Montgomery County, MOGenWeb The USGenWeb Project

DIGGS, Simon Diggs, of Lancaster co., Va., had a son named William, who married a MISS GOE, of Middlesex co., Va., by whom he had one son named Christopher. His first wife died, and he was married the second time to MARY SEETON, by whom he had William, Isaac, Simon, John H., Dudley, Rowland, Barbee, Cole, Nancy, Polly and Elizabeth. John H. married SARAH HATHAWAY, who lived to the age of 103 years. Their children were Lawson, Christopher Y., John H. Jr., Cynthia, Malinda, Nancy, Elizabeth and William C. Lawson and John H., Jr., were ship carpenters. The former married SARAH DIGGS, of Va., and settled in Mo. in 1834. John H., Jr., followed the sea for a number of years, but finally abandoned that dangerous calling and emigrated to the west. He came to St. Louis in 1834 and worked on the first steamboat built in that city. In 1839 he settled in Montgomery co., where he still lives. He married JANE JETER, a daughter of PLEASANT JETER, of Richmond, Va., and sister of the eminent REV. DR. JETER, of that city. Cole Diggs was born Feb. 25, 1791. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812, and in 1817 he settled in Ky., and married JANE PACE, a daughter of REV. JOHN PACE, of Va. In 1832 he removed to Mo. and settled in Montgomery co. where he still resides (1875), in the 85th year of his age. He kept hotel at Danville, for some time after he came to Mo. and served as Justice of the peace for many years.

DRURY, Lawson Drury was a native of Worcester co., Mass., but removed to New Hampshire where he married ELIZABETH JOHNSON Their children were Lawson, Jr., Charles, and Ruth. His first wife died, and he was married the second time. His children by his second wife were George, John, James and Sarah. Mr. Drury removed from New Hampshire to Ohio, where he became Judge of the county court for the county in which he lived. After the death of his second wife, he came to Mo. and lived with his son, Charles, at Danville, where he died in July, 1835, in his 65th year. Charles Drury came to Mo. at a very early date and was the second merchant in Montgomery co., DANIEL ROBINSON being the first. Drury's first store was at Loutre Lick, but in 1834 he removed to Danville. He was an honest, enterprising man, and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. He married SALLY A. WISEMAN , of Boone co., who was a daughter of JAMES WISEMAN & MARY TUTTLE. Their children were Lawson, James H., Susan B., Charles J., Jarrett, Joseph, Andrew M., Richard B., Mary E., and Elizabeth. Mr. Drury died in Danville in 1848, in his 47th year. Five of his children, James H., Jarrett, Joseph, Andrew M., and Elizabeth, died unmarried. Lawson was married twice; first to MARGARET FRAZIER, and second to CATHARINE WILSON. He lives in Kansas City, Mo. Susan B. (who was the first child born in Danville) married DR. WILLIAM B. ADAMS. Charles J. and Richard B. live in Atchison, Ks. Mary E. married CAPT. STUART CARKENER, of Danville. Joseph Wiseman, a brother of Mrs. Charles Drury, married ELIZABETH ROBINSON, of Callaway co., and became one of the early settlers of Danville.

DAVIS, John David, of Jonesburg, familiarly known as "Uncle John", is the oldest son of the late THOMAS DAVIS, of Shenandoah co., Va. John was born Oct. 30, 1791, in Shenandoah co., and is now nearly 85 years of age. When he was about sixteen, his parents removed to Bourbon co., Ky., and when the war of 1812 began, he enlisted in the army and served under Generals Winchester and Payne. He was stationed at Forts Wayne and Laramie, in Ohio, for some time In 1820, he came to Mo. and stopped a short time in St. Louis, which then had only one principal street, and most of the houses were made of square posts set upright, with the spaces between, filled with straw and mud, the chimneys being built of the same material. The court house was surrounded by a post and rail fence, and young Davis was sitting on this fence when the announcement was made that the Territory of Missouri had become a state. From St. Louis, Mr. Davis went to Pike co., and settled in Clarksville, where he lived forty-six years. In those days, rattlesnakes were much more abundant than they are now, and the old pioneers would occasionally go on "snaking" frolics. They always came back vomiting from the effects of the poisonous smell of the snakes. On one occasion, Mr. Davis and his neighbors went to a knob near Clarksville and killed seven hundred rattlesnakes in one day. This is a pretty large snake story, but it is nevertheless true. Mr. Davis had failed in business in Ky., before his removal to Mo., but he worked hard for ten years after he came here to get money to pay those debts; and he often says that that was the happiest period of his life. Bankrupt and exemption laws had not been invented then, and when men entered into obligations they generally endeavored to fulfill them. For many years after he settled at Clarksville, the population was so thin that it required all the men within a circuit of ten of fifteen miles to raise a log cabin. At that time, the government sold its public lands at $2 per acre, payable in four equal installments, with interest on the deferred payments. But in 1825, a new system was adopted, and the public lands were sold at $1.25 per acre, for cash. Mr. Davis has a son living at Nauvoo, Illinois, who is 62 years of age; and his brother-in-law REV. THOMAS JOHNSON, was an Indian Missionary where Kansas City now stands, many years ago. His children still reside in that vicinity.

DAVIS, Jonathan Davis, of Pa., married ELIZABETH BOWEN, and they had six children...James, John, Elijah, Septimus, Jonathan and Elizabeth. John and James came to Mo. in 1800. John was a great hunter and trapper, and spent most of his time in the woods, often being absent for months at a time. He married SUSAN BRYAN, a daughter of DAVID BRYAN, and his children were James B., JOnathan, Joseph C., John H., Unicia and Elizabeth. James, the brother of John Davis, married JEMIMA HAYS, a granddaughter of Daniel Boone, her mother being SUSANNA BOONE. After his marriage he returned to Ky. and remained until 1819, when he came back to Mo. and settled in Montgomery co. His children were John, Elizabeth, Jesse, Susan, Narcissa, Marcha, Daniel B., Unicia, and Volney. Jonathan Davis, brother of James and John, came to Mo. in 1820 and married MAHALA HAYS, a sister of his brother James' wife. They had thirteen children, only four of whom are living (1875).

DAVIDSON, Alexander Davidson, of South Carolina, married SARAH ELLIS, and settled in Ky., from whence, in 1821, he removed to Mo. and settled in Montgomery co. They had 3 children, John, Abraham and Rachel. Abraham was married first to MARY BRANSON, by whom he had 12 children, Alexander, Alfred, Abraham, Stout B., Franklin, Hezekiah, Elizabeth, Sarah, Rachel, Mary, Louisa, and Martha. His first wife died and he was married the 2nd time to the widow HUBBARD, by whom he had William and John A. Mr. Davidson was not out of the county during the last forty-five years of his life.

DRYDEN, David Dryden, of PA., married BARBARA BERRY, and settled in Washington co., Va., where he and his wife both died. Their children were Jonathan, David, Nathaniel, William. Thomas, Rebecca, Elizabeth and Mary. Jonathan married FANNY DUFF, and lived and died in Ky. David was married twice, the name of his second wife being JANE LAUGHLAN. He settled in Blunt co., Tenn. Nathaniel was also married twice; first to ELLEN LAUGHLAN, a daughter of ALEXANDER AND ANN LAUGHLAN, but she died without children. Mr. Dryden was married the second time to MARGARET CRAIG, a daughter of ROBERT CRAIG, who was a son of a revolutionary soldier, and they had Frederick H., John D. S., Ellen E., Mary R., Jane R., Louisa W., Thomas A., Margaret, David C., Caroline, and William P. Mr. Dryden represented Washington county, Va., in the Legislature of that state before he came to Mo., and after, he settled in Montgomery co. in 1829, he represented that county in the Mo. Legislature several terms. He also held other important positions in the county, and was an influential and highly esteemed citizen. He died in 1858, in his 75th year; his widow still survives, in her 83rd year. Thomas Dryden built a horse mill near Danville, soon after his arrival in Montgomery co., which, being something unusual for those times, attracted a great deal of attention. It was situated on a high point of ground, where the wind had a fair sweep against it, and several persons came near freezing to death while grinding grain there during cold weather. The capacity of the mill for grinding was from 3 to 5 bushels per day. Mr. Dryden was a leading member of the Methodist church, and strict in his observance of its rules; but one day he needed some whisky for some purpose, and went to Danville and procured a jugful of that fiery liquid. On his way back home he met. REV. ANDREW MONROE, his pastor, who was bitterly opposed to the use of intoxicating liquors in any manner, and was very strict in his enforcement of the rules of the church against it. Mr. Dryden saw him coming, and wondered what he should do -- he a steward in the church, with a jug of whisky in his hands! But a happy thought struck him. He remembered that Monroe had once entertained the Governor in his house at Danville, and had sent to the saloon to get a bottle of whisky for his benefit, as he had none in the house, and the Governor had called for a stimulant. When the met, Monroe's first question was, "Well, Brother Dryden, what is that you have got in your jug?" Dryden promptly answered, "It's some whisky that I have just purchased for the Governor, who is at my house". Monroe saw the point, and let Brother Dryden off without a reprimand. Thomas Dryden, brother of Nathaniel, married ELIZABETH CRAIG, and settled n Montgomery co. He died in 1874, in his 74th year.

DAVAULT, Henry Davault was born in France, but married CATHARINE MARIA GROVER, of Germany. They emigrated to America about the year 1764, landed near Philadelphia, and settled near Hanover, York co., Pa., where they lived and died. Mr. Davault served in the revolutionary war, under General Washington. He died at the age of 85, but his wife lived to the remarkably old age of 97 years, 4 months and 10 days They had the following children...Philip, Margaret, Elizabeth and Gabriel (Twins), Catharine, Mary, Henry, Valentine, Frederick, Julia & Jacob. Philip was one year old when his parents arrived in America. He married CATHARINE LONG. Margaret married SAMUEL LONG. Elizabeth married JOHN KITZMILLER. Gabriel married MARY KITZMILLER. Catharine married NICHOLAS KEEFAUVER. Mary married MARTIN KITZMILLER. Henry married KITTY GROSS. Valentine married LOUISA RANGE. Julia married JACOB WARTS. Jacob married RACHEL KITZMILLER. Philip Davault had the following children...Mary, Kate, Margaret Lydia, Louisa, Daniel, and Eliza. One of these children married JOHN HARSHEY, and died in Maryland. Another married WILLIAM ROBERTS, and lived in Baltimore. Another married WILLIAM LANDERS and lived in Illinois. Another married JOHN KITZMILLER, and lived in Tennessee. Another married MARY KITZMILLER, and lived in Ohio. The children of Frederick Davault were Henry, Peter, David, Mary, Elizabeth, John, Louisa, Kitty and Samuel. Most of these children settled and lived in Tennessee. Henry settled in Montgomery co. in 1831, and married VIRGINIA MAUGHS, by whom he had Mary, Elijah, and john. Peter married MARY HAYS, of Tennessee, and settled in Montgomery co in 1831. He conditionally donated the land to the county on which Danville now stands. His children were Henry, Laban, Catharine, Frederick, Alfred, John, Emma, Louisa and Mary V. The latter died in childhood. Mr. Davault died in 1872. His sister, Kitty, married a MR. CRAWFORD, of Tennessee, and removed to Kansas, but afterward died in Mo. Mary Davault married JAMES DUNCAN, who settled in South Carolina. Elizabeth married JOSEPH DUNCAN, and remained in Tennessee. Louisa was married twice, to two brothers, named RANKIN, and remained in Tennessee.

DUTTON, Natley Dutton and wife, of England, settled in Maryland some time after Lord Baltimore began to colonize that state. Their son, Natley, Jr., was born and raised in Maryland. He had a son, named John II, who was born in 1790. Mr. Dutton died when his son was eleven years of age, and two years afterward, his mother had him bound out to learn the ship carpenter's trade. He worked at that business fourteen years. In the meantime, his mother had married a MR. ELTON, whose father was a Quaker and came to America with WILLIAM PENN. They had a son named THOMAS T. ELTON, and in 1818, he and his half-brother, JOHN H; DUTTON, in company with PHILIP GLOVER, started to Missouri. They traveled in a wagon to Wheeling, Va., where they bought a flatboat, and loading their wagon and team onto it, and proceeded to Louisville. There they sold their boat and came by land to Mo. They located first in St. Charles co., where they rented land, and lived two years. They then entered land on North Bear creek, in Montgomery co., and settled there. Mr. Elton married ELEANOR GLOVER, and raised a large family of children. He subsequently removed to Grant county, Wisconsin, where he now resides. Mr. Dutton married MARY BRUIN, of St. Charles co., whose father settled there in 1808 They had John H., Jr., Evaline, Timothy B., Eleanor, James M. and Elizabeth. The two latter lived to be grown, but died unmarried. John H., Jr., lives in Warren co. Eveline married J. B. SHELTON, of Montgomery co. Timothy B. lives in Montgomery City. Eleanor married EDMOND F. ADAMS. John H. Dutton Sr., and his wife were members of the Baptist church of which he was a deacon for twenty years. He was Justice of the peace for a long time, and judge of the county court for eighteen consecutive years, twelve years of which time he was the presiding justice. He was a man of fine business qualifications, and was highly esteemed for his many excellent characteristics. He died the death of a Christian, June 9, 1853. His widow survived him thirteen years.

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Last updated 3 August 2000.