Harriet Davis

Brief Life History of Harriet

When Harriet Davis was born on 12 December 1824, in Kentucky, United States, her father, Nicholas Naylor Davis Sr, was 22 and her mother, Dorcas Viers, was 21. She married Nimrod Kemper on 22 January 1854, in Boone, Indiana, United States. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 3 daughters. She lived in Missouri, United States in 1870 and Justice Precinct 5, Collin, Texas, United States for about 20 years. She died on 18 May 1902, at the age of 77.

Photos and Memories (0)

Do you know Harriet? Do you have a story about her that you would like to share? Sign In or Create a FREE Account

Family Time Line

Nimrod Kemper
1823–1890
Harriet Davis
1824–1902
Marriage: 22 January 1854
Marilda Jane Kemper
1857–1908
Dorcus Caroline Kemper
1858–1936
Arthur A. Kemper
1861–1944
Joel Henson Kemper
1862–1933
Joseph Kemper
1862–
David Davis Kemper
1864–1933
Wilson Thomas Kemper
1866–1942
Cora Irene Kemper
1867–1948

Sources (9)

  • Harriett Kemper in household of Nimrod Kemper, "United States Census, 1870"
  • Harriett Davis, "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007"
  • Harriett Davis in entry for Caroline Collins, "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976"

World Events (8)

1830 · Louisville and Portland Canal Opens

The Louisville and Portland canal opened in 1830. It was a 2 mile canal. It helped with the barrier caused by the Falls of the Ohio River at Louisville by making a route around them.

1844 · German Immigration to Texas

Over 7,000 German immigrants arrived in Texas. Some of these new arrivals died in epidemics; those that survived ended up living in cities such as San Antonio, Galveston, and Houston. Other German settlers went to the Texas Hill Country and formed the western portion of the German Belt, where new towns were founded: New Braunfels and Fredericksburg.

1846 · Mexican-American War

Known in the United States as the Mexican War. President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna did not officially acknowledge the secession of Texas, and interpreted the US involvement with Texas as an invasion of borders. Mexican forces attacked American forces in an event called the Thornton Affair, prompting President James K. Polk to send a request for war to Congress. The war ended when the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on February 2, 1848, which required the Mexican Cession of the northern territories and acceptance of the Rio Grande as the southern border of the United States. At the same time, the U.S. committed to pay Mexico $15 million for war damages and assumed roughly $3.25 million of their existing debt.

Name Meaning

English and Welsh: patronymic meaning ‘Dafydd's (son)’, equivalent to Welsh ap Dafydd, the Welsh form of David . The spelling Davis is more typical in southwestern England northwards as far as Lancashire, where the frequency of the surname largely reflects Welsh migration, but may sometimes represent a native English surname based on Davy (compare Davies ). Davis (including in the sense 2 below) is the eighth most frequent surname in the US. It is also very common among African Americans.

Irish and Scottish: adopted for Gaelic Mac Daibhéid ‘son of David’; see McDevitt . Compare Davies .

History: John Davis or Davys (c. 1550–1605) was an English navigator who searched for the Northwest Passage. — By the 18th century there were numerous persons named Davis in America, including the jurist John Davis, born in 1761 in Plymouth, MA, and Henry Davis, a clergyman and college president, who was born in 1771 in East Hampton, NY. — Jefferson Davis, born in 1808 in KY, was president of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865.

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

Possible Related Names

Discover Even More

As a nonprofit, we offer free help to those looking to learn the details of their family story.

Create a FREE Account

Search for Another Deceased Ancestor

Share this with your family and friends.