and Margaret Sly/Slegh had four children; 1. Lehman, 2. Roy, 3. Leon, 4. Roma |
| 2. Matilda Ann Davis, daughter of Benjamin Barzilla Davis and Catherine Sally Philinda Pettis. Matilda married Martin Hosford. In 1871 the Hosfords lived at St. Peter, Minnesota, but returned to Pike County, Illinois in 1879. |
| 3. Sally, daughter of Benjamin Barzilla Davis and Catherine Sally Philinda Pettis, died November 8, 1851 at the age of sixteen. |
| 4. Maria Amanda, daughter of Benjamin Barzilla Davis and Catherine
Sally Philinda Pettis. Maria Amanda died September 25, 1929. She was
married to Luke Wesley Yelliott on October 5, 1869. Luke was born December
2, 1845, he died April of 1922.
Maria Amanda Davis and Luke Wesley Yelliott five children; 1. Franklin, died when he was a small child. 2. Arthur, died when he was a small child. 3. Mary, died as an infant. 4. Clara Mae, born November 21, 1871 at Detroit, Pike County, Illinois, died January of 1966 at Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois. Clara married (1) Alfred Wilson Tucker on January 9, 1890 at Detroit, Pike Co., Illinois. They were later divorced. Clara married (2) Bert Baldwin, who was killed by a mule. Clara married (3) Marcellus Stauffer. He died at Winchester, Illinois. 5. Alice Annetta, died June 4, 1962 at Springfield, Illinois. She married (1) David Dolbow on January 18, 1897 (divorced), (2) Dr. Edmonson (divorced), and (3) Ray Flinn (divorced). Alice Yelliot and David Dolbow had two children; Mildred Evelyn Dolbow who was born May 15, 1902 at Detroit, Pike Co., Illinois, died February 7, 1922, and Lucille Dolbow who died whe she was four and a half years of age.
Alice came to the Museum on a temporary basis in 1938 at a time when the Museum;s educational and research programs were rapidly expanding. She made herself indispensible, for it was in the Botany section that she found an opportunity to put to practical use her natural inclination and satisfaction in working with plants. During the time of her work with the plants of Illinois, the Illinois Herbarium grew from a few hungred specimens to well over fifty thousands. It was Mrs. Flinn's pleasant task t take over the collections on the return of the Field crews under Dr. Fuller and his colleague, Dr. Glen Winterringer, when they came back from exciting expeditions into little known botanical areas in Illinois. they had the pleasure of hunting and discovery in collecting; now the great stacks of old newspapers between whose pages reposed the recently gathered and pressed specimens were deposited on her big work table. Often hastily laid between sheets, the plants had to be carefully trimmed and sometimes rearranged before they dried too much. later they were mounted with patience and skill on herbarium sheets. When Mrs. Flinn completed this work, the specimens were classified by the Curator of Botany and returned to her for final cataloguing and filing. She, too, keenly enjoyed collecting for the Herbarium and often spent part of her vacation in this activity on the farm in Pike County where she lived. For many year Mrs. Flinn was in charge of the Museum on holidays, Saturday afternoons and Sundays. She was latterly employed on weekdays in the Museum office assisting with the sales counter, keeping records on attendance and school loan use. It is with deep regret that the Museum staff announces the death of Alice A. Flinn on June 4, 1962. |