The Highland Township Historical Society
Highland, Oakland County, Michigan

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DAVISON, BENJAMIN F.

 Portrait and Biographical Album of Oakland County, Michigan, Chapman Bros. (1891), pp. 638-639

BENJAMIN F. DAVISON owns and occupies a good farm in Highland Township, comprising one hundred and seventy acres on section 21.  Mr. Davison formerly owned a much larger tract, but has given away one hundred and twenty acres, reducing his own estate to the acreage mentioned.  He finds sufficient occupation with that which he now possesses, as he is ambitious to have it in as perfect condition as possible, and he is advancing in years, so that he does not have the physical strength to do as he once did, although by no means incapacitated from the oversight of affairs, or from the share in the labor necessary to reap good results from the farm.

The paternal grandfather of our subject was Paul Davison, a native of Connecticut, who in an early day went to Pennsylvania, and thence to Livingston County, N. Y., in 1788.  He and three others were the first to settle in that county, and in making their way there followed an Indian trail.  They built a cabin, and the next year Mr. Davison returned to Pennsylvania for his family.  They made their journey to the new home in an ox cart, cutting logs and building bridges on the way.   The first crop of turnips and oats gathered in Lima Township was harvested by Mr. Davison. [Begin Page 639]  The corn used in the home was ground with a stump and mortar.  Mr. Davison died in 1804, at the age of forty-one years; his wife survived him forty years, reaching the age of fourscore.   He had been in the Colonial army during the Revolution, and fought in Sullivan's forces in subduing the Indians in Western New York; he held the commission of Captain.   His family consisted of three sons and four daughters, namely: Norman, Marlin, Jonathan, Lavina, Olive, Betsey and Fanny - the last named being the first white female child born west of Geneva.  She married Amos Otis [
But see note below].

Norman Davison was born in Connecticut and accompanied his parents to New York when an infant.  At the age of twenty years he married Huldah Brown, a native of Albany, N. Y., and to them were born the following named children: Sarah, Paul G., Olive P., Sylva, DeWitt C., Benjamin F., Jane A. and Marietta.  In 1831 Mr. Davison removed to Genesee County, this State, locating twelve miles from Flint, and being one of the first settlers in that locality.   There he died ten years after his arrival.  The patent for the first land he entered was signed by Andrew Jackson.  He was a delegate to the convention at Detroit, in 1835, which framed the first constitution of the State, and he was a delegate to the convention held at Ann Arbor to settle the difficulties between Indiana, Ohio and Michigan regarding the boundary.  He was Postmaster and Justice of the Peace for years.

The subject of this notice was born in Avon, Livingston County, N. Y,, April 12, 1821, and was ten years old when he accompanied his parents to this State.  He worked on his father's farm after his school days were ended, until 1842, when he came to this county and established himself in Highland Township.  He has cairied on general farming with good results, and has secured a good standing as an agriculturist and a citizen.  He has served as Township Treasurer a year and Supervisor four years.  He exercises the right of suffrage in behalf of Democratic principles and the candidates who are pledged to support them.  He is connected with the social order of the Grange.

In 1847 Mr. Davison was married to Miss Huldah N. Gue, who bore him four children, named respectively, Ann, Ella, Norman and Frank.  The wife and mother exchanged time for eternity in 1866, and January 1, 1867, Mr. Davison made a second marriage.  His bride was Sarah S. Wells, daughter of Philip and Sophia (Fuller) Wells, who were natives of Rhode Island and Massachusetts respectively.  Mr. Wells came to Michigan in 1842, and settled in Milford, where he died in 1853.  The year of his birth was 1799.  Mrs. Wells died September 16, 1867, at the age of sixty-six years, having been born in 1801.  Mr. Wells owned and operated a foundry.  He served as Justice of the Peace, was a Mason and Odd Fellow, and, with his wife, had good standing in the Presbyterian Church.  The children of Mr. Davison and his present wife are still residing with their parents, although both are engaged in teaching.   Their names are Bertha and Margaret SMrs. Davison is a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church.  

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NOTE:  The claim that Fanny Davison married Amos Otis is apparently in error.  At least one historian of the family advises that Fanny in fact married Elias Fitch.  Rather, it was daughter Lavina Davison who was the wife of Amos Otis.

 

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