RE-UNION OF THE

Davis, Noble and Kinder Families

Held at Bethel M. E. Church

October 27th, 1885.

E

ARLY in the eighteenth century, allured by the salubrity of the climate, the fertility of the soil and the beneficent government of William Penn and Lord Baltimore, there settled within a radius of ten miles from a point midway between Bridgeville, Sussex County, Delaware, and Federalsburg, Caroline County, Maryland, three families the descendents of whom, now numbered by the hundreds, have literally made the wilderness blossom as the rose, and have given character and distinctiveness to that section of country. Although one of the families, the Noble, was originally of the followers of George Fox and Wm. Penn, all three of the families, the Davis and Kinder, especially, early joined the societies of John Wesley, and, accordingly, in 1781 built themselves a neat and commodious house of worship, called at first, Brown's Chapel, but afterwards named Bethel; and it has been in reality a very "House of God" to thousands who have already gone to worship in the "Upper Sanctuary." The old house is still standing and in a very good state of preservation, although not more than $700 have been spent in repairs since it was first built; the picture forming the frontispiece to this pamphlet gives a very good view of the time-honored sanctuary. The centennial

of its existence was celebrated with appropriate ceremonies in a three days meeting in August, 1881.

During a recent visit of Rev. Edward Davis, the present pastor of the old church, to Dr. Jacob L. Noble. of Taylor's Island, Dorchester County, Maryland, the Dr. broached the idea of a re-union of the three families, at the timehonored sanctuary, Bethel. Mr. Davis, at his next appointment, mentioned the conversation between the Dr. and himself and asked for an expression of the sentiments of the congregation, which was a unanimous one in favor of such a re-union, and the time set, October 27th. A committee of arrangements was subsequently appointed, composed of Mrs. Mary Davis, Mr. Joseph T. Davis, Mrs. Castelia Corbin, Mrs. Emily Davis, Mr. S. Maddux Noble and Mr. and Mrs. Isaac S. Warren, to which committee Rev. Edward Davis was afterwards added. The committee met and elected Mr. E. Frank Davis, of Federalsburg, to have charge of the singing, and Mrs. James H. Davis, of Federalsburg, to preside at the organ; they also adopted following programme which, on October 27th, was carried into execution.

PROGRAMME.

Voluntary by Miss Bertie Davis.

Organization, by electing Rev. P. H. Rawlins to the chair, and Isaac S. Warren, Secretary.

Anthem, "Jerusalem My Glorious Home."

Prayer by Rev. W. W. Morgan.

Singing, No. 1105, Methodist Hymnal.

Historical sketch of Davis family, by Rev. Edward

Davis.

Singing by Rev. Edward Davis and family, "Lead Me Gently Home, Father."

Singing, No. 789, Hymnal.

RECESS UNTIL 1.30 O'CLOCK, P. M.

Voluntary by Miss Bertie Davis.

Singing by James H. Davis and family, "Angels are Waiting for Me."

Historical sketch of Kinder family, by Samuel W. Kinder, Esq.

Singing, No. 798, Hymnal.

Historical sketch of Noble family, by Dr. J. L. Noble, represented by Col. James M. McCarter.

Singing, No. 796, Hymnal.

Speech by Rev. P. H. Rawlins.

Singing, No. 442, Hymnal.

Speech by Rev. A. W. Milby, P. E.

Singing by Rev. Edward Davis and family, "God be

with you till we meet again."

Speech by Rev. W. S. Robinson, late pastor.

Singing, No. 807, Hymnal.

Dismission by Rev. W. E. England.

Before the meeting came to a close

resolution was

adopted appointing a committee to have the proceedings published, consisting of Samuel W. Kinder, Jonathan T. Noble, and Joseph T. Davis, Esqs., to which committee Mr. Isaac S. Warren was afterwards added.

The 27th of October 1885 dawned a beautiful, balmy day, such a day as only October can give; the woods, gorgeous with their autumnal tints, the arrangements perfect, the music inspiring, the speeches stirring, and taken as a whole, a most enjoyable day; the mid-day meal was eaten in the shade of the old trees, which, had, for upwards of a century, cast their shadows athwart the Temple raised by the Fathers.

There were upwards of five hundred persons present, most of whom could lay claim to kinship with one or more of the families; and the reunion of the Davis, Noble and Kinder families, marks an epoch in the local history of this section of the Peninsula.

A Historical Sketch

OF THE

Davis Family

As raised up in the neighborhood of Bethel M. E. Church.

BY REV. E. DAVIS.

In giving a correct historical statement of this family, we ought to be able to go back to the first one of this connection that settled in this country. But of that we have but little information. Therefore, our knowledge of that part is very limited, and, of course, we can say but little. However, we have learned through the older members of the family that we here represent, that about one hundred and fifty years ago, or more, there was a man came over from England, by the name of Solomon Davis, and settled in Dorchester County, Maryland, near what was called at that time "North West Fork Bridge," but now known as the town of Federalsburg. We are informed that this man was married three times, and had born unto him nine children by each wife, making a total of twenty-seven children.

How many of these children lived to grow up to maturity, we have no records to show, or what became of those that did grow up to manhood or womanhood, we have but little knowledge with the exception of one, and that one we here represent to-day in this social gathering, and to this one our sketch will be chiefly confined.

Lemuel Davis, son of Solomon Davis, settled in Caroline County, Maryland, over one hundred years ago, within about two miles of this place where Bethel M. E. Church now stands. He was married to Miss Mary Ann Noble, and raised nine children, six sons and three daughters, by the following names: William, Solomon, Tilghman, Ennals, Caleb, Sovern, Elizabeth, Kitturah and Amelia. Each of these grew up to maturity, married and became the head of families. William Davis had born unto him eleven children, Solomon Davis had born unto him eight children, Tilghman Davis had born unto him nine children, Ennals Davis

had born unto him six children, Caleb P. Davis had born unto him fourteen children, Sovern Davis had born unto him four children, Elizableth Davis Vickers had born unto her four children, Kitturah Davis Cannon had born unto her three children, Amelia Davis Williams had born unto her two children, making a total of sixty-one grandchildren.

A majority of these grandchildren grew up to manhood and womanhood, and have married and raised up children, so that the number of great-grandchildren of Lemuel Davis far exceeds the number of grandchildren.

From the best information that we have at command, the number of great-grandchildren, born unto Lenuel Davis, was about one hundred and seventy-five and the number cf great, great grandchildren, born unto Lemuel Davis, was from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and seventy; so that, if the children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great, great grandchildren, of Lemuel Davis, were all living and here at this re-union to-day, we should have about 400 persons of the descendants of Lemuel Davis. But all the children of Lemuel Davis have died and passed away many years ago; and of the sixty-one grand children, there are but seven living today; but of the great, and great, great grandchildren, there are many living, but we had no ineans of ascertaining their accurate number. Lemuel Davis, together with Jacob Kinder and White Brown, were the leading men in the erecting and building of this time-honored Church in which we are assembled to-day, which has been standing now one hundred and four years.

Lemuel Davis was a plain, unassuming christian gentleman, upright in all his dealings with his fellow men; he was also a minister of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, filling the local ranks, as a methodist preacher, with great credit to himself and the church. So that the mantle of this man of God, this father in Israel, has seemingly fallen upon his posterity, for there has been a minister of the gospel connected with this family, and the M. E. Church, and retaining the name of Davis, with the exception of a very short interval, for about one hundred years. Another feature in connection with this family is worthy of notice, that the great majority of the descendants of Lemuel Davis, have been, and are, members of the Methodist Episcopal

Church, and are a church-going people.

William Davis, one of the sons of Lemuel Davis, was a very popular local preacher in the M. E. Church, and served the people, at Bethel, faithfully, for many years. The record shows that he married over 200 couples during his ministry.