Today I share a photo of the beautiful gravestone of John Davis and Rachel Elizabeth Long Davis.  John was born in Grainger County, Tennessee, the son of Samuel Davis and Alsie Long.  Both parents lived and died in Tennessee.  John moved to Garrard County, Kentucky, where he met and married Rachel Elizabeth Long on Christmas Day, 1873.  The wedding was held at the home of the bride’s parents, Abel Long and Martha Phillips, and the nuptials were officiated by Abel Bryant.

John and Rachel share a long life together – married for 54 years – raised 14 children – 8 daughters and 6 sons.  I found no newspaper articles except the two obituaries – less than three months apart.

The Lexington Leader, Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky

Thursday, June 4, 1925

Richmond, Ky., June 4 – Mrs. John Davis, 74, wife of John Davis, of the Paint Lick neighborhood, died after a short illness.  She is survived by her husband and the following children:  Mrs. Margaret Coldiron, Mrs. Mary Conn, Mrs. Minnie Ralston, Mrs. Annie Starns, Mrs. Kate Midkiff, Mrs. Mattie Green, Jefferson, Andrew, Samuel, Binam and Frank Davis.  She was a member of the Methodist Church.

Thursday, August 11, 1925

Dies of Old Age

Richmond – John Davis, 94 [should be 74], died at his home near Paint Lick, in this county, from infirmities of age.  He was one of the oldest residents of that section of the county.  He is survived by seven daughters, Mrs. John L. Coldiron, Mrs. William Ralston, Mrs. Martin Green, Mrs. Anna Starnes and Mrs. John Midkiff [Metcalf], all of Paint Lick, and three sons, A. L., Sam and Byron, all of Paint Lick.  The funeral services will be held at the residence at paint Lick this afternoon at 3 o’clock with the Rev. Bryant, of the Baptist church officiating.

The photograph on John and Rachel’s gravestone has a few cracks, but you can see how beautiful Rachel was and, handsome John was.  Could this have been a wedding photo?  If not, it was taken in the young years of their married life.

John and Rachel’s children:

1. Margaret Davis, June 21, 1875 – February 11, 1960, Garrard County, Kentucky, married John L. Coldiron, May 17, 1872, Clay County, Kentucky – June 14, 1925, Garrard County, Kentucky.
2. Jefferson Davis, February 2, 1876, Garrard County, Kentucky – January 14, 1955, Marion County, Indiana.  Married Anna Ruth Renfro.
3. Sarah Davis, March 7, 1878 – November 7, 1908, Garrard County, Kentucky.  Married Hugh Parks Conn, May 23, 1880, Garrard County, Kentucky – February 7, 1968, Fayette County, Kentucky.
4. Mary Alice Davis, September 29, 1879, Garrard County, Kentucky – March 4, 1954, Hamilton County, Ohio.  Married George Washington Conn, May 11, 1870, Garrard County, Kentucky – July 27, 1959, Hamilton County, Ohio.
5. Gatha Davis, April 12, 1882 – 1882, Garrard County, Kentucky.
6. Minnie Davis, May 27, 1882, Garrard County, Kentucky, May 27, 1882, Garrard County, Kentucky – January 12, 1960, Hamilton County, Ohio.  Married William Ousley Ralston, February 19, 1883 – May 1, 1936, Madison County, Kentucky.  Married second John Daniel Carter, August 9, 1878, Garrard County, Kentucky – April 7, 1956, Hamilton County, Ohio.
7. Andrew Luther Davis, February 26, 1884, Garrard County, Kentucky – May 14, 1950, Fayette County, Kentucky.  Married Loretta Etta Anglin, 1896, Kentucky – 1959, Garrard County, Kentucky.
8. Samuel Davis, April 25, 1886 – April 14, 1944, Garrard County, Kentucky.  Married Dora May Boian, May 12, 1889 – April 16, 1968, Garrard County, Kentucky.
9. George T. Davis, June 27, 1887, Garrard County, Kentucky – January 14, 1918, Rhea County, Tennessee.  Married Addie Boian, December 22, 1890 – March 15, 1978, Garrard County, Kentucky.
10. John Bynum Davis, December 25, 1888 – March 30, 1962, Garrard County, Kentucky.  Married Rhoda Pearl Boian, April 1, 1893 – May 17, 1970, Garrard County, Kentucky
11. Annie Davis, Jun 20, 1890 – October 12, 1987, Garrard County, Kentucky.  Married William Bud Starnes, August 25, 1887, Garrard County, Kentucky – September 10, 1948, Madison County, Kentucky.
12. Mattie Davis, July 4, 1892, Garrard County, Kentucky – October 23, 1976, Hamilton County, Ohio.  Married Martin Henry Green, November 16, 1890 – November 30, 1965, Garrard County, Kentucky.  Married second Andrew Galea, June 2, 1895, Romania – May 8, 1969, Hamilton County, Ohio.
13. Frank Davis, March 4, 1894 – February 16, 1946, Garrard County, Kentucky.  Married Vivian Burkhart, September 14, 1918, Leslie County, Kentucky – January 9, 1994, Hamilton County, Ohio.
14. Kate Lee Davis, August 1, 1896 – September 9, 1987, Garrard County, Kentucky.  Married John Eli Metcalf, February 23, 1892 – September 26, 1896, Garrard County, Kentucky.